The Blubber

A Leger poll conducted between March 7 and March 10 and involving over 1,500 Canadian adults suggests that more than half of workers in Ontario are concerned about job security — the highest rate across the country. In contrast, fewer than one in four respondents in Atlantic Canada expressed similar concerns.

In British Columbia and Manitoba/Saskatchewan, 39% of people reported being worried about losing their jobs. That compares to 35% in Alberta and 26% in Quebec.

Because the poll was conducted online, it does not carry a margin of error.

The results also indicate that men are more concerned about unemployment than women, with 44% of male respondents expressing worry compared to 36% of women. Age also played a role: 42% of respondents aged 18 to 54 said they were concerned about job loss, compared with 34% of those aged 55 and older.

Since the start of the year, Leger’s polling has shown fluctuations in job loss anxiety among Canadians. The lowest level was 36% during the week of January 26, while it peaked at 42% during the week of February 25.

The most recent Leger survey also found that while 61% of respondents described their household finances as “good,” nearly half — 46% — said they were living paycheque to paycheque.

Andrew Enns, executive vice-president for Central Canada at Leger, said widespread job loss anxiety is harmful to the economy, as it often causes people to postpone spending.

Enns noted that Ontario’s high level of concern may be linked to warnings during the recent provincial election, where politicians repeatedly emphasized the potential impact of Trump’s tariffs on employment.

What stood out most in the data, Enns said, was the rise in people saying they are “very” concerned about their jobs.

In a separate Leger poll conducted during the week of March 3, 39% of respondents said they were worried about losing their jobs, with 11% identifying as “very” concerned.