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Audience Survey

Innovative Research Group Inc. was hired to survey the forum audience about discussion themes. The first question was open-ended where participants had the option of stating what they felt Canada’s top priority should be in ensuring the protection of its ecosystems, its energy economy, or its Arctic environment. The results from this question are presented in the graphs in this section. The next three questions were in a multiple-choice format and included the following:

Q1. What is the most important barrier preventing policy makers from addressing this issue? (in reference to the priority chosen in the first question)

Q2. What policy type would be best at overcoming this barrier?

Q3. When it comes to preserving Canada’s ecosystems/energy economy/Arctic environment, what area of research do you think the NRTEE should prioritize?

Following each round table discussion, audience members and participants answered the questions by completing a one page “scannable” ballot. 103 participants completed the first round. 115 completed the second. 83 completed the third.

Round Table 1: Ecosystems

The following results are in response to the open-ended question, “What do you think Canada’s top priority should be in ensuring the protection of its ecosystems?” Although the totals do not add up to 100%, they reflect the most popular responses.

In terms of the most important barrier preventing policy makers from addressing this issue, 62% of respondents felt that lack of government leadership stood in the way. 22% identified multi-jurisdictional authority as a barrier to progress on the issue. 55% felt that market-wide price signals would be best at overcoming the barrier of lack of government leadership.

When asked for the area of research that the NRTEE should prioritize, 36% indicated that work on the economics of climate change would be valuable. 30% felt that valuation and governance of ecosystem services should be a priority, and 22% felt that water policy and climate change deserved attention.

Round Table 2: Energy Economy

The following graph illustrates answers to the open-ended question, “What do you think Canada’s top priority should be in ensuring the protection of its energy economy?” The statements listed reflect the most popular responses.

Consistent with findings from the first round table session, 63% of participants felt that lack of government leadership is the most important barrier preventing policy makers from addressing the priority issues related to protecting Canada’s energy economy. Again, multi-jurisdictional authority was the second most popular response, chosen by 13%.

The best policy type identified for overcoming this barrier was marketwide price signals, selected by an overwhelming 76%.

56% felt that the NRTEE should prioritize the development of a national sustainable energy strategy in its future work. 16% responded that technology policy options would be an appropriate area of research and 15% chose sector-level policy analysis as an area for
NRTEE work.

Round Table 3: Arctic Environment

In response to the open-ended question about what participants thought Canada’s top priority should be in ensuring the protection of its Arctic environment, the top five responses included:

Once again, when asked about the most significant barrier preventing policy makers from addressing priority issues, a majority of 63% felt that lack of government leadership stood in the way. Lack of resources garnered 12% of the responses and lack of public buy-in on the issue captured 11%.

The question of which policy type would be best at overcoming barriers was answered with a clear majority in the first two round table sessions. However, the selection of a policy type for protecting Canada’s Arctic environment was less obvious, and 46% chose “other” when given the choice of policy options. 27% felt that regulations and standards would be effective and 20% felt market-wide price signals to be an appropriate choice.

For the final question about priority issues for the NRTEE, 39% felt that the NRTEE should focus on climate change adaptation in the North and 25% felt that sustainable development of the Arctic was most important.

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