VANCOUVER — B.C. Premier David Eby called the proposed Alberta pipeline to the West Coast “an energy vampire” that has already cost B.C. one major project to the U.S., and suggested all governments in Canada should focus instead on projects already in development.

Eby’s comments came after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Prime Minister Mark Carney signed an agreement earlier in the day pledging to declare an oil pipeline from Alberta to B.C.’s coast a national priority—despite it being hotly contested in Canada’s western-most province.

Eby said he was “pissed off” that Canadian potash giant Nutrien recently chose to ship from Washington state over B.C. He suggested the decision happened because the premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan were engaged in discussions about the possible pipeline, and were therefore unavailable to discuss the bottlenecks Nutrien had identified with officials in B.C.

The pipeline, he said, “runs the very significant risk, that has already partially been realized, of taking our eye off the prize, of distracting the federal government, distracting resources, and pulling time away from real projects that can be delivered in the near term.”

Eby repeatedly pointed out the proposed pipeline is missing a private company on board to build, as well as crucial First Nations support within B.C.

The B.C. Coastal First Nations, which represents eight First Nations on the province’s north and central coasts, has been vocal about its opposition. The alliance’s president, Marilyn Slett, said in a statement Thursday that the agreement “does nothing to increase the chances” of the pipeline “ever becoming a reality.” She said the group “will never tolerate any exemptions or carve-outs” to the tanker ban off the B.C. coast. “We have zero interest in co-ownership or economic benefits of a project that has the potential to destroy our way of life and everything we have built on the coast.”

Eby said he had “one item” on his list for the B.C. government to get on board: Carney sitting down with Coastal First Nations to gain their support. Eby said he will happily invite the prime minister to meet with the group, calling it “the next obvious step.”

The B.C. premier also said he previously asked Carney to acknowledge the need for First Nations support for the pipeline project, and that he was glad to see him do so later in the House of Commons. Still, Eby noted he had looked carefully at the memorandum of understanding signed Thursday and still felt it was silent on the need for First Nations’ support.

“It is threatening Coastal First Nations support for other major projects,” Eby claimed.

Kitimat Mayor Phil Germuth, meanwhile, said that he was “encouraged” to see municipalities and First Nations reflected in the memorandum. “We will watch with interest how any planned future projects may include Kitimat and respond to those proposals as they become known,” he added.

Update: A statement from Kitimat Mayor Phil Germuth has been added.