A majority of Canadians support the federal-Alberta energy agreement announced last month, though the deal has not shifted the political landscape, according to polling by Abacus Data.
The survey, conducted from November 28 to December 1 with 1,802 respondents, found 55% of Canadians support building a new oil pipeline to the British Columbia coast, while 18% oppose it. Pollsters went into the field less than 24 hours after Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith signed the memorandum of understanding on November 27.
Vote intention remained unchanged. The Liberals and Conservatives held steady at 41% support each, with government approval also static at 47%.
Regional divisions emerged clearly in the data. Alberta showed the strongest support at 74%, followed by British Columbia at 53% and Quebec at 42%. Among BC NDP voters specifically, opposition exceeded support, with 47% opposing and 37% backing the pipeline.
Related: First Nations Chiefs Unite Against Northern BC Pipeline Plan
Political affiliation strongly predicted responses. Conservative voters supported the pipeline at 72%, compared to just 22% of NDP supporters. Liberal voters backed the project by roughly two-to-one.
Nearly six in ten Canadians had heard about the agreement, with awareness highest among older respondents, British Columbians, and Albertans.
Canadians characterized the deal as a pragmatic compromise rather than an environmental betrayal. A majority viewed the agreement as a realistic policy balancing economic and environmental priorities. Support for this framing reached two-thirds in Alberta but ran lower in Atlantic Canada, BC and Quebec. Men and older Canadians expressed stronger support than women and younger respondents.
Several MOU components generated positive reactions. Building a carbon capture pipeline, committing to net-zero emissions by 2050, and Indigenous co-ownership all produced strong support. Changes to the oil tanker ban and suspending clean electricity rules received mixed responses.
Former Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault resigned from cabinet on the day of the signing, but the departure showed limited political impact. The poll found that Guilbeault holds net negative impressions nationally. Only 22% of Canadians viewed the deal as a climate values betrayal.
Among Liberal voters, nearly seven in ten said job creation and energy security messaging made them more likely to support the project. However, one in five saw it as environmental betrayal.
The polling revealed that economic concerns currently outweigh environmental priorities for most Canadians. Just one in three believes climate policies should advance even if they harm the economy. Climate change ranked as a top-three issue for only 13% of respondents, well behind cost of living, housing, and healthcare.
A clear majority believes Canada can lead on energy while delivering on climate goals, with optimism strongest in Alberta and among Liberal voters.
Prime Minister Carney maintains a net positive impression nationally at plus-13, though regional variations persist. His favorables increased by nine points in Alberta following the announcement.
The survey used partner panels through the Lucid exchange platform, with data weighted to match Canadian demographics. A comparable probability-based random sample would carry a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3% age points, 19 times out of 20.
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