Read time: 3 mins
As the election campaign continues, Canadians increasingly see the cost of living as the predominant issue, followed by the US trade war.
Key Takeaways
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Cost of living is the top election issue, identified by 72% of Canadians, with particular concern among millennials and those under 55.
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US trade and tariffs rank second, especially important to older voters, though concern has slightly decreased since March.
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Canadians are largely united across provinces in prioritizing cost of living, while regional differences like oil pipelines are more prominent in the Prairies.
In the final days of the 2025 Federal election, it is clear that Canadians are looking to vote for the party that can respond to the cost of living crisis, while also effectively dealing with the US trade war. When asked to select the top three issues facing the country during this election period, close to three quarters identified cost of living as key (72%; up 5 points from March). Trailing behind, but still obviously an important issue to many, is US trade / trade war and tariffs (49%; down 4 points). Four in ten noted healthcare (39%: up 3 points), and a third talked about improving the economy (32%; up 2 points). A variety of other issues are identified, albeit to a lesser extent, including housing affordability, climate change, jobs, poverty alleviation, treatment of seniors, and income support, among others.
Most Important Issues Facing Canada Today
Cost of living is most prominent as an issue for those aged under 55, particularly millennials, while healthcare and the US trade war are more dominant issues among boomers. Women are more likely than men to mention healthcare as a key issue.
Across the country, cost of living was identified as the most important issue in every province. Other than oil and pipelines being identified more often in the prairie provinces as a key issue (8% vs. 4% or less in other provinces), Canadians are united in their identification of issues this election.
The Question Asked
Canada is currently in the middle of a Federal election campaign. Of the following, which three do you personally believe are the most important issues facing Canada today? [OPTIONS RANDOMIZED]
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US trade / trade war and tariffs
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Cost of living
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Improving the economy
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Child care
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Climate change / protecting the environment
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Foreign policy
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Guns / gun control
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Healthcare
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Poverty alleviation
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Housing affordability
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Income support
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Reconciliation with Indigenous Canadians
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Indigenous services
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Jobs
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Long-term care
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Oil pipelines
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Racial inequality
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Treatment of senior citizens
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Assistance for small businesses
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Some Other Issue(s) – Please Specify
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None of the above
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Not sure
Results are from an online survey conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and the Logit Group. The survey was conducted between April 9 – 12, 2025 with 1,230 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.
