After years of public resistance and political hesitation, Canadians appear to be changing their tune when it comes to oil pipelines. A new Environics poll suggests a dramatic surge in support for these controversial projects, with 73 percent of Canadians now backing new oil pipelines either to the West or East Coast. Even in historically skeptical Quebec, majorities now favour pipeline development. What’s going on?
The short answer is economics. After a sluggish decade and a growing sense of vulnerability due to unpredictable U.S. tariffs, Canadians are re-evaluating their stance on national resource development. President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff regime slapping levies of up to 50 percent on everything from aluminum to oil has created a climate of urgency. Canada, it seems, is tired of being at the mercy of a volatile neighbour and is looking to diversify its export options.
But this isn’t just about trade. It’s about national identity and economic direction. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s pledge to turn Canada into an “energy superpower” is beginning to resonate. His government’s passage of the One Canadian Economy Act, which accelerates regulatory approvals for projects deemed in the national interest, suggests Ottawa is serious about this goal. The public appears to agree, even if reluctantly, that pipelines might be necessary to move the country forward.
Yet, this shift in attitude raises uncomfortable questions. Canadians are still deeply concerned about the environment. Nearly 80 percent of those polled said they worry about the ecological impact of industry. They are, quite understandably, skeptical about the oil and gas sector’s commitment to sustainability. So why the sudden embrace of pipelines?
It seems to come down to pragmatism. Canadians are not throwing caution to the wind they’re demanding balance. Half of those surveyed want equal attention given to both green and conventional energy projects. In other words, they’re saying: “Yes, build the pipelines if they help us prosper but don’t abandon the transition to clean energy.”
Interestingly, this preference for balance cuts across regional and demographic lines. While younger Canadians (under 30) are more likely to prioritize green projects, support for a mixed energy strategy grows significantly with age peaking at 60 percent among those over 60. Even in Quebec, where clean energy preference remains high, support for oil sands and pipelines has grown sharply.
The numbers on oil sands are particularly telling. National support now sits at 62 percent its highest level in over a decade. In Alberta, of course, support is sky-high at 76 percent. But even in British Columbia and Quebec provinces where opposition has traditionally run deep approval has jumped significantly.
So, what should we make of all this? Canadians are clearly recalibrating their priorities. They’re not abandoning environmental concerns, but they are becoming more open to leveraging the country’s vast natural resources especially in the face of economic threats. The idea of using “all of the country’s resources to break the log jam,” as the Environics report puts it, reflects a growing appetite for real, tangible economic growth after years of sluggish performance.
The danger, of course, is that in rushing to build pipelines, we lose sight of the long game. Climate change isn’t taking a break just because Canada is having a hard time with trade. If anything, it makes the stakes higher. The challenge now for the Carney government is to ensure that this new wave of infrastructure doesn’t derail Canada’s green ambitions. Pipelines might bring short-term relief and strategic flexibility, but the long-term goal must still be sustainability.
The public gets this. They’re not looking for either/or solutions. They want energy development that makes economic sense and environmental sense. Whether our political and corporate leaders are prepared to deliver that nuanced approach is the real question.
For now, the message is clear: Canadians are open to pipelines but only if they are part of a bigger, smarter plan.
