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“There seems to be a greater sense among Canadians that this is no longer just an issue of environment versus oil companies or pro-oil workers. This is now an issue of Canada’s economic interests.”

The online survey of 4,024 Canadians found almost six in 10 — including 87 per cent of Albertans — believe the lack of new oil pipeline capacity is a crisis, something the prime minister acknowledged during a recent trip to Calgary.

A majority exists in nearly every region of the country, with only Quebec bucking the trend.

Even in British Columbia, the centre of protests against the Trans Mountain expansion, 53 per cent consider the situation a crisis. Younger Canadians are much less likely to feel there’s not a problem, reflecting a demographic divide.

“There is no doubt the mushy middle is starting to harden,” Kurl said.

“The needle is definitely shifting on this issue . . . but this is not a clean consensus across the country. You still see a British Columbia that is profoundly divided on this issue and you see Quebec, which is very much in a polar-opposite place than the rest of the country.”

So how is the federal government faring on this file?

Poorly, despite their attempt to balance the economy and environment on this thorny policy matter.

Half of all Canadians surveyed say the Trudeau government is doing too little to build new pipeline capacity. Another 27 per cent believe they are pushing too hard.

Only 23 per cent say the Liberals have attained the Goldilocks position of getting its approach just right.