Support for Domestic Energy Production Growing in Canada as US Tariffs Loom: Poll

Workers position pipe during construction of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in Abbotsford, B.C., on May 3, 2023. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

Energy policy priorities are shifting in Canada as the country anticipates possible U.S. tariffs on its products as early as next month, a newly released poll suggests.

Just 23 percent of Canadians in the summer of 2023 said creating economic growth was their priority when considering the country’s energy policies, a poll by the Angus Reid Institute found. U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian exports appears to have impacted Canadian attitudes on energy, however.

A notable 43 percent of respondents now prioritize the creation of economic growth, marking a 20-point increase within 18 months. The economy placed well ahead of environmental concerns in the February poll. While reducing emissions and protecting the natural environment were a top concern for 44 percent of respondents in 2023, that dipped to 31 percent in the latest poll.

The primary concern for Canadians has shifted to reducing dependence on international energy sources, with 46 percent emphasizing beefing up domestic energy security in light of potential U.S. tariffs on Canadian oil and gas. That’s a 9 percent increase from the 37 percent recorded during the previous survey.

Trump’s looming threat of wide-ranging tariffs has “seismically shifted the economic landscape,” the report’s authors noted. “Compared to 18 months ago, Canadians are nearly twice as likely to emphasize economic growth as a key factor to deciding energy policy.”

Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 1 to implement a 25 percent tariff on all goods imported from Canada, along with a 10 percent tariff on Canadian energy products. A 30-day grace period was secured on Feb. 3 after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to bolster security at the Canada-U.S. border. Trump has said the tariffs will be re-enacted if he is not satisfied with Canada’s progress on dealing with cross-border fentanyl trafficking.

Trump has also announced his plan to put 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to the U.S. beginning March 12 and is looking at implementing a broad range of additional tariffs in April against a number of countries, including Canada.

Energy Opinions

Despite the apparent shift in priorities, support for renewable energy sources remained steady across political and regional lines, the survey found.

A desire to allocate funds toward alternative energy sources, such as wind, solar, and nuclear remained steady, dropping just one percentage point from 39 percent in 2023 to 38 percent currently, according to the survey.

The advancement of hydroelectric energy sources had the strongest backing from Canadians, with 88 percent in favour, followed by solar energy at 77 percent, wind energy at 72 percent, and nuclear power at 63 percent.

Natural gas garnered 61 percent support, while crude oil received 51 percent, both reflecting a majority approval.

The results of the poll align with an Angus Reid survey released last week that suggested a significant majority of Canadians now endorse both the shelved Northern Gateway and Energy East pipelines as a means to enhance Canadian energy independence, especially in relation to the United States.

Sixty-five percent of Canadians surveyed currently said they support the Energy East oil pipeline project while 54 percent were in favour of reviving the Northern Gateway pipeline, which was designed to transport oil from Alberta to the northern coast of British Columbia.

The 4,600-kilometre Energy East pipeline was first proposed in 2013 as a way to convey crude oil from Alberta across six provinces to an export terminal in Saint John, N.B. The project was shelved by TC Energy in 2017, citing regulatory barriers.

“The threat of tariffs from Trump has no doubt altered the economic calculus in Canada,” the latest report said. “The free and close trading relationship between Canada and the United States, and the economic benefits it provided, can no longer be guaranteed.”