G20 Scorecard of Fossil Fuel Funding

Canada provides significant public finance for fossil fuels, ranking worst among G20 OECD members on a per GDP basis. While some exploration measures have been phased out, total support increased by 12% relative to 2014–2016, driven largely by infrastructure development for oil and gas, including liquefied natural gas. The document highlights substantial unquantified support for projects like the Trans Mountain Pipeline and recent COVID-19 relief measures for fossil fuel producers.

• Canada is the worst-performing G20 country regarding public finance for fossil fuels when measured on a per GDP basis, providing USD 11.1 billion annually for oil and gas through domestic and international channels, including Export Development Canada.
• Total government support for fossil fuels in Canada increased by 12% compared to the 2014–2016 average, with a specific 17% increase in support for oil and gas production as the focus shifted from exploration to production and export infrastructure, particularly liquefied natural gas.
• Significant financial support remains unquantified or unaccounted for, including the CAD 4.5 billion purchase of the Trans Mountain Pipeline and Expansion project and a loan of up to CAD 500 million for the Coastal GasLink pipeline.
• In response to COVID-19, the Province of Alberta provided USD 1.1 billion in equity and a USD 4.3 billion loan guarantee for the Keystone XL pipeline, while federal entities like Export Development Canada provided credit to producers with low transparency regarding recipients and conditions.
• Canada's average total government support to fossil fuels from 2017–2019 was USD 14.3 billion, consisting of USD 11.6 billion in public finance, USD 2.3 billion in tax expenditure, USD 317 million in SOE investment, and USD 60 million in direct transfers.

APA

Corkal, V. (2020). G20 Scorecard of Fossil Fuel Funding. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-11/g20-scorecard-canada.pdf

Chicago

Corkal, Vanessa. G20 Scorecard of Fossil Fuel Funding. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2020. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-11/g20-scorecard-canada.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Corkal |first1=Vanessa |title=G20 Scorecard of Fossil Fuel Funding |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2020 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-11/g20-scorecard-canada.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{corkal2020g20, author = {Corkal, Vanessa}, title = {{G20 Scorecard of Fossil Fuel Funding}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2020}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-11/g20-scorecard-canada.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }