CALGARY -- The energy industry is showing "almost unprecedented interest" in building and filling a bitumen pipeline from Alberta to New Brunswick, Premier Alison Redford said Tuesday.

And a visiting New Brunswick Premier David Alward mirrored that enthusiasm, saying his province is eager to see Alberta oil refined in and exported from his Maritime province.

"We're open for business," Alward, standing next to a beaming Redford, told reporters here. "The more we can refine in Canada, it's great for Canada."

Faced with mounting resistance to pipelines carrying Alberta crude to Canada's west coast and to Texas, the province has turned eastward and sees Canada's largest refinery and deep water port in St. John N.B. as an obvious terminus.

Redford is calling on other premiers and Canadians at large to adopt her vision of what she calls a Canadian Energy Strategy that would ensure market access for Canadian resources while benefitting the entire country.

She said recent meetings with other premiers has elicited increasing support for a cross-country pipeline, with even Quebec Premier Pauline Marois showing interest.

On Tuesday, federal Environment Commissioner Scott Vaughan released a report stating Ottawa's environmental protection efforts was failing to keep pace with rapid energy development.

Redford said Alberta is doing what it can to ensure its environmental obligations are met.

"I'm very proud of what we're doing in Alberta -- we will take responsibility on everything we possibly can," she said.