The issues of Canadian identity and unity came to the fore in the first few months of 2025, in the face of the threatening policies and pronouncements of returning U.S. president Donald Trump. How did these events impact Canadians’ feeling of attachment to their country? And how, if at all, did it shift the extent to which identification with Canada overshadows other regional or community identities?
The 2025 survey finds that there has been a modest increase in the strength of the Canadian identity. In some cases, however, the trend has been unfolding for several years, pre-dating the most recent events relating to Canada-U.S. relations. And, despite this change, Canadians remain as likely to feel an attachment to their province or territory as they are to feel an attachment to the country.
Survey Details
The 2025 study consists of a survey of 5,391 adults, conducted between May 1 and June 16, 2025 (92% of the responses were collected between May 6 and May 29); 90% of the responses were collected online. The remaining responses were collected by telephone (both landline and cell phone) from respondents living in the North or on First Nations reserves, or from francophone respondents in New Brunswick.
This version of the report includes minor corrections made on August 29, 2025 as a result of small adjustments to the survey weights.
Funder
This project benefits from the financial support of the Research Support Program of the Secrétariat du Québec aux relations canadiennes (SQRC) / Ce projet bénéficie de l’appui financier du Programme d’appui à la recherche du Secrétariat du Québec aux relations canadiennes (SQRC).
Note: the Confederation of Tomorrow uses separate weighting factors for the overall results, the results for residents of the three territories (the North), and for Indigenous Peoples. When reporting results for the territories (individually or as a region) or for Indigenous Peoples, please use the corresponding separate tables.
The Confederation of Tomorrow surveys give voice to Canadians about the major issues shaping the future of the federation and their political communities. They are conducted annually by an association of the country’s leading public policy and socio-economic research organizations: the Environics Institute for Survey Research, the Centre of Excellence on the Canadian Federation, the Canada West Foundation, the Centre D’Analyse Politique – Constitution et Fédéralisme, the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government and the First Nations Financial Management Board.
More from this Series
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Attachment and identity in the Canadian federation
The annual Confederation of Tomorrow surveys explore the relationships between different types of identity. It asks about attachment to and identification with Canada and one’s province or territory; it also asks Indigenous Peoples about their attachment to their Indigenous nation or community.
Attachment and Advantages
The mid-point of each calendar year offers an ideal opportunity for Canadians to reflect on issues related to national identity.
Identity, Values and Language
The third report explores issues relating to identity, values and language.