Inflation, Ukraine war and lingering effects of the pandemic shine light on Canada’s supply chain
by CM staff
The fourth Canada-wide survey by the Angus Reid Institute, in partnership with Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping, finds a growing proportion of Canadians mindful of the crucial role marine shipping plays in delivering goods.
Photo: CNW Group/Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping.
VANCOUVER — Whether it’s a shortage of children’s Tylenol or delays in getting new vehicles, Canadians are increasingly aware of the relentless supply chain crunch. The fourth Canada-wide survey by the Angus Reid Institute, in partnership with Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping, finds a growing proportion of Canadians mindful of the crucial role marine shipping plays in delivering goods. Read the survey findings here.
A stubborn feature of the pandemic has been the congestion in the supply chain that has affected trade networks and consumers around the globe. As a result, Canadians are much more aware of the fact that 70-to-80 per cent of materials and consumer goods are brought by ship than they have been in recent years.
A third (34 per cent) of Canadians now recognize that most products they use daily are transported by sea, representing a 55 per cent increase in awareness compared to 2020. Global issues such as inflation, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the COVID-19 pandemic have increased their level of consciousness of the workings of the global network of goods.
Oil spills and pollution from ships remain top concerns for Canadians, while 91 per cent of Canadians give the shipping industry a high mark on safety, common concerns about its impact on the environment remain, especially on the issue of marine pollution. Most Canadians still voice concerns over the risk of oil spills and harm to marine life, with an increased concern about waste dumped from ships. Despite those ongoing concerns, fewer Canadians fall into the Cautious Critics group on the Shipping Confidence Index in 2022 than two years ago, when the Index was developed.
Most Canadians are willing to pay more to cut emissions. A majority (59 per cent) of Canadians think that reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the marine industry is as or more important than other industries. Despite the overall rise in the cost of living, nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) say they would pay more for goods from overseas to reduce or offset emissions.
