In fact, a recent Nanos poll indicates a majority of Canadians are pessimistic about the state of our economy. They are living in fear of their own economic tool kit. The survey was live for four weeks, closing just before December 26th. The largest-ever survey of its kind, with more than 1,000 participants, it shows that economic issues are the leading national priority for one-in-five respondents.
The results show that Canadians are more concerned than ever about their personal financial health. Everyone from consumers to Wall Street are concerned about the direction of the economy. Among these issues, inflation has shot up to be one of their top five concerns. The survey results, released this week, represent a microcosm of a larger wave of anxiety that continues to flood all areas of Canadian society.
Of the four top issues listed in the survey, health care and immigration placed second and third, respectively. These problems serve as a testament to the complex, interwoven challenges facing Canadians in the present day. Economic concerns are clearly the top issue on the minds of voters. Yet only 10 percent of survey-takers ranked improving relations with the United States—and specifically with President Donald Trump—as their highest priority. Domestic economic concerns were found to be over twice as likely as issues related to foreign affairs.
Nik Nanos, the chief data scientist behind the survey, echoed that anxiety, calling economic worries the most “cutting” for Canadians. “People’s economic security is still sagging, that’s what people are feeling,” he said, underscoring that the concern over economic security is universal across demographic divides. The polling has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. The level of precision often used in this study is precise 95 percent of the time.
These survey results are a clear sign of a positive turn in public sentiment as our country continues to emerge from an economic crisis unlike any other. Look no further than the Canadians who are turning to cities for answers to their most urgent problems. They are particularly concerned about the inflation and broader economic stability.
