A recent poll sheds light on Canadians’ perceptions of the latest Liberal budget, revealing a mixture of opinions and concerns regarding the government’s fiscal direction.
According to the survey conducted by Leger, nearly half of respondents expressed a negative opinion of the federal budget, with only 21% holding a positive view. One-third of respondents remained undecided or opted not to respond.
Despite the overall skepticism, there is considerable support for certain initiatives, notably the plan to invest $8.5 billion in housing, aiming to construct 3.9 million homes by 2031. Sixty-five percent of respondents viewed this housing initiative favorably.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emphasized the government’s commitment to fairness across generations, asserting confidence in the budget’s potential to boost economic optimism.
However, regional disparities in opinion were evident, with Albertans expressing the highest level of negativity toward the budget.
While the budget includes measures such as increased spending on energy efficiency, national defense, and student loan forgiveness, it also proposes changes to the capital gains tax, which have sparked controversy. Although aimed at improving generational fairness, the proposed tax changes have drawn criticism, particularly from professional associations like the Canadian Medical Association.
The plan to increase the capital gains tax inclusion rate received support from a majority of respondents, but concerns were raised about its potential impact on sectors such as healthcare.
Additionally, views on defense spending varied among age groups, with younger respondents less supportive of increased defense expenditure compared to older demographics.
Looking ahead, opinions diverged on fiscal policy, with nearly half of respondents advocating for spending cuts to balance the budget quickly, while others supported increased spending or tax hikes.
The poll underscores the complexity of public opinion surrounding the Liberal budget, reflecting a nuanced landscape of support, skepticism, and divergent priorities among Canadians.