In just over a month, Canadians will head to the polls to elect a new government, and a recent CityNews-Leger poll has shed light on the priorities voters hope to see carried forward from the outgoing administration. The survey indicates that there is significant public support for several key policies that Canadians believe should be sustained irrespective of the election outcome.
Notably, over half of Canadian respondents, specifically 59 percent, advocate for the continuation of the ban on foreign homebuyers, while 53 percent express support for the national dental care plan initiated by the previous government. Close behind these policies are pharmacare, with 47 percent in favor of its continuation, and the $10-a-day child care strategy, which 46 percent of respondents want to see upheld.
Conversely, the poll reveals that Canadians are less inclined to support the continuation of certain other policies, including marijuana legalization, carbon pricing, and initiatives aimed at Indigenous reconciliation. Among Conservative voters, there’s a notable preference for discontinuing these policies, with nine percent indicating they do not wish to see any of the aforementioned programs continued. In stark contrast, voters affiliated with the Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party (NDP) are more inclined to believe that nearly all these policies should remain in effect.
The survey conducted between March 10 and 13 also highlights significant concerns regarding carbon pricing. More than 60 percent of Canadians feel that the carbon tax should be reassessed, with 43 percent calling for its complete removal and 21 percent advocating for an alternative carbon pricing schedule. This viewpoint, particularly prevalent among Conservative voters, sees 76 percent wanting the carbon tax eliminated. On the other hand, voters from the Liberal, NDP, and Green parties largely favor either maintaining the current carbon pricing structure or implementing an alternative model.
The sentiment to abolish the carbon tax appears to be least prevalent in Quebec, where only 26 percent of respondents support its removal. The poll coincides with one of Mark Carney’s initial actions as Prime Minister—removing the consumer component of the carbon tax, effective April 1, although the tax on large industrial emitters will remain intact.
In discussions surrounding housing affordability, two-thirds of the Canadians surveyed believe that immigration is a critical factor driving up residential property prices in the country. Despite these concerns, there exists a modest sense of optimism regarding affordability in the housing market. Only 35 percent of Canadians disagreed with the notion that housing prices might eventually become more affordable. Furthermore, 75 percent of respondents felt that their provincial governments are not doing enough, and a striking 77 percent believe the federal government has failed to address this pressing issue adequately.
The online poll sampled 1,504 Canadians aged 18 and older, weighted for age, gender, region, and education to ensure a representative demographic. According to statistical methods, a sample of this size yields a margin of error of +/- 2.49 percent, indicating a reliable gauge of public sentiment ahead of the upcoming elections.
