Research
Canadians and US Recognize Value of Oil Sands as Part of Long Term Energy Solution
Canadians evenly split on economy versus environment
A majority of Americans said the potential of the Canadian oil sands as a secure, non-foreign source of oil to North America was more important than environmental concerns, while Canadians were evenly split, according to results of a major cross-border survey released today by Fleishman-Hillard. However, a high percentage of Canadians (85 per cent) think the oil sands is important to the Canadian economy.
With oil sands development on the rise, FH Canada Research surveyed the attitudes of 500 Canadians and 500 Americans to gauge how people are attempting to reconcile the need for a secure supply of oil against the backdrop of environmental concerns.
The survey shows that nearly half of Americans are aware of the oil sands. Canadians and Americans both see the oil sands as a major secure energy supply. Also, only a slightly higher percentage of Canadians (roughly half) put environmental concerns over secure supply and economic growth issues.
Specifically:
- 67 percent of Canadians and 47 percent of Americans were somewhat to very aware of the oil sands in Alberta.
- When asked if future development of the oil sands was a “good or bad thing,” 75 percent of Canadians and 68 percent of Americans said “a good thing.”
- When asked how important the oil sands are to their respective economies, 70 percent of Americans said the sands were important, versus 85 percent of Canadians.
- When asked how important the Alberta oil sands are to the overall security of the North American energy supply, 83 percent of Americans versus 73 percent of Canadians said it was important.
- Canadian respondents were almost equally divided amongst economic and environmental concerns with 46 percent of Canadians and saying the environment was more important to them while 43 percent of Canadians said secure supply was more important. American respondents put a significantly higher priority on secure supply 55 percent.
- Forty percent of Americans said the Alberta oil sands are critical for dealing with the issue of North American dependence on foreign oil. Among Canadians, 26 percent describe the oil sands as necessary to dealing with dependence on foreign oil.
Fleishman-Hillard Inc., one of the world's leading public relations firms, has built its reputation by using strategic communications to deliver what its clients value most: meaningful, positive, and measurable impact on the performance of their organizations. The firm is widely recognized for excellent client service and a strong company culture founded on teamwork, integrity, and personal commitment. Based in St. Louis, the firm operates throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, South Africa, and Latin America through its 80 owned offices. For more information, visit the Fleishman-Hillard Web site at www.fleishman.com.
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The poll was conducted online between May and June 2008. One thousand people were surveyed, with 500 on each side of the border for a margin of error of 3.1 percent overall, and 4.3 percent for each country’s population. The sample of the survey was representative of the populations of the U.S. and Canada in terms of region, age, language, and gender.