Angus Reid Institute released a poll on Monday that revealed 48 per cent of Canada residents hold an unfavourable view of the United States. By comparison, 79 per cent of Americans view Canadians favourably. The gap underscores a growing asymmetry in public sentiment between the two neighbours.
Poll details
Respondents were asked how they felt about the other country. While 45 per cent of Canadians said they view Americans positively, the unfavourable share outstripped the favourable share by three points. The survey also recorded that 79 per cent of Canadians hold an unfavourable view of former President Donald Trump, and 65 per cent think Canada should approach the United States cautiously or as a potential threat. Six per cent said Canada should treat the United States as an enemy.
On the American side, 78 per cent said the United States should engage with Canada as a valued partner or on friendly terms. The poll's commentary linked the negative Canadian attitudes to recent political friction, noting that "political friction from the past year and a half has driven Canadian views of President Trump and his administration sharply negative, while boycotts and reduced cross border travel have prompted questions about whether hostility extends beyond the White House to Americans themselves."
Implications for Canada
The sentiment comes as trade and travel issues resurface. In July, the White House announced a 50 per cent tariff on a range of Canadian imports, citing what it called discriminatory measures. President Trump also hinted at additional restrictions related to smoke from Canadian wildfires.
Travel data from Statistics Canada show a rebound after a sharp decline following the 2025 inauguration. In July 2026, Canadian‑resident return trips to the United States reached 2.3 million, a 10.2 per cent increase over the same month a year earlier. The agency noted that the rise reflects a base year effect after the 2025 downturn caused by geopolitical tension.
The newly opened Gordie Howe International Bridge has already seen heavy use. In its first five days, more than 41,000 vehicles crossed from the United States into Canada. Between 27 and 31 July, the bridge recorded 18,900 Canadian‑resident return trips to the United States and 18,100 US‑resident trips into Canada by automobile. During the same period, the other Windsor crossings handled 31,500 Canadian return trips and 21,200 US arrivals.
Political rhetoric has added fuel to the fire. On 5 August, President Trump described Canada and its leadership as "nasty" during a speech in Las Vegas, repeating the term five times. Earlier that day, Mark Carney, Canada's prime minister, dismissed a teleprompter glitch at a housing policy news conference as "not a conspiracy", a reference to a previous incident involving the former president at the United Nations.
Analysts suggest that while public opinion may be souring, the economic interdependence between the two countries remains strong. The bridge traffic data and the modest recovery in cross‑border trips indicate that commerce and tourism continue to flow despite political headwinds.
Based on reporting by Global News.