A majority of Canadians believe in the importance of oil and gas to Canada’s current and future economy and score governments poorly on their energy and climate performance (Positive Energy/Nanos).

About three in four Canadians rate oil and gas as important to Canada’s current economy (score of 7-10 out of 10) (74%) which is a slight decline from the previous wave in August 2023 (78% in August 2023) and consistent with last year’s results in January 2023 (74% in January 2023). When asked the reason for their opinion on the importance of oil and gas to Canada’s current economy, the top response for one in four Canadians (25%) was because it ‘contributes/tied to Canadian/provincial economy, exports, jobs’, followed by it is ‘needed for our lifestyle and the cold weather (vehicle and transportation, heating etc.)’(10%).
The importance of oil and gas to Canada’s future economy has slightly decreased with more than half of Canadians (53%) rating it as important (score of 7-10) compared to about three in five in the two previous waves (57% in January 2023 and August 2023).

Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land- and cell-lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,114 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, between January 29th to 31st, 2024 as part of an omnibus survey.

The margin of error for a random survey of 1,114 Canadians is ±2.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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.