Category: Health Care

Canadians Question Effect of Proposed Sexual Education Policies

Canadians Question Effect of Proposed Sexual Education Policies

By Mario Canseco

Support for “SOGI-Inclusive Education” is strong among all Canadians and parents or guardians of children aged 0-to-18.

Vancouver, BC [July 12, 2024] – Practically half of Canadians endorse the use of “SOGI-Inclusive Education” in their province’s classrooms, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 48% of Canadians support this type of sexual education in schools. Just over three-in-ten Canadians (31%) are opposed to it, and 21% are undecided.

“SOGI-Inclusive Education” raises awareness of and welcomes students of all sexual orientations, gender identities and family structures. More than half of Canadian parents or guardians of children aged 0-to-18 (52%) support “SOGI-Inclusive Education”, while a third (33%) are opposed and 15% are not sure.

On average, Canadians think children should begin to learn about sexuality at the age of 12 and a half (12.51 years).

Canadians of European descent believe sexual education should start earlier (11.83 years) than their counterparts whose origins are Indigenous (12.47 years), East Asian (12.53 years) and South Asian (14.58 years).

On this question, the differences are slight in the average age provided by Canadians who voted for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (12.03 years), the Liberal Party (12.24 years) and the Conservative Party (12.74 years) in the 2020 federal election.

Respondents were asked to weigh in on eight different policies that were introduced this year by the Government of Alberta. At least three-in-five Canadians agree with three of these ideas: banning top and bottom surgeries for minors aged 17 and under (66%, and 70% among parents), banning hormone therapies for gender affirmation and puberty blockers for minors aged 15 and under (61%, and 67% among parents) and compelling schools to advise parents and obtain their consent if a minor aged 15 and under wishes to alter their name or pronouns (60%, and 61% among parents).

Most Canadians and parents also voice agreement with three other policies: compelling schools to advise parents if a minor aged 16 or 17 wishes to alter their name or pronouns (59%, and 62% among parents), ensuring that parents “opt-in” any minors every time topics such as gender identity, sexual orientation or sexuality are discussed in the classroom (55%, and 61% among parents) and banning transgender women from taking part in women’s sports leagues competitions (54%, and 58% among parents).

Agreement is lower for two other policies: the provincial education ministry approving all third-party teaching materials on gender identity, sexual orientation or sexuality that are used in the classroom. (48%, and 50% among parents) and allowing minors aged 16 and 17 to start hormone therapies for gender affirmation if they have the approval of their parents, a physician and a psychologist (45%, and 44% among parents).

Canadians are not convinced that the outcome of these policies will be universally positive. Just under half think it is likely that parents will be in full control of the way their children learn about sexuality (48%) and that gender-diverse youth will be placed at risk (also 48%).

More than a third of Canadians also foresee medical practitioners (such as doctors and psychologists) being unable to assess the ethical and medical implications of individual cases (43%), gender-diverse youth being unable to seek support from teachers or school staff (also 43%), an increase in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) (40%) and an increase in teenage pregnancies (35%).

“Canadian parents are more likely to predict a negative outcome from some of Alberta’s proposed sexual education policies,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “More than half (51%) think their implementation will place gender-diverse youth at risk.”

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from June 8 to June 10, 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. 

For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Canadians Becoming Less Proud of Economy and Multiculturalism

Canadians Becoming Less Proud of Economy and Multiculturalism

By Mario Canseco

The flag, the Armed Forces and hockey remain at the top the list of sources of pride for the country’s residents.

Vancouver, BC [July 5, 2024] – Over the past year, the perceptions of Canadians on two institutions and features of the country have become significantly more negative, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 65% of Canadians say multiculturalism makes them proud, down nine points since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in June 2023.

Canadians of European descent are less likely to be proud of multiculturalism (64%) than their counterparts whose origins are Indigenous (73%), East Asian (also 73%) and South Asian (84%).

Only 34% of Canadians (-8) say the Canadian economy makes them proud. Almost half of those who voted for the Liberal Party in 2021 (48%) are proud of the Canadian economy, compared to 32% among New Democratic Party (NDP) voters and 31% among Conservative Party voters in the last federal election.

“In 2019, four-in-five Canadians (80%) said they were proud of the national economy,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportion has fallen by 46 points since then.”

More than four-in-five Canadians (82%, +2) say the Canadian flag makes them proud, and more than seven-in-ten feel the same way about the Canadian Armed Forces (72%, +2) and hockey (71%, -1).

More than half of Canadians are proud of Indigenous culture (63%, -3), bilingualism (58%, -6) and the state of democracy in Canada (55%, -6).

Bilingualism is more likely to be a source of pride for Canadians aged 18-to-34 (69%) than for their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (53%) and aged 55 and over (51%).

Fewer than half of Canadians are proud of the Canadian justice system (48%, -2) and the health care system (also 48%, -2).

Fewer than half of residents of Atlantic Canada (28%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (34%) and Quebec (46%) say the health care system makes them proud. The proportions are higher in Alberta (50%), British Columbia (52%) and Ontario (57%).

Fewer than two-in-five Canadians are proud of Parliament (38%, -7) and the monarchy (35%, -8).

Only 28% of Canadians who voted for the Conservatives in 2021 are proud of Parliament, compared to 28% for those who supported the New Democrats and 43% for those who voted for the Liberals.

The monarchy is more likely to be a source of pride for residents of British Columbia (45%). The proportions are lower in Ontario (39%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (35%), Alberta (29%), Quebec (32%) and Atlantic Canada (25%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from June 23 to June 25, 2024, among 1,000 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, 19 times out of 20.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Pessimistic Views on Health Care Take Hold in Canada

Pessimistic Views on Health Care Take Hold in Canada

By Mario Canseco

The proportion of Canadians who think the system should be completely rebuilt has jumped to 23% in 2024. 

Vancouver, BC [June 6, 2024] – The perceptions of Canadians on the health care system have become more negative in the past year, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, almost one-in-four Canadians (23%) think Canada’s health care system has so much wrong with it that we need to completely rebuild it, up six points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in April 2023.

Just under one-in-five Canadians (19%, -1) think Canada’s health care system works well, and only minor changes are needed to make it work better, while more than half (53%, -3) say there are some good things in Canada’s health care system, but many changes are required.

Fewer than two thirds of Canadians (64%) 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. This represents a 15-point drop from the first time Research Co. asked this question, in January 2019.

This year, confidence in the health care system is highest in Ontario (68%), followed by Alberta (67%), Quebec (64%), British Columbia (also 64%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (also 64%). Perceptions are lower, by a significant margin, in Atlantic Canada (49%).

When asked about the biggest problem facing the health care system, 37% of Canadians (+2) select a shortage of doctors and nurses, followed by long wait times (24%, +1) and bureaucracy and poor management (14%, -3).

Fewer than one-in-ten Canadians mention four other issues: inadequate resources and facilities (8%, -1), little focus on preventive care (5%, -1), lack of a wider range of services for patients (4%, -2) and insufficient standards of hygiene (3%, +2).

“Concerns about health care in Canada vary greatly across the country,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Quebecers are more preoccupied with long wait times (30%) than the national average, while Atlantic Canadians and British Columbians are worried about a shortage of doctors and nurses (53% and 41% respectively).”

Fewer than one-in-five Canadians (19%, +1) believe the federal government should make cuts to health care funding in order to reduce government debt.

More than a third of Canadians (35%, +2) believe health care in Canada would be better than it is now if it were run by the private sector. While only 24% of Canadians aged 55 agree with this statement, the proportions rise to 35% among those aged 35-to-54 and to 46% among those aged 18-to-34.

Canadians who voted for the Conservative Party in the last federal election are more likely to think that health care delivery would be superior under the private sector (48%) than those who cast ballots for the Liberal Party (31%) or the New Democratic Party (NDP) (21%) in 2021.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from May 20 to May 22, 2024, among 1,000 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. 

For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

What Do British Columbians Think About $10aDay Child Care?

What Do British Columbians Think About $10aDay Child Care?

By Mario Canseco

Practically four-in-five British Columbians agree that employers benefit from investments in child care cause more parents can go to work.

Introduction

In March 2024, the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC worked with Research Co.[1] to conduct a provincial poll asking British Columbians about their views on $10aDay child care. The poll results add to the extensive input we regularly receive from over 20,000 $10aDay supporters and through outreach to and engagement in communities across the province. We also meet with government officials and carry out research and analysis – all to inform and update our $10aDay policy and funding recommendations.

The new provincial poll explores public views of $10aDay child care 6 years after the program’s launch in BC, and 5 years after our last provincial poll. To support comparisons over time, some polling questions are consistent with previous polls. Others reflect the new context (e.g. post-COVID, new federal funding, system implementation now underway) and the interest in flexible approaches to child care within the evolving $10aDay system.

Summary of Findings

British Columbians continue to strongly support $10aDay child care[2]. Nearly 80% of British Columbians say it’s important for government to continue with its $10aDay commitments and three quarters (76%) think implementation should be moving more quickly. 75% of British Columbians also agree that flexible child care options are needed as more parents today work outside of Monday to Friday 9-5.

While only 9%[3] of all the licensed child care spaces in BC are currently $10aDay, 20% of British Columbians report they’ve been personally touched by $10aDay child care, either directly or through someone they know. Notably, 35% of 18–34-year-olds have benefitted themselves or know someone who has.

At the same time, 84% of BC families with young children report that long waiting lists for child care are still a problem. This is not surprising as there are only enough licensed child care spaces for 23%[4] of young children in BC. 43% of families with young children reported that they had to wait more than 6 months for child care.

Overall, 70% of British Columbians with young children say that government has made child care more affordable for their family, and 88% confirm that they would like to have access to $10aDay child care.

Highlights

The poll asked British Columbians to consider 17 $10aDay policy recommendations. While the results show that support drops slightly for older age groups, and men relative to women, overall, the recommendations were broadly supported (see charts below).

Specifically,

  • 84% of British Columbians agree it’s important for Early Childhood Educators to earn fair wages for their important work.
  • 81% agree that all elementary schools should provide before and after school care for the children in that school.
  • 75% agree that Indigenous children should have access to culturally safe child care programs.
  • 72% agree that child care should be publicly available like elementary schools.
  • 71% agree that BC cannot create and staff more child care programs without ensuring fair compensation for Early Childhood Educators.
  • 67% agree that, with substantial public funds being invested, government should ensure child care programs are non-profit.

Furthermore,

  • 90% of young people (aged 18-34) think it’s important to keep building the $10aDay child care system, and 58% say this issue will be vote-determining for them in the upcoming BC election.

 

  • Among older British Columbians,
  • 90% think it’s important for Early Childhood Educators to earn fair wages.
  • 78% think BC’s child care system should help parents who work non-traditional schedules.
  • 76% agree that all new child care facilities in BC should be built to be climate resilient.

 

  • $10aDay child care is a vote-determining issue for nearly half the population (45%), which is far more than the percent of the population who presently needs child care for young children. 

On affordability,

  • 85% of British Columbians – and 88% of those over 55 – agree that having children now costs a lot more than it did 40 years ago.
  • 82% agree child care is important to support working parents.
  • 80% agree that single parents have a better opportunity to work when there’s access to quality flexible $10aDay child care.
  • 78% confirm that when child care is affordable and available, more mothers can work and pay taxes.

On the economic impacts of child care,

  • 78% of British Columbians agree that employers benefit from investments in child care because more parents can go to work.
  • 78% agree that investing in child care is beneficial to the economy.
  • 67%of parents with recent child care experience said a parent had to remain away from work for a longer period following the end of parental leave because child care was unavailable..

These poll results confirm what we hear from families, educators, and communities across BC. Public support for $10aDay Child Care remains very strong and consistent.

When asked what they knew about $10aDay child care, one respondent summarized the general sentiment expressed throughout this provincial poll, saying “it’s been in the works for some time, and we need to get it done”.

The Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC gratefully acknowledges the support of Employment and Social Development Canada.

[1] Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from March 21 to March 23, 2024, among 803 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.

In this survey, we asked questions related to child care (sometimes referred to as childcare, daycare or preschool). For the purpose of this survey, child care is defined as the caring and supervision of a child 0-12 years old that is performed by a person other than the child’s legal guardians for part of or all of a day. The care may take place in a licensed/regulated setting or in an unregulated and informal setting.

Consult the data tables here and here.

[2] See summary of 2019 survey here.

[3] Data as of March 2024, as reported by the BC Government’s child care data dashboard, accessed May 23, 2024 (calculation:13,571 $10aDay spaces / 148,383 total spaces participating in government programs). On March 28, 2024 the BC Government announced the total number of $10aDay spaces would be increasing to 15,300 in April, 2024.

[4] Calculation: 148,383 total spaces (as cited above) divided by the government-projected 2024 population of children 0-12 (accessed May 23, 2024).

Download the press release here. 

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Sharon Gregson, $10aDay Child Care Plan.
604.505.5725
[e] info@10aday.ca

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Canadians Taking Different Routes to Deal with Inflation

Canadians Taking Different Routes to Deal with Inflation

By Mario Canseco

More than half are shopping around for bargains, instead of acquiring all groceries and toiletries in the same store.

Vancouver, BC [May 15, 2024] – Most Canadians say they are paying more for specific items now than in November 2023, and dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs is directed primarily at governments and retailers, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, more than two thirds of Canadians say the price they pay for five items has increased in the past six months: vegetables (79%), fruits (77%), beef (73%), chicken (also 73%) and bread (68%).

More than half of Canadians also report more expensive cereal (65%), prepared frozen meals (65%), laundry detergent (60%), shampoo (58%) and soap (56%).

One third of Canadians (33%) think the actions of governments are primarily to blame for items becoming more expensive, while just under one-in-four (23%) think the actions of supermarket retailers and grocery stores are chiefly responsible.

Fewer Canadians point the finger at the actions of product manufacturers and suppliers (18%), global political conflicts affecting supplies (15%), labour and supply setbacks (7%), climate change (6%) or the actions of farmers and growers (2%) for the rising costs of the items they buy.

“More than half of Albertans (54%) blame the actions of governments for the rising cost of groceries and toiletries,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Only 26% of Quebecers feel the same way.”

There are some striking political differences on this question. Canadians who voted for the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the last federal election are more likely to believe that the actions of supermarket retailers and grocery stores are to blame for rising costs (36%) than those who voted for the Liberal Party (26%) or the Conservative Party (18%).

Conversely, half of Conservative voters in 2021 (50%) think the actions of governments are responsible for the current scenario. Only 25% of Liberal voters and 15% of NDP voters concur.

More than three-in-four Canadians think the federal government (80%) and their provincial governments (76%) can do a lot to help lower the price of groceries.

More than half of Canadians have taken two actions to deal with higher prices in the past six months: buying items at different stores (instead of at a single one) (57%) and switching packaged food brands to lower priced alternatives (52%).

Fewer Canadians are using apps to collect points at a retailer (42%), using online coupons (35%) or using printed coupons (28%) Only 17% have boycotted or stopped going to a specific retailer.

Reliance on apps to collect points at a retailer is highest in Atlantic Canada (50%), followed by Saskatchewan and Manitoba (48%), Ontario (46%), Alberta (42%), British Columbia (40%) and Quebec (33%).

About a third of Canadians (32%) say their diet has not been healthy over the past two months—a proportion that rises to 37% among women, 37% among Canadians aged 18-to-34 and 36% among those in the lowest income bracket.

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from May 6 to May 8, 2024, among 1,000 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, 19 times out of 20.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Four Years Later, British Columbians Assess the Pandemic

Four Years Later, British Columbians Assess the Pandemic

By Mario Canseco

More than half of residents are satisfied with the way their family, their friends and all levels of government tackled COVID-19.

Vancouver, BC [March 27, 2024] – Most British Columbians believe their elected officials did a good job in managing the public health emergency that began to affect the world four years ago, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, 58% of British Columbians are satisfied with the way their municipal government handled COVID-19.

Majorities of British Columbians are also satisfied with how the provincial government (52%) and the federal government (51%) managed the pandemic. The rating is significantly lower for the official opposition in both Victoria (36%) and Ottawa (35%).

More than seven-in-ten British Columbians are satisfied with the way their family (78%) and their friends (74%) handled COVID-19. At least half feel the same way about television news (55%), radio news (52%) and newspapers (50%).

Almost half of British Columbians (49%) are satisfied with how non-governmental associations managed the pandemic. The rating is lower for trade associations (39%) and unions (also 39%).

More than half of British Columbians (52%) believe COVID-19 is “definitely” or “probably” still a threat now—a proportion that rises to 61% among those aged 55 and over.

Three-in-five British Columbians (60%, -2 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in February 2023) believe we are in a different moment and there is no need for additional public health measures related to COVID-19.

Just over one-in-four of the province’s residents (26%, +8) think we should continue to have strict public health measures in place to stop the spread of COVID-19, while 7% (-2) say COVID-19 was a hoax and we never should have altered our lives.

Respondents to this survey were asked to select their five most trusted sources of information in the event a new public health emergency were to occur this month. Almost three-in-five (58%) select their family doctor, while half mention BC Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry (50%) and the BC Centre for Disease Control (also 50%).

The only other entities listed that are included by at least one-in-four British Columbians are medical staff at health clinics (36%), the provincial government (33%), the federal government (31%), Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam (also 31%) and television news (26%).

British Columbians are divided when asked if they expect to experience “mask mandates” in the near future. Just over two-in-five of the province’s residents (41%) think making it mandatory to wear a mask or face covering when entering an indoor premise is a possibility in the next four years, while almost half (48%) disagree with this assessment.

“There are significant regional differences when British Columbians ponder masking,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “While more than two-in-five residents of Northern BC (48%), Metro Vancouver (44%) and Vancouver Island (42%) think the return of this policy is possible, the proportions are lower in the Fraser Valley (38%) and Southern BC (28%).”

Majorities of British Columbians reject the notion of three other guidelines being reimplemented in the next four years: capacity restrictions for worship services, concerts and sporting events (54%), “proof of vaccination” certificates to access specific venues and locations (55%) and a ban on travel to other Canadian provinces (68%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted on March 4 to March 6, 2024, among 800 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. 

For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Canadians Like Pharmacare Deal, Have High Hopes on Scope

Canadians Like Pharmacare Deal, Have High Hopes on Scope

By Mario Canseco

Only one-in-four Canadians believe the Conservatives should cancel the national program if they form the next government.

Vancouver, BC [March 6, 2024] – Two thirds of Canadians appear satisfied with a recent announcement related to pharmacare, but perceptions differ on the ultimate reach of the national program, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the final weekend of February, New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh announced that a deal had been reached with the governing Liberal Party to establish a national pharmacare program.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 67% of Canadians welcome the establishment of a national pharmacare program, while 20% disagree and 13% are undecided.

“More than two thirds of British Columbians (72%), Atlantic Canadians (69%) and Ontarians (also 69%) are happy with the recent pharmacare announcement,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Majorities of Canadians who reside in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (66%), Alberta (65%) and Quebec (62%) share the same view.”

Fewer than three-in-ten Canadians (27%) believe their province should opt-out of the national pharmacare program.

In Quebec and Alberta, two provinces in which the sitting premiers have signaled their intention to opt-out of the national pharmacare program, about half of respondents (48% and 54% respectively) disagree with this course of action.

Fewer than half of Canadians (46%) say they trust the current Liberal government to roll out the national pharmacare program, while 42% do not and 12% are not sure.

Confidence in the current federal administration to manage this program reaches 49% among Canadians aged 18-to-34, but drops to 45% among those aged 35 to 54 and those aged 55 and over.

Only 25% of Canadians believe that the Conservative Party should cancel the national pharmacare program if they form the government after the next federal election.

More than two thirds of Canadians who voted for the Liberals (68%) or the NDP (67%) in the 2021 federal election disagree with the eventual abandonment of the national pharmacare program, along with 44% of those who cast ballots for the Conservatives.

Sizeable majorities of Canadians believe insulin for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes (85%) and contraceptives and birth control (71%) should “definitely” or “probably” be included in the national pharmacare program.

More than three-in-five Canadians think six other types of medication should also be covered by the national pharmacare program: blood pressure medication (84%), antibiotics (82%), cholesterol lowering medication (77%), antidepressants (73%), anticoagulants (68%) and pain relievers (65%).

Fewer than half of Canadians would add nutritional supplements (47%) and vitamins (also 47%) to the list of substances that should be included in the national pharmacare program.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from February 25 to February 27, 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. 

For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Canadians Approve of Processes to Decrease Infertility

Canadians Approve of Processes to Decrease Infertility

By Mario Canseco

Three-in-four Canadians agree with proposals for the health care system to cover the cost of in vitro fertilization in their province.

Vancouver, BC [January 24, 2024] – Few Canadians express reservations about specific processes that can help people conceive, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, almost four-in-five Canadians (78%) approve of In vitro fertilization, a process of fertilization where an egg is combined with sperm in vitro.

Similar proportions of Canadians approve of sperm donation (76%), egg donation (also 76%) and surrogacy, a process in which a woman carries and delivers a child for a couple or individual (74%).

Across Canada, more than two-in-five residents (41%) say themselves or someone they know have been affected by infertility—including 47% of women and 47% of Canadians aged 18-to-34.

Practically seven-in-ten Canadians who have experienced infertility, or who have a family member, friend, colleague who has (69%), say that cost was a barrier to proceeding with treatment.

At the present time, three provinces—British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan—lack specific guidelines for the health care system to cover the cost of in vitro fertilization.

About three-in-ten Canadians (29%) endorse the model currently in place in Ontario and Quebec, which covers the costs of one round of in vitro fertilization treatment. About one-in-five Canadians (21%) select the system adopted by Manitoba and Nova Scotia, which offer a tax credit of up to 40 per cent of in vitro fertilization treatment costs.

Fewer Canadians express a preference for two other funding models: a one-time grant of $5,000 to be used for in vitro fertilization treatment which is currently in place in New Brunswick (14%) or a grant of $5,000 to be used for in vitro fertilization treatment for a maximum of three cycles, which has been implemented in Newfoundland and Labrador (11%).

“Only 25% of Canadians think in vitro fertilization should not be funded by the health care system,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “This includes 28% of men, 35% of Canadians aged 55 and over and 32% of Conservative Party voters in the 2021 federal election.”

Earlier this month, Pope Francis called for a ban on surrogacy, stating: “I consider despicable the practice of so-called surrogate motherhood, which represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child, based on the exploitation of situations of the mother’s material needs.”

Just under a third of Canadians (32%) are in favour of banning surrogacy, while a majority (57%) disagree and 12% are undecided.

Rejection to a ban on surrogacy reaches 61% among women and 63% among Canadians aged 55 and over.

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from January 12 to January 14, 2024, among 1,000 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, 19 times out of 20.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Willingness to Pay for Health Care Access Rises in British Columbia

Willingness to Pay for Health Care Access Rises in British Columbia

By Mario Canseco

Two-in-five British Columbians say a shortage of doctors and nurses is the biggest problem facing the system right now.

Vancouver, BC [December 15, 2023] – The proportion of British Columbians who are ready to explore different options in health care has grown over the past year, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, 46% of British Columbians say they would be willing to pay out of their own pocket to have quicker access to medical services that currently have long waiting times, up six points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in September 2022.

Just under two-in-five British Columbians (38%, +5) would consider travelling to another country to have quicker access to medical services that currently have long waiting times.

“Just over half of British Columbians aged 18-to-34 (51%) would consider paying for specific medical services,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Almost half (46%) are willing to travel abroad to access them.”

In September 2020, a B.C. Supreme Court justice ruled that access to private health care is not a constitutional right, even if wait times for care under the public system are too long.

Almost half of British Columbians (49%, =) disagree with the decision of the B.C. Supreme Court justice, while more than a third (36%, -1) agree and 15% (+1) are undecided.

Most British Columbians (55%, +5) think there are some good things in the province’s health care system, but some changes are required. Three-in-ten (30%, -1) say health care in the province has so much wrong with it that we need to completely rebuild it, while one-in-ten (10%, -3) believe health care in the province works well, and only minor changes are needed to make it work better.

Two-in-five British Columbians (40%, -10) identify a shortage of doctors and nurses as the biggest problem facing the health care system right now, followed by long waiting times (22%, +4). Only two other issues reach double digits: bureaucracy and poor management (12%, +2) and inadequate resources and facilities (10%, +3).

Residents of Vancouver Island (54%) and Southern BC (50%) are more likely to select a shortage of doctors and nurses as the most pressing health care concern than their counterparts in the Fraser Valley (44%), Northern BC (41%) and Metro Vancouver (35%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from November 9 to November 11, 2023, among 800 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. 

Photo Credit: waferboard 

For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Canadians Hold Mixed Views on Gender Identity in the Classroom

Canadians Hold Mixed Views on Gender Identity in the Classroom

By Mario Canseco

At least three-in-five Canadians endorse both same-sex marriage and the federal government’s ban on “conversion therapy”.

Vancouver, BC [August 4, 2023] – Almost half of Canadians believe there is no need for teachers to advise parents in the event a child aged 16 and under chooses a new name or pronoun, a new Research Co. poll has found.

New Brunswick’s Policy 713 seeks to prohibit teachers from using the preferred names and pronouns of students aged 16 and under without the consent of their parents.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 49% of Canadians think it should be mandatory for teachers to address students aged 16 and under using their preferred pronouns or names without having to inform their parents.

“Almost three-in-five Canadians aged 18-to-34 (59%) believe that a name or pronoun change in the classroom should be permitted without parental disclosure,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are lower among Canadians aged 35-to-54 (45%) and aged 55 and over (44%).”

More than half of Canadians (54%) believe a specific situation does merit a conversation between a teacher and a child’s parents: a student aged 16 and under expressing a desire to change his or her gender.

Canadians aged 55 and over (60%) and Albertans (61%) are more likely to believe that a conversation about affirmation or reassignment between a teacher and a student aged 16 and under should be revealed to his or her parents.

In January 2022, legislation that came into effect that makes it illegal to promote, advertise, or profit from providing “conversion therapy”, or to subject a person, consenting or not, to “conversion therapy” in Canada.

Proponents of “conversion therapy” believe that individuals who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gender diverse, queer, and Two-Spirit (LGBTQ2+) can be “converted” into heterosexuals through psychological or spiritual intervention.

More than half of Canadians (52%, -5 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in April 2022) think “conversion therapy” is impossible and three-in-five (60%, -2) agree with the government’s decision to outlaw the practice in the country.

The ban on “conversion therapy” is supported by 70% of Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party in the 2021 federal election, 73% of those who backed the New Democratic Party (NDP) and 56% of those who cast ballots for Conservative Party candidates.

Just under two thirds of Canadians (64%, -2) think same-sex couples should continue to be allowed to legally marry in the country.

Fewer Canadians would prefer to bring back the concept of civil unions for same-sex couples (14%, +2), and one-in-ten (10%, =) would not allow for any kind of legal recognition for same-sex couples.

Support for same-sex marriage is highest in Atlantic Canada (71%), followed by Saskatchewan and Manitoba (68%), Ontario (65%), Quebec (64%), Alberta (61%) and British Columbia (59%).

On one question, Canadians are more divided now than in 2022. Just over a third (34%, +6) believe people choose to identify as LGBTQ2+, while 36% (-6) think people are born as LGBTQ2+ and 30% (-1) are undecided.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from July 20 to July 22, 2023, among 1,000 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. 

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Almost Two Thirds of Canadians Content with COVID-19 Measures

Almost Two Thirds of Canadians Content with COVID-19 Measures

By Mario Canseco

More than three-in-five support holding a public inquiry into the way the federal government managed the pandemic.

Vancouver, BC [July 26, 2023] – Most Canadians believe the country is currently in a good situation when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 64% of Canadians believe we are in a different moment and there is no need for additional public health measures related to COVID-19.

Just over one-in-five Canadians (22%) think we should continue to have strict public health measures in place to stop the spread of COVID-19, while fewer than one-in-ten (10%) say COVID-19 was a hoax and we never should have altered our lives.

“In November 2021, two thirds of Canadians were in favour of vaccine passports for office workers,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “This month, a similar proportion believe no supplementary actions are required anymore to deal with COVID-19.”

About half of Canadians believe the federal government (50%), their provincial governments (49%) and their municipal governments (51%) were successful in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. The rating is lower for the official opposition in Canada (35%) and the official opposition in their province (38%).

While 74% of Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party in 2021 think the federal government’s pandemic management was a success, the rating is lower among those who cast ballots for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (53%) or the Conservative Party (32%).

About half of Canadians also think the media was successful in dealing with the pandemic, in the form of television news (52%), radio news (51%) and newspapers (49%). Fewer Canadians think non-governmental organizations (47%), unions (40%) and trade associations (35%) were successful in managing COVID-19.

The Government of the United Kingdom has announced 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.

More than half of Canadians believe similar public inquiries are warranted at three different levels: federal (62%, -4 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in April 2022), provincial (61%, -3) and municipal (57%, -4).

Support for a federal public inquiry into pandemic management is highest in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (74%), followed by Ontario (65%), Alberta (62%), Quebec (61%), Atlantic Canada (56%) and British Columbia (53%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from July 16 to July 18, 2023, among 1,000 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. 

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490

[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

 

BC NDP Extends Advantage in British Columbia’s Political Scene

BC NDP Extends Advantage in British Columbia’s Political Scene

By Mario Canseco

Crime and public safety rise markedly as issues of concern for residents, going from 5% in February to 14% in May.

Vancouver, BC [May 9, 2023] – Public backing for the governing BC New Democratic Party (NDP) has increased over the past three months in British Columbia, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, 46% of decided voters would support the BC NDP candidate in their constituency if an election took place today, up two points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in February.

BC United is in second place with 33% (-3 since the previous survey as BC Liberals), followed by the BC Green Party with 16% (=) and the Conservative Party of BC with 4% (+2).

“Female decided voters in British Columbia pick the BC New Democrats over BC United by a two-to-one margin (50% to 24%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The two parties are practically tied among male decided voters (42% for the BC NDP and 41% for BC United).”

Respondents to this survey were asked if they would consider voting for each of the four main parties if they ran a candidate in their constituency in the next provincial election. The BC Conservatives featured candidates in 10 of 87 constituencies in the 2017 provincial election, and in 19 of 87 ridings in the 2020 ballot.

More than three-in-five British Columbians (61%) say they would “definitely” or “probably” consider casting a ballot for the BC NDP candidate in their riding. The rating is lower for BC United (46%), the BC Greens (37%) and the BC Conservatives (25%).

Premier and BC NDP leader David Eby maintains an approval rating of 59% across the province. The numbers are lower for BC Greens leader Sonia Furstenau (40%, -2), BC United leader Kevin Falcon (38%, -6) and BC Conservative leader John Rustad (18%).

Just under a third of British Columbians (32%, -2) select housing, homelessness and poverty as the most important issue facing the province, followed by health care (28%, -1), crime and public safety (14%, +9), the economy and jobs (12%, -1) and the environment (4%, -2).

Housing, homelessness and poverty is the prevalent concern for residents of the Fraser Valley (41%), Southern BC (35%) and Metro Vancouver (33%). Health care is the main worry for residents of Vancouver Island (32%), while the economy and jobs dominates in Northern BC (28%).

Public safety is a greater concern for residents of Metro Vancouver (16%), Vancouver Island (15%) and Southern BC (12%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from May 1 to May 3, 2023, among 800 adults in British Columbia. 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 plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Most Canadians Back Status Quo on Medical Assistance in Dying

Most Canadians Back Status Quo on Medical Assistance in Dying

By Mario Canseco

Views are more nuanced on expanding the guidelines beyond “grievous and irremediable” medical conditions.

Vancouver, BC [May 5, 2023] – More than seven-in-ten Canadians believe the country has the right policies in place to allow people to seek medical assistance in dying, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 73% of Canadians (down three points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in January 2021) are in favour of the practice under the current federal guidelines:

  • 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.

Compared to January 2021, there is little movement when Canadians are asked about their personal feelings on this issue. Almost three-in-five (58%, =) think medical assistance in dying should be allowed, but only under specific circumstances.

One-in-five Canadians (20%, =) believe medical assistance in dying should always be allowed, regardless of who requests it, while 12% (+1) believe it should never be permitted.

In Alberta, almost one-in-five residents (19%) would prefer to ban medical assistance in dying. In Atlantic Canada, almost three-in-ten residents (28%) think the practice should be available to anyone.

Almost half of Canadians (48%, +5) are satisfied with the regulations that are currently in place in the country to manage the issue of medical assistance in dying, while 27% (+1) are dissatisfied and 25% (-6) are undecided.

Satisfaction with the existing guidelines related to medical assistance in dying is highest in Quebec (53%), followed by British Columbia (52%), Ontario (46%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (also 46%), Atlantic Canada (44%) and Alberta (40%).

At this point, only an adult with a grievous and irremediable medical condition can seek medical assistance in dying in Canada. Respondents were asked if people should be able to seek medical assistance in dying because of five different reasons.

Half of Canadians would agree to allow adults in Canada to seek medical assistance in dying due to an inability to receive medical treatment (51%) or a disability (50%). Fewer than three-in-ten would consent to expand the guidelines to include homelessness (28%) or poverty (27%) as reasons to seek medical assistance in dying.

Canadians are split when pondering if mental illness should be a justification for an adult to seek medical assistance in dying: 43% support this idea, while 45% are opposed. The federal government has delayed a final decision for eligibility related to mental illness until March 2024.

Just over two-in-five Canadians (42%) think people who help a person to commit suicide should be prosecuted, while just over a third (34%) disagree and 23% are undecided.

“More than half of Canadians aged 18-to-34 (52%) think counselling a person to end their lives should continue to be a crime,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Fewer Canadians aged 35-to-54 (41%) and aged 55 and over (34%) hold the same view.”

When asked about the appropriate punishment for a parent who is found guilty of assisting a terminally ill son or daughter to die, one-in-four Canadians (24%) select no penalty at all.

Fewer than one-in-ten Canadians (8%) believe this action warrants a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, while 29% would consent to a prison sentence at the discretion of a judge, and 14% would deal with it through a fine, but no time in prison.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from April 22 to April 24, 2023, among 1,000 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. 

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490

[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Fun and No Boss Motivate Canada’s Prospective Entrepreneurs

Fun and No Boss Motivate Canada’s Prospective Entrepreneurs

By Mario Canseco

More than a third of Canadians who have considered starting a new business say not having enough savings holds them back.

Vancouver, BC [April 26, 2023] – Canadians who have thought about entrepreneurship are primarily moved by the promise of doing something they enjoy and not having to report to anyone,  a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 44% of Canadians say they have considered starting or operating a business of their own.

Canadians aged 18-to-34 are significantly more likely to have pondered entrepreneurship (54%) than their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (47%) and aged 55 and over (28%).

Canada’s prospective entrepreneurs are looking at a wide range of industries for their new businesses, including hospitality and food (13%), technology (10%), finance and business services (also 10%), entertainment and recreation (8%) and arts and fashion (also 8%).

When asked about their motivations for starting a new business, more than half of Canada’s prospective entrepreneurs mention doing something they enjoy (53%) and being their own boss and not reporting to anyone (52%).

More than a third of Canada’s prospective entrepreneurs also envision earning more than they currently do (40%) and having flexibility and work-life balance (35%). Fewer are motivated by a sense of adventure (23%), providing a new service or creating something new (18%) and managing and mentoring others (6%).

“Almost two-in-five Canadian women who are considering entrepreneurship (39%) are encouraged by flexibility and a better work-life balance,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “More than two-in-five men who have considered starting or operating a business of their own (43%) see themselves making more money than now.”

When asked what is holding them back from starting a new business, almost two-in-five of Canada’s prospective entrepreneurs (38%) say they do not have enough savings.

More than a quarter of Canadians who have considered starting or operating a business of their own are worried about the risks involved (33%) and their lack of experience (28%). Fewer are held back because they are happy with their current job situation (20%), not knowing if the service or product is viable (also 20%), not knowing how to get started (also 20%), difficulties to secure proper financing (18%), dealing with too much regulation and bureaucracy (also 18%) and lacking the time to develop and implement a plan (15%).

Canada’s prospective entrepreneurs aged 18-to-34 are more likely to say that they are held back due to complications to secure financial backing (25%) than their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (19%) and aged 55 and over (11%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from March 10 to March 20, 2023, among 2,000 Canadian adults, including 883 who have considered starting or opening a business of their own. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for gender and region. The margin of error, which measures sample variability, is +/- 2.2 percentage points for the entire sample and +/- 3.3 percentage points for the sample of prospective entrepreneurs, nineteen times out of twenty. 

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490

[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Confidence in Health Care Down 10 Points in Canada Since 2021

Confidence in Health Care Down 10 Points in Canada Since 2021

By Mario Canseco

Just over a third of Canadians think a shortage of doctors and nurses is the biggest problem facing the system right now.

Vancouver, BC [April 21, 2023] – The proportion of Canadians who are convinced that the country’s health care system will be there for them has fallen over the past year and a half, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 67% of Canadians are “very confident” or “moderately confident” that Canada’s health care system would provide the help and assistance that they would need if they had to face an unexpected medical condition or disease, down 10 points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in October 2021.

Confidence in the health care system is highest in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (72%, -8), followed by Alberta (71%, -2), Quebec (68%, -7), British Columbia (67%, -11), Ontario (63%, -16) and Atlantic Canada (59%, -7).

One-in-five Canadians (20%, -5) believe Canada’s health care system works well, and only minor changes are needed to make it work better.

While most Canadians (56%, -3) think there are some good things in Canada’s health care, 17% (+5) believe the system has so much wrong with it that we need to completely rebuild it.

“In August 2020, 30% of Canadians believed the health care system only needed minor modifications,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “This year, only 20% feel the same way.”

Just over a third of Canadians (34%, +2) believe a shortage of doctors and nurses is the biggest problem facing the health care system right now, while just under one-in-four (23%, -4) think it is long wait times.

Fewer Canadians select bureaucracy and poor management (17%, -3), inadequate resources and facilities (9%, +1), lack of a wider range of services for patients (6%, +1) little focus on preventive care (6%, =), and insufficient standards of hygiene (1%, -1) as the main problems in Canada’s health care system.

More than half of Atlantic Canadians (52%) identify a shortage of doctors and nurses as the main problem for the health care system. The proportions are lower in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (39%), British Columba (37%), Ontario (31%), Quebec (30%) and Alberta (23%).

More than three-in-five Canadians (78%, -4) disagree with the federal government making cuts to health care funding in order to reduce government debt.

Half of Canadians (50%, -6) disagree with the idea that health care in Canada would be better than it is now if it were run by the private sector.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from April 16 to April 18, 2023, among 1,000 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. 

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490

[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Many Full Time Employees in Canada Are Stressed and Fatigued

Many Full Time Employees in Canada Are Stressed and Fatigued

By Mario Canseco

More than two-in-five have had to work through lunch to finish a project or task in the past year.

Vancouver, BC [April 12, 2023] – Many full time workers in Canada experience a variety of ailments when the day is done, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of Canadians who are currently employed full time, 49% of respondents say they feel fatigued at the end of a regular workday.

At least three-in-ten full time employees in Canada experience back pain (36%), trouble sleeping (33%) or stressed-out eyes (30%) on weekday nights. Fewer also endure headaches (28%) or neck pain (also 28%) at the end of a regular weekday.

Just under two thirds of full time employees in Canada (64%) describe their position as “very stressful” or “moderately stressful”.

More than two-in-five full time employees in Canada (44%) say they had to work through lunch to finish a project or task in the past year, while at least a third were asked to take on more responsibilities without a raise (35%) or felt depressed because of work (33%).

“Female full time employees in Canada are more likely to report having to do more at their workplace without the benefit of a larger paycheque (44%) than their male counterparts (27%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Women are also more likely to feel dejected by work (41%) than men (25%).”

Fewer full time employees in Canada say they had to work on a project or task on a weekend or holiday (29%), had to work on a project or task after hours from home (28%) or postponed vacation due to work obligations (20%) in the past year,

Just over two thirds of full time employees in Canada (68%) think the company they work for appreciates the effort they put into their job and just over three-in-five (61%) think their employer cares for their health and well-being.

While 55% of full time employees in Canada believe the company they work for pays them what they deserve, 41% disagree with this assessment.

Women (49%), full time employees aged 35-to-54 (45%), Ontarians (also 45%) and those in the middle income bracket (46%) are more likely to believe that they are not getting paid what they deserve.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from March 10 to March 20, 2023, among 895 Canadian adults who are currently employed full time (at least 30 hours a week). The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for gender and region. The margin of error, which measures sample variability, is +/- 3.3 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490

[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Almost Three-in-Ten Canadians Completely Shunning Exercise

Almost Three-in-Ten Canadians Completely Shunning Exercise

By Mario Canseco

More than half of the country’s residents took action to maintain their fitness levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Vancouver, BC [February 24, 2023] – The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have had a detrimental effect on the physical fitness of some Canadians, a new Research Co. poll has found.

The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that adults in Canada accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 49% of Canadians say they met the recommended exercise guidelines “every week” or “most weeks” over the past three months.

During the pandemic, 48% of Canadians were able to exercise for at least 150 minutes “every week” or “most weeks”, while the proportion was significantly higher (55%) before the start of COVID-19.

“Prior to the pandemic, only 23% of Canadians—and 34% of those aged 55 and over—never met the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “In the past three months, the proportion has risen to 28% across the country and to 39% among the oldest adults.”

About three-in-ten Canadians (29%) followed workouts or routines online during the COVID-19 pandemic, while 18% acquired weightlifting equipment for their home (such as dumbbells), 17% took up a sport that did not require equipment (such as running or jogging), and 16% acquired a cardio machine for their home (such as an elliptical, treadmill or climber).

More than half of Canadians (53%) undertook at least one of these four actions during the pandemic. There are significant generational differences on this issue. While 75% of Canadians aged 18-to-34 took action to maintain their fitness levels, the proportion drops to 57% among those aged 35-to-54 and to 30% among those aged 55 and over.

One-in-five Canadians (20%) say their own personal situation when it comes to exercise and fitness is “better” now than before COVID-19, while the same proportion (20%) deem it worse and a majority (54%) claim it has not changed.

Canadians aged 18-to-34 are more likely to report an improvement in their fitness after the pandemic (28%) than their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (18%) and aged 55 and over (15%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from February 16 to February 18, 2023, among 1,000 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, 19 times out of 20.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Majority of British Columbians Reject Return of COVID Restrictions

Majority of British Columbians Reject Return of COVID Restrictions

By Mario Canseco

Satisfaction with how various levels of government have handled the pandemic has dropped since March 2021.

Vancouver, BC [February 22, 2023] – More than three-in-five residents of British Columbia believe it would not be advisable to return to the restrictions and mandates that were implemented in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, more than three-in-five British Columbians (62%) think we are in a different moment and there is no need for additional public health measures related to COVID-19.

Almost one-in-five British Columbians (18%) want to have stricter public health measures in place right now to stop the spread of COVID-19, while 9% think COVID-19 was a hoax and we never should have altered our lives.

The appetite for a return to stricter regulations across the province  is highest in Metro Vancouver (20%), followed by Vancouver Island (19%), Southern BC (15%), the Fraser Valley (13%) and Northern BC (11%).

Almost seven-in-ten British Columbians (69%) think COVID-19 is a real threat, down 12 points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in March 2021.

When asked if it would be justified to re-introduce specific measures, about one-in-four British Columbians (23%) would welcome the return of “Proof of Vaccination” certificates (or “Vaccine Passports”) to access specific venues and locations.

Fewer British Columbians believe three other actions would be justified: mask mandates (21%), capacity restrictions for worship services, concerts and sporting events (17%) and banning travel from British Columbia to other Canadian provinces (6%).

Support for the re-implementation of “Vaccine Passports” reaches 28% among British Columbians aged 55 and over and 30% among residents of Vancouver Island.

Almost four-in-five British Columbians (79%, -4 since March 2021) are satisfied with the way their family has handled the COVID-19 pandemic, while 71% (-2) feel the same way about their friends.

Majorities of British Columbians are satisfied with the way municipal governments (56%, -2) and the provincial government in Victoria (55%, -5) have managed the pandemic. The rating is lower for the federal government in Ottawa (49%, -4), the official opposition in Ottawa (36%, +4) and the official opposition in Victoria (35%, +3).

Almost half of British Columbians (49%, -3) are satisfied with the performance of non-governmental associations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fewer residents feel the same way about unions (39%, -4) and trade associations (36%, +2).

More than half of British Columbians (52%, -11) say they are satisfied with the way television news has handled the pandemic. The rating also fell this month for radio news (48%, -9) and newspapers (also 48%, -7).

“British Columbians who would like to see stricter guidelines to deal with the pandemic are more likely to be satisfied with the performance of news organizations on television (69%), radio (66%) and print (62%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Those who consider COVID-19 a hoax provide significantly lower marks.”

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted on February 10 to February 12, 2023, among 800 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. 

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Governing BC NDP Stays Ahead of BC Liberals in British Columbia

Governing BC NDP Stays Ahead of BC Liberals in British Columbia

By Mario Canseco

Two-in-five residents think David Eby is a better leader than Kevin Falcon to tackle housing and health care.

Vancouver, BC [February 10, 2023] – The BC New Democratic Party (NDP) maintains a high level of support under new leader David Eby, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, 44% of decided voters would cast a ballot for the BC NDP candidate in their constituency if an election were held today, unchanged since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in October 2022, when John Horgan was premier.

The BC Liberals are in second place with 36% (+1), followed by the BC Green Party with 16% (+1) and the BC Conservative Party with 2% (-2).

“Support for the BC NDP remains strong in Vancouver Island (59%), while the BC Liberals dominate in Southern BC (53%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The New Democrats have smaller leads over the BC Liberals in Northern BC (47% to 43%), Metro Vancouver (44% to 38%) and the Fraser Valley (39% to 26%).”

Almost three-in-five British Columbians (59%) approve of the way Eby has performed as premier and leader of the BC NDP. The rating improved this month for both BC Liberals leader Kevin Falcon (44%, +8) and BC Greens leader Sonia Furstenau (42%, +7).

More than a third of British Columbians (34%, -4) say housing, homelessness and poverty is the most important issue facing the province. Health care is a close second (29%, +1), followed by the economy and jobs (13%, +2) the environment (6%, =) and crime and public safety (5%, -3).

Respondents to this survey were asked to choose which of the two main party leaders is best suited to manage eight different issues. Eby has small leads over Falcon on three broad themes: crime and public safety (31% to 27%), energy (also 31% to 27%) and the economy and jobs (34% to 28%).

Eby’s advantage over Falcon is more decisive on five other issues: housing, poverty and homelessness (40% to 21%), health care (40% to 24%), the environment (37% to 18%), education (37% to 22%) and accountability (35% to 22%)

A separate question gauged whether the leaders of the BC NDP and the BC Liberals possess specific characteristics that can be found in politicians.

Majorities of British Columbians think Eby is a good speaker and communicator (56%) and has a vision for the future of British Columbia (54%).

At least two-in-five residents of the province think the current premier understands their problems (47%), is in touch with the problems British Columbians face in their daily lives (43%), is a strong and decisive leader (42%), inspires confidence (41%) and generally agrees with people on issues they care about (40%).

Fewer British Columbians believe Eby is honest and trustworthy (39%), shares their values (36%), is a good economic manager (35%) and is patronizing (27%).

More than a third of British Columbians think Falcon is good speaker and communicator (46%), has a vision for the future of British Columbia (42%) and is a strong and decisive leader (37%).

Fewer residents say the leader of the BC Liberals inspires confidence (33%), understands the problems of residents (32%), is a good economic manager (also 32%), is patronizing (31%), is in touch with the problems British Columbians face in their daily lives (30%), generally agrees with people on issues they care about (28%), shares their values (27%) and is honest and trustworthy (26%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted on February 4 to February 6, 2023, among 800 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. 

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Most Canadians Think We Have Seen the Worst of COVID-19

Most Canadians Think We Have Seen the Worst of COVID-19

By Mario Canseco

Satisfaction with provincial governments remains higher in British Columbia and Quebec than in Ontario and Alberta.

Vancouver, BC [December 16, 2022] – Fewer than one-in-five Canadians are currently concerned about the possibility of declining conditions on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, three-in-four Canadians (75%) say the worst of the pandemic is “behind us”, up seven points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in August 2022.

Only 17% of Canadians (-3) think the worst of COVID-19 is ahead of us, while 9% (-3) are not sure.

For seven-in-ten Canadians (70%) COVID-19 remains a real threat—a proportion that rises to 78% among those aged 55 and over and to 82% among those who voted for the Liberal Party in the 2021 federal election.

“We continue to see cautious optimism when Canadians think about COVID-19,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Significant majorities of Canadians are both convinced that the situation will not worsen but still consider the virus a real threat.”

Almost three-in-five Canadians (59%, +4) are satisfied with the way the federal government has dealt with COVID-19, while 58% (-1) feel the same way about their municipal government.

Most Canadians (58%, +5) are satisfied with how their provincial government has managed the pandemic. Among the four most populous provinces, the rating is highest in British Columbia (68%, +6), followed by Quebec (62%, +4), Ontario (54%, +6) and Alberta (46%, +7).

Since May 2022, satisfaction with the way federal chief public health officer Theresa Tam has managed the pandemic dropped from 66% to 60%. The average rating is similar for the country’s provincial health officers or chief medical officers (61%, -5).

In two provinces, the satisfaction rating for top doctors fell since May: Luc Boileau in Quebec (60%, -6) and Kieran Moore in Ontario (59%, -8). Two thirds of British Columbians (66%, +3) are satisfied with the work of Bonnie Henry.

In Alberta, the rating for Deena Hinshaw stood at 65% in May. This month, 53% of Albertans are satisfied with the way recently appointed chief medical officer of heath Mike Joffe is managing the pandemic.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted on December 10 to December 12, 2022, 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. 

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca