Canada’s consumer sentiment strengthened in March 2026, with the Thomson Reuters IPSOS Primary Consumer Sentiment Index (PCSI) advancing to 49.37, up from 47.46 in February 2026. The latest reading, updated on 11 March 2026, points to a month-over-month improvement in Canadians’ outlook on economic conditions.
The index’s March gain reflects a positive shift compared with the previous month, when February’s indicator stood at 47.46. Under the month-over-month comparison framework, the “actual” figure measures the change in March relative to February, while the “previous” figure captured February’s movement versus January.
The move toward the 50-point threshold, which often separates more negative from more positive sentiment, suggests that Canadian consumers are becoming relatively more confident about the economic environment than they were at the start of the year, based solely on the latest reported data.
