Most Canadians believe severe wildfire seasons are becoming the new normal, even as fewer people say climate change is primarily caused by human activity, according to new polling from the Angus Reid Institute.The survey, released Monday as wildfire smoke from northern Ontario spread across much of Canada and into the United States, found 56% of Canadians expect the number and severity of wildfires to worsen over the next 10 to 20 years. Another 30% believe recent fire seasons represent the new normal, while just 4% think conditions are likely to improve.The findings come amid widespread air quality warnings across Canada and parts of the U.S. as hundreds of wildfires continue to burn in northern Ontario.Despite declining belief in human-caused climate change, three-quarters of Canadians still believe climate change is making wildfire seasons worse. The poll found 55% say climate change is a major factor contributing to worsening fires, while another 20% view it as a minor factor.At the same time, the proportion of Canadians who believe climate change is mostly caused by human activity has fallen by 12 percentage points since 2021, according to Angus Reid.Concern about climate change has also softened over the past five years. The share of respondents describing climate change as a "very serious threat" to the planet dropped from 50% in 2021 to 38% today. Even so, more than two-thirds (68%) still consider it either a serious or very serious threat overall.The survey also examined how Canadians are preparing for wildfire emergencies.British Columbia residents were the most likely to say they had taken steps to prepare for possible evacuations. Nearly three in 10 respondents in B.C. (29%) reported having a "go bag" packed and ready, compared with 17% nationally.Confidence in local governments' ability to respond to wildfire emergencies varied widely across the country..Overall, 52% of Canadians expressed confidence in their local government's wildfire response. Quebec residents were the most confident at 66%, while Ontario residents were the least confident at 42%.The polling also suggests attitudes toward energy development may be shifting.According to Angus Reid, half of Canadians who believe climate change is a crisis requiring urgent action also support the recently announced Alberta-to-British Columbia pipeline, indicating backing for resource development is not necessarily incompatible with concern over climate change.The poll was conducted by the non-profit Angus Reid Institute. The release did not include the survey's sample size or margin of error.
