New tracking research shows a recovery of trust in government among Canadians as pandemic fatigue ends and an emerging “generational trust gap” that could upset the electoral map and change how leaders work in Canada. Older generations are more likely to think that governments should play a major role in society, compared to young people – different expectations could lead to different voting priorities.
The 2023 Proof Strategies CanTrust Index – one of the largest annual studies of trust in Canada, which examines trust in leaders, sources of information, institutions and more – puts aggregate trust among Canadians up five percent (39 percent, up from 34 percent in 2022) – the highest since 2019. The increase was driven in part by a 15 percent increase in trust in government and an eight percent increase in trust in the news media.
Trust in charities/nonprofit sector
- 50% of Canadians trust NGOs to be competent, effective and to do the right thing. This is the highest trust Canadians have placed in NGOs since 2018, when trust was at 56%.
- 54% of Canadians are more likely to trust a brand that supports charitable causes. This number has been the same for three years of tracking.
- 61% of Canadians are more likely to trust brands that invest in their local community. This number has been the same for three years of tracking.
- 62% of Canadians trust the Canadian Red Cross to be competent, effective and to do the right thing. This is the highest trust score out of the brands we surveyed in 2023.
- 44% of Canadians trust environmental group leaders to provide them with reliable information about climate change. This compares to 51% in 2022, marking a 7% decline.
Read the full report here.
