May 29, 2025 — A new survey by Pollara finds that Canadians hold a largely positive view of Pope Leo XIV, with 52% expressing a favourable opinion and just 10% unfavourable. These numbers place him nearly on par with his predecessor, Pope Francis (60% positive / 11% negative).
Support is even stronger among Canadian Catholics, 69% of whom view the new pope positively, compared to just 8% negatively. However, all religious denominations and non-religious Canadians have a net positive impression towards Pope Leo XIV.
Catholics: Positive 69% / Negative 8%
Protestants: Positive 58% / Negative 5%
Orthodox: Positive 54% / Negative 13%
Muslin: Positive 57% / Negative 17%
Atheist: Positive 37% / Negative 13%
Looking ahead, 31% of Canadian Catholics hope People Leo XIV will take an even more progressive approach than Pope Francis, while 14% would like to see a more conservative approach.
See the full details in our report and commentary on the study in the Toronto Star.
