As 2025 comes to an end, Leger wanted to reflect on the key events that shaped the year. According to its most recent national survey, Canadians are reflecting on 2025 as a period defined more by uncertainty and turbulence than optimism. At the same time, the results point to signs of resilience and recovery, particularly when it comes to mental health.
2025: uncertain, turbulent and exhausting
When asked to describe the year in a single word, Canadians most frequently chose “uncertain” (40%), “turbulent” (37%), and “exhausting” (31%), while far fewer selected positive terms such as “hopeful” (16%) or “resilient” (17%).
2025 in a nutshell:
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- 30% describe 2025 as a drama if it were a TV genre;
- 38% say its soundtrack would be chaotic;
- and nearly half (48%) liken the year to winter rather than a warmer season.
Mental Health Improves Compared to Pandemic Years
Despite the heavy emotional climate, the survey reveals a notable improvement in self-reported mental health since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2025, 86% of Canadians rate their mental health as excellent, very good, or good, while 11% report poor mental health. By comparison, in December 2020, 79% reported good mental health and 19% reported poor mental health — a meaningful recovery over the past five years.
Politics and Government’s High Impact on Daily Life
Among all the forces shaping Canadians’ experience of 2025, politics and government stand out as the most influential. Nearly three-quarters of respondents (72%) say politics and government shaped their year, followed closely by family responsibilities (69%), health-related challenges (67%) and social and cultural issues (60%).
A Country in Transition
Many Canadians feel that the country is undergoing profound cultural and social change.
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- 81% say Canada feels culturally different than it did a few years ago;
- 71% report moments of discouragement due to the actions of other Canadians;
- 64% say the year challenged their understanding of what it means to be Canadian.
At the same time, these shifts are not viewed entirely negatively: 68% report moments of pride in the actions of other Canadians, and 55% feel that 2025 year strengthened their connection to their community.
What Canadians Expect From 2026
Looking ahead to 2026, sentiment remains divided. Thirty-five per cent feel optimistic about the year ahead, while 37% expect things to remain about the same and 22% feel pessimistic. Canadians are entering 2026 with cautious expectations rather than deep pessimism.
Methodology
This online survey was conducted among 1,523 Canadian residents aged 18 or older, between December 19 and 21, 2025. Respondents were randomly recruited through LEO’s online panel. Results were weighted by age, gender, region, language, education, and household composition.
A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey. For comparison, a probability sample of this size would have a margin of error of ±2.5%, 19 times out of 20.
