A majority of Canadians now support reducing barriers to natural resource development, a dramatic shift that could bolster Prime Minister Carney’s push to make Canada an energy superpower, according to a new survey released Tuesday.
The Environics Research poll found 56% of Canadians favor reducing barriers like easing project approvals and lowering corporate taxes, while 44% prefer increasing barriers. The results mark a reversal from a decade ago when more Canadians supported stricter controls.
Pipeline support has surged to 73% for both western and eastern routes, up from about 50% in recent years. Even Quebec shows majority support at 55-59%.
Oil sands development also reached peak support at 62%, matching levels from 2012. Support increased across most regions, including British Columbia, up 10 points to 61%.
The survey of 2,072 adult Canadians was conducted June 11-23 as Carney’s government faces economic pressure from US President Trump’s trade threats.
Half of Canadians want both clean and conventional energy projects developed, the survey found. Another 26% favor clean energy alone, while 13% prefer conventional energy exclusively.
The results align with Carney’s plan for Canada to become an energy superpower across multiple energy sources, researchers said.
Canadians also back the government’s plan to cut project approval times from 5-10 years to two years. Nearly 65% said the changes would streamline a costly process rather than weaken environmental protection. In 2012, only 40% supported similar changes under former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Conservative supporters showed the strongest backing for reduced barriers at 74%, compared to 52% of Liberal supporters. Just 40% of NDP supporters and 32% of Green Party supporters agreed.
Men favor reducing barriers by 64% while women lean toward increasing them at 52%.
Alberta leads regional support for streamlined approvals at 74%, though majorities in all provinces back the approach.
Environmental concerns remain strong despite the economic focus. Some 81% of Canadians support investing in clean technology, including majorities in Alberta and Manitoba/Saskatchewan.
The report concluded that while economic concerns currently take priority, Canadians still want to see both economic and environmental goals achieved together.
Worry about environmental damage from industry remains at 78%, virtually unchanged from 2014 levels.
Carney has described US trade threats as a generational challenge requiring Canada to build infrastructure “at speeds not seen in generations.”
Most Canadians — 72% — believe the country can build new pipelines while still meeting federal targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions 40% below 2005 levels by 2030.
But researchers warned that support for balancing economic and environmental goals may weaken as policies are implemented and trade-offs become clear.
“The public is giving Carney the benefit of the doubt,” the report said. “But broad support for a ‘balanced’ approach will almost certainly be eroded as policy becomes practice.”
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