.jpg)
At a Rotman School event introducing the results of the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer on March 3, 2026, panellists explored a growing challenge shaping public discourse: insularity. As more people retreat into information environments that reinforce their own views, institutions face new hurdles in building trust.
The findings show trust across Canada’s major institutions remains in the neutral range, reflecting broader economic uncertainty and social division highlighted in the report.
Maclean’s editor-in-chief Sarah Fulford brought a media perspective to the discussion, sharing how legacy journalism can maintain credibility by pairing rigorous reporting with authentic, human connections to readers.
The discussion drew on insights from the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer Canada Report, available for download here.
What is the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer about?
The Edelman Trust Barometer is an annual global study that measures trust in four major institutions: business, government, media and NGOs.
The 2026 report highlights a growing challenge shaping public discourse worldwide: insularity. As economic anxiety, geopolitical tensions and misinformation rise, people are increasingly retreating into information ecosystems that reinforce their own beliefs.
This trend has real consequences for institutions trying to communicate with the public, collaborate across sectors and address complex societal issues.
What are the key findings from the Canada report?
In Canada, trust levels in 2026 remain tightly clustered in the low-to-mid-50s, placing the country in the report’s “neutral” trust band.
- NGOs: 54% (+1 vs. 2025)
Business: 53% (–2) - Government: 52% (+2)
- Media: 51% (–1)
The narrow range highlights a broader theme from the report: while trust has not collapsed, it has also not strengthened meaningfully, leaving institutions navigating an environment of cautious public confidence.
Several broader trends help explain that sentiment:
- Economic anxiety is rising. Concerns about recession and trade tensions are driving record-high job-security fears among Canadian employees.
- Optimism about the future is low. Globally, only 32% believe the next generation will be better off, and fewer than one in five Canadians share that optimism.
- Insularity is widespread. About 73% of Canadians say they are hesitant or unwilling to trust people who differ from them in values, beliefs or sources of information.
Why are journalists still relatively trusted in Canada?
Despite declining trust across many institutions, journalism remains a bright spot in Canada.
According to the report, 56% of Canadians trust journalists, significantly higher than the 40% global average.
For Fulford, that trust reflects both the nature of Canadian media and the country’s political environment.
Canada’s media landscape, she noted, tends to be less ideologically polarized than in many other countries. That helps maintain credibility across broader audiences.
But trust is not guaranteed.
In today’s digital ecosystem, audiences increasingly consume news through algorithm-driven platforms that reinforce existing viewpoints.
Fulford said one of the biggest challenges today is that people increasingly consume information inside echo chambers shaped by algorithms that confirm their biases and interests.
What does insularity mean for legacy media brands like Maclean’s?
For a publication like Maclean’s, which at 121 years old is older than Time and Newsweek, the challenge is balancing legacy journalism with modern distribution. Fulford noted that the magazine is constantly working to reach readers across fragmented information silos.
She said Maclean’s is focused on producing compelling journalism while building direct relationships with readers across evolving platforms.
“Meeting people where they are is both a challenge and a creative opportunity,” said Fulford. “Every week there’s a new platform, a new format, and new reader habits.”
The goal, Fulford added, is to ensure Maclean’s journalism remains relevant and accessible wherever audiences consume content.
How does journalism compete with creators in the modern news ecosystem?
The conversation also touched on the growing influence of independent creators.
Fulford described the media industry’s relationship with creators as a mix of admiration and skepticism.
Creators often build strong audience loyalty through direct and authentic engagement. At the same time, journalism brings essential strengths that creators may lack: fact-checking, editorial standards and ethical accountability.
“Legacy media companies are trying to harness that audience intimacy,” Fulford said, “while protecting all the good things you learn in journalism school.”
Why authenticity matters for rebuilding trust
When asked what key action institutions should take in response to the study’s findings, Fulford pointed to one idea: be as authentic as possible.
For journalists, she said, authenticity is central to building trust with audiences.
Fulford noted that magazine journalism, in particular, allows writers to appear on the page as real people, combining lived experience, reporting and authority in a way that readers can connect with.
“It’s human to human,” she said. “That’s what builds connection.”
In a media environment shaped by echo chambers and fragmented audiences, that kind of authentic storytelling can help journalism build stronger relationships with readers and maintain trust.
.jpg)
.png)