The perceptions of Canadians on the institutions and features that can elicit feelings of pride went through fascinating shifts over the past year. Six of the 12 items we test on an annual basis saw significant increases since our previous survey in 2025.

Pride in the Canadian Armed Forces reached 74 per cent across the country, up eight points in a year and the highest level recorded since 2020. This growth is pushed primarily by Albertans (81 per cent) and British Columbians (82 per cent). In fact, the Armed Forces are one of just two institutions and features that make more than four in five British Columbians proud, along with the Canadian flag (81 per cent).

There is a positive bounce for the Canadian economy at 46 per cent (up six points). Canadians have been prouder about the nation’s finances in previous occasions, most notably in 2019 (80 per cent). Still, this is a major improvement from the worst-ever showing for this item in 2024 (34 per cent), six months prior to then-prime minister Justin Trudeau announcing his departure from politics.

This is an item where the gender gap is noteworthy. While 51 per cent of Canadian men say the national economy makes them proud, the proportion is 10 points lower for Canadian women (41 per cent).

Almost three in five Canadians (58 per cent, up five points) are proud of the health care system. This proportion is still well short of the perceptions of Canadians in 2019 (77 per cent) and 2020 (75 per cent). Atlantic Canada—a region where provincial elections have been won and lost on health care—is particularly skeptical: only 46 per cent of Atlantic Canadians are proud of Canada’s health care, even lower than the province that is usually the most critical of medical services: Quebec (52 per cent).

For the first time since 2021, a majority of Canadians (53 per cent, up five points) are proud of Parliament. This is better than the numbers observed in 2008, 2009 and 2024, when fewer than two in five Canadians regarded the federal legislature as a source of pride.

At a time of increased patriotism on account of tariffs—and active exploration of separatist sentiments in two provinces—more than three in five Canadians (62 per cent, up four points) say they are proud of the state of democracy in Canada. This is lower than the previous high observed in 2019 (70 per cent) and outlines an intriguing age divide. Canadians aged 55 and over are more likely to look at democracy as a source of pride (67 per cent) than those aged 35 to 54 (60 per cent) and those aged 18 to 34 (56 per cent).

Conservative party voters in 2025 appear to still be dejected from the result of the last election to the House of Commons. Only 48 per cent are proud of the state of democracy in Canada, compared to 60 per cent among Canadians who voted for the New Democratic Party (NDP) and 83 per cent of those who supported the governing Liberal party a year ago.

The Canadian justice system also experienced a positive bump, with 53 per cent of Canadians (up four points) saying it makes them proud. This represents a 13-point improvement from the low observed in 2019 (40 per cent) and is just two points behind the high registered in 2020 (55 per cent).

Two other institutions and features are sources of pride for at least three in four Canadians: the flag (80 per cent, up one point) and hockey (75 per cent, up three points).

This year, 64 per cent of Canadians (up three points) are proud of Indigenous culture. This is 13 points higher than the result of the first survey in 2008 (51 per cent).

The reactions to two concepts that took hold during federal Liberal governments in decades past are very different. On one hand, 65 per cent of Canadians (up two points) say multiculturalism is a source of pride. This is lower than the 74 per cent observed in 2023. Just over three in five Canadians (61 per cent, unchanged) say bilingualism is a source of pride, up nine points from the low recorded in 2008 (52 per cent).

The monarchy remains at the bottom of the list with 41 per cent (up two points). This is better than the low of 34 per cent registered in 2021 and 2023, surveys conducted before and after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. It is not surprising to see Quebec at the bottom of the list on the monarchy being a source of pride (33 per cent). However, two regions that had usually been more friendly to the monarchy are just slightly higher: British Columbia (38 per cent) and Atlantic Canada (36 per cent).

Mario Canseco is president of Research Co.

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from June 14-16, 2026, among 1,002 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.