A new national survey reveals that a growing majority of Canadians no longer trust the United States as a reliable partner, underscoring a sharp deterioration in public sentiment amid ongoing political and trade tensions between the two countries. According to Ipsos polling released September 19, 2025, 60 percent of Canadians believe they can never trust Americans the same way again.
The poll also shows that 71 percent expect the current state of bilateral instability to continue for several years, reflecting long-standing concerns over economic and diplomatic relations with Washington. Tensions have escalated in recent months following a series of U.S. policy decisions, including renewed tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel imports and threats of further economic restrictions.
These moves, initially reintroduced under President Donald Trump’s campaign platform and later maintained during his current term, have reignited nationalist sentiment and calls for greater economic independence within Canada. The survey found that 54 percent of respondents said Canada-U.S. relations had stayed the same over the previous two weeks, while 24 percent said they had worsened.
In Vancouver, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra recently described rising anti-American sentiment as “disappointing” during an interview. His comments followed several public demonstrations in Canadian cities where participants criticized American trade practices and called for a reevaluation of cross-border cooperation. Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs on a range of American goods earlier this year in response to U.S. trade actions.
Majority of Canadians say U.S. is no longer trustworthy
The back-and-forth measures have had economic consequences on both sides of the border, particularly in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors. Canadian officials have maintained that their actions are within the bounds of international trade agreements and necessary to protect national interests. Despite strained public perception, the Ipsos poll found that 42 percent of Canadians remain confident that a new trade agreement can be successfully negotiated between Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government and the White House.
However, 37 percent said they were not confident in such an outcome, and 21 percent were unsure. The decline in trust has also coincided with a rise in Canadian consumer boycotts of American products and brands. Several major Canadian retailers have reported shifts in consumer behavior since the reimposition of tariffs, particularly in sectors such as food and household goods.
Tariff disputes lead to consumer boycotts and policy shifts
Economic analysts have noted measurable impacts on import volumes and cross-border travel, especially in provinces with close trade ties to U.S. border states. Canada and the United States share one of the world’s largest trading relationships, with more than $2 billion in goods and services exchanged daily. However, diplomatic friction has increased since early 2025, when the U.S. government introduced a series of measures seen by Canadian officials as disruptive to North American supply chains.
While formal diplomatic channels remain open and high-level discussions are ongoing, public sentiment in Canada continues to reflect skepticism about the long-term stability of relations with Washington. The data from Ipsos suggests a deep and persistent wariness among Canadians that may shape the broader political and economic landscape in the months ahead. – By Content Syndication Services.