Most Liberal and NDP voters see no problem with the health care system funding the procedure, while Conservatives are skeptical.
Vancouver, BC [August 21, 2025] – Practically half of Canadians believe there should be no changes to the legality of pregnancy termination in Canada, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 49% of Canadians believe abortion should be legal under any circumstances, up three points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in August 2024.
More than a third of Canadians (37%, +2) say abortion should be legal only under certain circumstances, while fewer than one-in-ten (8%, +1) believe the procedure should be illegal in all circumstances.
Majorities of women (52%), Canadians aged 55 and over (55%) and Quebecers (58%) believe abortion should be legal under any circumstances.
Most Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party (61%) or the New Democratic Party (NDP) (54%) in this year’s federal election would not challenge the legality of abortion. Only 36% of Conservative Party voters concur with this rationale, while almost half (48%) would allow the procedure only under certain circumstances.
“Over the past seven years, support for the complete abolition of abortion in Canada has only reached double digits once, in 2022,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Even among Conservative voters, the proportion of respondents who would completely outlaw abortion is low (11%).”
More than three-in-five Canadians (62%, +4) think there is no point in re-opening a debate about abortion in Canada right now.
About one-in-four Canadians (24%, +1) believe a debate about abortion is long overdue in Canada and the discussion should be re-opened, while 14% (-6) are not sure.
Responses are more nuanced on a separate question. More than a third of Canadians (35%, -1) think the health care system should only fund abortions in the event of medical emergencies, while more than two-in-five (44%, -2) believe the health care system should fund abortions whenever they are requested.
Just over one-in-ten Canadians (11%, +4) would prefer for the health care system not to fund abortions at all.
Women (49%) are more likely to support the current funding structure for abortions than men (38%).
More than half of Quebecers (51%) agree with the health care system funding abortions upon request. The proportions are lower in Ontario (45%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (also 45%), Atlantic Canada (43%), British Columbia (41%) and Alberta (30%).
While majorities of Liberal and NDP voters (54% and 51% respectively) are in favour of the health care system funding abortions whenever they are requested, only 32% of Conservative voters share this view.
Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from August 9 to August 11, 2025, among 1,002 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian 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