Canadians fret over future energy supplies
?A new poll shows that 82 percent of all Canadians are concerned – 44 percent of them “very concerned” — about their nation’s future energy supplies.
Conducted by Ipsos-Reid in late May, the poll found the highest levels of concern in Ontario and Atlantic Canada, where 48 percent were very concerned, dropping to 40 percent in Saskatchewan and Manitoba and 37 percent in Quebec.
Half of those polled strongly agreed that the federal, provincial and territorial governments should create a common set of rules to standardize how energy resources are developed, transported and sold.
The support for regulatory harmonization ranged from a high of 56 percent in Quebec, which produces no oil or natural gas, to 46 percent in Alberta and 45 percent in British Columbia, two of the leading producing regions.
Asked if progress could be made toward a cleaner environment by increasing natural gas supplies, 22 percent strongly agreed and 43 percent somewhat agreed, while 14 percent somewhat disagreed and 4 percent strongly disagreed.
—Gary Park
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