Léger: Extreme Weather Fuels Canadians’ Climate Concerns

More than a third of Canadians say they were personally affected in the past year, helping explain recent rise in climate concern.

Léger’s latest survey on extreme weather and climate change shows a growing sense of concern across the country. Nearly two-thirds of Canadians (63%) say changes in Canada’s climate worry them, up four points since June. By contrast, 21% say they are not worried, while 9% deny that changes are occurring.

Concern is highest in Quebec (74%) and lowest in the Prairies and Atlantic Canada, though in every region at least half of respondents say they are worried. Climate change denial peaks in Alberta (16%) and British Columbia (14%), but remains a marginal position from coast to coast (9%).

Breaking down the results by demographic groups, we see no major difference in the age brackets: concern is higher among older voters with 67%, lowest among the 18-34 crowd with 59%. These differences suggest no major generation divide in the views of Canadians.

We do see a modest gender gap, as concern over the climate is 11 points higher among women (68%) than men (57%).

This rising concern may be linked to lived experience. When asked if they had been personally affected by an extreme weather event in the past year — such as heat waves, floods, fires, or tornadoes — 37% said yes, a significant jump of 14 points since Léger’s previous poll on the issue last June.

A slim majority (51%) believe it is still possible to reverse the effects of climate change, compared to 38% who say it is already too late. Another 11% reject the premise of climate change altogether.

Find Léger’s complete report here.