More Canadians feel pride in national identity, especially younger people: survey

Canadian pride appears to be on the upswing, according to a new survey.

A new survey on the eve of Canada Day shows more Canadians are taking pride in their country this year, especially those aged 18 to 29.

The Abacus Data survey shows 68 per cent of Canadians are expressing pride in their national identity, compared to 66 per cent in 2024.

Eddie Sheppard, vice-president of Abacus Data, described the year-to-year results as stable with a modest bump.

“But I think when you look at the past 12 months and the uncertainty, the unpredictability, the instability, political change, housing pressures, affordability... despite all that, Canadians remain proud to be Canadian in large numbers,” said Sheppard. “It shows that people really have a positive outlook on the future of the country. They value the beauty, the landscape, the history, the culture.”

The survey reports Canadians aged 60 and over have the highest level of national pride at 83 per cent, while Canadians aged 30 to 44 have the lowest at 59 per cent.

The most dramatic shift in national pride occurred in Canadians aged 18 to 29, landing at 62 per cent (a 13-point increase from 2024 when 49 per cent of this age group felt the same).

Overall, the survey found Canadian pride is largely driven by the country’s natural beauty (65 per cent), its stature as a peaceful and safe society (62 per cent), its universal health-care system (60 per cent), and its distinct identity on the international stage (56 per cent).

The survey also asked respondents about national challenges with 53 per cent each citing political difference and economic struggles as top concerns.

The survey was conducted with 1,500 Canadian adults from June 17 to 19 and weighted according to census data to match Canada’s population according to age, gender, educational attainment, and region. The margin of error for a comparable probability-based random sample of the same size is +/- 2.53 per cent, 19 times out of 20.