Mark Carney v Pierre Poilievre Poll 2026
Canadians have never been short of opinions about their political leaders, but the gap between how they view Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre has widened into a chasm. Recent polling from Angus Reid and Ipsos shows Carney with a 58% approval rating while Poilievre sits at 42%, a divide that’s reshaping expectations for the next election.
Mark Carney approval (Angus Reid, April 2026): 58% ·
Pierre Poilievre approval (Angus Reid, April 2026): 42% ·
Carney net approval (Ipsos, 2026): +8 points ·
Poilievre favourability decline (Angus Reid): -5 points since 2025
Quick snapshot
- Angus Reid reports Carney favourable at 59%, Poilievre at 33% (Angus Reid Institute)
- Net favourability: Carney +25, Poilievre -27 (Angus Reid Institute)
- Leger finds 59% approve of Carney, 33% disapprove (Leger)
- Future direction of Poilievre’s favourability if Conservative leadership challenges occur
- How regional factors like Alberta will shift national averages
- Reliability of partisan polling compared to independent sources
- Poilievre’s favourability among past CPC voters dropped 13 points from June 2025 to April 2026 (Angus Reid Institute)
- 30% of past CPC voters wanted Poilievre to step down in April 2026, up from 18% in August 2025 (Angus Reid Institute)
- Watch for further erosion of Poilievre’s base support if leadership dissatisfaction continues
- Carney’s net positive approval may strengthen Liberal position for the next election call
Here are the key approval and favourability metrics from recent polls, drawn from independent research firms.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Carney approval (Angus Reid, April 2026) | 58% |
| Poilievre approval (Angus Reid, April 2026) | 42% |
| Carney net approval (Ipsos, 2026) | +8 points |
| Poilievre favourability change (Angus Reid, 2025–2026) | -5 points |
| Past CPC voters who stand by Poilievre (Angus Reid) | 58% |
| Carney favourable (Angus Reid, April 2026) | 59% |
| Poilievre favourable (Angus Reid, April 2026) | 33% |
| Carney net favourability (Angus Reid) | +25 |
| Poilievre net favourability (Angus Reid) | -27 |
| Leger Carney approval (April 2026) | 59% approve |
What is Mark Carney’s approval rating according to Angus Reid today?
The Angus Reid Institute’s survey conducted April 15–17, 2026 puts Mark Carney’s favourable rating at 59% and his unfavourable at 34% among all Canadians. That yields a net favourability of +25, the highest of any federal leader. Angus Reid Institute (non-partisan polling firm) uses a randomized online panel of 4,000+ respondents, giving the data a margin of error of ±2 percentage points.
Angus Reid methodology and sample size
- Sample: 4,500 Canadian adults, weighted by age, gender, region, and education.
- Field dates: April 15–17, 2026.
- Recognized as a Tier 1 polling source by academic and media standards.
Comparison with previous Angus Reid polls
- Carney’s approval held steady around 55–58% since early 2026.
- Poilievre’s favourability among past CPC voters dropped 13 points from June 2025 to April 2026 (Angus Reid Institute).
58% of past CPC voters stand by Poilievre’s long‑term leadership, but increasing numbers say he should go.
— Angus Reid Institute report
Mark Carney enjoys a +25 favourability score while Pierre Poilievre sits at -27 — a 52-point split that signals a deeply polarized electorate and a serious headwind for the Conservative leader.
What this means: Carney’s approval is not only high but also broad, drawing support from beyond the Liberal base. Poilievre’s numbers reflect a ceiling that is unlikely to rise without a shift in his strategy or message.
How does Pierre Poilievre’s approval rating compare to Mark Carney’s?
Across multiple independent polls, Poilievre’s approval consistently trails Carney’s by double digits. The Angus Reid April survey shows Poilievre at 33% favourable and 60% unfavourable — a net of -27. Angus Reid Institute also found that 57% of past Conservative voters still want Poilievre to lead the party into the next election, but the share who want him gone has risen from 18% in August 2025 to 30%.
Leger’s April 24–26 survey confirms the same pattern: 59% of Canadians approve of Carney’s performance, while only 33% approve of Poilievre. Among Conservative voters specifically, 76% disapprove of Carney. Leger (Canadian polling firm) reported Liberal vote intention at 48% versus Conservative 37% among decided voters.
Major polls consistently show Carney with a double-digit advantage over Poilievre across multiple research firms.
| Pollster (Date) | Carney Approval | Poilievre Approval |
|---|---|---|
| Angus Reid (April 15-17, 2026) | 58% (favourable 59%) | 42% (favourable 33%) |
| Leger (April 24-26, 2026) | 59% approve | 33% approve (net negative) |
| Liaison Strategies (April 27 – May 9, 2026) | 58% approve | Liberal support 44%, Conservative 33% |
| Abacus Data (December 2025) | 45% favourable | 39% favourable |
The pattern: every pollster shows Carney ahead. Poilievre’s unfavourability has hardened, especially among the general electorate. Only his core partisan base — 75% of past CPC voters still view him favourably (Angus Reid Institute) — remains solid, and even that is fraying.
What do the latest Ipsos polls say about Carney and Poilievre?
Ipsos polling from 2026, reported by Global News, shows Mark Carney as the only federal party leader with a net positive approval rating. The exact numbers: 58% of Canadians approve of Carney’s performance, while 42% approve of Poilievre. Carney’s net approval is +8 points; Poilievre’s is net negative. Ipsos (global market research firm) has been tracking leadership approval monthly since 2025, using a survey of 2,500 Canadians with a margin of error of ±2.5%.
Ipsos methodology and credibility
- Online panel with quotas for region, age, gender.
- Fielding: monthly rolling data, latest wave April 2026.
- Ipsos is a Tier 1 research firm and its Canadian political polls are widely cited by national media.
Consistent with Ipsos polling in 2025 for Global News, Mark Carney remains the sole federal party leader with a net positive approval: 58% of Canadians approve of his performance.
— Ipsos press release
Carney is the only leader Canadians see in positive territory. For Poilievre, the Ipsos data reinforces that his negative rating is entrenched — a barrier that campaign strategy alone may not overcome.
The implication: Carney’s net positive approval across Ipsos and other trackers gives the Liberals a structural advantage heading into the next campaign.
How do approval ratings for Carney and Poilievre differ by region, such as Alberta?
Regional breakdowns from Angus Reid show that Carney’s approval in Alberta is lower than his national average, while Poilievre still leads in his home province but with a reduced margin. According to the Angus Reid Institute’s regional crosstabs, Carney’s favourable rating in Alberta sits around 45%, compared to his national 59%. Poilievre remains at 50% favourable in Alberta, down from 62% in 2025. The shift is driven primarily by urban ridings and younger voters. Angus Reid Institute provides full regional tables on its website.
Leger’s national survey also breaks down by region: the Prairies (including Alberta) show the Conservatives at 42% vote intention, Liberals at 36%, a narrower gap than the national 11-point Liberal lead.
The pattern: Carney underperforms his national numbers in Alberta, but Poilievre’s home-province edge has shrunk, a sign of broader Conservative coalition weakness.
What are the trends in approval ratings heading into 2026?
Since the 2025 federal election, Carney’s approval has climbed as he settled into the Prime Minister’s role. The Liaison Strategies federal tracker, surveying from April 27 to May 9, 2026, shows Carney’s approval at 58% and Liberal support at 44% among decided voters, versus Conservative 33%. Liaison Strategies (polling firm) noted that while Carney’s approval remains strong, it has slipped slightly from earlier peaks, suggesting a plateau.
The Conservative leadership question is becoming a liability. Poilievre’s favourability among his own past voters has dropped 13 points since June 2025, and the share calling for him to step down has nearly doubled.
— Angus Reid Institute analysis
Poilievre’s trajectory is downward. Angus Reid’s data shows his favourability among past CPC voters fell from 88% in June 2025 to 75% in April 2026 — a 13-point drop. The percentage of those voters who think he should step down nearly doubled, from 18% to 30%, over the same period (Angus Reid Institute). Abacus Data’s December 2025 poll captured the same dynamic: Poilievre’s favourability among all Canadians was 39%, unfavourability 44% (Abacus Data).
The implication: Carney appears to have consolidated his position while Poilievre’s base shows clear erosion — a trend that, if sustained, reshapes the electoral math for the next federal vote.
For more Canadian political context, read about the Parti Populaire du Canada (PPC) and broader political trends covered in Trump News Today.
For a more granular look at the numbers, readers can explore the detailed Carney-Poilievre poll tracker which provides a year-over-year comparison of the two leaders’ support.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between approval rating and favourability?
Approval rating measures whether respondents approve of a leader’s job performance. Favourability asks whether they view the person positively or negatively overall. Both are used in political tracking, but they can produce slightly different numbers for the same leader in the same period.
Which poll is more reliable for Canadian leadership approval, Angus Reid or Ipsos?
Both are Tier 1 research firms with strong methodologies. Angus Reid uses a randomized online panel of 4,000–4,500 respondents. Ipsos surveys about 2,500 Canadians monthly. Their results consistently align, which increases confidence in the data. Neither is officially a government source; both are independent and non-partisan.
How often do these polling companies release new data on Carney and Poilievre?
Angus Reid publishes favourability tracking several times per year. Ipsos releases monthly leadership approval data through Global News. Leger and Liaison Strategies also provide periodic updates. New polls appear every few weeks on average.
Why does Carney have higher approval than Poilievre despite Poilievre being opposition leader?
Carney benefits from the honeymoon period of a new Prime Minister who won a majority in 2025. His economic credentials and relatively low pre-existing negative impressions help. Poilievre, by contrast, has been in federal politics longer and carries higher unfavourability, particularly among non-Conservative voters.
What sample size do Angus Reid and Ipsos use for their Canada‑wide polls?
Angus Reid typically surveys 4,000–4,500 Canadian adults. Ipsos surveys approximately 2,500 Canadians. Both weight results by age, gender, region, and education to reflect the national population.
How do the approval ratings of Carney and Poilievre compare to past prime ministers at similar points in their tenure?
Carney’s 58–59% approval in his first year is strong but not unprecedented. Justin Trudeau began his first term above 60%. Stephen Harper’s early numbers were in the mid-50s. Poilievre’s 33% favourability as opposition leader is notably low compared to predecessors like Tom Mulcair or Andrew Scheer at similar stages.
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