Just under three-in-ten Canadians say the country’s economic conditions are “very good” or “good” right now.
Vancouver, BC [April 15, 2025] – The proportion of Canadians who express confidence in the country’s financial standing has dropped to the lowest level observed over the past three years, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 29% of Canadians rate the economic conditions in Canada as “very good” or “good”, down three points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in February.
Just over two thirds of Canadians (68%, +4) say the country’s economic conditions are currently “poor” or “very poor”.
More than a third of respondents in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (37%) think Canada’s financial standing is “very good” or “good” right now. The proportions are lower in Atlantic Canada (33%), Quebec (32%), Alberta (27%) Ontario (26%) and British Columbia (also 26%).
More than two-in-five Canadians (43%, -5) believe the Canadian economy will decline in the next six months, while 31% (=) expect no changes and only 16% (+1) foresee a recovery.
Canadians are deeply divided when assessing their own personal finances, with 49% (-3) describing them as “very good” or “good” and 48% (+2) considering them “poor” or “very poor”.
The proportion of Canadians who are dissatisfied with their own personal finances reaches 51% among those aged 35-to-54, 52% among Albertans, 52% among those who voted for the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the 2021 federal election and 63% among those in the lowest annual household income bracket.
There is a significant shift in the financial issues that are troubling Canadians. More than half say they have worried “frequently” or “occasionally” in the past couple of months about the safety of their savings (55%, +12) and the value of their investments (also 55%, +8).
Fewer Canadians are troubled about being able to pay their mortgage or rent (43%, -4), unemployment affecting their household (also 43%, -2) or their employer running into serious financial trouble (37%, -11).
“The constant discussions about tariffs are clearly taking a toll on middle-aged Canadians,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Concerns about savings and investments are affecting practically three-in-five Canadians aged 35-to-54.”
Our collective views on inflation also went through significant changes. The expectation that gasoline prices will go up in the next six months fell from 78% in February to 52% this month.
Majorities of Canadians expect to pay more in the next six months for real estate (52%, -5), a new television set (57%, -4), a new car (70%, -1) and a week’s worth of groceries (75%, -3).
Almost three-in-five Canadians (59%) trust Prime Minister Mark Carney to do the right thing to help the economy, while 43% (-2) feel the same way about federal opposition leader Pierre Poilievre. The rating for Governor of the Bank of Canada Tiff Macklem on this question is 35% (-4).
Majorities of Canadians aged 55 and over (62%), aged 35-to-54 (56%) and aged 18-to-34 (58%) express confidence in Carney as an economic manager.
Poilievre posts his best numbers on finances among Canadians aged 18-to-34 (53%, +5). The proportions are lower among those aged 35-to-54 (45%, -4) and those aged 55 and over (33%, -4).
Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from April 7 to April 9, 2025, among 1,002 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