Canadians’ Awareness and Confidence in Canada’s Transportation System

Executive Summary

Prepared for Transport Canada

Supplier: Phoenix SPI
Contract Number: CW2379934
Contract Value: $110,672.20 (including HST)
Award Date: 2024-11-04
Delivery Date: 2025-03-17
Registration Number: POR 068-24

For more information on this report, please contact Transport Canada at TC.Publicopinion-Opinionpublique.TC@tc.gc.ca.

Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français.

Canadians’ Awareness and Confidence in Canada’s Transportation System
Final Report

This public opinion research report presents the findings of a 15-minute online survey conducted with 1,587 Canadians aged 18 and older, along with five virtual focus groups—four with the general public and one with Indigenous Peoples. The survey was conducted from January 8 to 26, 2025, while the focus groups took place from February 18 to 20, 2025.

Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre Recherche sur l'opinion publique: Connaissance et confiance des Canadiens à l’égard du système de transport du Canada

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Executive Summary

Phoenix Strategic Perspectives (Phoenix SPI) was commissioned by Transport Canada to conduct quantitative and qualitative public opinion research (POR) to measure Canadians’ and Indigenous Peoples’ attitudes and perceptions of transportation.

Research Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of the research was to help Transport Canada understand the interests and behaviours of the population as they relate to the department’s mandate. The specific objectives of this POR study were to measure attitudes and perceptions of transportation with a focus on the following areas: communication preferences; awareness and perceptions of Transport Canada’s programs, services and activities; and confidence in the safety, security, and efficiency of Canada’s transportation system.

Methodology

The research included a 15-minute probability online survey of 1,587 Canadians aged 18+ and five 90-minute virtual focus groups. The online survey included an oversample of Indigenous Peoples. The results were weighted to reflect the actual distribution of the population based on region, age, and gender. The margin of error for a sample of this size, accounting for the design effect of the oversample, is ±2.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Four focus groups were conducted with Canadians aged 18+ and one with Indigenous Peoples. The groups with Canadians were segmented by region of the country, with one group conducted in the West, one in Ontario, one in Quebec (French), and one in Atlantic Canada. The fieldwork took place from January 8 to 16, 2025 (online survey) and from February 18 to 20, 2025 (virtual focus groups).

Key Findings

Government is most likely to be considered responsible for maintaining a safe and secure transportation system in Canada. Survey respondents and focus group participants most often identified the government as primarily responsible for maintaining a safe and secure transportation system in Canada. Just over half of survey respondents believed this, with 35% attributing responsibility to the Government of Canada and 19% to provincial and territorial governments. Similarly, focus group participants routinely characterized transportation safety and security as a shared responsibility between different levels of government in Canada. Some participants further specified that the federal government’s responsibility extends to transportation matters affecting the entire country or spanning multiple provinces, as well as critical infrastructure such as ports, airports, and rail lines.
A majority of surveyed Canadians have a positive impression of Transport Canada. Over half of survey respondents expressed a positive view of Transport Canada, with 42% reporting a somewhat positive impression and 11% a very positive one. By contrast, one-quarter held a negative impression of the department, including 19% who were somewhat negative and 6% who were very negative. Additionally, just over one in five (22%) indicated that they did not know enough about Transport Canada to offer an overall impression. Focus group participants were not asked about their impressions of Transport Canada. However, most said that they had heard of Transport Canada and commonly associated the department with general oversight of Canada’s transportation system.
There is widespread confidence among surveyed Canadians that Canada’s transportation system is safe. A substantial majority of survey respondents expressed confidence in the overall safety of Canada’s transportation system, with 53% feeling somewhat confident and 32% very confident. Nearly all respondents believe it is safe to travel within Canada, regardless of the mode—road, rail, air, or water—with 41% describing travel as very safe and 54% as generally safe. Among the different modes of transportation, road travel was most likely to be considered unsafe, with 19% expressing concerns compared to just 2% to 4% for other modes of transportation. This perception that road travel is less safe was also common among focus group participants. In terms of the department’s performance, majorities of survey respondents said Transport Canada is doing a good or very good job with air (74%), rail (60%), water (57%), and road (52%) safety.
Many consider it safe to transport hazardous materials within Canada. Survey respondents and focus group participants tended to consider the transportation of hazardous materials within Canada to be safe. Just over three-quarters (77%) of survey respondents held this view, with 64% describing it as generally safe and 13% as very safe. Similarly, focus group participants widely perceived the transportation of hazardous materials in Canada as safe. They recognized that accidents happen but viewed them as rare. For some, moreover, the low incidence of accidents served as evidence that transporting hazardous materials within Canada is generally safe.
There are differences of opinion about the 2035 zero-emission mandate among Canadians. There was no consensus about the requirement for all new cars and light trucks sold in Canada to be zero-emission by 2035. Among survey respondents, 45% believed the requirement is a good idea, 39% considered it a bad idea, and 16% were uncertain. There were also differing opinions on the mandate among focus group participants. While most supported it, some expressed concerns or did not think it was a good idea, and a few were unsure. Supporters cited various benefits, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions to help preserve the environment, improving Canadians’ health, and fostering R&D along with new industries. Focus group participants were divided on whether the higher cost of zero-emissions vehicles would affect their level of support, with some believing it would and others saying it would not.
Confidence in Canada’s supply chains tends to be more moderate than strong. Two-thirds of survey respondents expressed confidence in the strength of Canada’s supply chains, though they were more likely to be somewhat confident (58%) than very confident (8%). Opinions among focus group participants were mixed, with similar numbers describing Canada’s supply chains as strong or somewhere between strong and weak, and smaller numbers characterizing them as weak. Surveyed Canadians were somewhat more positive about the reliability of Canada’s supply chains, with 67% somewhat confident they can reliably deliver goods and 15% very confident. Among those who lacked confidence in supply chain reliability, the main reasons cited were federal government actions and policies (30%), the risk of disruptions and delays (24%), concerns about inadequate supply chain maintenance (19%), and Canada’s reliance on imports (17%).
Confidence in the government’s ability to create green transportation systems varies. A majority of survey respondents were not very confident (38%) or not at all confident (19%) in the Government of Canada’s ability to create green transportation systems. By contrast, 38% of respondents were somewhat confident in the Government of Canada’s ability to create green transportation systems, while 5% were very confident. Among focus group participants, opinions varied on how well the Government of Canada is improving the environmental impact of transportation. Some described the federal government’s record as good or moving in the right direction, while others described its efforts as poor, and some were unsure.
There is substantial support for greening transportation even if it costs more money. Over two-thirds of survey respondents (71%) supported or strongly supported the Government of Canada’s efforts to create green transportation systems, even if it costs more money (28% opposed these efforts). Focus group participants were divided on whether the higher cost of zero-emissions vehicles would affect their level of support for them, with some saying yes and others saying no.
Most survey respondents think Government of Canada investment in green transportation initiatives is important. Just over three-quarters of survey respondents thought it was moderately (31%) or very (45%) important that the Government of Canada invests in green transportation initiatives. While focus group participants were not asked about this specifically, reducing the environmental impact of Canada’s transportation system, including its contribution to air pollution, carbon emissions, and climate change, tended to be seen as the most pressing environmental concern related to transportation in Canada.
For many, the federal government is the most trusted source for transportation information. Just over half of survey respondents identified the Government of Canada as the most trusted source of information about Canada’s transportation system. The Government of Canada was also routinely identified as such by focus group participants, and Government of Canada websites were often identified as the most trusted communication channel for transportation information.
Canadians consult a variety of sources for information or news. Over half of survey respondents said they rely most often on Canadian TV, radio channels, and newspapers (60%) as well as internet searches (55%) for information or news. Following these, 39% rely on the Government of Canada, 34% on scientific experts and reports, and 31% on provincial and territorial governments. Focus group participants collectively identified a variety of sources they rely on for information and news. These included ‘traditional’ Canadian media sources, such as CBC, CTV, and Global; international sources, including BBC, CNN, and Reuters; independent sources like Substack; local or regional sources, such as Tyee and Journal de Montreal; social media; and news aggregators, such as Ground News, Flipboard, and Google News.

Limitations and Use of the Research

The survey results are generalizable to the target population because probability sampling was used. The focus group results, however, cannot be quantified or generalized to the full population of Canadians and Indigenous Peoples. The findings from the research will be used by Transport Canada to more effectively communicate and engage with Canadians.

Contract Value

The contract value was $110,672.20 (including HST).

Political Neutrality Certification

I hereby certify as a Senior Officer of Phoenix SPI that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity of the Government of Canada and Directive on the Management of Communications. Specifically, the deliverables do not contain any reference to electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leader.

(original signed by)

Alethea Woods
President
Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc.