Implications for Resource Companies
What does this mean for Canada’s resource sectors? How do Canadians perceive companies working in these important but often contested areas of the economy?
At Environics, we spend a lot of time working on energy and environment files. The emphasis on sustainability in the Canadian Brands report took my mind back to our “Canada: The Next Energy Superpower?” report, which focused on Canadians’ perceptions of energy producers.
In “Energy Superpower”, we made three points:
Carney’s Energy Agenda
The public was largely on board with Prime Minister Carney’s energy agenda. They agreed with his “both-and” approach – his effort to advance energy development and environmental protection simultaneously – and they approved the idea of shortening approval timelines for major development projects.
Canadian Industry Sentiment
The public differentiates between industries in the acceptability of the damage they cause and in their perceived commitment to reducing their environmental impacts. Compared to electric utilities, forest products, and metal producers, Canadians are relatively more critical of the damage caused by the nuclear industry, mining, and oil and gas, and also relatively more skeptical of the clean-up efforts of the latter two.
Oil Sand and Pipeline Support
Support for the development of the oil sands and for new pipelines was high in 2025. Indeed, support for oil sands development was as high as it’s ever been – again, built on the desire for economic growth balanced with environmental protection.
This last point is an important one for Canada’s extractive sectors, particularly given the phenomenon we described earlier: Canadians’ desire for the companies they support to act responsibly and with integrity. If these industries need government approvals to further their cause and governments are sensitive to public sentiment, the public greenlight for development rests on the belief that the environment will be protected. Despite this greater public openness to resource development for economic reasons, many in the public remain concerned about environmental damage and the industry’s commitment to reducing it.
Given the rise of Conscious Individualism, symbolic gestures may no longer suffice for Canadians, who are looking for measurable action. The oil and gas industry appears to have spent a lot of effort making the economic case for pipelines and related development – but has perhaps not focused strongly enough on responding to the environmental concerns of Canadians who don’t have firmly held views about energy development. Yes, some Canadians are strongly in favour of oil sands development (whether for economic or political reasons), and others are staunchly opposed on environmental grounds. But according to both public opinion data and Social Values research, most are in neither camp. Members of this large, potentially persuadable group could be engaged by clear communications about how such development might be responsibly managed.
Although a great deal of conventional and social media presents two diametrically opposed camps on energy and environmental issues. The reality is more complicated. A closer look at the nuances in public opinion and Social Values data can help to reveal groups that don’t yet have entrenched opinions and can build the relevance and efficacy of communications focused on energy and the environment.
