Most Canadians care more about the environment than pipelines and oilsands: poll

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – With efforts underway this morning to clean up an oil spill in English Bay, a new survey shines a light on exactly where Canadians stand when it comes to development of the oil and gas industry.

The poll from the Climate Action Network finds most of us see the environment as being a whole lot more important than pipeline projects and the oilsands — more than 60 per cent of us take that position, according to the Network.

Steven Guilbeault with Equiterre, which is a member of the Climate Action Network, adds 70 per cent believe Canadians should be global leaders in protecting our climate by reducing the amount of energy we consume.

Twelve per cent don’t agree with that statement.

“Clearly, a vast majority of Canadians think that we have a moral obligation to do more than what we’re doing in terms of climate protection, in terms of reducing our carbon pollution,” says Guilbeault.

He adds a majority of Canadians say climate protection initiatives like job creation in the clean renewable energy sector will play a role in who they’ll vote for in the election.

The poll finds 58 per cent want a commitment to phase out oil, gas, and coal, and replace it with renewable energy.

Seventy-eight per cent want citizens to have a say in decision-making about projects like the oilsands, expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline here, or the Energy East Pipeline on the other side of the country.

“In terms of the upcoming federal election, people are expecting Canada to do better than we are on issues such as a greener economy and climate change,” says Guilbeault.

More than 3,000 people were polled by telephone between March 12th and 30th.