The Financial Post reports in its Thursday edition TransCanada says the Alberta government had approved construction of its $800-million Northern Courier pipeline, which will connect the Fort Hills oil sands project to a tank farm in Northern Alberta. A Reuters dispatch to the Post quotes TransCanada as saying it expects to start construction on the 90-kilometre oil pipeline in the third quarter and to have it ready for service by 2017. The project will transport bitumen and diluent between the Fort Hills oil sands project and Suncor Energy's East Tank Farm near Fort McMurray. Suncor and its partners, Teck Resources and Total SA, approved development of Fort Hills late last year. The $13.5-billion project will produce up to 180,000 barrels per day, with first output expected in late 2017. TransCanada said it would own, build and operate the Northern Courier pipeline, with the line's capacity fully contracted under long-term agreements. The project was included in it long-term capital growth plan. TransCanada closed Wednesday at $55.61, up 79 cents on the Toronto Stock Exchange.