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- Two-thirds of Canadians believe that investing in companies involved in the energy transition will create a better world for future generations and just over half (56 per cent) believe investing in the energy transition will result in long-term positive investment results.
- However, just six per cent are aware of how to get started.
- Two-fifths of Canadians feel sustainable investing is missing clear guidelines and standards.
TORONTO, ON – April 21, 2025 – According to Mackenzie Investments’ sixth annual Earth Day Study, while more than two-thirds of Canadians surveyed (67 per cent) believe that investing in the energy transition, which focuses on shifting from traditional to low-carbon and renewable energy sources, will have a positive impact, investment in this theme remains low, despite 56 per cent of Canadians believing they’ll see positive results in the long term.
The Study, conducted in partnership with Pollara Strategic Insights, found that:
- Just 14 per cent of Canadians surveyed are currently taking advantage of investment opportunities in the energy transition space, despite the potential for strong returns.
- One in ten are very likely to include energy transition investments as part of their portfolios in the next few years.
- Only six per cent state they understand the potential of the significant investable opportunity of $4.5 U.S. trillion per year* available in the energy transition.
“It’s encouraging to see how many Canadians recognize the value of investing in the energy transition – it’s a critical part of our economic and environmental future,” said Fate Saghir, SVP, Sustainability, Mackenzie Investments. “But awareness on how to access these opportunities remains low. That’s where seeking financial advice can make a real difference – financial advisors can help clients understand where these investments exist, which ones have the potential to deliver strong performance and how to integrate them into a well-diversified portfolio.”
Canadians Find that Sustainable Investing Lacks Transparency
The Study also found that Canadians feel sustainable investing (SI) lacks clear guidelines, with greenwashing – when investments or companies make exaggerated claims or misrepresentations about their sustainability efforts to appear more socially responsible than they truly are – being a major concern within the industry.
Specifically, other findings include:
- Two-fifths (41 per cent) of Canadians surveyed believe SI lacks clear guidelines or standards.
- Greenwashing remains a concern to some investors, with 34 per cent saying it is a major concern, and 62 per cent saying it is a major/moderate concern.
“The concerns of Canadians are very much warranted,” added Ms. Saghir. “We believe that these will be addressed through disclosure standards meant to address greenwashing concerns.”
*International Energy Agency, net zero roadmap, 2023
About Mackenzie Investments
Mackenzie Investments (“Mackenzie”) is a Canadian investment management firm with approximately $218 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2025. Mackenzie seeks to create a more invested world by delivering strong investment performance and offering innovative portfolio solutions and related services to more than one million retail and institutional clients through multiple distribution channels. Founded in 1967, it is a global asset manager with offices across Canada as well as in Beijing, Boston, Dublin, Hong Kong and London. Mackenzie is a member of IGM Financial Inc. (TSX: IGM), part of the Power Corporation group of companies and one of Canada’s leading diversified wealth and asset management organizations with approximately $275 billion in total assets under management and advisement as of March 31, 2025. For more information, visit mackenzieinvestments.com
About the Pollara Study
This study was conducted with an online sample of 1500 adult Canadians, 18 years of age and older, between March 20th and 26th 2025. Results from a random sample of this size can be considered accurate to within ±2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20. Results have been weighted by gender, age, and region, using the latest census data, to be representative of the Canadian population. Results have been compared to similar studies conducted in 2024 and 2023, where applicable.