More Canadians report being affected by extreme weather: Poll

September 24, 2025

RED FM News Desk

A new Leger poll shows that more Canadians are feeling the impacts of extreme weather, following one of the most severe wildfire seasons in the country’s history.

The online survey, conducted last weekend with 1,500 participants, found that 37% of respondents said they had been personally affected by extreme weather events—an increase from 23% in a similar poll conducted in June.

Nearly 9 million hectares of land burned in wildfires this year across Canada, an area larger than the province of New Brunswick, marking the second-worst wildfire season on record.

Concerns over air quality have also had a significant effect: 65% of Canadians said they had to stay indoors due to smoke or pollution. This number was even higher in Saskatchewan and Manitoba—where the majority of wildfires occurred—with 86% of residents in those provinces reporting being affected.

While more Canadians are reporting direct exposure to extreme weather, fewer are experiencing emotional stress or cancelling travel plans because of it, compared to the June results.

It’s important to note that, according to the Canadian Research Insights Council, online surveys like this one do not use random sampling and therefore cannot be assigned a margin of error.