Poll Shows Canadians Want Carney to Focus on the Cost of Living

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published April 27, 2026

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A new Angus Reid Institute poll suggests that the cost of living has become the leading concern Canadians want Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government to address over the next year, nearly one year after the Liberals won the 2025 federal election.

According to the poll, 52 per cent of respondents said reducing the cost of living should be the federal government’s biggest challenge over the next 12 months. That placed affordability ahead of other major files that shaped Canadian politics over the past year, including the country’s relationship with the United States.

The findings point to a clear pressure point for the Carney government. While Canadians gave the government stronger marks on international files, including Canada’s global reputation, trade diversification, and managing relations with Washington, many said the Liberals have fallen short on issues affecting household budgets.

Seventy per cent of respondents said the government had failed to meet expectations on addressing the high cost of living, while 67 per cent said it had fallen short on improving housing affordability.

The poll highlights a growing divide between how Canadians view the government’s performance abroad and how they judge its impact at home. For many households, the measure of success is not only trade diplomacy or foreign policy, but whether food, housing, energy, and basic services feel more affordable at the end of the month.

The survey was conducted by the Angus Reid Institute from April 15 to 20, 2026, among 2,013 Canadian adults. The sample was weighted to reflect Canada’s adult population.