A new Nanos Research survey reveals that most Canadians feel just as safe—or even safer—than they did a decade ago. However, the poll also underscores a notable divide along political lines, with Conservative voters reporting a significantly different perception of personal safety.
The national survey, conducted for CTV News and The Globe and Mail, found that 59 per cent of Canadians said they feel either “about the same” (46%), “safer” (8%), or “somewhat safer” (5%) compared to ten years ago. Meanwhile, 38 per cent said they feel either “less safe” (28%) or “somewhat less safe” (10%), and 3 per cent were unsure.
Among the respondents, the most pronounced sense of unease came from supporters of the Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre. Nearly 60 per cent of Conservative voters said they now feel less safe or somewhat less safe in their neighbourhoods, compared to 26.5 per cent of Liberals, 23.6 per cent of NDP supporters, and just 18 per cent of Bloc Québécois voters.
Regional differences were also apparent. Respondents in the Prairies (44.8%), Ontario, and British Columbia were more likely to report a decline in feelings of safety than those in Quebec, where only 25 per cent said they felt less safe than a decade ago.
Age played a role in perceptions as well. Among 18 to 35-year-olds, 43.7 per cent reported feeling less safe or somewhat less safe—an 11-point increase compared to respondents aged 55 and older (32.6%).
The survey also gauged Canadians’ confidence in the judicial system. When asked whether they trust Canada’s courts to deliver appropriate punishments to violent criminals, just over half of respondents (54%) said they either trust (27%) or somewhat trust (27%) the system. In contrast, 42 per cent said they do not trust (29%) or somewhat do not trust (13%) the courts, while 4 per cent were undecided.
Again, political affiliations appeared to heavily influence opinion. Among Conservative voters, 65.8 per cent expressed some degree of distrust in the justice system. That figure drops significantly among Liberals (23.8%), while NDP (36.4%) and Bloc (31.6%) supporters fell somewhere in the middle.
The poll was conducted between April 14 and 16 among a random sample of 1,351 Canadian adults. The margin of error is ±2.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.