Half (51%) of Americans and 43% of Canadians say they strongly or somewhat oppose California, Oregon, and Washington becoming a part of Canada. Canadians are more likely than Americans to support the three West Coast states joining Canada (35% vs. 23%).
These January 2025 findings follow proposals from U.S. President Donald Trump to annex Canada into the United States — an idea that is opposed by most Canadians and many Americans. In response to Trump's proposals, Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, jokingly suggested that California, Oregon, and Washington should join Canada. While the proposal doesn't have any real prospects, it evokes a longstanding movement to unite western parts of the two countries.
Support for California, Oregon, and Washington becoming part of Canada is higher in British Columbia than in the rest of Canada. Opinion in British Columbia is almost evenly divided: 43% support the idea and 41% oppose it.
Adults in Quebec are least likely to support the idea: 25% support it and 49% oppose it.
Among 2021 Canadian federal election voters, support for California, Oregon, and Washington becoming a part of Canada is highest among those who voted for the New Democratic Party (NDP): 46% support it and 36% oppose it. Only 33% of Conservative Party voters support the idea and 47% oppose it.
In all major U.S. regions, opposition to the idea is more pervasive than support. Support for the idea is slightly higher among adult citizens in California, Oregon, and Washington than among Americans overall (29% vs. 23%).
YouGov also asked whether this proposal would benefit or hurt the U.S., Canada, and the three three states involved. Far more Canadians say that California, Oregon, and Washington becoming part of Canada would be bad for the U.S. than say it would be good (41% vs. 13%). Among Americans, twice as many say that California, Oregon, and Washington becoming part of Canada would be bad for the U.S. compared to being good (43% vs. 21%).
Both Americans and Canadians are more likely to say that California, Oregon, and Washington becoming part of Canada would be good for Canada than good for the U.S. More Americans than Canadians say that the annexation would be good for Canada (31% vs. 26%).
California, Oregon, and Washington residents are more likely than Americans overall and than Canadians to say that becoming part of Canada would be good for Canada (39%) and bad for the U.S. (49%).
Note: This survey was conducted before the announcement of potential U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.
— Kristin Crawford and David Montgomery contributed to this article
Related: Binational poll: Most Canadians and many Americans oppose Canada joining the U.S.
See the results of these polls:
Methodology:
U.S. poll: This article includes results from an online survey conducted January 16 - 22, 2025 among 1,091 U.S. adult citizens. Respondents were selected from YouGov’s opt-in panel to be representative of adult U.S. citizens. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, 2024 presidential vote, 2020 election turnout and presidential vote, baseline party identification, and current voter registration status. 2024 presidential vote, at time of weighting, was estimated to be 48% Harris and 50% Trump. Demographic weighting targets come from the 2019 American Community Survey. Baseline party identification is the respondent’s most recent answer given around November 8, 2024, and is weighted to the estimated distribution at that time (31% Democratic, 32% Republican). The margin of error for the overall sample is approximately 4%.
Canada poll: This article also includes results from an online survey conducted January 22 - 28, 2025 among 1,030 Canadian adults. Respondents were selected from YouGov’s opt-in panel to be representative of adult Canadians. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, education, region, and 2021 federal election vote. Demographic weighting targets come from the 2021 Canadian Census. The margin of error for the overall sample is approximately 3%.
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