Most British Columbians Favour Reopening the Economy Slowly

Residents aged 35-to-54, as well as those who have experienced job losses in their household, would prefer a quicker renewal.

Vancouver, BC [May 14, 2020] – More than three-in-five British Columbians favour a cautious approach for a return to economic activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, 62% of British Columbians believe we should reopen the economy slowly and ensure that COVID-19 infection rates remain low.

Conversely, more than a third of British Columbians (35%) believe we should reopen the economy quickly and ensure that no more jobs are lost due to COVID-19.

“There is an impressive gender gap when British Columbians ponder the pace of easing restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic ,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “While three-in-four women (76%) call for a cautious approach, fewer than half of men (48%) concur.”

More than four-in-five British Columbians aged 55 and over (68%) are in favour of a gradual return to economic activity in the province, a view shared by 64% of those aged 18-to-34 and 44% of those aged 35-to-54.

The COVID-19 pandemic has directly affected British Columbians in different ways. More than two-in-five of the province’s residents (42%) say they have been unable to visit relatives who live in their municipality, and more than a third (35%) say someone in their household applied for the federal Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).

In addition, 32% of British Columbians say someone in their household was laid off, 32% are working from home instead of at their regular workplace, and 24% have taken care of children in their household while schools are closed.

British Columbians aged 35-to-54 are more likely to report that someone in their household has applied for the CERB (47%) and to be working at home (51%) than their younger and older counterparts.

Majorities of British Columbians who have taken care of children in their household (58%), are working from home instead of at their regular workplace (53%) and who have had someone in the household lose a job (52%) are in favour of reopening the economy quickly and avoid more job losses due to the pandemic.

More than seven-in-ten British Columbians (72%) approve of the provincial government’s plan to resume economic activity— including 81% of BC Liberal voters in 2017, 75% of BC Green Party voters and 72% of BC New Democratic Party (NDP) voters.

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