Taking action in support of our vital natural resource sector

A growing number of Canadians see the oil and natural gas sector as a significant wealth-generating industry critical to the economy, according to a new Nanos Poll for the University of Ottawa ^[1].

Respondents were asked to rate the importance of oil and natural gas to Canada's current economy on a scale from 0 to 10. Nearly eight-in-ten, or 78% of the 1,081 participants rated oil and gas to be "important" to Canada's financial well-being (a score between 7-10), with 15% staying "neutral" on the subject (4-6), and another 7% unsure or finding it "not important" at all (0-3).

The proportion of Canadians who rate oil and natural gas as critical to Canada's current economy has continued to grow, with prior Nanos polls reporting the following:

January 2023 – 74% rated oil and gas as "important"

August 2021 – 68% rated oil and gas as "important"

November 2020 – 65% rated oil and gas as "important"

The survey also asked what Canadians thought about the sector's importance to the future economy of Canada. Results trended the same, with 57% of respondents saying it is important, up from 41% in November 2020 and 45% in August 2021, and tying with a fourth poll conducted in January 2023.

• Canada Has Important Role in Bolstering Global Energy Security: POLL
• Canadian Energy is a Force for Good in the World: POLL
• Majority of Canadians Support Canada's Role as Responsible Energy Exporter: POLL

More Poll Findings

• Almost two-in-three, or 64% of Canadians agree that Canada's oil and natural gas sector can contribute to combatting global climate change by displacing other energy sources

• 58% of Canadians agree that Canada should expand oil and natural gas exports to help the world have more secure energy supplies, versus 35% that disagree

• Three-in-five, or 60% of Canadians believe Canada does poor job at building public confidence in energy decision-making

• Almost three-in-five, or 59% of Canadians believe Canada does a poor job at developing a shared long-term vision for Canada's energy future

• At 27%, the greatest share of Canadians believe hydroelectricity should make up the largest proportion of Canada's power generation mix, followed by nuclear (16%), solar (15%), wind (12%), then natural gas (12%)

Oil & Gas and the Economy

It's no secret that oil and natural gas underpin Canada's economy. Not only does the sector account for about one-third of our country's total exports, but it is also a significant job creator for workers and revenue generator for our governments. For example:

• 442,100 jobs are supported by petroleum in Canada's economy, with approximately 10,400 Indigenous People also employed by the industry

• The oil and natural gas sector generated $578.7 billion in revenues for Canadian governments between 2000 and 2021 ^[2]

• Upstream oil and natural gas are projected to generate more than $594 billion for Canadian governments between 2023-2032 ^[3]

• In total, the oil and natural gas sector is projected to generate more than $1.1 trillion for Canadian governments between 2000-2032, used to pay for schools, hospitals, roads, etc. ^[2][3]

Support Canadian Energy

Canada's energy sector isn't just a major economic boon, it also is one of the most socially and environmentally responsible industries of its kind in the world.

Canadian oil and natural gas companies, in particular, adhere to one of the world's most stringent environmental regulatory regimes while continuing to pursue innovations and cleantech that will help reduce emissions and other potential impacts associated with the extraction and production of these resources.

With global oil and natural gas demand projected to grow for many years to come, it only makes sense that these energy sources come from producers with a world-class record on protections for human rights and the environment, like Canada.

We choose Canadian energy, and so should you!

We should be asking Canada for more oil, not Venezuela. https://t.co/5b97waAc1U

— Canada Action (@CanadaAction) October 30, 2023

SOURCES:

_{1 – Nanos Poll – Views of Canadians on Canada's Energy Future – Date Accessed: October 2023 (https://nanos.co/views-of-canadians-on-canadas-energy-future-university-of-ottawas-positive-energy-nanos/)}

_{2 – Canadian Energy Centre – $495 billion in government revenues from the Canadian oil and gas industry projected over next decade – Date Accessed: March 2023 (https://www.canadianenergycentre.ca/495-billion-in-government-revenues-from-the-canadian-oil-and-gas-industry-projected-over-next-decade/)}

_{3 – Canadian Energy Centre – $755 billion: The energy sector's revenue contribution to Canadian governments, 2000-2021 – Date Accessed: March 2023 (https://www.canadianenergycentre.ca/755-billion-the-energy-sectors-revenue-contribution-to-canadian-governments-2000-2021/)}