Poll: Less than 20% of Canadians want to offer U.S. concessions amid tariff threat

As trade talks between Canada and the United States approach a critical deadline, new polling reveals a strong reluctance among Canadians to concede to U.S. demands. With just two days remaining before U.S. President Donald Trump is set to impose a new round of tariffs, a survey by Abacus Data shows that less than one in five Canadians (18%) believe the country should "offer concessions to the US, such as ending bans on American alcohol and easing dairy restrictions, if that gets the tariffs removed." This sentiment comes amid escalating trade tensions, with Trump threatening sweeping 50% tariffs on a wide range of Canadian goods. Canadians appear divided on the best response, with 36% favoring counter-tariffs and 30% preferring to continue negotiations without retaliatory measures. The potential tariffs are a response to what the U.S. terms "discriminatory" Canadian actions, including provincial boycotts of American alcohol, which itself was a reaction to earlier U.S. trade war measures launched in early 2025. The trade dispute has already had a tangible impact on Canadians, with 74% reporting that the conflict has affected their household finances. Furthermore, a substantial majority (70%) anticipate that the new tariffs will have a negative impact on their local economies. Trump has cited provincial boycotts of American alcohol, Canada's retaliatory tariffs on U.S. vehicles, and dairy import quotas as justifications for the new measures. Canadian officials, including Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and chief trade negotiator Janice Charette, were engaged in intensive discussions with their U.S. counterparts over the weekend in Washington, D.C., in a bid to resolve the dispute.

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Canadians are also divided on whether or not Trump will stay the course on his tariffs.