A new public opinion poll by Ipsos for the Toronto Region Board of Trade reveals that residents are demanding action and leadership to get our economy back on track.
While residents still believe in Toronto’s economic promise, that optimism is fleeting. Half of those surveyed say they’re not confident about the region’s economic outlook over the next year, and more residents believe the Toronto region’s economy is headed in the wrong direction (41%) than the right one (30%).
Respondents agree economic growth should be priority
When it comes to expectations for governments, the response from those surveyed was almost unanimous: it’s time to prioritize growing the economy (94%).
Residents understand the connection between a competitive business environment and a better quality of life. Governments should take this data as a sign that residents see investing in business as investing in communities.
- 86% agreed that growing businesses creates high-quality jobs
- 85% say strong businesses are essential for thriving communities
- 81% believe poor business growth can hurt their community
A growing concern about our region’s competitiveness
The public is now raising the same concerns we’ve long heard from members of the business community about the barriers stifling our competitive edge. When asked about barriers to business growth, more than 50% of respondents cited the following as key issues:
- the cost and availability of housing (67%)
- traffic congestion (57%)
- high taxes (55%)
- trade uncertainty (55%)
- commercial property costs (53%)
In addition, two thirds of residents are not confident that future generations will be able to afford to live and work in the Toronto region.
Respondents indicated they are looking to governments at all levels to create the conditions for economic growth through streamlined regulation and permitting, infrastructure investments, tax competitiveness, and workforce development.
The Toronto Region Board of Trade is calling on governments and businesses alike to meet this moment with real action through its Stronger Starts Here campaign. The Board’s Business Council of Toronto is engaging leaders across the region through this campaign to identify the most pressing barriers to productivity for businesses and chart a path forward. Visit strongerstartshere.ca to learn more.
A representative sample of n=1,000 Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) residents 18 years of age and older have been surveyed online by Ipsos between May 9 and 22, 2025.
Quota sampling and weighting were utilized to design a sample frame that is representative of the population of adult (18+) residents in the GTHA according to age, gender, and region. The GTHA regions included: the City of Toronto, Durham Region, Halton Region, Peel Region, York Region, and the City of Hamilton. The latest Statistics Canada Census data (2021) was utilized for the quota sample and weighting scheme.
The Toronto Region Board of Trade is one of the largest and most influential business chambers in North America and is a catalyst for the region’s economic agenda. We pursue policy change to drive the growth and competitiveness of the Toronto region and facilitate market opportunities with programs, partnerships and connections to help our members succeed – domestically and internationally.
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