Albertans want more stringent methane rules: poll

As governments and regulators consider new rules for methane, a poll suggests nearly three-quarters of Albertans want tighter controls on the release of a potent greenhouse gas from oil and gas facilities.

The poll, done by EKOS research and funded by Environmental Defence, says 71 per cent of those surveyed want regulations on methane release to be at least as strict as those in the U.S.

“We wanted to demonstrate that people in Alberta, in particular, want to see this issue addressed,” said Tim Gray with Environmental Defence. “The data shows that they do — they care about it a lot.”

Methane, also known as natural gas, is a greenhouse gas at least 20 times more potent over the long term than carbon dioxide. The energy industry is Canada’s largest source and controlling those releases is considered to be one of the most cost-effective ways for the industry to address climate change.

Many American states already have requirements that force companies to inspect more often for leaks and reduce methane venting, Gray said. The poll says 41 per cent of Albertans think their province should be equally as strict. Another 30 per cent wanted Alberta’s rules to be even tighter. Fourteen per cent of respondents thought the rules should be more relaxed and 15 per cent didn’t know.

The poll surveyed more than 1,000 people by phone and online over a two-week period ending Aug. 8 and is considered accurate to within three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Gray said Albertans have been living with venting and flaring of gas from energy facilities for decades and have a good understanding of the issue.

“People in Alberta have first-hand experience with methane leaks,” he said. “People have had to deal with methane in the form of flaring from a human health perspective. I also think they see it as waste — wasted money, wasted jobs.”

Both the federal government and Alberta’s energy regulator are designing new rules to reduce those emissions. Ottawa estimates that its proposed rules would reduce methane emissions by 282 megatonnes by 2035.