A new poll shows 70% of Canadians back tariffs on US goods, with many changing their spending habits
A new Leger poll indicates that 70 percent of Canadians support dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs on the United States.
Of those surveyed, 45 percent strongly favour such measures, while 25 percent are somewhat in favour, according to The Canadian Press.
The strong support for tariffs follows US President Donald Trump's decision to impose a 25 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports starting March 12.
Although he initially proposed applying 25 percent tariffs across the board on Canada and Mexico, he later reduced the levy on Canadian energy to 10 percent.
Trump has also suggested multiple times that Canada should become a US state and, in January, threatened to use “economic force” to push for Canada’s annexation.
The poll reflects a growing frustration among Canadians over US trade policies. Sébastien Dallaire, Leger’s executive vice-president for Eastern Canada, noted that the strong support for tariffs shows a high level of public anger.
“It speaks to the level of anger on the part of Canadians, that they are willing for the government to take actions that in the end will hurt our pocketbook,” he said, adding that retaliatory tariffs could lead to higher prices and reduced availability of some products.
Beyond supporting government action, many Canadians have already changed their purchasing habits in response to US trade measures.
According to the poll, 63 percent of respondents said they had reduced their in-store purchases of American products, while 62 percent reported buying less online from US retailers.
More than half of respondents, 52 percent, said they had cut back on purchases from Amazon, while 50 percent had reduced their spending at American fast-food chains.
US-based retail stores also saw a decline in Canadian customers, with 43 percent saying they were shopping less at those locations.
Some Canadians have taken even stronger steps in response to US economic policies. Among those who had planned a trip to the US, 30 percent said they had cancelled their travel.
However, fewer respondents reported cutting ties with American digital services, with only 19 percent saying they had cancelled subscriptions to US streaming platforms.
At the same time, 68 percent of Canadians said they had increased their purchases of Canadian products.
Dallaire highlighted that Canadians are not only expressing frustration but also actively adjusting their consumer behaviour.
“They’re not happy, and they're finding alternative ways to spend their money, trying to support more local products, move away from American products or brands,” he said. “And so, it's a pretty significant movement.”
The poll also found that 81 percent of Canadians were concerned that Trump might use economic pressure, including tariffs and trade sanctions, to push Canada into a closer political and economic relationship with the US.
While support for retaliatory tariffs remains high, these measures could have long-term economic consequences for both Canadian consumers and businesses.
