Health Care – Research Co.

Six Years Later, Canadians Feel COVID-19 Was Properly Handled

March 23, 2026March 22, 2026By Mario Canseco

Majorities support holding public inquiries similar to the one currently taking place in the United Kingdom.

Vancouver, BC [March 23, 2026] – The performance of the federal government during the COVID-19 pandemic remains satisfactory for a majority of Canadians, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 56% of Canadians think the way the federal government in Ottawa dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic can be described as “a success”, up four points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in March 2025.

“Satisfaction with the way the federal government managed the COVID-19 pandemic is lowest among Canadians aged 35-to-54 (45%)”, says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are higher among Canadians aged 55 and over (59%) and aged 18-to-34 (58%).”

Most Canadians also think their provincial government (56%, +2) and their municipal government (55%, +3) were successful in managing COVID-19. The rating is lower for the official opposition in Ottawa (38%, -1) and provincial official opposition parties (41%, +2).

At least half of Canadians think the media was successful in dealing with the pandemic: 56% for television news (+3), 55% for radio news (+4) and 50% for newspapers (+1). The rating is similar for non-governmental organizations (51%, +5) and lower for unions (44%, +5) and trade associations (41%, +4).

As was the case in 2025, Canadians can be divided into three distinct camps when asked about the pandemic.

One-in-ten Canadians (10%, =) brand COVID-19 as a hoax and say we never should have altered our lives, while three-in-ten (30%, =) say the response to the pandemic was probably too heavy-handed. More than half (53%, =) think we were right to have strict public health measures in place to stop the spread of the virus.

The Government of the United Kingdom is conducting a public inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic. The terms of reference cover preparedness, the public health response, the response in the health care sector and the economic response.

About three-in-five Canadians support holding public inquiries into the way the COVID-19 pandemic was managed by the federal government (62%, -2), their provincial government (61%, -4) and their municipal government (58%, -4).

Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party or the New Democratic Party (NDP) in last year’s federal election are more likely to support holding a public inquiry into the federal government’s response to COVID-19 (71% and 69% respectively) than those who cast ballots for Conservative Party candidates (55%).

Majorities of residents in the four most populous provinces would welcome an inquiry into the way provincial governments managed the pandemic: 67% in Alberta, 64% in British Columbia, 61% in Ontario and 58% in Quebec.

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from March 15 to March 17, 2026, among a representative sample of 1,002 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

Support for Lower Speed Limits Increases in British Columbia

January 22, 2026January 22, 2026By Mario Canseco

Just over two thirds of respondents would welcome a reduction on all residential streets in their municipality.

Vancouver, BC [January 22, 2026] – British Columbians are open to a major change in the way vehicles are allowed to circulate on specific areas of their municipality, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, 68% of British Columbians would personally like to see the speed limit reduced to 30 km/h on all residential streets, while keeping the speed limit on arterial and collector roads at 50 km/h, up five points since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in November 2024.

Residents of the Fraser Valley (71%, +9) are definitely in favour of reducing the speed limit to 30 km/h on all residential streets. Support for the policy is also high in Northern BC (70%, +9), Metro Vancouver (69%, +4), Vancouver Island (64%, +5) and Southern BC (58%, =).

In 2019, Vancouver City Council unanimously passed a motion to establish a pilot project to reduce the speed limit to 30 km/h on select residential streets in the city. In June 2025, Vancouver City Council unanimously approved reducing speed limits on local streets to 30 km/h.

More than seven-in-ten British Columbians (71%, +4) believe Vancouver’s course of action on residential speed limits is a “very good” or “good” idea.

“Three-in-five British Columbians aged 35-to-54 (60%) think it is a good idea to reduce speed limits on local streets,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Agreement is higher among those aged 55 and over (66%) and those aged 18-to-34 (77%).”

Compared to 2023, there is little change in the perceptions of British Columbians on speeding drivers. Two-in-five (40%, =) report seeing a car circulating above the speed limit of 50 km/h on the street where they live “at least once a day”, while about a third (32%, +2) say this happens “a few times a week”.

British Columbians are also supportive of automated speed enforcement, which works by using cameras or sensors to pick up a vehicle speeding. A ticket is then issued to the owner of the vehicle. Driver’s license points are not issued as the driver of the vehicle cannot be identified.

Speed-on-green intersection cameras, or red light cameras that also capture vehicles that are speeding through intersections, are currently being used in 140 intersections across the province. More than seven-in-ten British Columbians (73%, +1) approve of this type of automated speed enforcement.

Majorities of British Columbians also approve of the use of three other types of automated speed enforcement: fixed speed cameras, which stay in one location and measure speed as a vehicle passes (76%, +5), mobile speed cameras, which can be moved from place to place (68%, +4), and point-to-point enforcement, which uses cameras at two or more distant points on a road to issue tickets to vehicles whose average speed over the distance was excessive (63%, -8).

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from January 11 to January 13, 2026, among 800 adults in British Columbia. The data has been statistically weighted according to census figures for age, gender and region in British Columbia. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.5 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

New Year Wishes Fluctuate Greatly by Generation in Canada

January 1, 2026December 27, 2025By Mario Canseco

The country’s oldest adults focus primarily on health, while younger residents are preoccupied with finances.

Vancouver, BC [January 1, 2026] – Canadians of four generations react differently when asked about their top wish for the year that is starting, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 37% of Canadians say more money is their top wish for the year, while 30% prefer more health, 26% choose more time with friends and family and 7% select more travel.

Half of Baby Boomers (50%) wish for more health, while significantly fewer would rather have more time with family and friends (23%), more money (20%) or more travel (8%).

Generation X is almost evenly divided between more health (38%) and more money (36%), followed by more time with family and friends (22%) and more travel (4%).

Millennials place more money at the top of their wish list (44%), followed by more time with family and friends (31%), more health (20%) and more travel (9%).

More than half of Generation Z (52%) wish for more money, followed by more time with family and friends (29%), more health (11%) and more travel (9%).

More than half of Canadians believe 2025 was a “very good” or “good” year for their family (71%), themselves personally (66%), their municipality (54%) and Canada (51%). Fewer offer the same assessment when thinking of their work (48%) and their province (47%).

At least three-in-ten Canadians expect 2026 to be a better year for themselves personally (39%), their family (38%) and Canada (30%). Fewer Canadians foresee better things for their work (28%), their province (23%) and their municipality (22%) in the year that is beginning.

“About one-in-five Canadian Millennials (20%) and Generation Z (21%) think 2026 will be worse for their municipality,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Baby Boomers and Generation X are more pessimistic when considering their province (25% and 22% respectively).”

Almost half of Generation Z (46%) believe 2026 will be a better year for them on a personal level. The proportions are lower among Millennials (37%), Baby Boomers (26%) and Generation X (23%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from November 21 to November 23, 2025, among 1,002 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

Americans “Turn to God” More Often Than Canadians

December 11, 2025December 24, 2025By Mario Canseco

Deaths and health setbacks are more likely to move people in each country towards faith and spirituality.

Vancouver, BC [December 11, 2025] – Americans are significantly more likely than Canadians to be drawn to faith and spirituality when facing challenges in their lives, a new two-country Research Co. poll has found.

The online survey of representative national samples asked Canadians and Americans if they sought faith and spirituality “more than usual” when going through eight different experiences.

More than seven-in-ten Americans (71%) and just under three-in-five Canadians (59%) say they became more in tune with faith and spirituality after the loss of a loved one.

Majorities of respondents in the two countries (64% in the United States and 53% in Canada) sought faith and spirituality when they experienced an unexpected health setback.

At least half of Americans became more in tune with faith and spirituality when they encountered financial problems (55%), after the birth of a loved one (53%) or when experiencing career-related setbacks, such as failing to get admission to a university, losing a job or not being hired after an interview (50%).

In Canada, about two-in-five respondents acknowledged becoming more in tune with faith and spirituality on account of the birth of a loved one (42%), financial problems (41%) or career-related setbacks (38%).

While almost half of Americans (46%) turned to faith and spirituality upon the end of a relationship, only 36% of Canadians followed the same course of action when going through a break-up, separation or divorce.

“Only 33% of Canadian men and 41% of American men looked more closely at faith and spirituality after a break-up,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions rise to 40% among Canadian women and to 51% among American women.”

Fewer Americans and Canadians sought faith and spirituality during the COVID-19 pandemic (44% in the U.S. and 32% in Canada) or after the re-election of Donald Trump as President of the United States (35% in the U.S. and 20% in Canada).

Just under a third of Republicans in the United States (32%) became more in tune with faith and spirituality after Trump’s re-election, compared to 35% of Independents and 41% of Democrats.

In Canada, similar proportions of people who voted for the Liberal Party (21%), the Conservative Party (20%) or the New Democratic Party (NDP) (19%) in the 2025 federal election sought faith and spirituality after Trump’s victory.

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from November 21 to November 23, 2025, among 1,002 adults in Canada and 1,001 adults in the United States. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in each country. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, for each country.

Find our data tables for Canada here, data tables for the United States here and download the press release here.

Canadians Remain Satisfied with Scope of MAID Legislation

October 30, 2025October 29, 2025By Mario Canseco

The proportion of residents who would completely ban medical assistance in dying jumped by six points since 2023.

Vancouver, BC [October 30, 2025] – The perceptions of Canadians on the existing guidelines that allow medical assistance in dying have not gone through severe fluctuations over the past two years, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 52% of Canadians are satisfied with the regulations, up four points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in April 2023.

Equal proportions of Canadians are either dissatisfied with the rules related to medical assistance in dying (24%, -3) or are undecided (also 24%, -1).

“Fewer than half of Conservative Party voters in the 2025 federal election (46%) are content with Canada’s medical assistance in dying laws,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are higher among those who cast ballots for New Democratic Party (NDP) (53%) or Liberal Party (59%) candidates.”

Canadians of East Asian descent are the least likely to endorse the status quo on medical assistance in dying (47%). Satisfaction is higher among Canadians whose heritage is European (51%), South Asian (58%) or Indigenous (60%).

More than three-in-five Quebecers (62%) endorse the current guidelines that allow a person to seek medical assistance in dying. The proportions are lower in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (52%), Atlantic Canada (51%), British Columbia (also 51%), Ontario (49%), and Alberta (45%).

When asked about their personal feelings, almost three-in-five Canadians (58%, =) believe medical assistance in dying should be allowed, but only under specific circumstances.

Similar proportions of Canadians think medical assistance in dying should either never be allowed (18%, +6) or always be permitted (16%, -4).

Three-in-four Canadians (75%, +2) support an individual being permitted to seek medical assistance in dying in Canada if these conditions are met:

Being eligible for health services funded by the federal government, or a province or territory (or during the applicable minimum period of residence or waiting period for eligibility).
Being at least 18 years old and mentally competent.
Having a grievous and irremediable medical condition.
Making a voluntary request for medical assistance in dying that is not the result of outside pressure or influence.
Giving informed consent to receive medical assistance in dying.

Under the current legislation, only an adult with a grievous and irremediable medical condition can seek medical assistance in dying in Canada.

Fewer than half of Canadians are willing to expand the scope of existing legislation to allow medical assistance in dying in cases of inability to receive medical treatment (49%, -2), disability (46%, -4), mental illness (42%, -1), homelessness (26%, -2) or poverty (25%, -2).

Practically half of Canadians (49%, +7) believe anyone who helps a person to commit suicide should be prosecuted, while just over three-in-ten (31%, -3) disagree and one-in-five (20%, -3) are not sure.

Canadians aged 18-to-34 are more likely to think that aiding a person to commit suicide should remain a criminal offence (60%, +8) than their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (48%, +7) and aged 55 and over (41%, +7).

Canadians remain divided when asked about the appropriate punishment for a parent who is found guilty of assisting a terminally ill son or daughter to die.

Just under three-in-ten Canadians (28%, -1) express a preference for a prison sentence at the discretion of a judge, while15% (+7) think the crime calls for a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.

Just over one-in-ten (11%, -3) think the actions in this case can be dealt with through a fine and no time in prison, while just under one-in-four Canadians (23%, -1) choose no penalty at all.

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from October 15 to October 17, 2025, among 1,001 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

Affairs and Drugs Among the Least Acceptable Actions in Canada

October 16, 2025October 15, 2025By Mario Canseco

Contraception, divorce and pre-marital relations have the largest levels of moral acceptability across the country.

Vancouver, BC [October 16, 2025] – Fewer than one-in-five Canadians think marital infidelity and the use of illegal drugs can be characterized as “morally acceptable” behaviours, a new Research Co. poll has found.

The online survey of a representative national sample asked Canadians whether they considered 21 different issues as “morally acceptable” or “morally wrong.”

Fewer than one-in-four Canadians believe seven of the issues tested are “morally acceptable”: polygamy (21%, +4 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in June 2024), suicide (20%, +3), cloning animals (19%, =), married men and/or women having an affair (18%, +2), using illegal drugs (also 18%, +4), cloning humans (12%, -1) and paedophilia (8%, +3).

“Almost one-in-four Canadian men (23%) think marital infidelity is morally acceptable,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportion is decidedly lower (13%) among Canadian women.”

There is a significant regional divide on this question. Practically one-in-four Quebecers (24%) have no moral qualms about married people having an affair. Fewer than one-in-five residents of all other regions feel the same way.

Two-in-five Canadians (40%, =) think the death penalty is “morally acceptable.” Fewer Canadians feel the same way about four other issues: buying and wearing clothing made of animal fur (38%, +4), pornography (31%, +3), prostitution (28%, +3) and medical testing on animals (25%, +2).

While almost half of Canadian men (46%) think it is “morally acceptable” to buy and wear clothing made of animal fur, only 30% of Canadian women concur.

At least half of Canadians think five other issues are “morally acceptable”: abortion (56%, -2), medical research using stem cells obtained from human embryos (55%, =), physician-assisted death (54%, -3), sexual relations between two people of the same sex (also 54%, -1) and gambling (50%, +1).

Gambling is regarded as a “morally acceptable” practice by majorities of Canadians whose origins are East Asian (60%) or Indigenous (56%). The proportions are decidedly lower among Canadians of European (30%) or South Asian (22%) heritage.

The four issues that find the largest levels of moral acceptability across Canada are all related to human interaction: contraception (73%, -3), divorce (70%, -2), sexual relations between an unmarried man and woman (67%, -3) and having a baby outside of marriage (62%, -5).

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from September 10 to September 12, 2025, among 1,003 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

Upward Trend for Mandatory Vaccinations for Children in Canada

October 9, 2025October 9, 2025By Mario Canseco

A third of Albertans (34%) believe all decisions on inoculation belong to parents.

Vancouver, BC [October 9, 2025] – There has been a sizeable increase in the level of support for mandatory vaccinations for childhood diseases—such as polio or measles—in Canada, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 72% of Canadians think vaccinations for children should “definitely” or “probably” be mandatory in their province, up five points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in October 2024.

Just under one-in-four Canadians (23%, -6) believe parents should “definitely” or “probably” be the ones deciding whether their children should be vaccinated.

A third of respondents in Alberta (34%, =) reject any mandate related to childhood vaccinations. The proportions are lower in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (22%, -8), Ontario (also 22%, -6), Quebec (21%, -10), British Columbia (also 21%, -9) and Atlantic Canada (19%, -9).

“While support for mandatory childhood vaccinations increased to 72% in 2025, it is still nowhere near the levels observed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “In 2018, almost nine-in-ten Canadians (88%) were in favour of a mandate.”

In the late 1990s, a study published in the weekly medical journal The Lancet—which has since been discredited and retracted—attempted to link childhood vaccination and autism.

More than a third of Canadians (35%, +4) think there “definitely” or “probably” is a connection between the childhood vaccine for Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) and autism.

While only 30% of women in Canada believe there is a link between the MMR vaccine and autism, the proportion rises to 42% among men.

Half of Canadians (50%, -8) believe every person should be allowed to decide if they want to get vaccinations for seasonal diseases, such as the flu. A slightly smaller proportion (46%, +8) would prefer for the flu vaccine to be mandatory in their province.

More than half of Conservative Party voters in this year’s federal election (58%) think every individual should make the decision on vaccinations for seasonal diseases. The proportions are lower among Canadians who cast ballots for the Liberal Party (44%) and the New Democratic Party (NDP) (42%).

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

Support for Continuation of Legal Abortion Access Rises in Canada

August 21, 2025August 20, 2025By Mario Canseco

Most Liberal and NDP voters see no problem with the health care system funding the procedure, while Conservatives are skeptical.

Vancouver, BC [August 21, 2025] – Practically half of Canadians believe there should be no changes to the legality of pregnancy termination in Canada, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 49% of Canadians believe abortion should be legal under any circumstances, up three points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in August 2024.

More than a third of Canadians (37%, +2) say abortion should be legal only under certain circumstances, while fewer than one-in-ten (8%, +1) believe the procedure should be illegal in all circumstances.

Majorities of women (52%), Canadians aged 55 and over (55%) and Quebecers (58%) believe abortion should be legal under any circumstances.

Most Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party (61%) or the New Democratic Party (NDP) (54%) in this year’s federal election would not challenge the legality of abortion. Only 36% of Conservative Party voters concur with this rationale, while almost half (48%) would allow the procedure only under certain circumstances.

“Over the past seven years, support for the complete abolition of abortion in Canada has only reached double digits once, in 2022,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Even among Conservative voters, the proportion of respondents who would completely outlaw abortion is low (11%).”

More than three-in-five Canadians (62%, +4) think there is no point in re-opening a debate about abortion in Canada right now.

About one-in-four Canadians (24%, +1) believe a debate about abortion is long overdue in Canada and the discussion should be re-opened, while 14% (-6) are not sure.

Responses are more nuanced on a separate question. More than a third of Canadians (35%, -1) think the health care system should only fund abortions in the event of medical emergencies, while more than two-in-five (44%, -2) believe the health care system should fund abortions whenever they are requested.

Just over one-in-ten Canadians (11%, +4) would prefer for the health care system not to fund abortions at all.

Women (49%) are more likely to support the current funding structure for abortions than men (38%).

More than half of Quebecers (51%) agree with the health care system funding abortions upon request. The proportions are lower in Ontario (45%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (also 45%), Atlantic Canada (43%), British Columbia (41%) and Alberta (30%).

While majorities of Liberal and NDP voters (54% and 51% respectively) are in favour of the health care system funding abortions whenever they are requested, only 32% of Conservative voters share this view.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from August 9 to August 11, 2025, among 1,002 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

British Columbians Back Tough Limits on Smoking and Vaping

August 7, 2025August 7, 2025By Mario Canseco

More than seven-in-ten of the province’s residents would ban smoking and vaping in multi-family buildings.

Vancouver, BC [August 7, 2025] – Significant proportions of British Columbians think the current regulations related to the use of tobacco, marijuana and e-cigarettes across the province are appropriate, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, more than four-in-five British Columbias agree with existing bans on smoking in all public and private kindergarten to Grade 12 schools (88%) and smoking in indoor public spaces, public transit facilities and workplaces (including restaurants, bars, and casinos) (87%).

Sizeable proportions of British Columbians also endorse guidelines that forbid smoking in private vehicles occupied by children (81%) and smoking in parks, park areas, seawalls and beaches (67%).

The results are very similar when British Columbians ponder the same guidelines for the use of electronic cigarettes. Practically nine-in-ten (88%) agree with banning vaping in all public and private kindergarten to Grade 12 schools.

Support is also high for regulations that ban vaping in indoor public spaces, public transit facilities and workplaces (84%), in private vehicles occupied by children (81%) and in parks, park areas, seawalls and beaches. (66%).

At this moment, there is no province-wide regulation that addresses smoking or vaping in multi-family buildings. More than three-in-four British Columbians (77%) are in favour of a ban on smoking (tobacco and marijuana) in multi-family buildings, while just under three-in-four (73%) would forbid vaping in multi-family buildings.

Across the province, almost one-in-four British Columbians (23%) say they smoked marijuana over the course of the past year, while just under one-in-five smoked tobacco in any form (19%) or consumed marijuana in a non-smoking form (also 19%).

Fewer British Columbians used an electronic cigarette or e-cigarette (15%) or consumed tobacco in a non-smoking form (5%).

“Vaping remains particularly popular among British Columbians aged 18-to-34, with almost one-in-four (23%) using an electronic cigarette in the past year,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The incidence of tobacco smoking is very similar across all three age groups.”

Half of British Columbians (50%) say they would not consider dating a person who smoked marijuana—a proportion that rises to 67% among those of South Asian heritage and to 64% among those of East Asian descent.

Larger proportions of British Columbians say they would not consider dating a person who vaped (57%) or who smoked tobacco (62%).

Almost two thirds of women (65%) say they would not consider dating a tobacco smoker, while 67% of British Columbians who voted for the BC Green Party in last year’s provincial election would not consider dating someone who used electronic cigarettes.

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from July 13 to July 15, 2025, among 814 adults in British Columbia. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in British Columbia. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

Noise is Becoming a Bigger Problem Across Canada

July 14, 2025July 14, 2025By Mario Canseco

There is a sizeable increase in the proportion of Canadians who are unnerved by unnecessary noise from vehicles.

Vancouver, BC [July 14, 2025] – More than three-in-five Canadians appear dissatisfied with the level of noise intensity in their municipality, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 63% of Canadians say their city or town has become noisier over the past year, up nine points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in May 2023.

More than two thirds of British Columbians (68%) and Ontarians (67%) say they live in a noisier city or town. The numbers are lower in Alberta (64%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (61%), Atlantic Canada (also 61%) and Quebec (56%).

Smaller proportions of Canadians believe their street (46%, +3) and their home (34%, +2) are noisier now than a year ago.

“Only 23% Canadians aged 55 and over say their home is noisier now than a year ago,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are higher among their counterparts aged 18-to-34 (39%) and aged 35-to-54 (41%).”

As was the case in 2023, the occurrence that is most likely to bother Canadians at home is unnecessary noise from vehicles (such as motorcycles and cars revving up) (39%, +7), followed by dogs barking (35%, +5), a car alarm (34%, +12) and construction-related noises (such as roofing, land clearing and heavy machinery) (33%, +4).

More than two-in-five residents of Alberta (43%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (42%) and Ontario (also 42%) were bothered by unnecessary noise from vehicles while at home. The proportions are lower in Atlantic Canada (38%), British Columbia (37%) and Quebec (35%).

Fewer than three-in-ten Canadians mention other noises that bothered them while at home, such as loud people outside (28%, +5), yard work (such as lawnmowers and leaf blowers) (26%, +6), yelling or screaming at a nearby home (24%, +4), loud music playing inside a vehicle (also 24%, +2), power tools (such as electric saws and sanders) (also 24%, +5), drivers honking the horn excessively (22%, +1), loud music at a nearby home (21%, =), a loud gathering or party at a nearby home (also 21%, +5), fireworks (20%, =), a home alarm (12%, +1) or cats meowing (8%, +1).

There is little fluctuation in the behaviour of Canadians to deal with noise, with 17% (+1) wearing earplugs to mitigate noise while inside their home, 11% (=) acquiring hardware, such as noise cancelling headphones or earphones, 8% (-1) reporting noise concerns to the police and 6% (=) moving away from their previous home because of noise.

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from June 17 to June 19, 2025, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

Most British Columbians Are Not Saving Enough for Retirement

July 10, 2025July 10, 2025By Mario Canseco

Two thirds of the province’s residents are “very worried” or “moderately worried” about their financial health.

Vancouver, BC [July 10, 2025] – Concerns about finances are extremely high across British Columbia, as most of the province’s residents admit that they are not saving for their later years, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, 68% of British Columbians say they are “very worried” or “moderately worried” about their financial health.

Fewer British Columbians are currently concerned about their physical health (55%) or their mental health (43%).

Majorities of British Columbians aged 55 and over (57%), aged 18-to-34 (73%) and aged 35-to-54 (76%) say they are currently worried about their financial health.

Mental health concerns are more prevalent among British Columbians aged 18-to-34 (60%) than among their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (46%) and aged 55 and over (28%).

Just under a third of British Columbians (31%) expect their physical health to decline in the next decade, while fewer have similar expectations about their financial health (26%) or their mental health (18%).

“Almost half of British Columbians aged 18-to-34 (47%) foresee their financial health getting better in the next 10 years,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Only a third of those aged 35-to-54 (33%) share the same optimism.”

More than two thirds of British Columbians expect specific resources to be available to them as they get older, including health care (72%), mental health (69%), social services (also 69%) and social networks (also 69%).

Expectations on the availability of health care resources are highest among British Columbians aged 18-to-34 (77%), followed by their counterparts aged 55 and over (71%) and aged 35-to-54 (69%).

The notion of planning for retirement entails putting away a portion of every paycheque for future use. At this point, only 37% of British Columbians who have not retired say they are saving “enough” (29%) or “more than enough” (8%) for their later years.

More than three-in-five British Columbians who have not retired (63%) acknowledge “not saving enough:” (42%) or “saving nothing” (21%) at this stage.

On a regional basis, the proportion of British Columbians who have not retired and who are “saving nothing” for retirement is highest in Northern BC (33%), followed by Vancouver Island (29%), Southern BC (28%), the Fraser Valley (26%) and Metro Vancouver (14%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted on May 20 and May 21, 2025, among 800 adults in British Columbia. The data has been statistically weighted according to census figures for age, gender and region in British Columbia. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.5 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

Flag and Hockey Remain Biggest Sources of Pride for Canadians

June 26, 2025June 25, 2025By Mario Canseco

The health care system, the Canadian economy and Parliament show the biggest gains over the past year.

Vancouver, BC [June 26, 2025] – The flag remains at the top of the list of sources of pride for Canadians, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 79% of Canadians say the flag makes them proud, down three points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in June 2024.

Only four other institutions and features elicit feelings of pride among more than three-in-five Canadians: hockey (72%, +1), the Canadian Armed Forces (66%, -6), multiculturalism (63%, -2) and Indigenous culture (61%, -2).

“Pride in multiculturalism among Canadians has dropped from 74% in 2023 to 63% in 2025,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Perceptions are highest in Atlantic Canada (77%) and lowest in British Columbia (57%).”

Canadians of East Asian descent are more likely to say multiculturalism makes them proud (71%) than their counterparts whose origins are European (63%), South Asian (also 63%) and Indigenous (61%).

More than half of Canadians are proud of the state of democracy in Canada (58%, +3) and the health care system (53%, +5).

The rating is lower for the Canadian justice system (49%, +1), Parliament (48%, +10), the Canadian economy (40%, +6) and the monarchy (39%, +4).

Pride in the health care system is highest in Ontario and Alberta (60% and 58% respectively) and lowest in British Columbia and Quebec (47% and 45% respectively).

While two thirds of Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party in this year’s federal election (66%) are proud of Parliament, the proportion drops to 49% among those who cast ballots for the Conservative Party and to 40% among those who supported the New Democratic Party (NDP).

Men (43%) and Canadians aged 55 and over (also 43%) are more likely to express pride in the Canadian economy than women (37%), Canadians aged 35-to-54 (38%) and Canadians aged 18-to-34 (39%).

The monarchy has a particularly low pride rating in Quebec (29%) and among Canadians aged 35-to-54 (32%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from June 14 to June 16, 2025, among 1,002 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

Canadians Express More Confidence in the Health Care System

May 29, 2025May 29, 2025By Mario Canseco

A shortage of doctors and nurses remains a significant problem, particularly in British Columbia and the Atlantic provinces.

Vancouver, BC [May 29, 2025] – Negative views on the state of Canada’s health care system have subsided over the past year, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, just over seven-in-ten Canadians (71%) are “very confident” or “moderately confident” that the country’s health care system would be there to provide the help and assistance that they would need if they had to face an unexpected medical condition or disease, up seven points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in May 2024.

“More than seven-in-ten Quebecers (76%) and Ontarians (73%) express confidence in the health care system being there for them,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The rating is lower in Alberta (69%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (68%), British Columbia (67%) and Atlantic Canada (59%).”

More than half of Canadians (56%, +3) say there are some good things in Canada’s health care system, but many changes are required, while about one-in-four (23%, +4) think Canada’s health care system works well, and only minor changes are needed to make it work better. Fewer than one-in-five Canadians (17%, -6) believe Canada’s health care system has so much wrong with it that we need to completely rebuild it.

When asked about the biggest problem facing the health care system, more than a third of Canadians (35%, -2) point to a shortageof doctors and nurses, while fewer mention long wait times (23%, -1) and bureaucracy and poor management (16%, +2).

Fewer than one-in-ten Canadians are primarily concerned about four other issues: inadequate resources and facilities (9%, +1), lack of a wider range of services for patients (6%, +2), little focus on preventive care (5%, =) and insufficient standards of hygiene (2%, -1).

Concerns about long wait times are significantly higher than the national average in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (34%), while Quebecers are more likely to say that the biggest problem with the health care system is bureaucracy and poor management (26%).

Alberta has the largest proportion of respondents who think the main hindrance with health care is inadequate resources and facilities (15%), while a shortage of doctors and nurses is the prevalent worry for Atlantic Canadians (49%) and British Columbians (47%).

More than a third of Canadians (36%, +1) think health care in Canada would be better than it is now if it were run by the private sector.

There are some significant age and political differences on this question. Half of Canadians aged 18-to-34 (50%) and almost half of Conservative Party voters in this year’s federal election (48%) believe private health care would be superior to the public system. Significantly fewer Canadians aged 35-to-54 (39%), Canadians aged 55 and over (20%), Liberal Party voters (32%) and New Democratic Party (NDP) voters (28%) concur.

Just under one-in-four Canadians (24%, +4) think the federal government should make cuts to health care funding in order to reduce government debt—a view shared by 33% of Canadians aged 18-to-34.

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from May 4 to May 6, 2025, among 1,001 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

Few Canadians Are Meeting the Recommended Sleep Guidelines

May 15, 2025May 14, 2025By Mario Canseco

The proportion of Canadians who have lost sleep over domestic and international politics had doubled since 2022.

Vancouver, BC [May 15, 2025] – The sleep patterns of most Canadians have not gone through a major fluctuation over the past couple of years, a new Research Co. poll has found.

Health Canada guidelines recommend sleeping from 7 to 9 hours a night. In the online survey of a representative national sample, 35% of Canadians report sleeping anywhere from 7 to 9 hours on a typical weekday or workday, unchanged since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in November 2022.

At least a third of Canadians who reside in Ontario (39%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (also 39%), Atlantic Canada (35%) and British Columbia (34%) meet Health Canada’s recommended sleep guidelines on weekdays. The proportions are lower in Quebec (32%) and Alberta (28%).

More than two-in-five Canadians (45%, +2) sleep anywhere from 7 to 9 hours on a typical weekend or non-workday.

“Almost half of Canadians aged 35-to-54 and aged 55 and over (46% each) are able to sleep from 7 to 9 hours on weekends,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportion drops to 41% among their counterparts aged 18-to-34.”

Three-in-five Canadians (75%, -1) say they wake up “well rested” after a typical night’s sleep on a weekend or non-workday, while seven-in-ten (70%, +1) feel the same way after a typical night’s sleep on a weekday or workday.

About one-in-four Canadians (24%) claim to “never” find it hard to fall asleep at night on an average week. While just over a third of Canadians (35%) find it hard to fall asleep “1 or 2 days” a week, fewer face this scenario for “3 or 4 days” (23%) or “5 to 7 days” (19%).

Fewer than one-in-ten Albertans (9%) say they never find it hard to fall asleep at night. The proportions are markedly higher in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (19%), Ontario (20%), British Columbia (27%), Atlantic Canada (also 27%) and Quebec (28%).

One-in-four Canadians (25%, -1) say no issue made it harder for them to fall asleep at night over the past month. Almost half say money and financial matters (47%, -3) negatively affected their sleep patterns.

Fewer Canadians say worrying about five other issues made it harder for them to fall asleep at night: health (29%, -4), relationships and family (28%, -5), work (24%, -4), Canadian politics (22%, +12) and international politics (20%, +10).

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from April 7 to April 9, 2025, among 1,002 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

Appetite for Pandemic Inquiries Remains High Across Canada

April 3, 2025April 3, 2025By Mario Canseco

More than half of Canadians believe we were right to have strict public health measures in place to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Vancouver, BC [April 3, 2025] – More than three-in-five Canadians believe the country should take a deeper look at the decisions made during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new Research Co. poll has found.

The Government of the United Kingdom is undergoing a public inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic. The terms of reference intend to cover preparedness, the public health response, the response in the health care sector and the economic response.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 64% of Canadians support holding a public inquiry into the way the COVID-19 pandemic was managed by the federal government, up two points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in July 2023.

Public backing for a federal inquiry on COVID-19 encompasses majorities of Canadians who voted for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (74%), the Liberal Party (70%) and the Conservative Party (58%) in the 2021 federal election.

Similar proportions of Canadians believe public inquiries into pandemic management are warranted at the provincial (65%, +5) and municipal (62%, +5) levels.

Support for an inquiry into the provincial management of the pandemic is highest in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (74%), followed by Ontario (67%), British Columbia (65%), Atlantic Canada (64%), Alberta (also 64%) and Quebec (59%).

More than half of Canadians (53%) believe we were right to have strict public health measures in place to stop the spread of COVID-19. Three-in-ten (30%) think the response to the pandemic was probably too heavy-handed, while one-in-ten (10%) say COVID-19 was a hoax and we never should have altered our lives.

“Almost two thirds of Canadians aged 55 and over (65%) believe the response to the pandemic from a public health standpoint was correct,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Fewer Canadians aged 18-to-34 (50%) and aged 35-to-54 (46%) share this view.”

More than half of Canadians brand the way the federal government (52%, +2), their provincial governments (54%, +5) and their municipal governments (52%, +1) managed the pandemic as a “success”. Just under two-in-five feel the same way about the official opposition in Canada (39%, +4) and the official opposition in their province (also 39%, +1).

Our collective perceptions about the media’s performance during COVID-19 have not gone through significant shifts, with about half of Canadians saying television news (53%, +1), radio news (51%, =) and newspapers (49%, =) were successful. The rating is lower for non-governmental organizations (46%, -1), unions (39%, -1) and trade associations (37%, +2).

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted on March 23 and March 24, 2025, among 1,003 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

Almost Half in Canada and USA See Trump Followers as “Cult”

December 4, 2024December 4, 2024By Mario Canseco

Residents of both countries are less critical when assessing people who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Vancouver, BC [December 4, 2024] – A significant proportion of Canadians and Americans hold a particularly negative view of followers of Donald Trump and the Republican Party, a new two-country Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of representative national samples, respondents in Canada and the United States were asked if it is far or unfair to refer to followers of specific people, parties and ideas as a cult.

A cult is often defined as a group which is typically led by a charismatic leader, who tightly controls its members, requiring unwavering devotion to a set of beliefs and practices which are considered outside the norms of society.

Almost half of Canadians (47%) and Americans (46%) think it is fair to refer to followers of the Republican Party and Donald Trump as a cult.

Half of Canadians aged 55 and over (50%) can describe followers of Trump and the Republicans as a cult. The numbers are lower among their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (42%) and aged 18-to-34 (48%).

In the United States, respondents aged 55 and over are less likely to believe it is warranted for followers of Trump and the Republicans to be thought of as a cult (42%) than their counterparts aged 18-to-34 (48%) and aged 35-to-54 (49%).

“Americans who describe themselves as Democrats (76%) and Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party or the New Democratic Paty (NDP) in 2021 (63% and 54% respectively) think it is fair to refer to followers of Trump and the Republicans as a cult,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are lower among Republicans in the United States (41%) and Conservatives in Canada (40%).”

At least two-in-five Canadians (40%) and Americans (42%) think it is warranted to refer to people who participated in the protests and blockades against restrictions and mandates related to the COVID-19 pandemic as a cult. Slightly smaller proportions of Canadians and Americans (36% and 39% respectively) feel the same way about people who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

While 37% of Americans believe it is fair to refer to followers of the Democratic Party and Kamala Harris in the United States as a cult, the proportion drops to 30% in Canada. The results are similar for followers of Robert Kennedy Jr. in the United States (38% in the United States and 29% in Canada).

In Canada, at least a third of respondents believe it is warranted to refer to followers of the Conservative Party and Pierre Poilievre (35%) and followers of the Liberal Party and Justin Trudeau (33%) as cults, The proportions are lower for followers of the New Democratic Party (NDP) and Jagmeet Singh (31%), followers of the People’s Party and Maxime Bernier (also 31%) and followers of the Green Party and Elizabeth May in Canada (26%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from November 8 to November 10, 2024, among 1,000 adults in Canada and 1,001 adults in the United States. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in each country. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, for each country.

Find our data tables for Canada here, data tables for the United States here and download the press release here.

Canadians Growing Skeptical of Childhood Vaccinations

October 16, 2024October 15, 2024By Mario Canseco

Just over three-in-ten continue to believe the debunked idea that there is a connection between the MMR vaccine and autism.

Vancouver, BC [October 16, 2024] – Practically three-in-ten Canadians are opposed to a mandate related to childhood vaccinations, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 29% of Canadians think parents “definitely” or “probably” should be the ones deciding on whether their children should be vaccinated, up nine points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in March 2022.

Just over two thirds of Canadians (67%, -8) say vaccinations for children should “definitely” or “probably” be mandatory in their province.

Support for allowing parents to decide on vaccinations for children is highest in Alberta (34%, +18), followed by Quebec (31%, +16), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (30%, +11), British Columbia (also 30%, +9), Ontario (28%, +3), and Atlantic Canada (also 28%, +3).

In the late 1990s, a study published in the weekly medical journal The Lancet—which has since been discredited and retracted—attempted to link childhood vaccination and autism.

More than three-in-ten Canadians (31%, +12) believe there is a connection between the childhood vaccine for Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) and autism.

“The long-debunked nation of a link between childhood vaccinations and autism is a reality for two-in-five Canadians aged 18-to-34 (40%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Fewer Canadians aged 35-to-54 (36%) and aged 55 and over (19%) hold the same misguided belief.”

Almost three-in-five Canadians (59%, +8) think everyone should be allowed to decide if they want to get vaccinations for seasonal diseases, while almost two-in-five (38%, -3) think the flu vaccine should be mandatory in their province.

Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party in 2021 are more likely to support a mandate for the flu vaccine in their province (46%) than those who cast ballots for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (41%) or the Conservative Party (32%) in the last federal election.

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from October 7 to October 9, 2024, among 1,001 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 data tables here and download the press release here.

British Columbians Worried About Shortage of Doctors and Nurses

October 9, 2024October 9, 2024By Mario Canseco

Almost half of residents endorse the use of SOGI-Inclusive Education, while 77% agree with the K-12 mobile phone ban.

Vancouver, BC [October 9, 2024] – The concerns of British Columbians when pondering the health care system have not varied greatly over the past year, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, more than two-in-five British Columbians (42%, +2 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in November 2023) say the biggest problem facing the health care system right now is a shortage of doctors and nurses, followed by long waiting times (23%, +1) and inadequate resources and facilities (11%, +1).

Fewer British Columbians cite other concerns, such as bureaucracy and poor management (9%, -3), lack of a wider range of services for patients (4%, =), little focus on preventive care (also 4%, -2), vague legal rights of patients (2%, +1) and insufficient standards of hygiene (also 2%, +1).

Health Care

Just under half of British Columbians (49%, -6) say there are some good things in health care in the province, but some changes are required. Smaller proportions of residents hold differing views: that health care in British Columbia has so much wrong with it that we need to completely rebuild it (31%, +1) or that health care in British Columbia works well, and only minor changes are needed to make it work better (16%, +6).

About two-in-five British Columbians say they would be willing to pay out of their own pocket (41%, -5) or travel to another country to have quicker access to medical services that currently have long waiting times (39%, +1).

“Almost half of British Columbians aged 18-to-34 (49%) would consider paying for medical services,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are lower among their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (39%) and aged 55 and over (38%).”

Child Care

More than seven-in-ten British Columbians (72%) think the provincial government should continue to invest in building a flexible child care system that costs families no more than $10 a day—a proportion that rises to 82% in Southern BC and to 80% in Vancouver Island.

Just under four-in-five British Columbians (78%)—and 90% of those aged 55 and over—agree that employers benefit from investments in child care because more parents can go to work.

Education

Some school districts in British Columbia have relied on “SOGI-Inclusive Education”, which raises awareness of and welcomes students of all sexual orientations, gender identities and family structures.

Just under half of British Columbians (49%) agree with the use of “SOGI-Inclusive Education” in the province, while 34% disagree and 16% are not sure.

Support for “SOGI-Inclusive Education” is highest among British Columbians aged 18-to-34 (61%) and residents of Metro Vancouver (52%).

More than three-in-four British Columbians (77%) agree with banning the use of mobile phones during instructional time in K-12 classrooms.

The policy is endorsed by majorities of British Columbians who voted for the BC Liberals (86%), the BC NDP (83%) or the BC Greens (78%) in the 2020 provincial election.

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from September 5 to September 7, 2024, among a representative sample of 801 adults in British Columbia. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in British Columbia. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.5 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

Appetite for Abortion Debate Hits Lowest Point in Canada

August 9, 2024August 6, 2024By Mario Canseco

Fewer than one-in-four Canadians think the discussion about abortion should be re-opened.

Vancouver, BC [August 9, 2024] – Most Canadians remain skeptical about reigniting a debate on abortion in the country, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, almost three-in-five Canadians (58%) believe there is no point in re-opening a debate about abortion in Canada right now, up five points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in April 2022.

Fewer than one-in-four Canadians (23%, -3) think a debate about abortion is long overdue in Canada and the discussion should be re-opened, while 20% (-1) are not sure.

“In July 2019, more than a third of Canadians (37%) were ready to have a debate over abortion,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportion has fallen by 14 points since then.”

Majorities of Canadians who voted for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (68%), the Liberal Party (63%) and the Conservative Party (58%) in the 2021 federal election believe there is no point in re-opening a debate about abortion in Canada right now.

Almost half of Canadians (46%, +2) think abortion should be legal under any circumstances, while just over a third (35%, -2) would allow the procedure only under certain circumstances. Fewer than one-in-ten Canadians (7%, -3) believe abortion should be illegal in all circumstances.

Women are more likely to favour the legality of abortion in all circumstances (49%) than men (44%).

In Canada, abortions are provided on request to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and are funded by the health care system.

Almost half of Canadians (46%) think the health care system should fund abortions whenever they are requested, while more than a third (36%) believe the health care system should only fund abortions in the event of medical emergencies. Only 7% of Canadians think the health care system should not fund abortions at all.

Majorities of Quebecers (52%) and British Columbians (51%) support the health care system funding abortions whenever they are requested. The proportions are lower in Atlantic Canada (44%), Ontario (42%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (40%) and Alberta (38%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from August 5 to August 7, 2024, among 1,001 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 data tables here and download the press release here.

Canadians Ponder the Appropriateness of “No-Show Fees”

August 7, 2024August 6, 2024By Mario Canseco

Majorities endorse them for medical and grooming appointments, but there is a split on their use in restaurants.

Vancouver, BC [August 7, 2024] – Canadians are divided on whether restaurants should be allowed to charge a “no-show fee” when booked appointments are not kept, a new Research Co. has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 44% of Canadians say charging a “no-show fee” if a reservation is missed at a restaurant is “justified”, while 48% believe the practice is “unjustified”.

On a regional basis, most Quebecers (52%) think restaurants are “justified” in charging a “no-show fee”. The proportions are lower in Atlantic Canada (44%), British Columbia (43%), Ontario (42%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (41%) and Alberta (33%).

More than half of Canadians think “no-show fees” are justified if appointments are missed with the dentist (59%), a doctor or medical specialist (57%), the barber or hair salon (53%) or for pet grooming (51%).

Over the course of the past year, just over one-in-four Canadians (26%) say they have missed a reservation or appointment, while 74% have not.

“More than two-in-five Canadians aged 18-to-34 (43%) missed a booked appointment over the past year,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are significantly lower among their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (27%) and aged 55 and over (9%).”

The most missed appointments belong to doctors and medical specialists (15%), followed by dentists (11%), restaurants (9%), barbers or hair salons (8%) and pet grooming (3%).

Canadians who were unable to meet a reservation or appointment cite personal issues (40%) as their main reason for not arriving. Other excuses mentioned by these respondents are scheduling (27%), transportation (26%), work (25%), family (24%) and the weather (21%).

More than four-in-five Canadians (85%) have not paid a “no-show fee” in the past year, while 15% had to cover a charge after missing an appointment. Dentists and doctors were the main recipients of “no-show fees” (7% each), followed by restaurants (6%), barbers and hair salons (4%) and pet grooming establishments (also 4%).

More than one-in-four Canadians aged 18-to-34 (27%) had to pay a “no-show fee” in the past year, compared to 13% among those aged 35-to-54 and 5% among those aged 55 and over.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from July 5 to July 7, 2024, among 1,001 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 20.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.