Amid a trade war, wide majorities of British Columbians back pipelines and energy development as the engine of affordability and innovation

Net support reaches +53 for natural gas pipelines and +38 for oil pipelines, with British Columbians ranking resource exports the best way to fund public priorities and keep the province affordable for young innovators.

CALGARY, AB, Sept. 14, 2026 /CNW/ -- Support for foundational resource projects in British Columbia is substantially higher than the province's political debate suggests, according to new public opinion research released today by Avatar Innovations.

Conducted by Fairview Strategy, the survey found 64 per cent of British Columbians back building energy export infrastructure, against 17 per cent opposed. On specific projects, 71 per cent support natural gas pipelines, 64 per cent support oil pipelines and 79 per cent support hydro-electric dams.

The consensus spans the political spectrum. Provincially, building export infrastructure to fund public priorities draws 74 per cent of BC Conservative voters, 65 per cent of BC NDP voters and 57 per cent of BC Green voters. Federally, 74 per cent of Liberal voters and 71 per cent of Conservative voters agree.

"It is remarkable just how galvanized British Columbians are when it comes to the need to build and trade. This cuts across any regional or political divides," says Mike Witherly, Partner at Fairview Strategy. "When you talk about creating jobs, opening up accessible trades pathways, and generating revenue for public services, that broad support becomes rock solid."

The driver is economic anxiety. Cost of living dominates public concern at 29 per cent, and 59 per cent ranked new tax revenue from resource and clean technology exports as the best way to fund provincial priorities, ahead of raising taxes, borrowing or cutting services. Told the sector offers skilled trades that put homeownership within reach, 60 per cent became more supportive.

Avatar Innovations is Canada's largest energy technology venture studio and fund with operations in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Houston. It empowers young innovators in the resource sector to build clean technologies with the customers and funds needed to scale.

"A pipeline is not the finish line, it is the down payment," says Kevin Krausert, CEO and co-founder of Avatar Innovations. "Export infrastructure generates the cash flow and the industrial demand that funds the next generation of technology. Supporting resource exports and supporting clean technology are the same economic strategy."

Support is thinnest among those being priced out of the province, dropping 18 points among British Columbians under 35.

Cam Ince, founder of CarbonPrint, an Avatar-backed clean-tech venture pursuing projects in British Columbia, said the province has strong talent and an opportunity to help innovators build locally.

"BC has no shortage of talented engineers and innovators. Continued investment in major energy and infrastructure projects creates opportunities to build companies, deploy technologies at scale and give the next generation reasons to build their careers in BC."

Avatar has supported 74 industry-sponsored emissions-reduction technologies, deployed more than $7.5 million in early-stage venture capital and mobilized over $10 million in follow-on private investment. Applications for its 2027 Vancouver program are open now at avatarinnovations.energy, with scholarships available for BC residents.

Full topline results are available at https://www.avatarinnovations.energy/news 

Methodology. Fairview Strategy surveyed 896 British Columbia residents aged 18 and over between July 6 and 17, 2026, drawing from an online panel. Results were weighted to the most recent Canadian census figures. For comparison, a probability sample of this size carries a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

SOURCE Avatar Innovations

Media contact. Kevin Krausert, CEO and Co-Founder, Avatar Innovations., [email protected] | 403.969.7531