Canada-US Relations 2025 – Ipsos poll commissioned by the MEI

The MEI commissioned Ipsos to poll Canadians on their opinions regarding Canada-US relations.

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Media release – POLL: Two out of three Canadians believe our relationship with the United States is crucial for jobs and economic growth

• 59 per cent of respondents say signing a new agreement with the United States should be a top priority for federal elected officials.

Montreal, October 16, 2025 – Maintaining and restoring trade relations between Canada and the United States remains a priority for Canadians, reveals a new MEI-Ipsos poll released this morning.

“Canadians correctly recognize that our economy and that of the United States are closely linked, and they want this trade relationship to continue,” says Daniel Dufort, President and CEO at the MEI. “Despite calls to strengthen the domestic market, Canadians understand that maintaining our access to a market of 340 million people ensures significantly greater prosperity.”

Two out of three Canadians (66 per cent) consider the economic relationship between Canada and the United States to be very or extremely important for the Canadian economy. Another quarter (24 per cent) say it is somewhat important, while only five per cent of respondents say it is not very important or not important at all.

Similarly, 68 per cent of Canadians say that a failure of Ottawa to reach a trade agreement with the United States would have negative effects on employment in Canada. Only seven per cent of respondents believe that there is no significant risk this would lead to job losses.

A similar proportion (67 per cent) agree that a robust trade agreement with the United States is essential for Canadian economic growth, with only 10 per cent disagreeing.

By the same token, six out of ten Canadians (60 per cent) say that signing a new trade agreement with the United States should be at the top of the federal government’s list of priorities. Only six per cent see it as a low priority.

“Despite the current tensions, maintaining a cordial relationship with our immediate neighbour remains a priority for Canadians,” says Michel Kelly-Gagnon, founding president at the MEI. “Whether it be trade, security, research and development, or the management of shared resources, Canadians recognize that good relations between Canada and the United States have been mutually beneficial.”

A sample of 1,000 Canadians aged 18 and older were surveyed between September 29 and October 1, 2025. The results are accurate to within ± 3.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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The MEI is an independent public policy think tank with offices in Montreal, Ottawa, and Calgary. Through its publications, media appearances, and advisory services to policymakers, the MEI stimulates public policy debate and reforms based on sound economics and entrepreneurship.

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