RENEWABLE FUELSA SUCCESS FOR GOVERNMENTS

A SURVEY OF 1,750 CANADIANSJUNE 2015

CANADA’S LEADING VOICE FOR RENEWABLE FUELSFor  over  30  years,  the  Canadian  Renewable  Fuels  Association  (CRFA)  has  been  the  national  authority  

for  Canada’s  domestic  renewable  fuels  industry.    CRFA  membership  includes  biofuel  producers,  petroleum  producers  and  distributors,  fuel  retailers,  and  farmers.

BACKGROUND• Since  2006,  Canada’s  biofuels  industry  has  expanded  significantly.  Today,  26  renewable  fuels  plants  are  operating  across  the  country,  generating  over  $3.5  billion  in  gross  economic  benefits  and  thousands  of  jobs  every  year.  

• Biofuels,  like  ethanol  and  biodiesel,  make  fuel  cleaner  and  reduce  greenhouse  gas  (GHG)  emissions  by  as  much  as  99%  compared  to  fossil  fuels.  Biofuel  mandates  remain  the  best  policy  tool  to  make  meaningful  GHG  reductions  in  the  transportation  sector.    

• A  recent  nationwide  poll  explored  feelings  about  Canada’s  renewable  fuels  industry,  support  for  biofuels  policies,  and  whether  Canadians  want  to  see  more  government  support  for  the  sector.  

• The  survey  was  conducted  online  by  Abacus  Data  Inc.  with  1,750  Canadians  aged  18  and  over  from  April  6  to  April  9,  2015.  A  random  sample  of  panelists  was  invited  to  complete  the  survey  from  a  large  representative  panel  of  Canadians,  recruited  and  managed  by  Research  Now,  one  of  the  world’s  leading  provider  of  online  research  sample.

KEY FINDINGS

4

55%

59%

33%

29%

Strongly agree Agree

Canadians  have  a  strong  affinity  for  renewable  fuels  and  those  who  produce  renewable  fuels.    Most  (88%)  Canadians  believe  that  more  renewable  fuels  should  be  produced  in  Canada  and  that  

government  should  do  more  to  promote  renewable  fuels.

Canadians  feel  pride  in  Canada’s  biofuels  industry

85% 88%

Canadians  would  like  to  see  more  renewable  fuels  production  in  Canada.

Think  government  should  do  more  to  promote  renewable  fuels.

SUPPORT FOR RENEWABLE FUEL PRODUCERS

Farmers

Renewable  Fuel  companies

Forest  products  companies

Mining  companies

Pipeline  companies

Oil/gas  companies 15%

14%

7%

4%

3%

1%

33%

32%

31%

22%

12%

4%

40%

42%

51%

56%

57%

37%

12%

12%

11%

18%

28%

58% Canada (1750)

BC (376)

AB (141)

SK/MB (159)

ON (616)

QC (254)

Atlantic (204) 8%

12%

10%

8%

11%

7%

10%

33%

31%

31%

39%

37%

37%

33%

59%

57%

59%

53%

52%

56%

57%

Positive Neutral Negative

Canada’s  renewable  fuels  sector  is  viewed  very  positively  across  industry  sectors  and  across  the  country.  With  a  large  number  of  supporters  and  small  number  of  opponents,  there  is  little  risk  associated  with  supporting  of  biofuels.  There  is  majority  support  for  renewable  fuel  producers  

across  the  country,  and  no  real  differences  across  demographic  and  regional  subgroups.    

SUPPORT FOR CANADA’S RENEWABLE FUELS POLICIES

The  majority  of  those  polled  support  biofuels  mandates.      67%  said  they  would  support  increasing  the  biodiesel  

mandate  compared  to  only  10%  opposed  .  

23%

13%64%

5%  Ethanol  Mandate

22%

10%

68%

Increase  to  5%  Biodiesel

When  told  about  the  federal  biofuels  mandates  many  (31%)  said  their  

impression  of  government  action  to  deal  with  climate  

change  improved.    

 

6%

31%

CANADIAN’S VIEWS ON CLIMATE CHANGE

The  majority  (79%)  of  Canadians  believe  climate  change  is  happening  and  is  caused  

by  human  activity.

11%

10%

79%

Do  you  believe  that  climate  change  is  happening?  

Over  half  (61%)  want  government  to  do  more  to  deal  with  climate  change  compared  to  only  6%  who  want  government  to  do  less.  Views  on  climate  change  are  fairly  consistent  across  demographics  and  regions.

WANT MORE

ACTION

6%

61%

LESS

CONCLUSION• Supporting  renewable  fuels  has  many  political  upsides,  and  few  downsides.

• Being  seen  with  those  who  produce  renewable  fuels  may  have  positive  benefits  since  85%  of  Canadians  have  a  favourable  impression  of  renewable  fuel  companies.

• Eight  in  ten  Canadians  believe  that  renewable  fuels  are  innovative,  sustainable,  clean,  and  efficient  products  that  they  need  which  help  create  great  jobs  that  are  good  for  their  province.    

• Two  in  three  Canadians  (67%)  support  increasing  the  level  of  biodiesel  from  2%  to  5%.  Only  one  in  ten  were  opposed  to  the  idea.  

• When  told  about  the  federal  biofuels  mandates  many  Canadians  (31%)  said  their  impression  of  government  action  to  deal  with  climate  change  improved.    

• 61%  of  Canadians  want  government  to  do  more  to  deal  with  climate  change  compared  to  only  6%  who  want  government  to  do  less.  

• At  least  one  in  three  Canadians  would  like  all  political  parties  to  be  more  supportive  of  renewable  fuels  than  they  currently  are.  

$3.5  Billion  ECONOMIC  BENEFITS  

Every  year  Canadian  biofuels  facilities  generate  billions  in  

economic  activity.

14,000+  JOB  CREATION  

Canadian  biofuels  facilities  have  created  thousands  of  quality  jobs  

—many  in  rural  areas.

$3.7  Billion  RETURN  ON  INVESTMENT  Biofuels  investments  return  billions  back  to  government.

CRFA  members  are  transforming  fuels  and  where  they  come  from.    Today,  26  biofuels  plants  are  operating  across  the  country,  developing  

clean  technologies,  making  new  products,  and  expanding  the  renewable  fuel  supply.  

Yukon

Whitehorse

BRITISH  COLUMBIA

Victoria

NORTHWEST  TERRITORIES

Yellowknife

Alberta

Edmonton

Saskatchewan

Regina

Manitoba

Winnipeg

Nunavut

Iqaluit

Ontario

Toronto

Ottawa

Quebec

St. John’s

Nova scotia

Halifax

Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown

New Brunswick

Fredericton

Ethanol  5%  Mandate  ~1.8B  litres/year

Biodiesel  2%  Mandate  ~720M  litres/year

APPENDIX:CANADA’S BIOFUELS INDUSTRY

• Canada’s  transportation  sector  accounts  for  1/3  of  the  country’s  total  greenhouse  gas  (GHG)  emissions  —the  single  largest  source.

• Biofuels  make  fuel  cleaner  and  remain  the  best  way  to  make  meaningful  reductions  in  GHG  emissions.

• Renewable  fuels  are  practical,  reliable,  and  already  removing  4.2  megatonnes  of  carbon  from  the  environment  every  year.  

APPENDIX:ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

COMPARED TO FOSSIL FUELS

1M

62%ETHANOL  REDUCES  GHGS  BY

99%RENEWABLE  DIESEL  REDUCES  GHGS  BY  

Reduction  in  hydrocarbon  emissions

95%

Decrease  in  Carbon  

Monoxide

50%

Fewer  Smog  forming  

particulates

50%

USING  BIOFUELS  IS  LIKE  REMOVING  1MILLION  CARS  FROM  OUR  ROADS/YEAR

CANADIAN RENEWABLE FUELS ASSOCIATION 350 SPARKS STREET, SUITE 605 OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA K1R 7S8

greenfuels.org | evolutionandgrowth.ca

CONTACTANDREA  KENT  President  a.kent@greenfuels.org  DEBORAH  ELSON  Vice  President,  Public  Affairs  &  Membership  d.elson@greenfuels.org