Satisfaction with COVID-19 Handling Drops in Ontario and Quebec

The rating for the federal government remains high, as more than seven-in-ten Canadians seek accountability from China.

Vancouver, BC [May 19, 2020] – Almost seven-in-ten Canadians are content with way the federal government has managed the COVID-19 pandemic, but the approval rating for two provincial administrations has fallen markedly since April, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 69% of Canadians are satisfied with the way the federal government has dealt with the outbreak—including 76% of residents aged 55 and over.

“The numbers have been extremely consistent for the federal government as the COVID-19 pandemic continues,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “It is also worth noting that majorities of Canadians who voted for the Liberals (86%), the New Democrats (72%) and the Conservatives (54%) last year remain pleased with Ottawa’s work on this file.”

While 64% of Canadians are satisfied with the performance of their municipal and provincial governments, the numbers vary in specific regions of the country.

In a similar Research Co. survey conducted in April, 88% of Quebecers and 78% of Ontarians were content with the way their provincial administrations were managing the COVID-19 outbreak. This month, the rating for both governments dropped by double-digits, to 66% in Quebec and to 63% in Ontario.

The numbers are stable for the provincial governments of British Columbia (from 72% in April to 69% this month) and Alberta (from 57% in April to 56% this month).

Across the country, 64% of Canadians believe we should reopen the economy slowly and ensure that COVID-19 infection rates remain low. Conversely, 29% of Canadians think we should reopen the economy quickly and ensure that no more jobs are lost due to COVID-19.

A “wet market” in Wuhan, China, which sells live animals for human consumption has been mentioned as the place where COVID-19 may have originated.

More than seven-in-ten Canadians (72%) think the Government of the People’s Republic of China should take responsibility for its role in the COVID-19 outbreak. This represents a six-point increase since Research Co. survey conducted in March.

About three-in-ten Canadians (31%) agree with the Government of Canada considering legal action against the People’s Republic of China on account of the COVID-19 outbreak, while practically half (49%) disagree.

Three-in-four Canadians (75%, +14) consider it unacceptable to refer to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus” or “Chinese flu”. This includes majorities of Canadians who voted for the New Democrats (83%), the Liberals (77%) and the Conservatives (66%) in the 2019 federal election.

Just over three-in-ten Canadians (31%) believe more people will consider adopting vegetarian or vegan diets once the COVID-19 outbreak ends, up 10 points since Research Co. first measured this sentiment in April.

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