OTTAWA -- Most Canadians support increasing financial aid to Ukraine, even if that leads to a larger deficit, according to new poll from Nanos Research.

The survey shows 71 per cent of Canadians polled either support or somewhat support sending more money to Ukraine, despite the risk of a bigger deficit, versus 25 per cent of Canadians who would either oppose or somewhat oppose the move.

It also shows people aged 55-plus are more than twice as likely to support such a decision, compared to those aged 18 to 34.

The survey results come as Canada continues to see climbing interest rates from the Bank of Canada, high inflation and warnings from officials of a looming mild recession in the new year.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland released her fall economic statement last week, which states the federal deficit is projected to be $36.4 billion in 2022-23, down from the $52.8 billion that was forecasted in the April 2022 budget.

The federal deficit for 2021-22 fiscal year also came in $23.6 billion lower than projected, and the debt-to-GDP ratio was down from 47.5 per cent to 45.5 per cent, according to public accounts documents released last month.

The war in Ukraine featured prominently in the 2022 budget, where the federal government committed $500 million in military aid, plus other financial and humanitarian assistance.

Also included in the April budget was an additional $8 billion in defence spending over five years, a fraction of what the federal government would need to spend to meet its NATO promise of two per cent of GDP on defence.

Last month, Defence Minister Anita Anand announced Canada will send a new $47-million aid package — including artillery, drone cameras, winter clothing and satellite communication services — to Ukraine, on top of the $600 million in military equipment it’s sent since the war began.

The federal government continues to promise assistance to Ukraine. To date, Canada has “spent and invested more than $3.5 billion at this point at all levels,” according to Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, adding Canada is among the countries that has contributed the most per capita to Ukraine.

With files from CTV News' Rachel Aiello

Methodology:

Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land- and cell-lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,084 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, between Oct. 30 and Nov. 4, as part of an omnibus survey. Participants were randomly recruited by telephone using live agents and administered a survey online. The sample included both land- and cell-lines across Canada. The results were statistically checked and weighted by age and gender using the latest census information and the sample is geographically stratified to be representative of Canada.

Individuals were called using random digit dialling with a maximum of five call backs.

The margin of error for this survey is ±3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

This study was commissioned by CTV News and the research was conducted by Nanos Research.