A new poll conducted by Leger and Clean Prosperity found that even though cost of living pressures are a top concern for Canadians, voters still expect political parties to deliver credible climate plans. That includes Conservative voters, and voters who are open to voting for the Conservative Party of Canada.
“Even though Canadian families are struggling with the rising cost of living, this poll shows that they still see climate action as a priority,” said Clean Prosperity Executive Director Michael Bernstein. “Canadians of all political stripes are remarkably unified in their desire for climate action.”
“A majority of Canadian voters said that if a party doesn’t have a serious climate plan, they don’t have a serious economic strategy either,“ said Bernstein. “Most Canadians seem to agree that a strong climate plan will help drive future economic growth in this country.”
Majority can’t vote for a party without a strong climate plan
The poll, completed in May-June 2022, found that a majority (54%) of Canadian voters say they can’t vote for a federal party that doesn’t have a strong climate plan. On this point, young people and Quebecers feel the most strongly: nearly two thirds (65%) of Canadian voters aged 18 to 34 agreed with this viewpoint, as did 59% of voters in Quebec.
What’s more, 70% of voters support the federal government’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. About the same number (69%) support the climate measures in the government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP). The ERP includes objectives like reducing emissions 40-45% by 2030, achieving a non-emitting electricity grid by 2035, and implementing a 100% zero-emission sales mandate for passenger vehicles by 2035.
Poll says Conservative Party should do more on climate
As the Conservative Party of Canada prepares to elect a new leader and develop a new climate platform, the party will need to carefully consider the views of Conservative voters and voters who are open to voting Conservative.
The Leger/Clean Prosperity poll found that current and potential Conservative voters want the party to do more on climate. That includes a significant majority of Conservative voters (62%), and an even larger majority of voters who are open to voting for the Conservative Party (69%). It also includes two-thirds (66%) of voters in Alberta, a traditional Conservative stronghold, and nearly three quarters (74%) of voters in the Toronto suburbs, a critical set of ridings for any federal party that hopes to form government.
Key findings
- Despite cost of living pressures, 12% of respondents still identified tackling climate change as a top priority, higher than taxes or energy prices.
- 54% of voters agree that they can’t vote for a party that doesn’t have a strong climate plan, rising to 59% among voters in Quebec, and 65% among Canadian voters aged 18 to 34.
- 66% of all voters believe the Conservative Party should do more on climate, including 62% of Conservative voters and 69% of potential Conservative voters.
- In Alberta, 66% of voters think the Conservative Party should do more on climate, and in the Toronto suburbs, 74% think the party should do more.
- 70% of voters support the policy of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
- 70% of voters agree that if a party doesn’t have a serious climate plan, they don’t have a serious economic strategy either. Potential Conservative voters agreed with this statement by a two-to-one margin.
About the poll
These findings are based on a Leger online poll of 1,500 Canadians aged 18+ between May 24 and June 2, 2022. A margin of error can’t be reported for a non-probability online survey. If this were a probability sample, the margin of error would be ±2.5%, 19 times out of 20.
