Canadians’ satisfaction with their provincial governments plummets: study

Canadians’ level of satisfaction with their provincial governments has plummeted over the past year as the high cost of living continues to rise.

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Canadians’ level of satisfaction with their provincial governments has plummeted over the past year as the high cost of living continues to rise, compounded by Ottawa’s failure to reach a trade deal with the United States.

According to a new survey from the Angus Reid Institute, there has been a considerable drop in satisfaction compared to earlier in the year, with scores down approximately 25 per cent across all 16 issues it surveyed.

The non-profit noted that “while provincial governments began the year basking in higher approval levels buoyed by a jolt of national pride, they end it with the same kind of enthusiasm Canadians have for stale fruitcake.”

While Canadians believed American tariffs to be the top issue of concern in March, laying much of the blame on U.S. President Donald Trump instead of Ottawa, “cost of living and healthcare are back atop the list of priorities, and largely a cause of dissatisfaction.”

The Canadian average of those satisfied with their government was only 26 per cent, marking an 8 per cent drop from earlier this year.

Residents of Saskatchewan held the highest level of satisfaction with their government of any province, followed by those in Alberta, then Ontario, and British Columbia.

Meanwhile, Quebecers were the least satisfied with their provincial government, ranking at the bottom of the list.

There were slight discrepancies depending on the issue, with British Columbia ranking highest when it came to how their government was handling the cost-of-living crisis, while Newfoundland and Labrador ranked as the least satisfied on that topic.

However, when it came to resident satisfaction on the issue of healthcare, Nova Scotians were the happiest with their government’s performance, while Quebecers were again the least.

“Two governments tend to carry higher levels of support within their provinces, even amidst poor nationwide ratings,” reads the study. “In Alberta and Saskatchewan, the Government Performance Index has resided in the 30s or 40s for three years, while aside from a Trump-induced boost in the first quarter of this year, those scores have been difficult for other governments to attain.”