Internal polling conducted by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has revealed that a significant majority of Canadians support the construction of a new oil pipeline to the Pacific Coast. These findings have been instrumental in guiding Prime Minister Mark Carney's approach to the proposed pipeline project.
In November 2025, the Privy Council Office (PCO), under the supervision of the PMO, included questions in its weekly polling program to gauge public opinion on new oil pipelines and other energy projects. The PCO's weekly program, initiated by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's staff in 2015, provides public opinion data to the prime minister, cabinet, senior PMO staff, and deputy ministers on a range of issues. While the polling is conducted by non-partisan bureaucrats at the PCO, it is supervised by the partisan political staff inside the PMO, who collaborate with bureaucrats to design each week's poll.
In two successive polls conducted in November 2025, each involving 2,000 Canadians through live-agent telephone interviews, respondents were asked: "Do you support new or expanded oil pipelines?" The results were overwhelmingly positive, with 67% of participants expressing support for new or expanded oil pipelines. Notably, this support was consistent across all regions of the country, including 64% in British Columbia and 56% in Quebec.
To assess the impact of environmental concerns on public opinion, the PCO-supervised pollsters posed a more detailed question: "One way of increasing energy exports to overseas markets is to build new pipelines. However, despite their contribution to the economy, some point out that building pipelines involves cutting corridors across ecosystems, with impacts on nature and habitat, and pipelines come with risks of leaks and spills. Given that, do you support new or expanded pipelines?" Even with this framing, support remained high, with 62% of respondents still in favor of new or expanded pipelines. This indicates that while environmental considerations are important to Canadians, they do not significantly diminish overall support for pipeline development.
These internal polling results have been pivotal in shaping the Carney government's energy policies. On November 27, 2025, the PMO announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Alberta, outlining the conditions for a new oil pipeline to the Pacific Coast. The MoU aimed to address environmental concerns by incorporating measures to protect ecosystems and habitats along the proposed pipeline route. The agreement also included commitments to mitigate risks associated with potential leaks and spills, reflecting the government's responsiveness to public concerns.
The positive public sentiment towards the pipeline project has also influenced political dynamics within Canada. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith expressed increased confidence in the project's prospects following her meeting with Prime Minister Carney in May 2026. She noted that the discussions had addressed several outstanding issues, and she anticipated a more concrete announcement soon. This development suggests a collaborative approach between federal and provincial leaders to advance the pipeline project, aligning with the majority public opinion.
However, the pipeline proposal has not been without controversy. British Columbia Premier David Eby criticized the federal government's approach, stating that it was unacceptable for Alberta and Saskatchewan to engage in discussions about the pipeline without input from British Columbia. Eby emphasized the importance of including all affected provinces in the decision-making process, highlighting the need for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to national infrastructure projects.
In summary, internal PMO polling has played a crucial role in shaping the Carney government's pipeline strategy. The substantial public support for the project has facilitated federal-provincial cooperation, particularly between Alberta and the federal government. Nonetheless, the proposal continues to face challenges, including regional disagreements and environmental concerns, underscoring the complexity of advancing large-scale infrastructure projects in Canada.