Neither of the two leaders of the main federal parties are gaining ground on economic management.
Vancouver, BC [March 3, 2023] – Canada’s main federal political parties are locked in a virtual tie across the country, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 34% of decided voters (+3 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in October 2022) would support the governing Liberal Party if a federal election were held tomorrow, while 33% (-2) would back the opposition Conservative Party.
The New Democratic Party (NDP) is third with 18% (-1), followed by the Bloc Québécois with 8% (=), the Green Party with 3% (-1) and the People’s Party with 1% (-1).
The Liberals are ahead in Atlantic Canada (45%, +7), Quebec (39%, +1) and Ontario (39%, +7), while the Conservatives are leading in Alberta (58%, +7), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (48%, +1) and British Columbia (38%, +1).
More than one-in-five Canadians identify one of three issues as the most important facing the country right now: the economy and jobs (26%, -3), health care (26%, +5) and housing, homelessness and poverty (21%, =).
Fewer Canadians mention the environment (7%, =), accountability and leadership (4%, -1), immigration (4%, =) and crime and public safety (3%, -1) as the most important issues facing the country.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has the highest approval rating among the six federal party leaders this month (49%, +3), followed by Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau (46%, +2) and Official Opposition and Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre (41%, +4).
The approval rating is lower for Green Party leader Elizabeth May (32%), Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet (22%, +2) and People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier (16%, -2).
A third of Canadians (33%) believe Trudeau would make the best prime minister among the six main party leaders. Poilievre is second with 25%, followed by Singh with 15%, Blanchet and May with 3% each, and Bernier with 1%.
“More than a third of Atlantic Canadians (40%), Quebecers (38%) and Ontarians (also 38%) believe Trudeau is the best choice to head the federal government,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Poilievre holds the upper hand on this question in Alberta (46%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (35%) and British Columbia (27%).”
There is little change in the perceptions of the two main party leaders on financial management, with 44% of Canadians (+1) saying they are comfortable with Trudeau being charge of Canada’s economy and 40% (+1) saying they would be comfortable with Poilievre at the helm.
Almost half of Canadians (47%, +3) say they are satisfied with what the Liberals and the NDP have accomplished since their March 2022 supply and confidence agreement, while 44% (=) are dissatisfied.
Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from February 25 to February 27, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error – which measures sample variability – is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca