Majority of Canadians support Canada’s decision to recognize Palestinian state, Nanos survey finds

Prime Minister Mark Carney delivers a speech as he takes part in a high-level international conference for the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution during the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

A majority of Canadians support the federal government’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state, but many believe it could negatively affect trade relations with the United States, according to a new survey by Nanos Research commissioned by CTV News and the Globe and Mail.

Last month, ahead of a meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Prime Minister Mark Carney joined a growing list of UN members to recognize a Palestinian state.

According to the poll, 47 per cent of Canadians support the government’s decision, while another 18 per cent said they somewhat support it. In contrast, about one in five respondents oppose the move, and a small portion, six per cent, said they somewhat oppose it. Roughly one in ten were unsure.

When asked whether the decision would impact Canada’s trade relationship with the U.S., more than half of respondents, 25 per cent negative and 32 per cent somewhat negative, said they expected some level of harm. Roughly one in five believed it would have no impact, and fewer than one in ten saw it as a potential positive. Thirteen per cent said they were unsure.

Methodology

Nanos Research conducted an RDD dual frame (land-and cell-lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,052 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, between Sept. 29 and Oct. 1, 2025. The firm says its survey results carry a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, 19 times out of 20, and that results were weighted by age and gender using the latest census information to represent the Canadian population.