“Sustainable investing is now a familiar part of the investment landscape for many Canadians,” said Fate Saghir, SVP, Sustainability at Mackenzie Investments. “The next phase is helping investors better understand how these strategies support long-term financial outcomes.”
Interest in sustainability is being fueled in part by evolving climate research, with nearly one-third of respondents saying new scientific developments increase their likelihood of considering such investments. At the same time, portfolio intentions are shifting, with a growing share of investors aiming to allocate a significant majority of their holdings to sustainable strategies.
But skepticism remains with more than four in 10 respondents believing that sustainable investments could deliver weaker returns, underscoring lingering concerns about performance.
The disconnect is even more pronounced when it comes to the energy transition. While 61% of Canadians believe investing in the shift toward lower-carbon energy will benefit future generations, only a small fraction report understanding the specifics of how to invest in it.
Roughly two-thirds recognize that the transition presents investment opportunities, and 63% view it as a significant long-term theme. Yet 45% say they lack sufficient knowledge about its scope or how to access those opportunities through their portfolios.