A big majority (68%) of Canadians consider that Canada’s latest wildfires are “positively” or “most certainly” not less than partly the results of local weather change, based on a brand new survey from Clear Power Canada and Abacus Information. 

Moreover, almost all (89%) Canadians say they’ve observed a rise in pure disasters over the previous decade, with seven in 10 believing that this can be a direct impact of local weather change. Solely 12% say they haven’t observed a rise in pure disasters, whereas one other 18% have noticed a rise however consider it’s “only a coincidence, not local weather change.”

When requested to fee how briskly Canada is shifting on investing in and transitioning to wash vitality, greater than half (56%) of Canadians assume that Canada is shifting “pretty slowly” or “very slowly,” whereas lower than half (49%) say the identical of our allies. On each fronts, Canadians are considerably pessimistic concerning the tempo of the vitality transition.

In the meantime, almost all (87%) Canadians really feel that it’s “essential” or “considerably necessary” for federal and provincial governments to make sure that Canada stays aggressive with our allies and buying and selling companions relating to rising our clear vitality sector and sustainably produced exports.

Whereas roughly half (47%) of Canadians noticed the latest electrical car and battery manufacturing bulletins in Canada, 68% say that they view them as proof that the transition to wash vitality can profit Canada’s economic system and job creation. Youthful Canadians had been more likely to see the bulletins as useful.

Interested by the subsequent federal election, almost all (86%) Canadians expressed that having plan for addressing local weather change and rising Canada’s clear economic system will influence their vote, with almost 6 in 10 deeming it as “important” or “essential” for his or her vote. 

Lastly, many Canadians are nonetheless getting their info by the information. When requested how they decide whether or not a political get together has plan to handle local weather change and develop Canada’s clear economic system, roughly half (49%) say they “learn or watch the information,” whereas 33% say they “hearken to the consultants.” Solely 16% cite social media as a supply of data.

QUOTES 

Trevor Melanson, communications director at Clear Power Canada

“Because the impacts of local weather change develop into extra frequent and obvious, Canadians are connecting the dots. They’re additionally connecting the financial dots, with a powerful majority seeing latest EV and battery manufacturing bulletins as proof that the clear vitality transition can drive progress and job creation. For politicians, that is greater than a field to tick. Canadians each care deeply about local weather motion and are typically skeptical of political events on this subject. It’ll take severe, sustained, and credible efforts to win them over.”

David Coletto, CEO at Abacus Information

“Wildfires and excessive climate remind Canadians that local weather change isn’t only a world or theoretical phenomenon. It’s having actual and sometimes devastating impacts on folks’s lives. The result’s {that a} rising variety of individuals are making a celebration or political chief’s dedication to tackling the disaster desk stakes to their political behaviour.”

METHODOLOGY
The survey was performed with 2,000 Canadian adults from June 06 to 11, 2023. A random pattern of panelists had been invited to finish the survey from a set of accomplice panels primarily based on the Lucid trade platform. These companions are sometimes double opt-in survey panels, blended to handle out potential skews within the knowledge from a single supply. The margin of error for a comparable probability-based random pattern of the identical dimension is +/- 2.2%, 19 occasions out of 20. The information had been weighted based on census knowledge to make sure that the pattern matched Canada’s inhabitants based on age, gender, academic attainment, and area. Totals could not add as much as 100 as a result of rounding.