More Canadians would rather have a new election than be governed by a coalition if the Tories were defeated in a budget vote, according to a poll.

A Nanos Research survey revealed that 49 per cent of Canadians would rather go to the polls, compared to 42 per cent who believe a Liberal/NDP coalition — backed by the Bloc Québécois — should be given a chance to govern in the event the minority government falls. Ten per cent of those surveyed were unsure.

The polling firm randomly surveyed 1,003 Canadians by telephone between Jan. 3 and Jan. 7. The nationwide results are considered accurate within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Support for a coalition was highest in Quebec, where 62 per cent of respondents preferred that scenario over an election (favoured by 30 per cent).

The reverse was found in Western Canada, where 65 per cent would rather have an election than have power shifted to a coalition.

Although the margins of error were 6.3 per cent and 5.3 per cent respectively for the results in Quebec and Western Canada, they still reveal a majority of people in those regions either support an election or a coalition.

Federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, seen addressing supporters in Halifax on Friday, says he will only seek to lead a coalition government if the upcoming Conservative budget isn't in the country's best interests. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

"In a way, this is a bit like an old movie in Canadian politics, where we pit east versus west," Pollster Nik Nanos told the Canadian Press.

With the margin of error taken into account in Ontario and the Atlantic region, the results were split, although more people preferred having an election.

In December, Prime Minister Stephen Harper narrowly avoided a confidence vote that most likely would have toppled his government and given power to a coalition, championed by then-Liberal leader Stéphane Dion.

But new Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has not been as supportive of the pact. He has instead said he would enter into a coalition if the budget isn't in the country's best interests.

With files from the Canadian Press