Donald Trump’s tariff bombshell—25% on Canadian steel and aluminum—has 40% of Canadians fearing for their paychecks, per a Leger poll of over 1,500 adults from March 7-10. Ontario’s workers are the most spooked, with over half on edge, while Atlantic Canada’s calmer at under 25%. B.C. and Manitoba/Saskatchewan (39%), Alberta (35%), and Quebec (26%) round out the worry map.
Men (44%) and those 18-54 (42%) are more jittery than women (36%) or seniors (34%). Job loss dread’s been a rollercoaster—36% in January, 42% in February—now settling at 40%, with “very concerned” voices rising from 11% to 15% in a week. Leger’s Andrew Enns blames Ontario’s tariff-heavy election buzz for the spike, warning that scared shoppers could choke the economy.
The Bank of Canada confirms the chill: 40% of firms are pulling back on jobs and plans as trade wobbles. Mining (74%) and manufacturing (60%) workers top the insecurity list, with finance and agriculture closer to 50%. Canadian Labour Congress head Bea Bruske reports early layoffs—like at Algoma Steel—and whispers of more, as U.S. orders vanish. “Folks are in a panic about their future,” she said, eyeing a grim road ahead if tariffs stick.