Support For Oil and Gas Pipelines Increases Among Canadians
Support for approving Energy East rises in Quebec, while Canadians say new pipelines would strengthen the Canadian economy.
The construction of new pipeline capacity in Canada has been something of a contentious issue over the past two decades. From Keystone XL to the Transmountain expansion project, Canadians have often been split on the issue of building new oil and gas infrastructure.
New data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests that the economic threats emanating from south of the border may be reviving the desire for new energy-related projects, particularly oil and gas pipelines.
Get A Move On Feds, Say Canadians
When asked whether they believe the federal government has been doing too much or too little on the issue of oil, gas, and liquified natural gas pipelines, nearly half of Canadians (49%) say the government has been doing too little.
Strong majorities in Alberta (68%) and Saskatchewan (72%) hold the view that the federal government is doing too little to build new pipeline capacity. Support is also highest among 2021 Conservative voters (85%).
On the flip side, 22% of Canadians say the government is pushing too hard to build new pipeline capacity, with the highest level of agreement coming from Quebecers (35%) and 2021 Bloc Québécois voters (47%).
Yet, those saying the government is pushing too hard is down 5-points from 2019, while those saying the federal government’s approach has been right overall (29%) is up 6-points in the same time period.
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Canadian sentiment around the impact that oil and gas plays on the wider economy is also up. When asked whether Canadians agreed or disagreed with the sentiment that the Canadian economy would be greatly strengthened if more oil and gas pipeline capacity was built, a strong majority (63%) agreed.
Agreement with the statement is highest in oil rich-provinces like Alberta (78%) and Saskatchewan (77%), yet every province and region except for Quebec is above 50% on this question.
Though Quebec only sits at 49% agreement with the notion that more pipeline capacity would strengthen the economy, that’s still a remarkable number for a province that has been traditionally opposed to expansive oil and gas projects.
Perhaps one of the most striking findings of this survey is the change of opinion among Quebecers on the Energy East pipeline project.
