Canadians have rarely been so optimistic about their economic future, according to a new poll done exclusively for Canwest News Service and Global National.
Pollster Ipsos Reid said 52 per cent of Canadians believe the economy will improve in the next year, a level of confidence the firm has not seen in 18 years of tracking consumer confidence. In November, just 20 per cent of those surveyed by Ipsos Reid believed the economy was improving.
…Asked if they would spend more or less on big-ticket items such as cars, appliances or vacations, just one in five said they would pick up spending on those items. While 42 per cent said their spending patterns will remain unchanged, 36 per cent said they'll spend less.
Because consumer spending accounts for more than half of all economic activity, that data suggests a full-fledged recovery may be months away.
When asked if they think their own personal financial situation will improve, one in three said they think it will improve over the next 12 months, while one in 10 believes their own situation will worsen. Ipsos Reid said that, on balance, that's an improvement from early March when Canadians were more nervous about their own financial situation.
Still, many Canadians — about one in four — remain anxious about their employment situation, although that anxiety has eased since peaking in November.
[Read the rest of the story ]