Consumer Economic Pulse
Monitoring Uncertainty
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Key Insights
Four things you should know
1
Recessions fears return to levels seen in February
2
Groceries and food cost concerns loom large in Canadians minds
3
Canadian drivers are feeling the impact of rising gas prices
4
More Canadians anticipate downgrading telco service in the near future
Perception of Canadian Economy
Are we in a recession?
Following a brief spike in late March (after the start of the Iran/US war and the closing of the Strait of Hormuz), the proportion of Canadians who believe the country is in or about to enter a recession is back to roughly the same level as February at 57%.
Expenses Most Concerned About
Thinking about their current living situations, more than three-in-five (63%) Canadians are concerned about their groceries / food expenses, with a bit less than half reporting concerns about gasoline/fuel or the general cost of everyday goods.
%
are concerned about the cost of groceries and food.
%
are worried about gasoline and fuel expenses.
%
are concerned about the general cost of everyday goods.
Impact of Rising Gas Prices
Among Canadians who drive a vehicle, almost all report being impacted in some way by rising gas prices, and three-in-five feel they are being impacted a fair amount or a great deal.
Get the full Consumer Economic Pulse report here
About the report
Angus Reid conducts a monthly tracker to understand Canadians’ purchasing behaviors and perceptions of the economy.
Sample
Wave 46: n= 1,515
For this wave, a nationally representative sample of n=1,515 Canadian Adults (age 18+ yrs.) who are members of the Angus Reid Forum.
The sample frame was balanced and weighted on age, gender, region and education according to the latest census data. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would yield a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
Field Window
Wave 46: Apr 29 to May 01, 2026
Next Field Date: May 2026
Study
With inflation continuing to ease, many households are still adjusting to elevated prices and the overall cost of living.
The introduction of U.S. tariffs under President Trump in 2025 has added fresh uncertainty to the economic outlook, potentially influencing the cost of imported goods and further shaping consumer sentiment. Angus Reid conducts a monthly tracker to monitor Canadians’ purchasing behaviours and perceptions of the economy amid these evolving conditions.
This study has been running since May of 2022.
