Thermoresponsive nonionic block copolymers, methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (MPEG-b-PNIPAM), were investigated as chemical aids for the water-based oil sands extraction process. Two copolymers with different chain lengths were synthesized by means of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in our lab. Their chemical structures were characterized by FT-IR and H-1 NMR spectroscopy. Moreover, their thermoresponsive property was demonstrated by the results of the turbidity and hydrodynamic size measurement. The thermoresponsiveness permits these novel block copolymers to be easily deployed and dissolved in the process water at ambient temperature while also being transformed to an interfacial-active state at the elevated operating temperature. The bench-scale oil sands extraction tests showed that the overall recovery could be improved with polymer additions. Further investigations revealed that both block copolymers could improve the bitumen liberation process. However, the polymer with a longer MPEG chain length exhibited a negative impact on the bitumen-air bubble attachment and hence was detrimental to the froth quality. The results of this study provide a valuable proof-of-concept that the synthesized thermoresponsive nonionic block copolymer can be a promising chemical aid for the water-based oil sands extraction process.