General

Canadians evenly split when it comes to the oilsands: Poll

Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba most opposed to oilsands

According to a new Ipsos Reid poll released to CBC News, Canadians are evenly split on the issue of oilsands development in Alberta. To the statement “while there are some risks to the environment with this development, the need for energy in Canada outweighs those risks,” 51 per cent of those surveyed agreed, while 49 per cent of Canadians agreed with the sentiment that “while there is a need for energy in Canada, it does not outweigh the environmental risks with this development.” Interestingly, the country was not divided along East-West lines about this subject. Residents of Atlantic Canada (64 per cent), Alberta (62 per cent) and Ontario (58 per cent) are most likely to agree that the need for energy outweighs the environmental risks. Residents of Quebec (71 per cent) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (both 60 per cent) are more likely to think that the environmental risks outweigh energy needs. Also, 22 per cent of Canadians who have heard about oilsands development either don’t know or don’t care enough to determine whether or not it’s a good thing or a bad thing.

CBC News

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