HALIFAX—More than 8 in 10 Canadians support investment in the zero-emission ports, fuels and vessels that will help fight climate change, according to a recent poll by Abacus Data.

“As wildfires burn across the country and the impacts of climate change become part of our everyday lives, it’s no surprise that there’s overwhelming support for decarbonizing Canada’s maritime sector,” says David Coletto, Abacus Data’s Chair and CEO.

The shipping industry is responsible for about 3 percent of global emissions—more than the entire aviation industry, and similar to a large, industrialized country such as Japan or Germany.

The poll found a majority of Canadians were not aware of how significant the emissions from shipping were. However, once informed of the problem’s scale, 72 percent of respondents said investing in zero-emission ports was extremely or very important. These results largely held across regions and political affiliations, suggesting bipartisan support for action.

The poll comes on the heels of a new report assessing the benefits Canada could gain from developing green shipping corridors. “Climate change won’t wait, and our country is well positioned to be a leader in the shipping fuels and technologies of the future,” says Brent Dancey, the Director of Marine Climate action at Oceans North, which commissioned the poll. “It’s up to Canada to build on the clear public support demonstrated by the data and work with industry to seize this moment.”

For more information, please contact:

Alex Tesar
Communications Manager
[email protected]