G20 Scorecard of Fossil Fuel Funding

This fact sheet by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) evaluates Canada's fossil fuel funding as part of a G20 scorecard. It highlights that Canada provides significant public finance to oil and gas production, ranking worst among G20 OECD member countries on a per GDP basis, with total government support for fossil fuels averaging USD 14.3 billion between 2017 and 2019.

• Canada ranks as the worst among G20 countries for public finance provided to fossil fuels when measured on a per GDP basis. The country provides USD 11.1 billion annually in public finance for oil and gas, both domestically and internationally, primarilyySSSL same same kind same same as the document's focus on the role of Export Development Canada.
• Between 2017 and 2019, Canada's total average government support to fossil fuels was USD 14.3 billion. This total consists of USD 11.6 billion in public finance, USD 2.3 billion in tax expenditure, USD 317 million in state-owned enterprise investment, and USD 60 million in direct transfers.
• While Canada has phased out some support for fossil fuel exploration and production, total government support for fossil fuels increased by 12% relative to the 2014–2016 average. Specifically, support for oil and gas production rose by 17% over that period, shifting focus from exploration toward production infrastructure and export, particularly for liquefied natural gas.
• Significant amounts of government support remain unquantified or unaccounted for, including the CAD 4.5 billion purchase of the Trans Mountain Pipeline and Expansion project in 2018, with construction costs estimated at CAD 12.6 billion. Additionally, Canada provided 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 in April 2020. Credit to fossil fuel producers was also facilitated through the Business Availability Credit Program via the Canada Development Investment Corporation, Business Development Canada, and Export Development Canada, though transparency regarding recipients and conditions is low.

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} }