The “Buy Canadian” movement shows no signs of slowing down, as support for enhanced trade with other nations remains high.
Vancouver, BC [April 1, 2025] – More than two thirds of Canadians are ready for targeted action to counter the American president’s overtures on tariffs and sovereignty, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 72% of Canadians support Canada’s prime minister and provincial premiers suspending all steel, aluminum, and wood exports to the United States until U.S. President Donald Trump completely removes the threat of tariffs.
Seven-in-ten Canadians (70%) support Canada’s prime minister and provincial premiers shutting off all energy exports to the United States until Trump completely removes the threat of tariffs, while just over two thirds (68%) endorse Canada officially demanding an apology from Trump for his statements related to Canada becoming an American state.
Just under three-in-five Canadians (58%) support Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs recalling the Canadian ambassador to the U.S. in response to Trump’s statements.
In the middle of a federal election campaign, more than four-in-five Canadians (84%) have followed news related to the tariffs “very closely” or “moderately closely”, down three points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in early February.
Practically three-in-five Canadians (59%) approve of the way Prime Minister Mark Carney has dealt with the tariffs. The rating did not move for Official Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre (47%, =).
“Two thirds of Canadians aged 55 and over (66%) are content with the way Prime Minister Mark Carney has managed the dispute over tariffs,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The approval rating for Official Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre among this group is decidedly lower (35%).”
More than half of Canadians (56%, -5) are satisfied with the performance of their premier during the tariffs dispute, while more than a third (37%) feel the same way about their province’s official opposition leader.
The approval rating fell significantly for the premiers of British Columbia (53%, -14) and Alberta (42%, -12) and remained mostly stable in Ontario (59%, -5) and Quebec (56%, -2).
This month, Quebec has the highest ranked opposition leader on the tariffs dispute (43%, -1) followed by Alberta (39%, -5), Ontario (37%, -10) and British Columbia (34%, -3).
Canadians are evenly divided when asked to ponder what the future will bring, with 36% (-5) expecting the U.S. government to rescind the tariffs and the same proportion (36%, +2) predicting their expansion.
There is also a split on which type of federal government would be better positioned at this point to deal with the tariffs implemented by the United States. More than two-in-five Canadians (44%, -5) think a Conservative government would do better, while 42% (+4) disagree.
As was the case in early February, more than three-in-five Canadians (64%, +1) are avoiding the purchase of goods originated from the United States, if a non-American alternative is available. More than a third say they are avoiding American restaurant franchises in Canada (41%, =), cancelled a planned trip to the United States (37%, +11) and avoiding American entertainment options (35%, +4).
The proportion of Canadians who are not partaking in any of these four actions stands at 20% (-4). This group encompasses one-in-four Conservative Party voters in the last federal election (25%) and only one-in-ten Canadians who voted for either the Liberal Party (10%) or the New Democratic Party (NDP) (also 10%) in 2021.
Canadians appear to be having a difficult time figuring out which restaurant franchises are domestic. More than two-in-five correctly identified five of 10 brands tested as Canadian: Harvey’s (52%), Pizza Pizza (50%), Swiss Chalet (49%), Boston Pizza (46%) and Cora (45%). The proportions of correct responses are lower for Mary Browns (37%), Freshii (34%), New York Fries (23%), Panago (23%) and Ricky’s All Day Grill (21%).
At least three-in-four Canadians think Canada should seriously consider enhancing trade with Australia and New Zealand (81%, +3), the European Union (EU) (79%, +2), Mexico (78%, +3) and Japan (75%, =).
Support for requesting an independent dispute settlement panel under the terms of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) stands at 59% (-5).
Just over one-in-five Canadians (21%, -1) would seriously consider initiating a formal process for Canada to become an American state. On a regional basis, support for this notion is highest in Quebec (24%), followed by Ontario (22%), Alberta (21%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (18%), British Columbia (17%) and Atlantic Canada (17%).
Just over half of Canadians (52%) would seriously consider initiating a formal process for Canada to join the EU, while 35% disagree and 13% are undecided.
Majorities of Liberal and NDP voters in 2021 (61% and 55% respectively) favour taking a look at Canada’s possible membership in the EU. Support is lower among Conservative voters (45%).
Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted on March 23 and March 24, 2025, among 1,003 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
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