Just 14% of Canadians currently investing in energy transition opportunities

Just 14% of Canadians are currently taking advantage of investment opportunities in the energy transition space, despite the returns it offers, a new study by Mackenzie Investments has found.

According to Mackenzie Investments’ sixth annual Earth Day Study, which was undertaken alongside Pollara Strategic Insights, some two thirds of Canadians (67%) believe that investing in the energy transition will ‘have a positive impact’, while 56% expect long-term financial benefits from green energy investments.

However, few are putting this into practice – only one in ten state that they are ‘very likely’ to include energy transition investments as part of their portfolios in the next few years, while only 6% say that they understand the investment opportunity presented by the energy transition – which has been calculated at $4.5 U.S. trillion per year.

Investing in the energy transition

“It’s encouraging to see how many Canadians recognise the value of investing in the energy transition – it’s a critical part of our economic and environmental future,” commented 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.”

Greenwashing concerns

Other findings from the study include that 41% believe that sustainable investing lacks clear guidelines or standards, while greenwashing is also a concern for would-be investors – 34% cite this as a ‘major concern’, and 62% as a ‘major/moderate concern’.

“The concerns of Canadians are very much warranted,” Saghir added, noting that emerging disclosure standards could help alleviate these perceived issues.

Mackenzie Investments’ study was conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights in March 2025, and surveyed 1,500 adult Canadians aged 18 years and older. Read more here.