Economy, health care priority for Canadian voters: poll

With interest rates, rent prices and the cost of basic necessities seeming to continually climb, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Canadian voters are most concerned with the economy these days.

A recent survey showed that 91 per cent of Canadians feel it’s the most important issue they’re weighing when polled in a Narrative Research-logit Group survey that asked: “If a federal election were held today, how important would each of the following issues be to you in deciding which party to vote for?”

Unsurprisingly, health care (90 per cent) was on the economy’s heels as most important, followed by housing (84 per cent), poverty (78 per cent), education (74 per cent), the environment (68 per cent) and transportation (56 per cent).

When asked to pinpoint a single issue deserving government attention, more than one-third of respondents (34 per cent) identified the economy — up from only 10 per cent in 2021 — followed by health care (25 per cent), housing (18 per cent) and poverty (11 per cent) as the most pressing issue.

Two years ago, the top issue for Canadians was the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by the economy.

When people were asked to identify additional areas requiring the federal government’s attention, Nova Scotians showed heightened concerns about the housing crisis, while residents of New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador showed specific worries about the cost of living and inflation.

Looking at generational opinions, Gen X and Boomers prioritized

the economy, while younger Canadians, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, emphasized housing issues.

Health care resonated most strongly among Boomers, underscoring diverse generational concerns.

Gender and income disparities also played a role, as women and people with a household income of less than $100K were more inclined to stress health care.

Men and those with a household income exceeding $100K expressed greater concerns about the economy.

The findings are based on an online survey conducted with 1,230 Canadians aged 18 or older as part of the Logit Group’s Canadian Omnibus.