Canadians Hold Differing Views on Easing COVID-19 Restrictions

While most agree with the plans outlined by their province, few think certain services should be available this month.  

Vancouver, BC [May 6, 2020] – While most Canadians endorse the proposals of their respective provincial administrations to restart the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic, significantly fewer believe that restaurants, barber shops or gyms should be open to the public in May, a new Research Co. poll has found.  

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 53% of Canadians agree with their provincial government’s plan to ease restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, while 39% disagree and 8% are undecided.  

There is a noteworthy disparity on this question, with only 6% of Canadians saying they “strongly agree” with their provincial administration’s proposals, and 21% saying they “strongly disagree” with it.  

In spite of the high level of support for current plans to ease restrictions, few Canadians are eager to see a quick return to particular activities.  

Only 28% of Canadians would allow coffee shops to open for dine-in service before the end of May. Similar proportions of Canadians would consent to allowing barber shops and salons to open (26%) and allowing restaurants to open for dine-in service (25%).  

“Many Canadians are not quite ready to partake in some of the activities that they abandoned as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic ,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “More than two thirds believe that it would be unwise to return to dine-in service at coffee shops and restaurants before the end of this month.”  

Only one-in-five Canadians believe movie theatres (20%) and gyms, fitness facilities and community centres (also 20%) should open before the end of May. Fewer residents (13%) would allow live sporting events in the next few weeks.  

Even as most residents of the country remain under lockdown, one third of Canadians (34%) observed aggressive behaviour among shoppers inside stores over the past month. One-in-five (20%) witnessed aggressive behaviour among drivers on the road and 9% among pedestrians on the street.  

Residents of British Columbia were more likely to witness aggressive behaviour inside stores (43%), while Ontarians were more likely to observe aggressive behaviour on the road (26%).  

When Canadians are asked to select four emotions they may have right now about the COVID-19 outbreak, 66% choose “sadness” while 64% pick “fear.” About a third (32%) feel “anger” and 27% say “angst.”  

Women are significantly more likely to feel “sadness” than men (74% to 58%), while men are more likely to experience “disgust” (22% to 17%) when thinking of the COVID-19 outbreak.

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