Among provincial administrations, Quebec has the highest level of satisfaction (88%) and Alberta the lowest (57%).
Vancouver, BC [April 14, 2020] – Most Canadians remain pleased with the way their governments are managing the COVID-19 outbreak, although there are some substantial differences in specific provinces, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 68% of Canadians are satisfied with the way the federal government has handled the COVID-19 outbreak, up two points since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in March.
“As was the case last month, Canadians aged 55 and over (71%) are more likely to endorse Ottawa’s performance on COVID-19,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Majorities of Canadians aged 35-to-54 (68%) and aged 18-to-34 (66%) are also satisfied.”
Just over a third of Canadians (34%) think former prime minister Stephen Harper would be doing a better job handling the COVID-19 outbreak than current head of government Justin Trudeau, while half (50%) disagree with this assessment.
Significantly smaller proportions of Canadians believe Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer (25%), and leadership candidates Peter MacKay (23%) and Erin O’Toole (17%) would be performing better than Trudeau.
Almost seven-in-ten Canadians (69%, +5) are satisfied with how their municipal government has handled the outbreak. More than three-in-four (77%, +7) feel the same way about their provincial government.
Residents of Quebec continue to provide the highest marks for their provincial administration on COVID-19 (88%, +4), followed by Atlantic Canada (80%, +13), Ontario (78%, +12), British Columbia (72%, +3), Manitoba and Saskatchewan (70%, +16%) and Alberta (57%, -8).
Canadians are split when asked if their province’s previous premier would be doing a better job handling the COVID-19 outbreak than the current one. While 39% believe this would be the case, 41% disagree.
In Ontario and British Columbia, just over a third of residents (36% and 35% respectively) believe their former premier would be doing a better job handling the COVID-19 outbreak than the current one. Larger proportions of residents (43% and 44% respectively) disagree with this assessment.
Quebecers are almost evenly divided between the previous premier (42%) and the current one (38%).
In Alberta, more than half of residents (54%) would prefer to have their former premier in charge during the COVID-19 outbreak, while 29% would prefer to keep the current one.
Methodology:
Results are based on an online study conducted from April 6 to April 8, 2020, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
Find our full dataset here and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca