February 23, 2017 (Ottawa, ON) – A new Mainstreet/Postmedia poll finds 51% of Albertans say the provincial carbon tax has had a ‘major’ impact on their lives while 42% say the carbon tax has had a ‘minor’ impact. The Mainstreet/Postmedia poll has a margin of error of +/- 1.93%, 19 times out of 20.

“In Edmonton the numbers are once again very different from the rest of the province,” said Quito Maggi, President of Mainstreet Research. “63% of Edmontonians say the carbon tax has had a ‘minor impact’ on their lives, that’s in stark contrast to the provincial average. It’s Albertans who live outside major urban centres who are most likely to say that they have felt a major impact from the Carbon Tax (58%).”

“64% of Albertans say the oppose the provincial carbon tax – that’s down slightly from a similar question asked in December of 2015 (-2), support for the Carbon Tax is at 34%, up 5 percentage points. The number of Albertans who are undecided has dropped from 5% to 2% overall.”

“Public opinion on phasing out coal power may have changed since we last fielded work. In 2015, support for a phase out of coal was only at 44% with 50% opposed. Now, 58% support a phase out of coal. It’s important to note that the wording on these questions has changed as well. In 2015, we asked about a coal phase out in conjunction with investment in green energy projects. This year we asked about support and opposition to a phase out of coal on a standalone basis. Support for the phase out is highest in Edmonton where 75% approve the measure.”

“The government’s plan to introduce an emissions cap, another part of its climate plan, is earning radically different results. A majority of Albertans are opposed (54%) with opposition highest outside Edmonton and Calgary. Support for the measure is 10 percentage points lower among Alberta’s seniors than any other age group.”

“There’s no question that underlying the support for many of these measures are Albertan’s opinions of climate change itself. 52% of Albertans say that changes to the Earth’s temperatures are caused by human activity, 39% say that these changes are natural. While most scientists would agree that climate change is being caused disproportionately by human activity many Albertans don’t feel the same way – and that will continue to present a challenge for a government intent on gaining social license for pipeline projects through increased environmental activism,” finished Maggi.

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Mainstreet – Alberta February 2017 – Carbon Tax by Mainstreet on Scribd