Canadians are largely divided on whether they want to see construction of Teck Resources Ltd.’s proposed Frontier oil sands mine, according to a survey from the Angus Reid Institute released Wednesday.

Nearly half, or 49 per cent, of the 1,300 Canadian adults polled online from Feb.10-11 said they strongly support construction of the mine, while 40 per cent said they oppose it.

The survey comes as political tensions rise over the project’s future. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney published a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a Twitter post Monday warning of the “devastating” economic consequences if the project is blocked.

Kenney also warned that Western alienation could reach a “boiling point” in the event the project isn’t given the green light.

The proposed $20.6-billion mine, which would be located 110 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, Alta., is pending approval from the federal cabinet, which has until the end of this month to make a decision. Teck hasn’t yet committed to building Frontier, even if the government approves the project. 

An overwhelming majority of Albertans (78 per cent) said they are in favour of approving the Frontier mine, with the largest amount of opposition coming from Quebec (57 per cent) and British Columbia (49 per cent) amid environmental concerns.

Teck said early last week it is aiming to become carbon-neutral by 2050. The majority of respondents to the poll (77 per cent) said the company’s intention to be carbon-neutral makes no difference on whether they’d be more likely to consider the project.