Embracing Canada's Pipelines, Sidelining Green Goals

Canada's Pipelines used to be ignored, but we have recently changed our tune.

From Jan 2023 to May 2025, Canadian perceptions of pipelines shifted sharply, favouring economic gains over environmental protections. Data shows pipelines are now seen as an economic lifeline, fueled by U.S. tariff threats and Alberta’s savvy advocacy. While this strengthens Canada’s energy security, it marginalizes climate concerns and Indigenous rights, highlighting a missed chance to balance economic and environmental priorities.

Economic Wake-Up Call

In Q1 2024, pipeline discussions were subdued, but Donald Trump’s election and U.S. tariff threats spotlighted Canada’s reliance on oil and gas exports. By Q1 2025, pipeline-related social media posts and news coverage surged 560%, with economy-driven conversations soaring 3,000% compared to a 1,200% rise in environmental discussions. This stark contrast underscores a shift toward economic priorities, sidelining climate concerns.

In the wake of Trump 2.0 and the Canadian election, discussions on Canadian pipelines surged dramatically, with pipeline and economy conversations increasing 30 times compared to 12 times for environmental concerns when comparing Q1 2024 with Q1 2025.

Alberta’s Edge, Quebec’s Pivot

Alberta, driving the conversation with 45% of mentions, leveraged Premier Danielle Smith’s advocacy to frame pipelines as economic necessities. Quebec, historically anti-pipeline with 27% of the discourse, softened its stance by May 2025, eyeing an east-west pipeline amid economic and inter-provincial pressures. This shift underscores the perception shift that is underway across the country.

Notably, Albertans are 10 times more likely to post about pipelines than Quebeckers on a per capita basis and 3 times more than Ontarians.

Pie chart highlighting Alberta and Quebec's dominance in the pipeline debate, with Alberta leading at 45% and Quebec at 27%, followed by other provinces.

Climate Takes a Backseat

Climate mentions spiked 90% from January 2025, and are often linked to the carbon tax, the second most correlated term with pipelines. This paints a negative perception on Canada’s efforts to meet its NDC’s under the Paris Agreement. Environmentalists also struggled to counter Alberta’s narrative. Media highlighted British Columbia’s regulatory issues and standalone efforts by private sector entities to reduce emissions, but these didn’t resonate widely.

To be fair, Canada is not a total outlier. We reported on a global pullback in conversation on climate globally - see our report from last year to learn more about this trend.

Indigenous Voices Gain Ground

Looking just at this past year, from May to November 2024, Indigenous rights accounted for 12% of pipeline discussions, but this rose to 16% from December 2024 to May 2025, reflecting First Nations’ growing influence. The growth is centred around the failed Northern Gateway pipeline project, underscoring the complex relationship between resource development and indigenous rights in Canada. Unlike environmental arguments, which struggle to cut through, Indigenous voices are resonating, shaping Canada’s pipeline debate with increasing authority.

Trudeau’s Missed Opportunity

The Liberal government’s push for Paris Agreement NDCs has been poorly communicated, leaving Canadians disconnected from net-zero goals. This vacuum let oil and gas advocates dominate, casting pipelines as economic saviors.

Conclusion: Economy Up, Environment Down

The data reveals a stark reality: Canadians increasingly view pipelines as vital for economic stability, boosted by tariff fears and Alberta’s advocacy. Quebec’s potential pivot further cements this trend. Yet, the sidelining of climate concerns signals a troubling retreat from Canada's global environmental commitments.

This is the great tension Carney's government needs to manage. His pro-climate stance is well documented, but his commitment to position Canada as an energy superpower means pipelines need to be prioritized. The high attention being paid to this topic will not abate soon.