Economic Perceptions in Canada and the U.S. : Recession or Recovery?

29 May 2024

Every month, we conduct a survey of Canadians and Americans to explore their views on the economy, finances, and politics. This month, our survey was conducted between May 24 and 26, 2024. 

Some of the key highlights of our survey about the economy include…

  • 61% of Canadians consider their household finances to be good, while 54% of Americans feel the same way. It is stable when compared to last month.
  • Nearly six out of ten Canadians (58%) and 57% of Americans believe their respective country is in recession. For Canada, this represents a decrease of 4 points since last month (62%).
  • Almost half of Canadians (46%) say they live paycheque to paycheque, while 57% of Americans  say the same thing.

Some of the key highlights of our survey about American politics…

  • If the Presidential election were to be held today, Trump would secure 46% of the votes, while Biden would secure 45%, making them statistically head-to-head.
  • A larger proportion of Americans (41%) think that Trump will win the 2024 presidential election, while a third (33%) think Joe Biden will win.
  • More than half of Americans (55%) think that things were better under Trump’s presidency, while 45% think that things are better under Joe Biden’s presidency.
  • Six democrat voters out of ten (58%) would have preferred the Democratic Party to choose a candidate other than Joe Biden. This proportion is higher (72%) among democrat voters aged 18 to 34 years old.

Methodology

This web survey was conducted from May 24 to 26, 2024, with 1,620 Canadians and 1,003 Americans, 18 years of age or older, randomly recruited from LEO’s online panel.

A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey. For comparison, a probability sample of 1,620 respondents would have a margin of error of ±2.44%, 19 times out of 20, while a probability sample of 1,003 respondents would have a margin of error of ±3.09%, 19 times out of 20.

Related Posts

Alberta Referendum: The Gap Widens as Voting Day Approaches

With Alberta's October 19 referendum just days away, support for remaining in Canada continues to strengthen. Our latest survey, conducted from October 14 to 16, finds that nearly three-quarters of Albertans favour remaining a province of Canada, while support for...

Federal Politics: Liberals Hold 15-Point Lead

Mark Carney's Liberals continue to lead in federal voting intentions, with satisfaction toward the government and approval of the Prime Minister holding steady. But Canadians' assessments of the government's progress vary considerably by issue. According to Leger's...

BC Election 2026: A Close Race With Voters Still in Play

With less than two weeks until British Columbians head to the polls, the provincial election remains a close race between the Conservatives and the NDP. According to Leger's latest BC election poll, the Conservatives hold a narrow two-point lead among decided voters,...

Metro Vancouver Municipal Election 2026: Voters Want Change

Metro Vancouver voters are heading into the 2026 municipal elections with a clear appetite for change, but much less certainty about who should deliver it. Just over half of residents across the Vancouver CMA (51%) say their city is on the wrong track, while 57%...

Get the latest in your inbox

Stay up to date on cutting-edge research, news and more.