Market Snapshot: Western Canada’s natural gas pipelines remained highly utilized in 2025

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Release date: 2026-06-03

Pipelines that move natural gas produced in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) continued to operate at almost full capacity at major points in 2025. These high utilization rates were again driven by record high production in the WCSBFootnote 1.

Natural gas from western Canada is transported primarily through the following transmission pipelines:

These pipelines export to the United States (U.S.), deliver directly to domestic Canadian markets, and/or connect with other pipelines. Key delivery points on the NGTL system include East GateFootnote 2 and West Gate in Alberta. Upstream James River in Alberta is also a major point on the NGTL system—a large portion of the natural gas produced in northwest to west-central Alberta and in British Columbia must pass through this area to reach downstream markets. Other key export points from western Canada include the Canada/U.S. border points on the Alliance pipeline (at Elmore, Saskatchewan), the Foothills pipeline (at Kingsgate, British Columbia), and the Westcoast or BC Pipeline (at Huntington/Fortis BC Lower Mainland, British Columbia).Footnote 3

Available capacity and seasonal pipeline trends

Natural gas compressor station with frost covering pipes and valves on a cold wintery day. The sun is rising in the background and there are clouds in the sky.

Natural gas pipeline available capacity and throughput generally increase in the winter. In colder temperatures, natural gas molecules pack closer together, so more gas fits in the pipe and more can be shipped. At the same time, winter weather drives up demand for natural gas for use in space heating. Seasonal increases in natural gas production in western Canada also occur in the colder months with higher levels of rig activity, as well as storage withdrawals, increasing supply available to be transported. At times, throughput can exceed reported available capacity because of changes that occur between the time available capacity was estimated and when shipments occur (due to factors like ambient temperatures, outages, and downstream constraints).

Figure 1: Monthly throughput and available capacity on the NGTL system

Source and Text Alternative

Source: CER – Pipeline Throughput and Capacity Data

Text Alternative: These combined area and line charts illustrate monthly throughput and available capacity on the NGTL natural gas system at East Gate, West Gate, and Upstream James River from January 2019 to December 2025. Generally, available capacity and throughput increase in the winter. See the NGTL Pipeline Profile for the location of these key points.

Note: At times, throughput can exceed reported available capacity because of changes that occur between the time available capacity was estimated and when shipments occur (due to factors like ambient temperatures, unplanned outages, and downstream constraints).

NGTL flows at Upstream James River see modest growth

Throughput at the Upstream of James River key point increased 3.2% from an average of 11.76 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2024, to 12.13 Bcf/d in 2025. The largest year-over-year increase in 2025 was in Q1, when throughput averaged 12.70 Bcf/d (6.2% over Q1 2024). Q4 2025 averaged 12.43 Bcf/d (0.4% over Q4 2024). The average available capacity for the year at Upstream of James River key point increased from 13.50 Bcf/d in 2024 to 14.03 Bcf/d in 2025. The largest year-to-year quarterly increase in 2025 happened in Q1 when available capacity went up to 14.16 Bcf/d (6.7% over Q1 2024) and then came down slightly to 13.96 Bcf/d by Q4 2025.

Small increases in NGTL West Gate throughput and available capacity in 2025

Throughput at the West Gate key point increased by 2.8% to 2.69 Bcf/d in 2025 from 2.62 Bcf/d in 2024. The largest year-over-year increase in 2025 was in Q2, when throughput averaged 2.58 Bcf/d (8.3% over Q2 2024). However, Q3 2025 saw a 3.7% decline to 2.48 Bcf/d, compared to Q3 2024. Q4 2025 throughput was 1.0% higher than Q4 2024, averaging 2.75 Bcf/d. The available capacity at West Gate key point stayed at 3.14 Bcf/d throughout 2025. This is slightly higher than the average of 3.11 Bcf/d in 2024.

Higher utilization at NGTL East Gate in 2025

The average available capacity at the East Gate key point was 4.90 Bcf/d in 2024 and 4.93 Bcf/d in 2025Footnote 4. Average available capacity quarter over quarter has also been fairly stable throughout 2025 compared to 2024. In 2024 throughput averaged 4.88 Bcf/d, and in 2025 this average went up to 5.14 Bcf/d—a 5.4% increase. The most notable increase in 2025, however, came in Q1 2025, when throughput was 5.68 Bcf/d, which was 16.1% higher than Q1 2024, and almost 14% over the available capacity in January of 2025. By Q4 2025, throughput was only 1% over Q4 2024, averaging at 5.31 Bcf/d.

January of 2025 experienced extreme cold weather across much of the U.S. and Canada, which drove up heating demand in areas fed by the TC Canadian Mainline which connects to NGTL at the East Gate key point. This high winter demand, along with record supply and other factors, combined to push throughput well above available capacity during Q1 2025. November and December of 2025 were mild in comparison, explaining steady throughputs in Q4 2025 compared to previous years.

Figure 2: Monthly throughput and available capacity on Alliance, Westcoast and Foothills Pipelines

Source and Text Alternative

Source: CER – Pipeline Throughput and Capacity Data

Text Alternative: These combined area and line charts illustrate natural gas monthly throughput and available capacity on the Alliance Pipeline at the Border key point near Elmore, Saskatchewan, the Westcoast Pipeline at the Huntingdon/Fortis BC Lower Mainland key point, and the Foothills Pipeline at the Kingsgate key point from January 2019 to December 2025. See the Alliance, Westcoast and Foothills Pipeline Profiles for the location of the key points.

Note: At times, throughput can exceed reported available capacity because of changes that occur between the time available capacity was reported and when shipments occur (due to factors like ambient temperatures, unplanned outages, and downstream constraints).

Alliance Pipeline sees continued high utilization

The Alliance Pipeline transports liquids-rich natural gas to the Chicago area from the WCSB. Alliance’s throughput at the border key point near Elmore, Saskatchewan increased by 3.0% from 1.55 Bcf/d in 2024 to 1.60 Bcf/d in 2025. In Q4 of 2025, the Alliance Pipeline transported 1.61 Bcf/d, which is a modest increase from the previous year (1.60 Bcf/d in Q4 2024). The Alliance Pipeline had an average annual available capacity of 1.6 Bcf/d for the past several years, 2025 being no different. It is notable that this pipeline has been consistently full for most of the 2024 and 2025 winter months and at times even over utilized by as much as 7%.

Westcoast Pipeline is back to normal during the last winter season

The Westcoast Transmission System transports natural gas from northeast British Columbia to markets within the province and to interconnecting pipelines serving the U.S. Pacific N.W. and other markets. Westcoast’s throughput at the Huntingdon/FortisBC Lower Mainland key point declined very slightly from 1.56 Bcf/d in 2024 to 1.55 Bcf/d in 2025. However, Q1 of 2025 saw some record high throughputs. Average throughput was 1.88 Bcf/d in Q1 2025, up from 1.82 Bcf/d in Q1 2024, which is a 3.6% year-over-year increase. Utilization at this key point was the highest in January 2025 at 7% over capacity. Throughput did slow down after Q1, to 1.65 Bcf/d in Q4 2025, which is down from 1.74 Bcf/d in Q4 2024 (a 4.9% decrease). The Westcoast Pipeline’s Huntingdon/FortisBC Lower Mainland key point had an annual average available capacity of 1.71 Bcf/d since 2022 with no recent changes.

The late months of 2024 and early months of 2025 experienced some record cold temperatures, resulting in increased heating demand in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, as well as the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Increased heating demand, along with abundant supply from the Montney Formation in northeastern British Columbia, kept Westcoast at, or above, capacity from November to March.

Foothills (BC) Pipeline sees high winter utilization for second season

Gas throughputs from Alberta’s NGTL West Gate enter the Foothills pipeline, which has a key export point at Kingsgate, British Columbia, near the international border. Kingsgate is a key export point for western Canada’s natural gas productionFootnote 5. The Foothills pipeline transports natural gas to markets in southern British Columbia, as well as the mid-continent and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. It is a key export point that connects with the Gas Transmission Northwest Pipeline (GTN) at the Canada-U.S. border near Kingsgate, British Columbia. GTN supplies markets in the Pacific Northwest, California, and Nevada. Available capacity at this key point increased significantly after the completion of West Path Delivery 2023 Project in Q4 2023Footnote 6 and has remained at 3.05 Bcf/d since then. Utilization at this key point remains high in winter season, at times exceeding 95%. Throughput at Kingsgate increased from 2.48 Bcf/d in 2024 to 2.55 Bcf/d in 2025. Q2 2025 had the largest quarterly year-over-year increase of almost 10%, averaging 2.48 Bcf/d compared to 2.26 Bcf/d in Q2 2024. After a slight year-over-year decline in Q3 2025, throughput in Q4 2025 was 2.58 Bcf/d, a 1.2% increase from Q4 2024.

Every quarter, major companies are required to report daily pipeline throughput and available capacity data to the Canada Energy Regulator (CER).Footnote 7 This data is available quarterly on Open Government, Pipeline Profiles, and A look at pipeline flow and capacity.

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