Ottawa — A new Leger poll shows Canadians have reacted lukewarmly to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first federal budget, signaling that while the spending plan won modest support on long-term priorities, it failed to resonate with voters struggling with day-to-day affordability.
According to the survey, 30 percent of respondents approved of the budget tabled on November 4, while 37 percent disapproved and the remainder were undecided. Only 15 percent of households said the budget would have a positive impact on their personal finances, compared to 32 percent who believed it would make their situation worse.
The online survey of 1,565 adults, conducted between November 7 and 9, suggests the government faces a communication challenge in convincing Canadians that the new fiscal plan delivers tangible relief.
Andrew Enns, Leger’s executive vice-president for central Canada, said the results show the Liberals succeeded in winning support for broader national objectives — such as new investments in defence and infrastructure — but failed to address voter anxiety over rising costs. “Where the budget falls short is on the affordability equation, which remains a very, very important theme amongst voters,” Enns said.
The 2025 budget projects a $78.3 billion deficit this fiscal year, with significant new spending directed toward reducing Canada’s dependence on the U.S. market and countering American tariffs. About 42 percent of spending is devoted to strengthening sovereignty and trade resilience, while 36 percent is aimed at improving affordability.
Despite these measures, Leger found that 55 percent of respondents said they wanted to see a personal income tax cut, even though the government had introduced a one-point reduction in the lowest tax bracket in July. Enns suggested that the tax cut likely went unnoticed amid the broader fiscal announcements, highlighting the difficulty of cutting through complex budget messaging.
The poll also found that while many Canadians felt the government had fallen short on affordability, 42 percent agreed with the idea of prioritizing long-term economic growth over short-term relief. However, half that number disagreed, underscoring a sharp divide in public sentiment.
The budget, which goes to a confidence vote in the House of Commons next week, poses a major test for the minority Liberal government. While the recent defection of Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont from the Conservatives to the Liberals added one vote in the government’s favour, the Liberals will still require support from another party to pass the budget.
Enns cautioned that the results should serve as a warning to all parties. While certain policies enjoyed cross-party appeal — with Conservative voters favouring reduced immigration targets and NDP supporters backing local infrastructure investments — the electorate remains skeptical overall.
“I think all parties, if they’re looking at this rationally, would be a little cautious about how aggressively they want to fight this in an election campaign,” Enns said, adding that the cost-of-living crisis continues to dominate voter concerns more than foreign trade or tariff issues.
The Leger findings reflect a complex landscape for the Carney government — one where Canadians may approve of national ambitions but remain unconvinced the budget does enough to help them personally.