73 per cent of Canadians back Carney's economic changes without triggering election

Nearly three-quarters of Canadians support Prime Minister Chrystien Carney pushing ahead with proposed economic changes without calling an election, according to a poll released Saturday by Canada Pulse Insights.

The survey of 1,531 Canadian adults, conducted online Oct. 1–8 with a margin of error of ±2.5 percentage points, found 73 per cent national support for Carney's plan to fast-track infrastructure projects, relax certain environmental reviews, alter labour strike rules, and pursue closer economic ties with Europe—all framed as responses to the U.S. trade war.

Support varies by region. British Columbia leads at 83 per cent, followed by Quebec at 77 per cent and Atlantic Canada at 73 per cent. Ontario stands at 71 per cent, Saskatchewan/Manitoba at 67 per cent, and Alberta at 65 per cent.

Just over a quarter of respondents want an election instead. Among Conservative voters, however, the split is sharp: 53 per cent want an election while 47 per cent back Carney pressing ahead.

A hypothetical election scenario shows Liberals at 46 per cent, Conservatives at 34 per cent, NDP at 9 per cent, Bloc Québécois at 6 per cent, and Green at 3 per cent, with one in 10 undecided. Notably, 15 per cent of 2025 Conservative voters now say they would vote Liberal, while only 2 per cent of 2025 Liberal voters say they would switch allegiance.

The poll was conducted during the ongoing trade war with the United States.