New poll: Canadians draw a line: protect workers, don't restrict strikes

National Pollara survey finds strong cross-partisan support for the worker protection measures under review, concern that large corporations have too much power, while the proposal to make workers wait longer before striking receives no net support

OTTAWA, ON, July 21, 2026 /CNW/ -- As the federal government reviews the Canada Labour Code, new national polling conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights for the Canadian Labour Congress shows Canadians believe workers need a stronger voice at work, are concerned that large corporations have too much power, and reject proposals that would make it harder for workers to exercise their right to strike.

The survey of 1,950 Canadian adults found that every worker protection measure under review is seen as fair by an overwhelming majority, including improved health and safety enforcement, faster grievance resolution, tougher action on wage theft and misclassification, successor rights, and paid sick day protections. But when asked about requiring workers to wait longer and clear additional hurdles before striking, Canadians were evenly split, giving the proposal no net support at 44% fair and 44% unfair.

The findings suggest Canadians see collective bargaining as one of the few ways workers can balance the power of large employers. Nearly two-thirds (65%) support the right of workers in key industries to strike when negotiations have broken down, including majorities of NDP, Liberal, and Conservative voters. Half of Canadians (50%) oppose giving the federal government greater power to make strikes harder, compared to 39% who support it. An overwhelming 84% say it is important that workers have a strong voice in decisions affecting their jobs, pay, and working conditions during economic uncertainty.

The results come amid deep economic anxiety. While 45% identify the rising cost of living as their top household concern, they do not blame workers for the country's economic challenges. Nearly half of Canadians (47%) say they have little or no power to improve their own wages, working conditions, or job security, rising to 67% among service workers.

Canadians rank large corporations having too much economic power as a greater threat to the economy than strikes, which finish last among the seven issues tested. At the same time, 90% say strong labour protections are important to the stability of the Canadian economy.

"Canadians draw a very clear line in this data," said Matt Smith, Executive Vice President at Pollara Strategic Insights. "There is broad, cross-partisan support for the measures that protect workers. But when a proposal is understood as making it harder for workers to strike, support disappears. Canadians see strong labour protections as part of a stable economy, not a threat to it, and they rank strikes last among the economic risks facing the country."

"Canadians don't want government wearing a corporate jersey. They expect a fair referee that protects workers' rights, keeps the playing field level, and ensures everyone plays by the same rules," said Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress. "This poll makes it clear that Canadians want government to strengthen workers' rights, not tip the balance even further toward powerful employers."

The survey also found that individual workers are by far the most trusted voices on labour issues and workers' rights, with a net trust score of +56. Trade unions and labour organizations are also trusted on these topics (+20), while the federal government (−4) and companies and industry associations (−13) are both distrusted on balance when addressing labour issues and workers' rights.

About the survey

The survey was conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights on behalf of the Canadian Labour Congress between June 9 and 18, 2026, among 1,950 Canadian adults (18+) using an online research panel, including an oversample of 200 union members. Data were weighted by gender, age, and region using the most recent Census data. Online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error; as a guideline, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of ±2.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Pollara Strategic Insights is a member of the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC), and this research was conducted in compliance with CRIC standards.

SOURCE Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)

Media contacts: Canadian Labour Congress: CLC Media Relations - [email protected] | 613-526-7426; Pollara Strategic Insights: Matt Smith, Executive Vice President, West - [email protected] | 604-750-4383