Canadians are most proud of the Canadian flag and least proud of the Canadian economy, according to a new survey.
The survey, conducted by Research Co. between 2008 and 2011 and again from 2019 to 2024, asked Canadians which institutions and features of Canada elicited the highest feelings of pride.
During the survey’s first iteration in 2008, 62% of Canadians took pride in the Canadian economy. This feeling of pride rose to and peaked at 78% in 2011. Canadians’ pride in their country’s economy has since plummeted to 34% in 2024.
The Canadian flag has remained the institution or feature that Canadians remain most proud of in every iteration of the survey since 2008.
The research analyzed Canadians’ pride in twelve of Canada’s institutions and features.
In 2008, the three categories that elicited the least pride for Canadians were the Canadian justice system, the monarchy, and Parliament, at 42%, 36%, and 32%, respectively.
In 2024, parliament (38%) and the monarchy (35%) remained in the bottom three, but the Canadian economy surpassed them at 34%.
“Back in 2019, four in five Canadians (80%) were proud of the Canadian economy. Five years later, the proportion is 46 points lower (34%), with particularly scathing reviews from women (30%), Albertans (25%), and Atlantic Canadians (22%),” said president of Research Co., Mario Canseco.
The things Canadians take the most pride in have remained relatively unchanged between 2008 and 2024.
In 2008, the top three institutions and features that elicited feelings of pride for Canadians were the Canadian flag (86%), the Canadian Armed Forces (80%), and hockey (71%). In 2024, the placement remains the same: the Canadian flag (82%), the Canadian Armed Forces (72%), and hockey (71%).
Pride in hockey held the same percentage despite Canada’s Stanley Cup drought being extended by 16 years between the time of the two surveys.
Most other categories have seen minimal changes over the years.
Canadians’ pride elicited by the country’s healthcare system has fallen only 2% between 2008 and 2024. The minimal drop in pride comes despite Canadians facing the longest wait times ever recorded. Canada’s healthcare system ranked the lowest among 30 high-income countries with universal healthcare. Canadians lost $3.5 billion due to medical wait times in 2023.
On a provincial level, while British Columbia spent more on healthcare and education than any other industry, performance in the two areas decreased.
Polling showed that most Canadians feel private enterprise could deliver faster healthcare services. A previous Saskatchewan initiative that outsourced publicly funded medical work to private clinics reduced wait times by 47% between 2010 and 2014.
Pride elicited by the country’s healthcare fluctuates largely by region. Pride among those in Ontario is at 57%, followed by British Columbia at 52%, and Alberta at 50%. Less than half of Canadians take pride in Canada’s healthcare system in Quebec (46%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (34%), and Atlantic Canada (28%).
Pride elicited by the state of democracy in Canada has also only decreased by 2% between 2008 and 2024.
Despite previous polls showing that Canadians outside of Quebec do not value official bilingualism, Canadians’ pride elicited by bilingualism has risen 6%, from 52% to 58% between 2008 and 2024. Between 2022 and 2024, Canadians’ pride elicited by bilingualism fell six points.
While immigration surpassed climate change as a top priority for Canadians, pride elicited by Canadians’ perspective on multiculturalism has risen 4% between 2008 and 2024, from 61% to 65%. However, pride elicited by multiculturalism saw a huge drop between 2022 and 2024, falling nine points from 74%.
“A second tier shows a decline for two aspects of our country that have been repeatedly linked to previous and current Liberal Party governments: multiculturalism and bilingualism,” said Canseco.
The research noted that when the country’s finances are in peril, optimism declines for other aspects.
“The numbers outline a severe institutional crisis for the federal government, one that will not be easily eradicated with just slogans and platitudes,” said Canseco.