This study examines the role of citizen trust in explaining climate policy support, using the case of low-carbon transportation policies in Canada – namely a carbon tax, electric vehicle purchase subsidies, and three regulations. Through a representative survey of 1,552 Canadian citizens collected in 2019, we assess: 1) support and opposition of policies, 2) trust in several key actors, and 3) other factors associated with policy support. The majority of respondents support purchase incentives and most regulations, whereas support is considerably lower for a carbon tax. Factor analysis identifies three different types of trust in key actors: competence, integrity, and value similarity. Fewer than 50% of respondents trust their national or provincial government regarding climate change issues in general or according to each type of trust. Regression analysis assesses the role of trust in policy support, while controlling for respondent values and demographic characteristics. Perceptions of national government “competence” is the only trust variable that is consistently positively associated with support for all five policies tested. Other forms of trust (integrity and value similarity) and trust in the provincial government are not consistently associated with policy support.

本研究以加拿大的低碳交通政策为例，研究了公民信任在解释气候政策支持方面的作用，即碳税，电动汽车购买补贴和三项法规。通过对2019年收集的1,552名加拿大公民进行的代表性调查，我们评估：1）支持和反对政策; 2）信任几个关键参与者; 3）与政策支持相关的其他因素。大多数受访者支持购买激励措施和大多数法规，而碳税的支持率却相对较低。因子分析确定了对关键参与者的三种不同类型的信任：能力，完整性和价值相似性。总体上或根据每种信任类型，只有不到50％的受访者对国家或省政府对气候变化问题表示信任。回归分析评估信任在政策支持中的作用，同时控制受访者的价值观和人口统计特征。各国政府对“能力”的认识是唯一与对所有五项政策的支持呈正相关的信任变量。其他形式的信任（完整性和价值相似性）和对省政府的信任与政策支持并不一致。