Environmental issues taking a backseat this election, Vote Compass data shows
The latest data from Vote Compass reveals a significant shift in the concerns of Canadians during this federal election compared to the previous campaign. Environmental issues have taken a back seat, with Canada-U.S. relations emerging as the top priority for survey respondents. This marks a stark contrast to the 2021 election, where the environment was the leading concern for a significant portion of Canadians.
According to the analysis conducted by Vote Compass, over 161,000 participants were surveyed between March 25 and April 3. In the previous election, 24 per cent of respondents identified the environment as their most important issue. However, in the current campaign, environmental issues have slipped to eighth place, with only about five per cent of respondents prioritizing it.
The dominance of Canada-U.S. relations in the 2025 election campaign can be attributed to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods and threats of annexation. A staggering 29 per cent of survey participants cited the Canada-U.S. issue as their primary concern. Notably, Liberal voters expressed particular concern about relations with the U.S., with 46 per cent highlighting it as their top issue. On the other hand, Conservative voters placed the economy at the forefront, with 36 per cent considering it their key concern.
Economic issues followed closely behind, with 24 per cent of the general population identifying them as a top priority. The cost of living, social justice, and healthcare rounded out the top five concerns. Additionally, the proportion of Canadians citing immigration as their primary concern has increased to four per cent in 2025 from one per cent in 2021, as per Vote Compass data.
Despite the shift in priorities, climate change remains a pressing issue for many Canadians. A group of 128 municipal politicians recently penned an open letter to the five main federal party leaders, urging action on climate change. They called for the next government to focus on initiatives such as building a national electric grid, advancing a high-speed rail network, improving energy efficiency in homes and buildings, constructing two million non-market “green homes,” and implementing a national resilience, response, and recovery strategy.
Vote Compass, an initiative by Vox Pop Labs, provides valuable insights into the political views of Canadians and their alignment with various parties and candidates. The data gathered is weighted to ensure a demographically representative sample, although it is important to note that all results are subject to uncertainty. Vox Pop Labs does not provide a traditional margin of error but reports a modeled error estimate of +/- 0.5%.
In conclusion, the evolving landscape of concerns in the 2025 federal election highlights the dynamic nature of Canadian politics. While environmental issues have taken a back seat, other pressing issues such as Canada-U.S. relations, the economy, and climate change continue to shape the political discourse in the country.
