The Arctic is central to Canada’s national identity and the Canadian Arctic is pivotal to several key defence and infrastructures policies. While polling periodically capture the pulse of Canadians from Southern Canada, very little is known about how Arctic residents think about key Arctic debates and issues. In many cases, we cling to anecdotes and sweeping generalizations (“Northerners support policy X”) without hard evidence. This reports ambition is to go further than anecdotal evidence and simplistic assumptions of the Canadian Arctic by analyzing data from an opinion poll conducted with respondents from the three Canadian Northern territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut).
The survey was carried out from May 8 to 26 2025 amongst a random sample of 609 Canadians aged 18 and over living in the three Northern territories. Answers were collected through a hybrid online/phone method. Questions focused on respondents’ opinions about the Arctic strategic and geopolitical context as well as their preferences on specific Arctic policies.
See the full report on the Observatoire de la politique et la sécurité de l’Arctique (OSPA) website here:
--
About the authors:
Mathieu Landriault is the director of the Observatoire de la politique et la sécurité de l’Arctique. He is an adjunct professor at École nationale d’administration publique (ÉNAP) and teaches at the University of Ottawa and Saint Paul University.
Mirva Salminen is Associate Professor in the Department of Technology and Safety at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway.