A new poll published on July 26 by Forum Research reveals that 51 per cent of Quebecers oppose the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline, including 35 per cent who said they strongly oppose it.
Of the Quebecers surveyed, the results showed 36 per cent said they somewhat or strongly support the expansion of the pipeline.
Forum Research polled 977 Quebecers between July 22 and 24 over the phone about the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
The expansion project would twin the existing 1,150-kilometre pipeline between Edmonton and Burnaby. Capacity would almost triple from 300,000 to 890,000 barrels per day with the new pipeline.
Demographic markers such as age, gender and political leanings were factored in.
“Men are pretty evenly split on this, 45 per cent in favour and 47 per cent opposed, but among women it skews heavily toward opposed,” said Lorne Bozinoff, president of Forum Research. Only 26 per cent of women polled were in favour of the expansion.
“Those numbers do range significantly by demographic group, so for example, opposition to the pipeline is higher among younger people,” Bozinoff said.
Overall, 54 per cent of Quebecers between 18 and 34 years of age and 59 per cent of those between 35 and 44 were opposed to the project, compared with 42 per cent of those 65 and older who opposed the project. Bozinoff said the results showed the opinion about the expansion was more divided in those over 55.
“I think there is more concern for the environment among younger people,” Bozinoff said.
The poll shows respondents identify the environment as a more important issue than the economy, which is unusual, according to Bozinoff. “Instead of an order that would be, typically, the economy, health care and environment, here we have, in fact, environment at No. 1, then the economy and then health care.” MORE
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