Read time: 3 mins
Canadians have long been known for being polite, but is our reputation warranted? To better understand, we (politely) asked Canadians to share their opinion on our nation’s reputation.
Key Takeaways
- Canadians agree that while our collective reputation for being polite is warranted, there is a belief that we are getting ruder.
- Canadians are noticing others being less polite online, on the roads, in stores, and public transit.
- The perceived drop in politeness can be blamed on rising stress levels, waning empathy, and the rising cost of living.
- Nearly half of Canadians say they are experiencing more stress now compared to a year ago.
Reputation for Politeness: Deserved, but Waning?
For most Canadians, the country’s reputation for politeness is deserved, with seven in ten Canadians agreeing that Canada is polite, compared to two in ten who disagree. Older residents are more likely to agree that the reputation for politeness is deserved, compared with younger generations.
Despite most agreeing that we deserve our reputation for politeness, many fear things are changing. When asked, half of residents say they think Canadians are becoming less polite, compared to just one in ten who feel we are becoming more polite and four in ten who feel there is no change.
Interestingly, residents don’t generally feel that they, themselves, are becoming ruder, but rather it is something they are noticing in others. Just over half of Canadians say their own politeness has not changed, compared to a quarter who think they are becoming less polite.
Rudeness Is Becoming More Common Across Public Spaces
We then asked where they are noticing people being less polite, it’s primarily online or on the roads. Other top areas where Canadians are noticing a lack of manners include in stores, public transit, and health care settings.
It appears a multitude of factors may be causing Canadians to be less polite. When asked what was to blame for these attitudinal trends, just over half say stress is the great contributing factor, followed by a loss of empathy for others, the rising cost of living, prioritization of self, and social media.
“The stereotype of Canadians as polite and apologetic has been shaped over decades by our history, culture, and even our sense of humour,” said Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner at Narrative Research. “It seems the growing level of uncertainty in the world and the rising cost of living may be creating stress for the average Canadian, which is translating into less politeness, and other Canadians are taking notice.”
Are Stress Levels to Blame?
To further explore whether stress levels are rising across the country, we asked Canadians to reflect on whether they are feeling more, less, or the same amount of stress compared to a year ago. Just under half of Canadians report feeling more stress this year, compared to just six percent who say they are feeling less. And it appears that national stress levels are growing, having increased since we last asked this question in 2023. In that study, four in ten Canadians said they were feeling more stress compared to the year prior (a 6-point increase). Across demographics, Gen X residents are the most likely to be feeling more stress (52%) compared with Boomers (40%), and Millennials (43%). And though increasing stress appears to be affecting Canadians across the country, those in Quebec are the most likely to say they are not stressed in their life (16%).
Level of Stress Compared to a Year Ago
Results are similar when we asked Canadians to reflect on stress levels of others based on what they know or may have heard. Two thirds of Canadians feel other people are more stressed than last year compared to just three percent who believe others are less stressed.
The Questions Asked
Canadians have a reputation for being polite. Do you think that reputation is warranted? [OPTIONS RANDOMIZED]
- Yes
- No
- Not sure
Do you think Canadians are becoming…? [OPTIONS RANDOMIZED]
- More polite
- Less polite
- Not sure
Do you think you are becoming…? [OPTIONS RANDOMIZED]
- More polite
- Less polite
- Not sure
[IF ‘LESS POLITE’ IN Q4] Where are you noticing people being less polite? [OPTIONS RANDOMIZED]
- Online / Social Media
- On the roads
- In stores
- Public transit
- Healthcare settings
- Bars & Restaurants
- Airports and airplanes
- In my neighborhood
- Schools
- Work
- Something else
[IF ‘LESS POLITE’ IN Q4] Why do you think people are being less polite? [OPTIONS RANDOMIZED]
- Stress
- Losing empathy for others
- Cost of living
- Prioritization of self / selfishness
- Social media
- Weaker sense of community
- Growing political divisions
- Donald Trump / US relations
- People feel freer to be impolite
- Fewer consequences
- Influence of American culture and media
- Something else
Thinking of general health and wellbeing. Compared to a year ago, are you feeling…? [OPTIONS RANDOMIZED]
- More stress
- The same amount of stress
- Less stress
- Not applicable – I am not stressed in my life!
Based on what you know or have heard from others, do you believe that other people are..? [OPTIONS RANDOMIZED]
- More stressed than last year
- As stressed as last year
- Less stressed than last year
- Not sure
Results are from an online survey conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and the Logit Group. The survey was conducted between March 13 – 16, 2025 with 1,231 Canadians, 18 years of age or older from the Logit Group’s online Canadian Omnibus. Data were weighted based on the 2021 Census, by gender, age, and region to reflect actual population distribution.
For more information, please contact:
Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner, Narrative Research – 902.493.3834, mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca or Sam Pisani, Managing Partner, Logit Group – 416.629.4116, sam.pisani@logitgroup.com.
Narrative Research is a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned research company, certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Narrative Research provides clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services.
The Logit Group is a leading North American data collection and market research execution company headquartered in Toronto, conducting large-scale projects for a variety of well-known research agencies and brands. Logit employs industry-best technologies.
