Quebec Premier Pauline Marois appears to be supportive of the West to East pipeline project that would move Alberta crude east to Saint John.
In the past, Marois has shown an openness to the idea of permitting oilsands bitumen to travel across her province, saying it could benefit Quebec because it would supply oil refineries in Montreal.
She says the Alberta oilsands bitumen would be cheaper than oil purchased from abroad.
The Parti Quebecois government will begin a formal examination of the proposal next month.