A big majority (68%) of Canadians consider that Canada’s current wildfires are “positively” or “most certainly” at the least partly the results of local weather change, in accordance with a brand new survey from Clear Power Canada and Abacus Knowledge.
Moreover, practically 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 power, 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 power transition.
In the meantime, practically all (87%) Canadians really feel that it’s “crucial” or “considerably necessary” for federal and provincial governments to make sure that Canada stays aggressive with our allies and buying and selling companions on the subject of rising our clear power sector and sustainably produced exports.
Whereas roughly half (47%) of Canadians noticed the current electrical car and battery manufacturing bulletins in Canada, 68% say that they view them as proof that the transition to wash power can profit Canada’s financial system and job creation. Youthful Canadians have been more likely to see the bulletins as helpful.
Enthusiastic about the subsequent federal election, practically all (86%) Canadians expressed that having a superb plan for addressing local weather change and rising Canada’s clear financial system will impression their vote, with practically 6 in 10 deeming it as “important” or “crucial” for his or her vote.
Lastly, many Canadians are nonetheless getting their data by means of the information. When requested how they decide whether or not a political celebration has a superb plan to deal with local weather change and develop Canada’s clear financial system, roughly half (49%) say they “learn or watch the information,” whereas 33% say they “take heed to the specialists.” Solely 16% cite social media as a supply of knowledge.
QUOTES
Trevor Melanson, communications director at Clear Power Canada
“Because the impacts of local weather change turn out to be extra frequent and obvious, Canadians are connecting the dots. They’re additionally connecting the financial dots, with a powerful majority seeing current EV and battery manufacturing bulletins as proof that the clear power 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 problem. It’ll take critical, sustained, and credible efforts to win them over.”
David Coletto, CEO at Abacus Knowledge
“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 individuals’s lives. The result’s {that a} rising variety of persons are making a celebration or political chief’s dedication to tackling the disaster desk stakes to their political behaviour.”
METHODOLOGY
The survey was carried out with 2,000 Canadian adults from June 06 to 11, 2023. A random pattern of panelists have been invited to finish the survey from a set of accomplice panels based mostly on the Lucid alternate 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 measurement is +/- 2.2%, 19 instances out of 20. The info have been weighted in accordance with census knowledge to make sure that the pattern matched Canada’s inhabitants in accordance with age, gender, instructional attainment, and area. Totals might not add as much as 100 because of rounding.