A ‘Team Canada’ moment: Trust in the country’s people and institutions is on the rise
Supreme Court, RCMP, charities and the electoral system among many increases
February 24, 2026 – Toronto, ON – The 2026 Proof Strategies CanTrust Index™ reveals that trust in Canada is resilient, with more Canadians increasingly trusting one another and the institutions that anchor national identity. Canada is leaning into its own institutional strengths and shared values as global uncertainty continues to shape public attitudes. There is renewed appreciation for organizations that demonstrate a clear commitment to Canada’s prosperity, whether through domestic ownership or investments that create jobs and strengthen the economy.
“The past year has seen hostility and bullying from the White House. If we can’t trust the world, we can trust ourselves,” said Bruce MacLellan, Chair of Proof Strategies. “In the face of a ruptured world, trust in Team Canada is rallying.”
Conducted in January 2026, the CanTrust Index also explores the majority/minority divide of trust in vaccines among Canadians, as well as our growing personal use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), even as trust in the technology is falling.
Trust in Canada is resilient
“Canada is a pluralistic and diverse society, in workplaces, in classrooms and within families, and trust is on the rise,” added MacLellan. “Insularity may be the barometer of America or other places, but not in the town square of Canada.”
Canadians are increasingly turning to one another and the institutions that bring the country together. Trust is rising across nearly all major sectors, with charities and nonprofits gaining seven per cent (57 per cent) from last year, news media increasing eight per cent (45 per cent), governments up four per cent (40 per cent) and small and medium-sized corporations rising five per cent (45 per cent). Only large corporations saw a decline, falling six points to 27 per cent. These improvements lifted the national aggregate trust score to 42 per cent, a four per cent rise that signals a resilient trust environment.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is the most trusted national leader, at 45 per cent, down from his “honeymoon” level of 52 per cent in May 2025. Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre is also down from 38 per cent in May of last year to 33 per cent.
Trust that “the electoral system is fair” is at a seven-year high, at 58 per cent. In foundational public institutions, trust in the healthcare system increased four per cent (58 per cent) from last year and trust in the Supreme Court rose by five per cent (59 per cent). Institutions tasked with safeguarding the country also remain high, with trust in the Canadian military and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) at 61 per cent and 59 per cent, respectively.
Trust in governments to do what’s right similarly strengthened, rising to 40 per cent this year, after pandemic anxiety caused a decline to 32 per cent in 2021.
Canadians place a high value on companies that put the country first. Investing in Canadian jobs and building the economy is one of the top drivers of trust, with 67 per cent of Canadians saying it makes a company more trustworthy to them. Being Canadian-owned is nearly as influential, with 65 per cent indicating that domestic ownership increases their trust. Shared values and taking care of employees remain the top drivers of trust in corporations, at 70 per cent.
“These results reinforce that trust is earned when good intent is made real through action,” said Vanessa Eaton, President of Proof Strategies. “Companies that invest in Canada, act on their values, create jobs and take care of their people build the kind of trust that sustains relationships and strengthens reputations over time.”
Importantly, trust in each other is also rising. Sixty-six per cent of Canadians agree that “most of the people I deal with are honest and trustworthy,” compared to 63 per cent in 2025. This response is consistent across all regions of the country.
Personal satisfaction rising
Satisfaction has been shown to increase trust, and more people say they feel satisfied with life in Canada, personally, economically, socially and educationally, with the average of these at 58 per cent, compared to 51 per cent in 2021. Year-over-year increases are notable among both Gen Z and baby boomers. Regionally, average satisfaction is highest in Quebec at 63 per cent and lowest in Alberta at 52 per cent.
The vaccine divide
Overall, trust in the Canadian healthcare system rose to 58 per cent, up from 52 per cent in 2024 and returning closer to pre-pandemic levels. Trust in Health Canada to approve prescription drugs in the best interests of Canadians is at 69 per cent.
A vaccine divide exists, however, with 21 per cent saying they “will not get a vaccine.” This group is highest in Alberta at 29 per cent and lowest in British Columbia at 14 per cent, with Ontario at 23 per cent and Quebec at 20 per cent.
Almost one quarter (24 per cent) of Canadians said they have at some point declined a vaccine for themselves after it was recommended to them by a doctor, and 16 per cent have said they declined for a dependent child.
Canadians who have ever declined a vaccine cite perceived risks as the biggest reason. Half of those who declined a vaccine for themselves said they were primarily concerned about side effects or negative outcomes, while 10 per cent said their top reason for refusing a vaccine was because they do not believe in vaccination. When looking at age cohorts, affordability is a higher consideration for Gen Z and Baby Boomers, with 27 per cent and 31 per cent, respectively, ranking this reason in their top two.
When it comes to accepting vaccines, one-third of Canadians say their strongest motivator is knowing the vaccine has been widely studied for five or more years. One-quarter cite understanding the balance between risks and rewards as their top reason.
Canadians consistently trust their doctors for reliable information. When it comes to vaccine-related information, the most trusted sources include one’s own family doctor (78 per cent), physician specialists (74 per cent), pharmacists (72 per cent) and pediatricians (71 per cent). Notably, 26 per cent say they trust talk radio hosts and podcasters, 26 per cent trust AI tools, and 27 per cent say they trust religious leaders for reliable vaccine information.
“The top four most trusted sources about vaccines have one thing in common – they all wear white coats,” said Jennifer Zeifman, Health and Wellness National Lead at Proof Strategies. “When it comes to health decisions, we should encourage conversations with the experts that Canadians trust the most.”
Artificial Intelligence as a mistrusted partner
While more Canadians are using AI, their trust is moving in the opposite direction. Fifty-seven per cent of Canadians now use AI regularly or occasionally, up from 43 per cent last year. However, just 29 per cent of Canadians trust AI to have a positive impact on the economy, down from 33 per cent in 2025.
Similarly, only one-third of Canadians trust that AI will improve the consumer experience. At the same time, Canadians are increasingly skeptical about the sources they read as more content is produced by AI. The number who believe information sources are becoming more trustworthy fell from 22 per cent to 17 per cent, while almost half (46 per cent) now say that AI makes information less trustworthy.
While there was a five per cent drop in the number of Canadians who said that AI makes information sources more trustworthy (17 per cent), trust in news media to be competent and do the right thing is on the rise, up eight points from 2025 at 45 per cent.
“AI use is rising fast, but trust is lagging,” said MacLellan. “Organizations that pair AI strategy and implementation with transparent communication and responsible governance may help increase Canadians’ confidence and trust over time.”
The same hesitancy to trust AI is not seen south of the border. Americans trust AI to improve experiences across every major sector, including healthcare, retail, education, government and financial services. On average, 44 per cent of Americans trust that AI will support industries compared to 33 per cent of Canadians. (U.S. data from November 2025.)
The 2026 Canadian data also indicates a potential class divide in AI optimism. Sixty-two per cent of people in upper management positions believe AI will improve the consumer experience, while trust among middle management, administrative roles, skilled labour and frontline workers is much lower. Similarly, 59 per cent of those in upper management roles trust AI to contribute to the economy, compared to 29 per cent of all Canadians surveyed.
“Only one third of Canadians trust the federal government to regulate AI. Ottawa needs to tread carefully and justify any actions,” added MacLellan.
The opportunity to build trust
Trust is not binary. Many respondents land just below the trust threshold, often rating categories a four out of seven. They represent a broad cross-section of Canadians who trust some things and question others. This “trust swing vote” can shift with better communication and tangible actions. For organizations, brands and leaders, that means real opportunities to earn trust or risk losing it through complacency.
Note to editors: additional demographic and regionalized data is available covering trusted information sources, professions, industry sectors and Canadian institutions.
Over a decade of made in Canada trust intelligence
Since 2016, the Proof Strategies CanTrust Index™ has tracked how trust is formed and expressed in Canada. Made in Canada and made for Canada, the research examines trends in political, social and economic trust over time. The 2026 study was conducted January 7 – 15, 2026. The report also references the Proof’s U.S. trust research, which was conducted November 5 – 12, 2025.
About Proof Strategies
Proof Strategies is a communications, public affairs and government-relations partner that AsksBetter Questions™. Founded in 1994, the Canadian-owned, independent agency has earned 350+ awards for client work and industry leadership, including Best Workplace in Canada (Great Place to Work™, 2010) and CPRS Large Agency Team of the Year (2020, 2023, 2024, 2025). The Proof Strategies CanTrust Index™ is a leading source of insight on trust in Canada. Learn more at getproof.com and follow @get_proof on LinkedIn and Instagram.
For more information, contact:
Juliet Camus
Associate Account Director, Proof Strategies