- Satisfaction with the performance of provincial governments remain strong across the region.
- Satisfaction with the new federal government’s performance led by Mark Carney, is robust throughout the region.
HALIFAX, September 17, 2025
Provincial Government Performance: The past year has seen notable change in provincial political landscapes across Atlantic Canada with two provincial elections (NB and NS), a change in premier in three provinces (NB, PE and NL), and more to come with an upcoming provincial election in Newfoundland & Labrador within the next month.
Results of our most recent Atlantic Quarterly survey show that amidst this change, Atlantic Canadians are satisfied with each of their respective provincial government’s performance, with results generally consistent with last quarter.
These high levels of provincial government satisfaction mark an appreciable change in public perceptions across most provinces compared to a year ago, particularly in New Brunswick where last Fall’s election resulted in a change in government. Indeed, compared to last August, satisfaction with provincial government performance has increased in all provinces (NB, up 38 pts; NL, up 9 pts; PE, up 7 pts; NS, up 3 pts). Across the region, satisfaction with the performance of a provincial government is highest in Newfoundland and Labrador, while satisfaction levels are most stable in Nova Scotia.
“The high level of satisfaction with the performance of the Newfoundland and Labrador government bodes well for the provincial Liberal Party with an election just one month away. In more than 25 years of tracking provincial government satisfaction in the region, we have never seen a government replaced with satisfaction levels this strong,” said Margaret Brigley, CEO & Partner of Narrative Research. “Satisfaction levels have remained stable following a three-month transition from Premier Furey to Premier Hogan and are at the highest levels reported in that province in the past four years.”
Federal Government Performance: When considering Atlantic Canadians’ satisfaction with the performance of the federal government, findings show a similar trend. Six in ten Atlantic Canadians (61%) report some level of satisfaction with the new federal government led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, reflecting the highest overall level of satisfaction with the federal government in the region since the end of 2020. Satisfaction is robust across the region, although strongest in PE and NL (PE: 68%; NL: 63%; NB: 59%; NS 59%).
These results are part of Narrative Research’s Atlantic Quarterly®, an independent, quarterly telephone survey, and are drawn from an overall probability sample of 400 Nova Scotia, 400 New Brunswick, 350 Newfoundland and Labrador, and 300 Prince Edward Island adult residents, conducted August 7-29, 2025. Data collection dates were extended in multiple provinces in response to wildfires in NL, NS and NB. Results are accurate to within ±4.9 percentage points for a sample size of 400, ±5.2 percentage points for a sample size of 350, and ±5.7 percentage points, for a sample size of 300, 95 out of 100 times. The results are weighted by region, age, and gender to reflect the overall adult population in each province.
For detailed tables, visit https://narrativeresearch.ca/news/
Narrative Research, www.narrativeresearch.ca, is a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned research company, certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Follow us on LinkedIn or at narrativeresearch.ca/news.
###
For more information, contact:
Margaret Brigley, CEO, Narrative Research at 902.493.3830 mbrigley@narrativeresearch.ca
OR
Margaret Chapman, COO, Narrative Research at 902.493.3834 mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca
