Montreal, April 15, 2026 – Equans, a global leader in energy and services, releases the findings of its International Barometer on Industrial Decarbonization and Adaptation. Conducted by OpinionWay, the study reveals that decarbonization now enjoys broad consensus among Canadian industrial companies, 91% of those surveyed consider decarbonization necessary to address the climate emergency, and 90% believe it can improve industrial performance.
Based on responses from over 1,860 industrial decision-makers of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises across North America and Europe, the study nonetheless finds that this strong support stands in sharp contrast with the actual pace of implementation. Only 6% of Canadian industrial companies report having completed their decarbonization process, while 27% have begun implementing concrete measures, the lowest level among all countries surveyed. By comparison, 21% of American companies, 19% of those based in the Netherlands and 16% of those in the United Kingdom report having completed their process, highlighting a significant gap with Canada.
Structural Barriers Remain Firmly in Place
The 2026 edition of the Barometer reveals a clear shift: adapting to climate change is no longer a forward-looking concern, it is a reality that industrial players are already experiencing. 45% of Canadian companies surveyed report having faced a climate event that disrupted their operations over the past two years.
Despite a stated willingness to commit to decarbonization, Canadian industrial companies identify several barriers that are slowing the deployment and expansion of their initiatives. These obstacles help explain the gap between acknowledging the climate emergency and taking action.
They include:
- Complexity of Available Solutions: proposed solutions are often perceived as difficult to integrate into existing operations.
- Lack of Infrastructure Suited to the Energy Transition: this limits companies' ability to adopt and scale certain technologies.
- Administrative and Regulatory Complexity: bureaucratic processes slow down decision-making and project execution.
Far from weakening the sector's commitment, these challenges actually reinforce it. Worldwide, decarbonization has reached overwhelming consensus within the industry: 94% of executives view it as necessary, and more than nine out of ten consider it fully compatible with their operations. This widespread support points to a fundamental shift, the energy transition is no longer perceived as a constraint, but as a strategic lever firmly aligned with the day-to-day realities of industrial businesses.
Early Actions Focused on Efficiency and Conservation
Despite these challenges, several Canadian industrial companies have already begun to take action. These initiatives reflect a desire to improve environmental performance while generating operational gains in the short and medium term. The most commonly implemented measures to date include:
- Reducing water and raw material consumption, as well as optimizing circularity where possible.
- Adopting an approach focused on energy efficiency and energy savings.
- Gradually replacing fossil fuels with solutions that generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
Beyond the need to comply with regulatory requirements and contribute to the energy transition, Canadian companies identify several positive outcomes associated with decarbonization, including a favourable impact on reputation and brand image, as well as a driver for stimulating innovation and rethinking business models. Yet a successful energy transition can deliver benefits that go well beyond these. When properly supported, the energy transition also represents an opportunity to enhance organizational competitiveness and profitability by strengthening long-term resilience and performance.
"In Canada, the consensus is now well established: industrial decarbonization is an essential driver of competitiveness and resilience. The real challenge now lies in the ability to rapidly deploy initiatives at scale. This requires a resolutely operational approach built around energy performance, electrification of uses and digitization of processes. To achieve this, Canadian companies need access to concrete solutions, predictable investment models and a stable regulatory framework."
Pierre Loyer, Executive Vice President, Business Development & Strategy
Méthodologie :
Survey conducted from January 30 to February 18, 2026, using an online self-administered questionnaire, among a sample of 1,861 industrial decision-makers involved in decarbonisation issues within their company (private-sector companies with 50 to 4,999 employees), distributed as follows:
- France: 411 respondents
- United Kingdom: 217 respondents
- Belgium: 214 respondents
- Germany: 200 respondents
- Netherlands: 201 respondents
- United States: 418 respondents
- Canada: 200 respondents
The sample was weighted based on company size, business sector and geographic location to ensure representativeness of the population studied.
The barometer was conducted in accordance with OpinionWay professional standards. Any full or partial publication must include the following wording: “OpinionWay Barometer for Equans.”
About Equans Services
Active in Canada and the United States for more than 30 years, Equans Services is the partner of businesses, industries and institutions that want to move towards more connected buildings, manage their facilities efficiently and reduce their carbon footprint. Focused on environmental, operational, and digital performance, we design, install, and maintain tailored solutions to enhance our clients' facilities, systems, and infrastructure.
Our core offerings are focused on the following areas:
- Integrated asset and facilities management;
- Operation and maintenance of buildings and equipment (including district heating and cooling);
- Energy efficiency solutions and execution of decarbonization and sustainability roadmaps;
- Building automation and systems;
- Solutions for transportation and mobility.
To learn more, visit www.equansservices.com/en.
Frequently Asked Questions
Industrial decarbonization is the process of stopping or reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gas emissions from industrial activities. It combines five complementary pathways: energy sobriety and efficiency, energy storage and reuse, replacing fossil fuels with low-emission alternatives, reducing raw-material consumption while improving circularity, and capturing CO₂ at the source or from the atmosphere.
According to the 2026 OpinionWay survey for Equans, 59% of US industrial companies are already fully operational or in active deployment of decarbonization measures, the highest rate among the seven countries surveyed. Canada trails at 33%, the lowest rate, although 33% of Canadian companies have set specific targets and 28% have started initial consideration, suggesting strong momentum building.
The leading barriers vary by country. In the United States, the top obstacle is the difficulty of finding suitable recycling and reuse channels (30%), followed by lack of in-house skills (25%) and required investment levels (25%). In Canada, complexity of solutions (34%), lack of suitable infrastructure (30%), and administrative complexity (30%) dominate. In both countries, shifting political discourse is now cited as a concrete brake by 58% (US) and 45% (Canada) of leaders.
Solar power and battery storage lead the way (90% US ; 78% Canada). Heat pumps are the dominant thermal alternative in the US (51%). Canada stands out for geothermal energy (36%) and process electrification (32%). Hydrogen, waste heat recovery, electric boilers, and thermal storage are all gaining traction depending on industry sector and energy availability.
Climate adaptation is the process of adjusting to current or expected future climate conditions, including extreme weather events, by deploying measures to reduce the negative effects of climate change.
Decarbonization, by contrast, addresses the causes of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The two strategies are complementary: decarbonization mitigates future risk, while adaptation protects business continuity, asset value, and insurability today.
The 2026 survey identifies seven main benefits: enhanced reputation (top benefit cited by 69% of US and 63% of Canadian leaders), innovation acceleration, secure energy and resource supply, increased profitability, competitive advantage, access to new markets, and talent attraction and retention. Among the largest US mid-sized companies, leaders cite an average of 3.4 distinct benefits, significantly above the global average.
Equans supports North American manufacturers through Carbon Shift, an integrated decarbonization offer covering strategy and consulting, design, financing, deployment, and operation. The portfolio includes solar PV and battery storage (BESS), heat pumps, heat and cold networks, industrial waste heat recovery, cogeneration, e-mobility, thermal energy storage, alternative renewable energy solutions, and digital energy management. Carbon Shift is designed to reduce upfront capital barriers through performance-based financing, while delivering measurable carbon, cost, and operational outcomes.
The full Wave 2 report, covering France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, and Canada, is available on this page. It includes detailed country-by-country results for both decarbonization and climate adaptation among 1,861 industrial decision-makers in companies of 50 to 4,999 employees.
