Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first federal budget has earned significant cross-country support for its major initiatives, even as Canadians remain divided on the plan as a whole, according to new polling. A Leger survey conducted between November 7 and 9 found that several marquee elements of the November 4 budget resonated strongly with respondents, especially proposals on infrastructure and immigration.
Despite the budget forecasting a $78.3-billion deficit for the fiscal year, 76 per cent of those polled backed the Liberals’ 10-year, $51-billion local infrastructure fund. The government’s plan to reduce immigration targets earned 74 per cent approval, and 60 per cent supported billions of dollars earmarked to modernize Canada’s military. A majority also favoured shrinking the public service, though support was far more mixed on increasing funding for CBC/Radio-Canada.
Yet only 30 per cent of respondents said they supported the budget overall. Andrew Enns, Leger’s executive vice-president for Central Canada, said the discrepancy appears linked to concerns over affordability. While individual measures were popular, many Canadians felt the budget fell short in offering immediate relief for households facing high living costs.
The regional data showed unusually consistent support across provincial lines. Ontario and Atlantic Canada were particularly strong in their approval of reduced immigration targets, while Alberta—often at odds with Liberal budgets in the Trudeau era—mirrored or exceeded national averages on infrastructure and immigration. Enns noted that in past years “it didn’t matter what was in the budget” for many Albertans, but Carney’s focus on major projects and long-term growth appears to have rebuilt some goodwill.
Even so, Enns cautioned that the goodwill is fragile. The Liberals have launched two new agencies—the Major Projects Office and Build Canada Homes—to push forward large-scale construction, housing, and nation-building efforts. The government has identified five major projects for expedited review, and Carney is preparing to announce the next round in British Columbia. But Enns warned that voters will expect tangible progress soon. “Major projects — can we show progress on some of these within a year?” he said.
Carney recently offered his strongest signal yet that a new oil pipeline project in Alberta remains on the table, telling business leaders in Toronto last week that “something’s going to happen,” even joking that he might be giving away too much.
Though Liberals overwhelmingly support the budget, it also found surprising cross-party approval: 85 per cent of Conservative-leaning respondents backed lower immigration levels, while 90 per cent of likely NDP voters strongly supported the infrastructure plan. About 42 per cent of those surveyed agreed with the government’s emphasis on long-term growth over short-term affordability measures, though half that proportion opposed the approach.
With key spending votes coming next week in the House of Commons—and the Liberals holding only a minority—Carney’s first budget faces a crucial test. The early numbers show Canadians like many of the ideas. But whether they will back the full vision remains an open question.