Two Thirds of Canadians Endorse Vaccine Passports in Offices

Only 9% of Canadians say they do not plan to get vaccinated against COVID-19, unchanged since September.  

Vancouver, BC [November 19, 2021] – More Canadians are in favour of implementing “vaccine passports” in order to allow employees to return to the country’s workplaces, a new Research Co. poll has found.  

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 67% of Canadians think it is a “good idea” to rely on COVID-19 “Proof of Vaccination” certificates for people to be able to work at an office.  

“In May 2021, when we first asked about COVID-19 vaccine certificates, just over half of Canadians (52%) were in favour of their use in offices,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Support grew to 63% in September 2021 and once again this month to 67%.”  

Canadians aged 55 and over are more likely to welcome “vaccine passports” in the workplace (77%) than their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (66%) and aged 18-to-34 (59%).  

Support for the use of COVID-19 “Proof of Vaccination” certificates is highest in Quebec (73%), followed by British Columbia (70%), Ontario (68%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (also 68%), Alberta (64%) and Atlantic Canada (58%).  

Just over four-in-five Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party in this year’s federal election (81%) are in favour of using “vaccine passports” in offices, along with 73% of those who supported the New Democratic Party (NDP), 64% of those who supported the Conservative Party and 58% of those who supported the Green Party. Only 19% of Canadians who voted for the People’s Party agree with this course of action.  

More than two thirds of Canadians continue to endorse the use of “vaccine passports” for people to go to live concerts as spectators (70%, +2), to go to live sporting events as spectators (also 70%, +4), to visit a gym or fitness facility (also 70%, +3) and to go to the theatre or cinema (69%, +3).  

Sizeable proportions of Canadians are also in favour of relying on  “Proof of Vaccination” certificates for travel to other countries (74%, +1), for travel to other Canadian provinces (70%, +2) and for travel inside the same province (65%, +3).  

Across the country, seven-in-ten Canadians (70%, -1) say they wear a mask every time the leave their home. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, women (74%) and Canadians aged 55 and over (81%) are more likely to be observing this guideline.  

There is little movement on some of the habits that Canadians may have developed as a result of the pandemic. More than one-in-ten Canadians say they are losing their temper more than usual at home (15%, =), having a bath or shower less often (14%, +2), drinking more alcohol than usual at home (13%, =), not ordering food from restaurants at all because they fear infection (12%, -2) or brushing their teeth less often than before the pandemic (6%, -1).  

More than one-in-five Canadians continue to clean the groceries they buy to prevent infection (23%, +2) and admit to overeating or eating more than usual at home (22%, -1).  

Only 9% of Canadians (unchanged since September) say they do not plan to get inoculated against COVID-19, while 89% (+1) have already done so or intend to do so.