Abacus Data
Abacus Data is a Canadian professional-services firm specializing in public opinion polling, market research, and data analysis.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Abacus Data is a Canadian polling and market research firm headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario. The company provides survey research, public-opinion measurement, market research, and analysis of survey data for organizations seeking evidence about political attitudes, social issues, consumer behavior, public priorities, and broader market conditions. Its work sits at the intersection of research services, public affairs, and data interpretation rather than the sale of a mass-market consumer product. The firm was founded in August 2010 by David Coletto, shortly after he completed a PhD in political science at the University of Calgary. Its early identity was closely associated with polling and research concerning decision-makers, politics, and Canadian public opinion. Over time, Abacus Data became a source of survey findings used in Canadian media coverage. Its polling and analysis have been cited by outlets including The Globe and Mail, the National Post, the Toronto Star, and Sun Media newspapers. Abacus Data's service scope includes quantitative survey research, measurement of public attitudes, market and consumer research, and analysis intended to make research findings useful for communications, policy, organizational planning, and business decisions. The available reference material does not establish a complete catalogue of branded products, proprietary platforms, geographic offices, or international subsidiaries. Accordingly, the firm is best described as a Canadian research and analytics provider whose offerings are delivered primarily as professional services. Leadership has included both David Coletto and Bruce Anderson in chairman roles. Anderson joined the company as chairman in 2013 and left that position at the end of 2022, after which Coletto assumed the chairmanship. The available material does not provide a full record of the firm's executive structure or establish whether other senior leaders held formally defined roles during the same periods. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Abacus Data led Faster Together, an initiative that conducted market research into vaccine hesitancy and sought to encourage acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines. This work broadened the public-facing context in which the firm's research was used, connecting polling and audience insight with a public-health communications objective. No reliable information in the supplied sources establishes the initiative's full funding structure, budget, quantitative results, or continuing organizational status. Abacus Data remains an active Canadian polling and market research brand. Its public profile is primarily built through commissioned research, published survey findings, media citations, and issue-focused research initiatives. Detailed financial information, ownership information, a confirmed official website URL, and a comprehensive list of current executives are not established by the available material.
History
Abacus Data was founded in August 2010 in Canada by David Coletto, shortly after Coletto completed a PhD in political science at the University of Calgary. The company entered the market as a polling and research firm, with an early emphasis on examining public opinion and gathering information relevant to decision-makers. Its business model has been based on professional research services rather than consumer products: clients commission surveys, polling projects, market studies, and related analysis to understand attitudes, behaviors, priorities, and trends. The firm's public profile developed through its Canadian polling work and through the circulation of its findings in news coverage. Abacus Data surveys and political-opinion polls have been cited by major Canadian media organizations, including The Globe and Mail, the National Post, the Toronto Star, and Sun Media newspapers. Such citations positioned the firm as a contributor to public discussion and political analysis, although the available material does not provide a complete archive of its individual polls, methodologies, clients, or publication dates. In 2013, Bruce Anderson joined Abacus Data as chairman. His tenure formed part of the firm's leadership history until he stepped down at the end of 2022. Following Anderson's departure from the chairmanship, David Coletto assumed that role. The supplied sources do not document the company's full executive team, ownership structure, legal form, revenue, or detailed organizational expansion, so those aspects remain unconfirmed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Abacus Data led Faster Together, an initiative that conducted market research about vaccine hesitancy and promoted acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines. The initiative represented an application of the firm's research capabilities to a public-health communications challenge. It connected audience research and attitude measurement with efforts to address resistance or uncertainty surrounding vaccination. The available reference does not establish the initiative's precise launch date, budget, sponsors, research sample sizes, or final impact. Abacus Data is described as being based in Ottawa, Ontario, and remains active as a Canadian polling and market research firm. Its documented areas of work include public-opinion polling, political and social-issue research, market and consumer research, and analysis of survey data. Publicly available information supplied for this entry is not sufficient to confirm a formal product taxonomy, detailed international operations, a complete list of current executives, or an official website URL. The company is therefore best understood as a Canadian professional-services brand whose visibility comes from commissioned research, published polling, media use of its findings, and issue-oriented initiatives such as Faster Together.
- 2022
Chairmanship transitions to David Coletto
[1]Bruce Anderson stepped down as chairman at the end of 2022, after which founder David Coletto took over the chairmanship.
- 2013
Bruce Anderson becomes chairman
[1]Bruce Anderson joined Abacus Data as chairman, becoming a major figure in the firm's subsequent leadership history.
- 2010
Abacus Data is founded
[1]David Coletto founded Abacus Data in August 2010, shortly after completing a PhD in political science at the University of Calgary.
Faster Together operates during the COVID-19 pandemic
[1]Abacus Data led Faster Together, a research and public-health initiative focused on vaccine hesitancy and encouraging COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.
Products and positioning
Canadian public-opinion polling, market-research, and data-analysis professional-services firm
research_service
Public opinion polling
Survey-based measurement of attitudes toward political, social, and public issues. This work can help organizations track opinion, compare demographic or geographic groups, and identify changes in public priorities. Abacus Data's polling has also been used as a source in Canadian news coverage.
research_service
Political and social-issue research
Research concerning public affairs, political attitudes, decision-makers, and social questions. The available sources identify this as part of the firm's polling and research activity but do not provide a definitive list of named packages or recurring studies.
research_service
Market research
Research intended to help organizations understand markets, audiences, consumer behavior, public priorities, and relevant trends. The service may support planning, communications, positioning, or other decisions, although the supplied sources do not specify a formal branded product range.
analytics_service
Survey data analysis
Interpretation of survey and market-research data to identify patterns, differences, and changes in attitudes or behavior. It forms part of the analytical support surrounding the firm's polling and research projects.
Marketing campaigns
- Faster Together
Canada
Abacus Data led Faster Together during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative used market research to investigate vaccine hesitancy and supported efforts to promote acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines.
Outcome. The available source confirms the initiative's research and vaccine-acceptance objectives but does not establish a quantified outcome, campaign budget, or continuing status.
Recent events
- 2022
David Coletto assumes the chairmanship after Bruce Anderson's departure[1]
Leadership change
Bruce Anderson stepped down as chairman at the end of 2022, and founder David Coletto took over the chairmanship.
- 2013
Bruce Anderson joins Abacus Data as chairman[1]
Leadership change
Bruce Anderson joined Abacus Data as chairman, adding an experienced public-affairs and polling figure to the firm's leadership.
- 2010
Abacus Data founded as a new Canadian polling firm[1]
Other
Abacus Data was established in August 2010 by political scientist David Coletto. Early reporting described the firm as a polling organization focused on research concerning Canadian decision-makers and public opinion.
Abacus Data polling receives Canadian media attention[1]
Other
The firm's surveys and political-opinion polling were cited by Canadian news organizations, including The Globe and Mail, the National Post, the Toronto Star, and Sun Media newspapers.
Faster Together addresses vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic[1]
Campaign · Other
Abacus Data led the Faster Together initiative, which used market research to examine vaccine hesitancy and promote acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines.
Sources3 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/abacus-data · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled