--- title: "\"Elbows up\" is not a blank cheque" image: "https://yorkfactory.buildcanada.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MTg1MiwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--098299c36f9126731aa9fd55484ac1b019fb7199/uscan-trade-survey-results-seo.png" author: "Build Canada" published: "2026-09-08T04:24:00.000Z" canonical: "https://www.buildcanada.com/polls/us-can-trade-dispute" --- # "Elbows up" is not a blank cheque Three-quarters of Canadians surveyed favour holding firm in the trade dispute even if economic costs last longer. Yet approximately 68% find a noticeably higher chance of someone in their household losing their job unacceptable as part of Canada’s response to U.S. tariffs. Majorities also reject higher taxes and retirement losses. These results reveal tension between Canada’s preferred negotiating position and Canadians’ acceptance of its potential economic consequences. ```buildcanada-chart {"definition":{"title":"Holding firm is popular—but willingness to bear personal costs is limited","subtitle":"Preferred posture and the acceptability of potential personal consequences","note":"‘Not sure’ omitted. The posture row uses hold firm / make concessions; cost rows use the full acceptability scale. Tax and retirement figures pool three split-ballot scenarios.","sourceText":"Build Canada bilingual survey, Aug. 31–Sept. 4, 2026, n=1,696. MOE ±3.1 pts, 19/20.","slug":"draft3-slot-1-option-a","data":"inline","sort":{"by":"custom","order":"asc"},"y":["strong_positive","somewhat_positive","somewhat_negative","strong_negative"],"types":["stacked-discrete-bar"],"selectedEntities":["Preferred posture","Higher taxes","Retirement losses","Higher household job-loss risk"],"stackMode":"absolute","valueLabelMode":"absolute"},"dataset":{"manifest":{"name":"draft3-slot-1-option-a","title":"Holding firm is popular—but willingness to bear personal costs is limited","timeGrain":"none","entity":{"label":"group","labelPlural":"groups"},"columns":{"strong_positive":{"name":"Hold firm / Completely acceptable","colour":"#00295b","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0},"somewhat_positive":{"name":"Somewhat acceptable","colour":"#4c6a9c","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0},"somewhat_negative":{"name":"Somewhat unacceptable","colour":"#d73c50","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0},"strong_negative":{"name":"Make concessions / Completely unacceptable","colour":"#883039","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0}},"sources":[{"name":"Build Canada"}]},"rows":[{"entity":"Preferred posture","strong_positive":75,"somewhat_positive":0,"somewhat_negative":0,"strong_negative":20},{"entity":"Higher taxes","strong_positive":15,"somewhat_positive":22,"somewhat_negative":16,"strong_negative":43},{"entity":"Retirement losses","strong_positive":12,"somewhat_positive":21,"somewhat_negative":18,"strong_negative":44},{"entity":"Higher household job-loss risk","strong_positive":6,"somewhat_positive":15,"somewhat_negative":22,"strong_negative":46}]}} ``` ## Key takeaways - **Holding firm has broad support, but personal costs meet resistance.** Seventy-five percent favour holding firm despite prolonged economic costs; approximately 68% find increased household job-loss risk unacceptable. - **Higher taxes and retirement losses face majority rejection at every level tested.** Approximately 56%–60% reject tax increases, while 58%–68% reject retirement losses. - **Willingness differs by employment status.** Fifty-four percent of retirees would accept higher costs indefinitely, versus 36% of full-time workers. Forty-four percent of blue-collar respondents would accept no higher costs, compared with 20% of white-collar respondents. - **Many already report making some sacrifices.** Sixty-nine percent say they bought Canadian despite higher prices, 57% cancelled or avoided U.S. travel, and 55% stopped buying specific American brands. - **The partisan divide is substantial.** Holding firm attracts 96% support among reported Liberal voters and 41% among reported Conservative voters; willingness to accept higher costs indefinitely is 56% and 19%, respectively. ## Canadians reject higher taxes, retirement losses and job-loss risk as consequences of trade war ```buildcanada-chart {"definition":{"title":"Every tax and retirement-loss scenario faces majority rejection","subtitle":"How acceptable each potential personal consequence would be","note":"‘Not sure’ omitted. Tax and retirement scenarios were shown to separate randomized groups; job-loss risk was asked of all respondents.","sourceText":"Build Canada bilingual survey, Aug. 31–Sept. 4, 2026, n=1,696. MOE ±3.1 pts, 19/20.","slug":"draft3-slot-2-option-a","data":"inline","sort":{"by":"custom","order":"asc"},"rowGroupBreaks":["TAXES · $2,500/year","RETIREMENT · 20% loss"],"rowGroupGap":1.5,"y":["completely_acceptable","somewhat_acceptable","somewhat_unacceptable","completely_unacceptable"],"types":["stacked-discrete-bar"],"selectedEntities":["TAXES · $500/year","TAXES · $1,000/year","TAXES · $2,500/year","RETIREMENT · 5% loss","RETIREMENT · 10% loss","RETIREMENT · 20% loss","JOB LOSS · Higher household risk"],"stackMode":"absolute","valueLabelMode":"absolute"},"dataset":{"manifest":{"name":"draft3-slot-2-option-a","title":"Every tax and retirement-loss scenario faces majority rejection","timeGrain":"none","entity":{"label":"group","labelPlural":"groups"},"columns":{"completely_acceptable":{"name":"Completely acceptable","colour":"#00295b","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0},"somewhat_acceptable":{"name":"Somewhat acceptable","colour":"#4c6a9c","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0},"somewhat_unacceptable":{"name":"Somewhat unacceptable","colour":"#d73c50","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0},"completely_unacceptable":{"name":"Completely unacceptable","colour":"#883039","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0}},"sources":[{"name":"Build Canada"}]},"rows":[{"entity":"TAXES · $500/year","completely_acceptable":18,"somewhat_acceptable":22,"somewhat_unacceptable":16,"completely_unacceptable":40},{"entity":"TAXES · $1,000/year","completely_acceptable":15,"somewhat_acceptable":21,"somewhat_unacceptable":16,"completely_unacceptable":44},{"entity":"TAXES · $2,500/year","completely_acceptable":13,"somewhat_acceptable":21,"somewhat_unacceptable":16,"completely_unacceptable":43},{"entity":"RETIREMENT · 5% loss","completely_acceptable":13,"somewhat_acceptable":25,"somewhat_unacceptable":17,"completely_unacceptable":41},{"entity":"RETIREMENT · 10% loss","completely_acceptable":13,"somewhat_acceptable":20,"somewhat_unacceptable":18,"completely_unacceptable":44},{"entity":"RETIREMENT · 20% loss","completely_acceptable":9,"somewhat_acceptable":18,"somewhat_unacceptable":20,"completely_unacceptable":48},{"entity":"JOB LOSS · Higher household risk","completely_acceptable":6,"somewhat_acceptable":15,"somewhat_unacceptable":22,"completely_unacceptable":46}]}} ``` Approximately 68% find increased household job-loss risk unacceptable, including 46% who call it completely unacceptable. Approximately 21% find it acceptable; 11% are unsure. Across separate groups shown annual household tax increases of $500, $1,000 or $2,500, approximately 56%–60% find the increase unacceptable. For retirement savings or investment losses of 5%, 10% or 20%, rejection ranges from approximately 58% to 68%. Every version attracts majority rejection. ## Retirees are willing to endure higher costs for longer ```buildcanada-chart {"definition":{"title":"Older Canadians are more willing to accept higher costs for longer","subtitle":"How long respondents would accept higher costs before wanting Canada to make concessions","note":"‘Not sure’ omitted. Percent within age group; displayed shares are not renormalized and may not sum to 100 due to rounding. Subgroup margins of error are larger.","sourceText":"Build Canada bilingual survey, Aug. 31–Sept. 4, 2026, n=1,696. MOE ±3.1 pts, 19/20.","slug":"draft3-slot-3-option-a","data":"inline","sort":{"by":"custom","order":"asc"},"y":["indefinite","two","one","six","none"],"types":["stacked-discrete-bar"],"selectedEntities":["18–24","25–29","30–44","45–59","60–74","75+"],"stackMode":"absolute","valueLabelMode":"absolute"},"dataset":{"manifest":{"name":"draft3-slot-3-option-a","title":"Older Canadians are more willing to accept higher costs for longer","timeGrain":"none","entity":{"label":"group","labelPlural":"groups"},"columns":{"indefinite":{"name":"As long as it takes","colour":"#00295b","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0},"two":{"name":"Up to two years","colour":"#4c6a9c","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0},"one":{"name":"Up to one year","colour":"#8fa4c8","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0},"six":{"name":"Up to six months","colour":"#c7d1e4","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0},"none":{"name":"No higher costs","colour":"#883039","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0}},"sources":[{"name":"Build Canada"}]},"rows":[{"entity":"18–24","indefinite":21,"two":10,"one":24,"six":9,"none":27},{"entity":"25–29","indefinite":42,"two":11,"one":12,"six":2,"none":29},{"entity":"30–44","indefinite":38,"two":13,"one":5,"six":6,"none":33},{"entity":"45–59","indefinite":34,"two":15,"one":8,"six":4,"none":35},{"entity":"60–74","indefinite":49,"two":15,"one":10,"six":5,"none":19},{"entity":"75+","indefinite":56,"two":9,"one":9,"six":4,"none":14}]}} ``` Fifty-four percent of retirees would accept higher costs indefinitely, compared with 36% of full-time workers. Among blue-collar workers, 44% would accept no higher costs, versus 20% of white-collar workers. Age differences also appear: 33% of those aged 30–44 and 35% aged 45–59 would accept no higher costs, compared with 19% aged 60–74 and 14% aged 75 or older. ## Sacrifice is already happening, by avoiding U.S. travel and buying Canadian ```buildcanada-chart {"definition":{"title":"Buying Canadian is the most common reported response","subtitle":"Actions taken in the previous 12 months because of the trade dispute","note":"Multiple responses were allowed; shares sum to more than 100%.","sourceText":"Build Canada bilingual survey, Aug. 31–Sept. 4, 2026, n=1,696. MOE ±3.1 pts, 19/20.","slug":"draft3-slot-4-option-a","data":"inline","sort":{"by":"custom","order":"asc"},"y":["share"],"types":["discrete-bar"],"selectedEntities":["Bought Canadian despite higher prices","Cancelled or avoided U.S. travel","Stopped buying specific U.S. brands","Donated or volunteered","None of these"],"entityColours":{"Bought Canadian despite higher prices":"#00295b","Cancelled or avoided U.S. travel":"#00295b","Stopped buying specific U.S. brands":"#00295b","Donated or volunteered":"#00295b","None of these":"#883039"},"valueLabelMode":"absolute"},"dataset":{"manifest":{"name":"draft3-slot-4-option-a","title":"Buying Canadian is the most common reported response","timeGrain":"none","entity":{"label":"group","labelPlural":"groups"},"columns":{"share":{"name":"Share of respondents","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0}},"sources":[{"name":"Build Canada"}]},"rows":[{"entity":"Bought Canadian despite higher prices","share":69},{"entity":"Cancelled or avoided U.S. travel","share":57},{"entity":"Stopped buying specific U.S. brands","share":55},{"entity":"Donated or volunteered","share":8},{"entity":"None of these","share":21}]}} ``` For most, support for Canada’s position has meant buying Canadian and avoiding U.S. trips. Sixty-nine percent report choosing Canadian products despite higher prices. Fifty-seven percent cancelled or avoided U.S. travel, and 55% stopped buying specific American brands during the previous twelve months in response to the dispute. ## Holding firm remains the dominant preference, with a substantial partisan divide ```buildcanada-chart {"definition":{"title":"Holding firm remains the dominant preference—with a substantial partisan divide","subtitle":"Preferred posture in the trade dispute, by reported April 2025 vote","note":"‘Not sure’ omitted; displayed shares are not renormalized. Vote is self-reported and subgroup margins of error are larger.","sourceText":"Build Canada bilingual survey, Aug. 31–Sept. 4, 2026, n=1,696. MOE ±3.1 pts, 19/20.","slug":"draft3-slot-5-option-a","data":"inline","sort":{"by":"custom","order":"asc"},"y":["hold","concede"],"types":["stacked-discrete-bar"],"selectedEntities":["Liberal","Conservative","Bloc Québécois","NDP"],"stackMode":"absolute","valueLabelMode":"absolute"},"dataset":{"manifest":{"name":"draft3-slot-5-option-a","title":"Holding firm remains the dominant preference—with a substantial partisan divide","timeGrain":"none","entity":{"label":"group","labelPlural":"groups"},"columns":{"hold":{"name":"Hold firm","colour":"#00295b","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0},"concede":{"name":"Make concessions","colour":"#883039","type":"percentage","unit":"%","shortUnit":"%","decimals":0}},"sources":[{"name":"Build Canada"}]},"rows":[{"entity":"Liberal","hold":96,"concede":3},{"entity":"Conservative","hold":41,"concede":50},{"entity":"Bloc Québécois","hold":96,"concede":4},{"entity":"NDP","hold":96,"concede":0}]}} ``` Seventy-five percent of respondents favour holding firm despite prolonged economic costs; 20% prefer concessions for a quick agreement. Among respondents reporting a Liberal vote in April 2025, 96% favour holding firm, compared with 41% of reported Conservative voters. Willingness to accept higher costs indefinitely is 56% and 19%, respectively. The 55-point partisan gap in support for holding firm exceeds the 23-point difference between white-collar and blue-collar respondents. The survey does not establish whether these differences reflect political preferences, economic circumstances, or a combination of factors. ## Methodology Build Canada conducted a bilingual survey of a random sample of 1,696 Canadian residents from August 31 to September 4, 2026, using SMS-to-online technology. Participants were reached through random digit dialing (RDD) to cellphones. Respondents completed the survey in English (1,590) or French (106). Of 1,760 recorded responses, 1,696 qualified for analysis. 64 were excluded for incomplete or invalid demographic submissions. The resulting data was weighted to match targets based on the 2021 Census. For the poll, the margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The margin is higher for sub-samples. Totals may not add up to 100% due to rounding. Full question wording (in French and English), question ordering and tables are available [here](https://www.buildcanada.com/api/polls/us-can-trade-dispute/downloads/crosstabs_xlsx?locale=en) . The survey was commissioned, funded and conducted by Build Canada. Build Canada is a member of the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC) and adheres to CRIC’s Opinion Research Standards and Disclosure Requirements. This survey was registered to CRIC’s Research Verification Service under project code: 20260831-BU261. ## Downloads - [analysis pdf](/api/polls/us-can-trade-dispute/downloads/analysis_pdf_en?locale=en) - [crosstabs json](/api/polls/us-can-trade-dispute/downloads/crosstabs_json?locale=en) - [crosstabs xlsx](/api/polls/us-can-trade-dispute/downloads/crosstabs_xlsx?locale=en) - [analysis markdown](/api/polls/us-can-trade-dispute/downloads/analysis_markdown?locale=en) --- ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Build Canada", "url": "https://www.buildcanada.com", "description": "Build Canada is a civic organization on a mission to make Canada the most prosperous country in the world.", "logo": "/assets/logos/logo-standard.svg", "sameAs": [ { "platform": "x", "url": "https://x.com/buildcanada" }, { "platform": "linkedin", "url": "https://www.linkedin.com/company/buildcanada" }, { "platform": "tiktok", "url": "https://www.tiktok.com/@build_canada" }, { "platform": "instagram", "url": "https://www.instagram.com/build_canada/" }, { "platform": "substack", "url": "https://buildcanada.substack.com/" }, { "platform": "youtube", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@BuildCanada" } ] }, { "@type": "Article", "headline": "\"Elbows up\" is not a blank cheque", "image": "https://yorkfactory.buildcanada.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MTg1MiwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--098299c36f9126731aa9fd55484ac1b019fb7199/uscan-trade-survey-results-seo.png", "datePublished": "2026-09-08T04:24:00.000Z", "dateModified": "2026-09-08T04:24:00.000Z", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Build Canada", "jobTitle": "", "image": "/assets/logos/buildcanada-logo-square.svg" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Build Canada", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "/assets/logos/logo-standard.svg" } }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.buildcanada.com/polls/us-can-trade-dispute" } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.buildcanada.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "polls", "item": "https://www.buildcanada.com/polls" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "\"Elbows up\" is not a blank cheque", "item": "https://www.buildcanada.com/polls/us-can-trade-dispute" } ] } ] } ```