84% of Ontarians View Oil and Gas as Crucial to Jobs and Economy: Poll

A rainbow appears to come down on pumpjacks drawing out oil and gas from wells near Calgary on Sept. 18, 2023. The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh

More than four in five Ontarians say oil and gas revenues are essential for generating Canadian jobs and they want to see Ottawa capitalize on its energy advantages both domestically and abroad, a new survey suggests.

An online survey of 1,000 Ontarians this month found that 84 percent of participants consider oil and gas revenues crucial for generating employment opportunities for Canadians and fostering a more robust economy and an additional 80 percent said they support Canada developing a strategy to become a preferred oil supplier to other countries.

The poll conducted by Nanos Research on behalf of Canada Action found that Ontarians regard both resources as essential for Canada to leverage both domestically and abroad, Canada Action spokesperson Cody Battershill said in a Dec. 22 report about the survey’s findings.

“Our polling feedback shows that a majority of Ontarians recognize the vital, irreplaceable role oil and gas has to play in our national economy,” Battershill said. “Canadians are telling us they want to see more support for the oil and gas sector, which is foundational to our standard of living and economy at large.”

Benefits at Home

Seventy-nine percent of Ontarians who participated in the survey indicated that oil and gas revenues play a crucial role in maintaining manageable energy costs for Canadians, while 74 percent expressed that these revenues are key for tax reduction.

The survey also found that 71 percent of Ontarians support building new energy infrastructure projects without reducing environmental protections and safety and 63 percent say they are important for paying for social programs, including health care, education, and other public services.

An additional 46 percent said the government approval process for energy infrastructure projects is too slow.

The poll comes just one month after Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to pave the way for a new West Coast pipeline.

The agreement will enable the establishment of a new West Coast pipeline if a private developer comes forward. The application for the pipeline is scheduled to be submitted to the newly created Major Projects Office (MPO) on or before July 1, 2026, according to the MOU. This office aims to expedite regulatory approvals for projects recognized as being of national significance by the federal government.

The advancement of a future pipeline project  is linked to the establishment of the suggested Pathways Alliance carbon capture project, which aims to compress CO2 into a liquid state, transport it via a pipeline, and store it in a facility located more than 1,000 metres underground.

The Conservatives say that instead of the federal government fast-tracking select projects through the regulatory process, policies that may be impeding energy development, such as the Impact Assessment Act, should be removed altogether.

Battershill pointed out the Ontario survey reinforces the support Canadians have expressed for energy projects in past polls.

“Our poll is just one of many in Canada since the start of 2025 that show a majority of Canadians are supportive of oil and gas development,” Battershill said. “It’s time we get moving forward on these projects without delay and learn from the lessons of our past, where we saw multiple pipelines cancelled to the detriment of Canada’s long-term economic success.”