Canada-U.S. trade tensions are increasingly shaping how Canadians view the United States, while the cost of living remains their top concern.
Our latest survey finds that 41% of Canadians now consider the United States an enemy country, up 15 points from June 2025. At the same time, 64% say their impression of the United States would change if Donald Trump were no longer president.
The economic stakes are also becoming more personal. Most Canadians expect the new tariffs to affect their finances, and a large majority expect them to raise consumer prices. Yet support for Canada’s response remains broad.
Key Highlights
- 41% of Canadians consider the United States an enemy country, compared with 22% who consider it an ally and 22% a neutral country. The share saying “enemy” has risen 15 points since June 2025.
- 64% say their impression of the United States would change if Donald Trump were no longer president, while 21% say it would not.
- 85% would not like Canada to become the 51st U.S. state, while 9% would.
- 63% expect the new tariffs to have a major or moderate impact on their personal financial situation, while 87% expect at least some impact.
- 74% agree with the federal government’s decision to impose new tariffs on certain U.S. products. Among respondents asked the tariff questions, 78% expect the tariffs to increase prices for Canadian consumers, yet 66% would still agree with imposing them even if some prices increase.
Canadians distinguish between the United States and its current leadership
Negative perceptions are particularly pronounced among Quebecers and older Canadians: 49% of Quebecers and 51% of Canadians aged 55 and older describe the United States as an enemy. Younger Canadians are more divided, with equal shares of those aged 18 to 34 describing the country as an enemy or neutral (31% each).
Views also appear closely connected to the current U.S. leadership. Among Quebecers, 72% say their impression of the United States would change if Donald Trump were no longer president, as do 71% of women.
Trade tensions are adding to economic concerns
The trade dispute is competing with affordability for Canadians’ attention. Inflation and rising costs are the top issue among Canadians aged 18 to 34 (41%) and those aged 35 to 54 (42%), while tariffs, Trump and U.S. aggression rank first among those aged 55 and older (36%).
Economic concern is also more pronounced among younger Canadians. Fifty-six per cent of those aged 18 to 34 believe Canada is already in a recession, and 46% of employed Canadians in this age group are concerned about losing their job within the next year.
Support for tariffs remains strong despite expected higher prices
Support for the federal government’s tariffs is highest among Canadians aged 55 and older (83%), British Columbians (80%) and Quebecers (78%). Even when potential price increases are explicitly included in the question, support remains highest among older Canadians, at 76%.
Price considerations do not necessarily translate into support for greater access to U.S. products. Half of Canadians oppose allowing more U.S. dairy and other food products into Canada in exchange for lower prices, including 61% of Quebecers and Canadians aged 55 and older.
The trade dispute is also coinciding with greater intensity in Canadian pride. While overall pride is unchanged at 83%, 56% now say they are very proud to be Canadian, up 11 points from June 2025. Among Canadians who say they have become more proud recently, 72% attribute that increase to some of President Trump’s statements about Canada.
Methodology
This online survey was conducted from August 28 to 31, 2026, among 1,552 Canadian respondents aged 18 and older randomly recruited from Léger’s LEO online panel. Respondents could complete the survey in English or French. Results were weighted according to age, gender, mother tongue, region, education and presence of children in the household to ensure a representative sample of the Canadian population. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size yields a margin of error no greater than ±2.48 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Numbers have been rounded; totals may therefore not correspond to the manual addition of individual figures.
Questions 13 to 15 were asked using an oversample of 1,000 Quebec respondents, resulting in a total sample of 2,028 respondents for those questions. The Canadian results were weighted accordingly.
