The 1973 OPEC oil price hike accelerated concerns about resource limits, particularly for energy-profligate North Americans. It spurred government efforts toward energy efficiency and alternatives, leading to the establishment of the Office of Energy Conservation in 1974 by the Department of Energy, Mines, and Resources (now Natural Resources Canada). However, despite the creation of this office and a brief surge in environmental activism, decisive long-term actions were limited, with momentum fading during the early 1980s recession.

A second oil price spike in 1979 heightened “energy crisis awareness,” prompting significant reductions in energy use between 1980 and 1985. After oil prices dropped in 1985, demand rebounded, and the auto industry shifted back to fuel-inefficient vehicles, giving rise to heavily marketed SUVs. This cycle of rising environmental concern, energy prices, and economic shifts has recurred and continues to pose challenges.