Feb 25, 2025
Seventy percent of Canadians are in favour of dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs on the United States as President Donald Trump remains steadfast in his plans to impose tariffs on Canada, one of our closest allies. This according to a new poll from Leger.
Nearly half of respondents (45%) said they were strongly in favour of such tariffs, while 25% said they were somewhat in favour.
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In a statement, Sébastien Dallaire, Leger’s executive vice-president for Eastern Canada, said the robust support for retaliatory tariffs shows Canadians are not very happy with our southern neighbours.
“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,” Dallaire said, noting how retaliatory tariffs might increase prices or make some products less available to consumers nationwide.
Applying economic pressure to challenge Canada's nationhood
Trump has announced plans to implement a number of different tariff measures, including an executive order that will impose 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports from Canada starting March 12, 2025.
However, earlier this month, he paused his stated plan to hit Canada and Mexico with 25% across-the-board duties, with a lower 10% levy on Canadian energy imports.
Trump has repeatedly pushed the idea that Canada should become the 51st state, and in January, threatened to apply “economic force” to annex Canada’s sovereignty.
As a result, the Leger poll shows how 81% of respondents are worried that Trump is not backing down on having Canada form a “much closer and more formal union with the United States.”
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Canadians are taking action by avoiding American goods
Most poll respondents said they had cut down the number of purchases of American products, with 63% saying they were buying less in stores and 62% saying they were buying less online.
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Just over half (52%) said they were buying less through Amazon, while half said they had cut down on fast food purchases from American chains. Forty-three percent of respondents also reported that they are buying less from American retail chain stores and 30% of respondents who had a trip planned to the United States said they had cancelled it.
However, only 19% of those who subscribe to US streaming services reported cancelling a subscription, showcasing the seismic dominance of American entertainment.
In order to stimulate the Canadian economy and bolster national producers, 68% of respondents said they have increased their purchases of Canadian products.
“Large proportions of Canadians who are willing to put money where their mouth is,” Dallaire said.
“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 — and so it’s a pretty significant movement.”
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Writer and editor based in Toronto with experience in personal finance, insurance, arts and culture and branded content. As an associate editor with money.ca, I ensure each article adheres to our strict publishing guidelines for factuality while also providing essential and useful financial tips for Canadians looking to better their lives, and their pocketbooks.
