Canadians want a diversified energy export portfolio – Believe governments in Canada are doing a poor job at creating a positive investment environment for energy projects. (Positive Energy/Nanos Research)

Four in five Canadians rate oil and gas as important to Canada’s current economy (score of 7-10 out of 10) (81%). Additionally, around three in five (63%) see oil and gas as important to the future economy, down 7 percentage points since February 2025 but still representing a 22-point increase from the benchmark wave in 2020.

Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land- and cell-lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1007 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, between February 8th to 16th, 2026 as part of an omnibus survey.

The margin of error for a random survey of 1007 Canadians is ±3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The statistical tabulations including the unweighted and weighted number of interviews can be accessed here.

The research was commissioned by the University of Ottawa’s Positive Energy program and was conducted by Nanos Research.

To read the full report, click here.