Half of Canadians (50%) believe the increased value of the Canadian dollar negatively affects the national economy, while 43% say that the value of the dollar has a positive effect and 2% say that it has no effect.

That’s according to a poll released today by POLLARA Inc., on behalf of the Economic Club of Toronto.

When asked about what impact the higher valued loonie has on their personal economic situation, 43% of Canadians believe it is having a positive, while 23% say it is having a negative effect. However, 32% of Canadians say the soaring dollar has had no impact on their personal situation.

In other findings, despite the negative impact that the increased dollar is perceived to have on the economy, 71% of Canadians believe that the national economy is currently experiencing a period of moderate or strong growth.

This positive view of the national economy is 11 points higher than recorded one year ago in December 2003. Twenty-six per cent, however, do not share this positive viewpoint: 23% believe the economy is in a mild recession, while 3% say Canada is currently suffering from a severe recession.

Looking ahead over the next twelve months, 74% of Canadians expect that it is unlikely that they or a member of their immediate family will lose their job. This finding is virtually unchanged from one year ago.

Regarding their own financial situation, 65% of Canadians say that over the past few years they have been holding their own, while 34% report that they have been losing financial ground. Meanwhile, 59% forecast that during the next 12 months their household income will keep pace or more than keep pace with the cost of living. These findings are essentially unchanged from December 2004.

These results are based on a POLLARA survey of 1,283 Canadians conducted between Dec. 6 and 8, 2004. With a sample of this size, the national results are considered accurate to within +/- 2.7%, 19 times out of 20, of what they would be if the entire adult population of Canada were polled.