A new poll of Canadians shows that a majority are worried about increasing gas prices. That coming as prices are climbing from near a two-year low to the highest they've been since this time last year.
The survey comes from Nanos Research, commissioned by CTV News, which found that 38 percent of Canadians are worried and 32 percent are somewhat worried about rising fuel costs. Only 30 percent were not worried or somewhat unworried, and one percent weren't sure.
On top of that, more than six in 10 said they were likely or somewhat likely to buy more fuel-efficient vehicles as a result of increasing fuel costs. But 35 percent said that they thought Canadians "are somewhat unlikely or unlikely to opt for fuel-efficient vehicles."
With the upcoming summer driving season, and an average $1.30/L nationwide, what does this mean for the travel plans of Canadian drivers? Forty-nine percent said they think Canadians are likely or somewhat likely to drive less, with 50 percent saying they think Canadians are unlikely or somewhat unlikely to cut down on summer driving. In other words, that one's very split across most of the country.
What about in BC, where average prices are 15 cents a litre higher than the national average? The survey said that 68 percent said they believed Canadian drivers were likely or somewhat likely to drive less this summer.
And as far as carbon taxes, like the newly imposed ones in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and New Brunswick? It's split 55/42 on if Canadians feel it's ineffective and somewhat ineffective versus effective and somewhat effective on reducing fuel use. In the Prairies, nearly 68 percent felt the tax was effective or somewhat effective, highest in the country.
