10 Fast Facts about Canada’s oil & gas

Canada’s oil and gas industry is not only complex and ever-changing, it has a direct impact on the lives of Canadians across the country. But sometimes it may seem like information about this critical industry is biased or hard to come by. Here are 10 real facts about Canada’s oil and gas industry that highlight its importance to our economy and its commitment to environmental excellence.
1. Canada’s oil and gas industry paid over $500 billion in federal, provincial and local taxes, royalties, and fees since 2000.

2. In 2020, only 33% of the world’s oil production occurred in countries like Canada that Freedom House ranks as “Free.”
Meanwhile, 49% of the world’s oil production occurred in countries that Freedom House ranked as “Not Free,” and 10% in “Partly Free” countries.

3. In 2017, the GDP associated with the Canadian oil and gas sector totalled $128 billion, or 6.4% of the economy.

4. The cumulative value of Canada’s oil and natural gas exports was over $1.94 trillion between 1988 and 2019.

5. Worldwide imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) rose from 144 billion cubic metres (BCM) in 2000 to 470 BCM in 2019.
The sharpest rise in LNG imports by volume occurred in Asia (up 237 BCM). The Asia-Pacific region, with LNG imports of 346 BCM in 2019, made up 74% of the world share of all LNG imports.

6. The Canada-United States energy pipeline network is a critical component of North American energy security, carrying crude oil, natural gas, and refined petroleum products.
Combined, this pipeline network is over 453,000 kilometres long, 11 times the earth’s circumference. The economic benefits of the Canada‑U.S. energy pipeline network are nearly $60 billion in GDP, providing more than 63,400 jobs in the industry.

7. The number of landed immigrants employed in Canada’s oil and gas sector increased to 15,600 in 2020, up from 8,800 in 2006.
In 2020, the average weekly wage for landed immigrants employed in the oil and gas sector was $2,161, compared to the $1,264 weekly average for all industries.

8. Canada’s oil and gas sector is estimated to account for just 0.4% of global GHG emissions.
The oil sands sub-sector itself is estimated to account for just 0.2% of global GHG emissions. Canada’s oil and gas producers spent $3.1 billion on environmental protection in 2019, the highest of all 20 industries surveyed. This is more than one third of total environmental protection spending in Canada, and more than triple the spend of the next-highest industry on the list, mining and quarrying, at $882 million.

9. Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions intensity has fallen by 30% since 2000.
That is, to 0.35 megatonnes of CO2 equivalent per billion dollars of GDP, from 0.50 megatonnes.

10. In 2019, Canadians’ average earnings were highest in oil and gas extraction.
Compare that to $2,740 weekly vs $1,534 in aerospace, $1,427 in motor vehicle manufacturing, and $1,029 for the average of all industries.
