“Contrary to what the government says, Quebecers want the energy sector to develop,” says Olivier Rancourt, economist at the MEI. “Quebecers understand that the province can help to replace Russian energy exports to the European Union all while creating quality jobs here at home.”
According to the poll, 61% of Quebecers think that Quebec should develop its natural gas potential to reduce European dependence on Russian gas.
On the question of developing Quebec’s oil resources, 54% of respondents are in favour.
The Quebec LNG project, for its part, also receives the support of a majority of Quebec respondents (53%), and is opposed by only 30%.
Yet at COP27 last week, Quebec Energy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon said that the project was “dead” and that “for now, the population has been clear.”
Another interesting observation: 60% of Canadians are against raising taxes to fight climate change.
“With the past year’s high inflation, it’s easy to understand that families just don’t have the means to pay more,” explains Mr. Rancourt. “With increases in rent, groceries, and transportation, it’s to be expected that Canadians want their government to go easy on the tax hikes.”
A sample of 1,162 Canadians aged 18 years and over were polled between the 10th and 13th of November 2022.
Complete results of the IPSOS-MEI poll can be found here: https://www.iedm.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/energy_poll_canada_and_quebec2022.pdf.
The Montreal Economic Institute is an independent public policy think tank. Through its publications, media appearances, and advisory services to policy-makers, the MEI stimulates public policy debate and reforms based on sound economics and entrepreneurship.
