Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first federal budget is receiving a strong initial endorsement from Canadians, with a new national poll showing majority support for its major pillars — especially infrastructure expansion and immigration reforms aimed at addressing labour shortages.
The survey, conducted days after Budget 2025 was tabled, found that Canadians view the government’s focus on housing construction, transit development, and industrial growth as timely and necessary. Respondents said large-scale public investment is essential at a moment when the country faces rising demand for homes, aging infrastructure, and global competition for advanced industries.
On immigration, the poll showed that most Canadians back the budget’s shift toward targeted economic migration, including measures to align newcomers with labour gaps in health care, construction, clean energy, and technology. Support was particularly strong in provinces struggling to recruit workers for essential services.
Economists say the budget’s early popularity reflects public anxiety about affordability and a growing desire for long-term structural fixes rather than short-term relief alone. “People want solutions that actually build capacity — more homes, more skilled workers, more projects moving,” said one analyst familiar with the polling trends.
Critics, however, warn that the government still faces steep questions on spending discipline, with opposition parties arguing the fiscal track remains vulnerable. Conservatives say the budget relies heavily on borrowing and risks worsening inflationary pressures.
Even so, the poll suggests the early narrative is working in the government’s favour. Carney’s team has promoted the plan as a nation-building budget, and the numbers indicate many Canadians agree — at least for now.
With Parliament set to debate key budget bills in the coming weeks, the government will be hoping this first wave of public approval translates into sustained political momentum.