Category: Health Care

COVID-19 Ratings Improve for Most Governments in Canada

COVID-19 Ratings Improve for Most Governments in Canada

By Mario Canseco
Almost two thirds of Canadians believe the worst of the pandemic is now behind us.
 
Vancouver, BC [November 15, 2021] – The views of Canadians on the way various levels of government have managed the COVID-19 pandemic are better now than they were two months ago, a new Research Co. poll has found.  
 
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 62% of Canadians say they are satisfied with the way the federal government has dealt with the pandemic, up seven points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in September 2021.  
 
“More than three-in-five of residents of Quebec (70%), Atlantic Canada (68%) and Ontario (64%) are happy with the performance of the federal government on COVID-19,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The numbers are lower in British Columbia (58%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (54%) and Alberta (43%).”  
 
The satisfaction rating for municipal governments stands at 63% (+3) and rises to 70% among Canadians aged 55 and over.  
 
Almost three-in-five Canadians (59%, +3) are satisfied with how their provincial government is managing COVID-19. Among the four most populous provinces, Quebec has the highest rating this month (76%, +9), followed by British Columbia (62%, -4), Ontario (56%, +6) and Alberta (29%, +3).
 
Across the country, 65% of Canadians think the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, up 17 points since September 2021.  
 
Residents of Quebec are the most likely to believe that the pandemic will not worsen (72%), followed by those who live in Ontario (68%), Alberta (62%), Atlantic Canada (60%), British Columbia (57%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (also 57%).  
 
As was the case two months ago, more than four-in-five Canadians (85%, +1) believe COVID-19 is a real threat, while 13% (+1) disagree with this assessment.  
 
Sizeable proportions of Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party (93%), the New Democratic Party (NDP) (92%), the Green Party (86%) and the Conservative Party (75%) in the last federal election consider COVID-19 as a real threat. Only 27% of those who cast ballots for the People’s Party concur.  
 
Almost three-in-four Canadians (74%, +3) are in favour of allowing K-12 students to go back to in-class learning in their province.  
 
Just over four-in-five Canadians (81%, -3) agree with requiring all customers or visitors entering an indoor premise to wear a mask or face covering while inside.  
 
Only 32% of People’s Party voters endorse the mask mandate, compared to 72% of Green voters, 76% of Conservative voters, 80% of NDP voters and 89% of Liberal voters.
 
Methodology:
Results are based on an online study conducted from November 8 to November 10, 2021, 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
The Opioid Crisis is a Major Problem for Almost Half of Canadians

The Opioid Crisis is a Major Problem for Almost Half of Canadians

By Mario Canseco

More than three-in-four Canadians believe more action is needed on education and awareness, as well as drug rehabilitation.  

Vancouver, BC [November 5, 2021] – The level of concern expressed by Canadians about the opioid crisis has increased over the past year, a new Research Co. poll has found.  

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 45% of Canadians describe the current situation related to the use of prescription and non-prescription opioid drugs in their community as “a major problem”, up six points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in September 2020.  

More than half of British Columbians (58%) and Albertans (55%) refer to the current state of affairs as ”a major problem.”  

Canadians are not overly satisfied with the actions of elected politicians on this file. Just over a third of Canadians (34%, -1) believe Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal government are doing a “very good” or “good” coming up with solutions to deal with the use of prescription and non-prescription opioid drugs.  

Premiers and provincial governments have a slightly better rating on this question (39%, -4), with a higher level of satisfaction reported in British Columbia (43%, +7) than in Ontario (35%, -6), Quebec (34%, -10) and Alberta (28%, -19).  

Fewer Canadians are satisfied with the job their mayors and councils (37%, -3), their own Member of Parliament (33%, -5) and their own members of provincial legislatures (33%, -6) are doing to come up with solutions to deal with the use of prescription and non-prescription opioid drugs.  

“The preoccupation of Canadians with the opioid crisis has grown, particularly in Western Canada,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “At the same time, the level of satisfaction with the work of elected officials is stagnant or in a downward trend.”  

More than three-in-four Canadians agree with launching more education and awareness campaigns about drug use (77%, -7) and creating more spaces for drug rehabilitation (76%, -2).  

A majority of Canadians are also in favour of three other ideas: reducing the prescription of opioids by medical professionals (69%, -4), establishing “safe supply” programs where alternatives to opioids can be prescribed by health professionals (61%, -9) and setting up more “harm reduction” strategies, such as legal supervised injection sites (56%, -3).  

A proposal to decriminalize all drugs for personal use remains decidedly more contentious, with 33% of Canadians (-1) saying they favour this idea and 54% (+1) voicing disagreement.  

Support for the decriminalization of all drugs for personal use is highest in Ontario (37%), followed by British Columbia (33%), Atlantic Canada (also 33%), Quebec (31%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (30%) and Alberta (26%).  

Methodology:
Results are based on an online study conducted from October 25 to October 27, 2021, 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 plus or minus 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
Canadians Reject Health Care Cuts, Question Private Involvement

Canadians Reject Health Care Cuts, Question Private Involvement

By Mario Canseco
A shortage of doctors and nurses is the biggest problem facing the health care system for one third of Canadians.  
 
Vancouver, BC [October 11, 2021] – A majority of Canadians are skeptical about the effect that the private sector would have on the country’s delivery of health care services, a new Research Co. poll has found.  
 
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 56% of Canadians disagree with the notion that health care in Canada would be better than it is now if it were run by the private sector, up five points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in August 2020.  
 
In addition, more than four-in-five Canadians (82%, +7) disagree with the federal government making cuts to health care funding in order to reduce government debt.  
 
Across the country, more than three-in-four Canadians (77%, +1) feel “very confident” or “moderately confident” that the country’s health care system would be there to provide help and assistance if they had to face an unexpected medical condition.  
 
The lowest levels of confidence on this question are observed in Quebec and Atlantic Canada (65% and 66% respectively). More than seven-in-ten residents of Alberta (73%), British Columbia (78%), Ontario (79%), and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (80%) think the health care system will be there if and when they need it.  
 
Practically three-in-five Canadians (59%, +4) think there are some good things in Canada’s health care system, but many changes are required. One-in-four respondents (25%, -5) believe the system works well and only minor changes are needed to make it work better, while 12% (+3) say health care has so much wrong with it that we need to completely rebuild it.  
 
“One-in-four Atlantic Canadians (25%) believe it is time to completely rebuild Canada’s health care system,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportion reaches double digits in three other provinces: Quebec (15%), Alberta (11%) and British Columbia (10%).”  
 
One third of Canadians (32%, +6) identify a shortage of doctors and nurses as the biggest problem facing the health care system right now—including 66% of Atlantic Canadians and 36% of British Columbians.  
 
More than a quarter of Canadians (27%. -4) say long wait times are the biggest hindrance in the health care system—including 39% of those in Saskatchewan and Manitoba and 31% of those in Ontario.  
 
Other problems with the health care system outlined by Canadians are bureaucracy and poor management (14%, +1), inadequate resources and facilities (8%, =), little focus on preventive care (6%, =), lack of a wider range of services for patients (5%, -1) and insufficient standards of hygiene (2%, -1).  
 
Methodology:
Results are based on an online study conducted from October 4 to October 6, 2021, 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 plus or minus 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
 
Support for Vaccine Passports Increases Markedly Across Canada

Support for Vaccine Passports Increases Markedly Across Canada

By Mario Canseco
Most Canadians who voted for the People’s Party in the federal election (66%) say they will not get inoculated against COVID-19.  
 
Vancouver, BC [October 4, 2021] – More Canadians are in favour of the concept of “vaccine passports” than five months ago, a new Research Co. poll has found.  
 
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 68% of Canadians think it is a “good idea” to rely on “Proof of Vaccination” certificates for people who have been inoculated against COVID-19 in order to be able to go live concerts as spectators, up 11 points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in May.  
 
More than three-in-five Canadians also endorse the use of “vaccine passports” to visit a gym or fitness facility (67%, +13), to go to the theatre or cinema (66%, +11), to go to live sporting events as spectators (also 66%, +9) and to work at an office (63%, +11).  
 
Support for the use of the “Proof of Vaccination” certificates is also higher for travel to other countries (73%, +9), for travel to other Canadian provinces (68%, +9) and for travel inside the same province (62%, +8).  
 
Majorities of Canadians continue to voice satisfaction with three specific aspects of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Canada: the vaccination plans and phases outlined by their province (71%, -2 since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in July), the pace of vaccination efforts in their province (70%, -2) and the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the federal government (69%, -3).  
 
As was the case in July, practically nine-in-ten Canadians (88%, =) say they have already been inoculated against COVID-19, or plan to do so.
 
 “In late September, only 9% of Canadians readily acknowledge that they will definitely or probably not get vaccinated against COVID-19,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “This proportion includes 66% of Canadians who voted for People’s Party candidates in the most recent federal election.”  
 
Practically seven-in-ten Canadians (69%, -1) say that they wear a mask every time they go out—a proportion that rises to 75% among women and to 71% among Canadians aged 35-to-54.  
 
More than one-in-five Canadians say they are overeating or eating more than usual at home (23%, -4) and cleaning the groceries they buy to prevent infection (21%, -3).  
 
Fewer Canadians admit to losing their temper more than usual at home (15%, -1), not ordering food from restaurants at all because they fear infection (14%, -2), having a bath or shower less often (12%, -2), drinking more alcohol than usual at home (13%, -1) and brushing their teeth less often than before the pandemic (7%, -2).
 
Methodology:
Results are based on an online study conducted from September 25 to September 27, 2021, among 1,000 Canadian adults. 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
 
Fewer Canadians Believe the Worst of COVID-19 is Behind Us

Fewer Canadians Believe the Worst of COVID-19 is Behind Us

By Mario Canseco
Only 26% of Albertans are satisfied with how their provincial government is handling the pandemic.  
 
Vancouver, BC [September 23, 2021] – The proportion of Canadians who envision a quick end to the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced drastically since the middle of the summer, a new Research Co. poll has found.  
 
In the online survey of a representative national sample, just under half of Canadians (48%) believe the worst of the pandemic is behind us, down 24 points since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in July.  
 
Conversely, more than a third of Canadians (36%, +21) think that the worst of COVID-19 is ahead of us.
 
“Almost two thirds of Canadians aged 18-to-34 (64%) believe that the COVID-19 situation will not worsen,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Significantly smaller proportions of Canadians aged 35-to-54 (50%) and aged 55 and over (39%) hold the same view.”
 
More than four-in-five Canadians (84%) consider the COVID-19 pandemic as a real threat, while 12% disagree and 4% are undecided.  
 
Fewer than one-in-five Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party (5%), the New Democratic Party (NDP) (6%) and the Conservative Party (16%) in this month’s federal election suggest that COVID-19 is not a real threat.  
 
The proportion of “pandemic skeptics” reaches 22% among Canadians who cast ballots for the Green Party and 58% among those who supported the People’s Party.  
 
More than half of Canadians (55%, -6) are satisfied with the way the federal government in Ottawa has dealt with COVID-19—including majorities of those who reside in Atlantic Canada (60%), Quebec (60%), Ontario (56%) and British Columbia (51%).  
 
Satisfaction is slightly lower this month for the way in which municipal governments (60%, -3) and provincial governments (56%, -6) have performed during the pandemic.  
 
At least two thirds of residents of Quebec (67%, -4) and British Columbia (66%, -5) are satisfied with the way their provincial administrations have managed COVID-19, along with half of those in Ontario (50%, -1).  
 
The situation is extremely different in Alberta, where only 26% of residents are satisfied with the provincial administration on this file. This represents a 20-point decrease since July and the lowest level recorded for a government of any level since Research Co. started asking this question in March 2020.  
 
Seven-in-ten Canadians (71%) agree with allowing K-12 students to go back to in-class learning in their province. Support for this measure is highest in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (79%), followed by Ontario (72%), Quebec (71%), British Columbia (69%), Atlantic Canada (65%) and Alberta (61%).  
 
More than four-in-five Canadians (84%) are in favour of requiring all customers or visitors entering an indoor premise to wear a mask or face covering while inside.
 
Methodology:
Results are based on an online study conducted on September 18 and September 19, 2021, 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
 
Photo Credit: Dave Doe
All Tied Up as Canadians Prepare to Vote in the Federal Election

All Tied Up as Canadians Prepare to Vote in the Federal Election

By Mario Canseco
Support for both the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party is 32%, while approval of their two leaders is also identical (42%).  
 
Vancouver, BC [September 19, 2021] – Voters in Canada head to tomorrow’s federal election with the two main contending parties enjoying the same level of voter support across the country, a new Research Co. poll has found.  
 
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 32% of decided voters (-2 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted earlier this month) would cast a ballot for the candidate of the Liberal Party in their constituency, while 32% (+2) would support the contender of the Conservative Party.  
 
The New Democratic Party (NDP) is in third place with 19% (-1), followed by the Bloc Québécois with 7% (=), the People’s Party with 6% (+1) and the Green Party with 4% (+1). In addition, 1% of decided voters in the country would vote for a different political party or an independent candidate.  
 

On a regional basis, the Liberals are in first place in Atlantic Canada (42%, with the Conservatives at 27%), Quebec (34%, with the Bloc at 31%) and Ontario (37%, with the Conservatives at 30%).  
 
Conversely, the Conservatives dominate in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (43%, with the NDP at 23%) and Alberta (50%, with the NDP at 21%). In British Columbia, the Conservatives are slightly ahead of the New Democrats (33% to 31%), with the Liberals at 25%.  
 
The Green Party gets its best result in British Columbia (6%, but reaching 14% in its stronghold of Vancouver Island). The People’s Party is particularly prevalent in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (10%) and Alberta (8%).  
 
As the campaign draws to a close, the approval rating for the two main contenders is exactly the same. Just over two-in-five Canadians (42%) approve of the way both Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau and Official Opposition and Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole have performed in their jobs. The disapproval rating is higher for Trudeau (53%) than it is for O’Toole (47%).  
 
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has the highest approval rating (51%, +2), while the numbers are significantly lower for Green Party leader Annamie Paul (24%, +1) and People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier (20%, +5). Since the start of the campaign, one-in-four Canadians report having an improved opinion of both Singh (26%) and O’Toole (25%). The proportions are significantly lower for Trudeau (16%), Paul (10%) and Bernier (also 10%).  
 
Trudeau remains ahead when Canadians are asked which of the five leaders running nationwide campaigns would make the best Prime Minister (31%, -2), followed by O’Toole (27%, +1), Singh (19%, +1), Bernier (7%, +2) and Paul (2%, =).  
 
More than a quarter of Canadians (27%, +4) think health care is the most important issue facing the country. The economy and jobs is second on the list with 22% (=), followed by housing, homelessness and poverty (15%, -1) and the environment (10%, -2).  
 
The COVID-19 pandemic is the most important issue for 8% of Canadians—a proportion that rises to 16% in Alberta.
 
Methodology:
Results are based on an online study conducted on September 18 and September 19, 2021, among 1,000 adults in Canada, and 800 adults in British Columbia. 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 for the survey of Canadians and +/- 3.5 percentage points for the survey of British Columbians, 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
 
Photo Credit: Iouri Goussev
Canadians Pick Trudeau to Manage Pandemic, O’Toole for Jobs

Canadians Pick Trudeau to Manage Pandemic, O’Toole for Jobs

By Mario Canseco
There is no clear leader on two matters: housing, homelessness and poverty, and transportation projects.  
 
Vancouver, BC [September 15, 2021] – The incumbent prime minister is the first choice of Canadians to handle issues such as health care and the COVID-19 pandemic, while the leader of the official opposition is preferred for financial and public safety concerns, a new Research Co. poll has found.  
 
The online survey of a representative national sample asked Canadians to select which one of the five federal party leaders who are running nationwide campaigns is the best person to manage 16 different issues.  
 
More than a third of Canadians (36%) think Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau is better suited to handle the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by Official Opposition and Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole with 22%, New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh with 12%, People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier with 6% and Green Party leader Annamie Paul with 2%.  
 
More than three-in-ten Canadians also pick Trudeau to manage foreign affairs (31%), child care (also 31%) and regulations related to firearms (also 31%).  
 
“Earlier in the campaign, Erin O’Toole was tied with Justin Trudeau on the foreign affairs file,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “In the final week before votes are cast, Trudeau has a five-point lead on this particular issue.”  
 
The Liberal leader is also ahead of all rivals on being the best person to handle immigration (29%), health care (also 29%), the environment (28%), Indigenous issues and reconciliation (27%), seniors care (26%), and racism and discrimination (also 26%).  
 
One third of Canadians (33%) believe O’Toole would be the best leader to manage the economy and jobs, followed by Trudeau with 29%, Singh with 15%, Bernier with 4% and Paul with 2%.  
 
The Conservative leader is in first place on three other issues: crime and public safety (29%), accountability and leadership (27%), and energy and pipelines (also 27%).  
 
There is a tie on two specific concerns. Across the country, 25% of Canadians select either Trudeau or Singh as the best leaders to manage housing, homelessness and poverty. When asked about transportation projects, equal proportions of respondents pick Trudeau and O’Toole (25% each).  
 
Paul gets her best rating on the environment (14%), while Bernier scores highest on the COVID-19 pandemic (6%).  
 
In a survey released by Research Co. this week, health care, the economy and jobs, housing homelessness and poverty, and the environment were identified as the most important issues facing Canada.
 
Methodology:
Results are based on an online study conducted from September 11 to September 13, 2021, 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
 
Photo Credit: Tobi 87
 
 
Liberals Regain Lead, Conservatives and NDP Drop in Canada

Liberals Regain Lead, Conservatives and NDP Drop in Canada

By Mario Canseco
One-in-ten Conservative Party voters from 2019 say they will cast a ballot for the People’s Party in this month’s election.  
 
Vancouver, BC [September 14, 2021] – As Canada heads to the final week of campaigning in the 2021 federal election, the governing Liberal Party is ahead of its competitors, a new Research Co. poll has found.  
 
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 34% of decided voters in Canada would support the Liberal candidate in their constituency, up one point since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in late August.  
 
The Conservative Party is second with 30% (-2), followed by the New Democratic Party (NDP) with 20% (-2), the Bloc Québécois with 7% (+1), the People’s Party with 5% (+2) and the Green Party with 3% (-1). In addition, 1% of decided voters in the country would back a different party or an independent candidate.  
 
The Conservatives remain ahead of the Liberals among male voters (36% to 31%) and voters aged 55 and over (35% to 31%). The Liberals hold the upper hand over the Conservatives among female voters (38% to 25%) and voters aged 35-to-54 (39% to 30%). The Liberals are also in first place among decided voters aged 18-to-34 (37%, with the NDP at 27% and the Conservatives at 18%).  
 
In Atlantic Canada, the Liberals remain the most favoured option for voters (40%, with the Conservatives at 34%). In Quebec, the governing party holds an eight-point lead over the Bloc (37% to 29%).  
 
Half of decided voters in Alberta (50%) would support the Conservative candidate in their constituency, along with more than two-in-five (43%) of those who reside in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.  
 
The race remains closely contested in Ontario, where the Liberals are slightly ahead of the Conservatives (37% to 34%) and in British Columbia, where the three main federal parties are virtually tied (30% for the Conservatives, 29% for the New Democrats and 28% for the Liberals).  
 
The People’s Party is benefiting from a higher level of support in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (9%), Alberta (7%) and Ontario (6%). In fact, 10% of Canadians who supported the Conservatives in the 2019 federal election say they will be voting for the People’s Party in 2021.  
 
Almost one-in-four Canadians (23%, -3) think health care is the most important issue facing the country today, followed by the economy and jobs (22%, +2), housing, homelessness and poverty (16%, +1) and the environment (12%, -1).  
 
Across Canada, the NDP’s Jagmeet Singh continues to post the highest approval rating among the five leaders who are running nationwide campaigns (49%, -2), followed by Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau (43%, -2), Official Opposition and Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole (40%, -1), Annamie Paul of the Green Party (23%, +2) and Maxime Bernier of the People’s Party (15%, =).  
 
Singh also remains ahead on personal momentum, with 27% of Canadians saying their opinion of him has improved since the start of the campaign. The numbers on this indicator are lower for O’Toole (22%), Trudeau (15%), Paul (12%) and Bernier (8%).  
 
On the “Best Prime Minister” question, Trudeau remains in first place with 33% (+1), followed by O’Toole (26%, =), Singh (18%, -2), Bernier (5%, +2) and Paul (2%, +1).  
 
“A third of Canadian women (33%) feel Justin Trudeau is the best person to manage the federal government, while only one-in-five (19%) select Erin O’Toole,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The race is significantly tighter among male voters on this same question, with Trudeau at 34% and O’Toole at 33%.”
 
Methodology:
Results are based on an online study conducted from September 11 to September 13, 2021, 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
 
Photo Credit: Dave Doe
 
Canadians Hold Mixed Views on Which Leader is Best on Issues

Canadians Hold Mixed Views on Which Leader is Best on Issues

By Mario Canseco
Just under one-in-five Canadians (17%) say they intend to vote by mail in this year’s federal election.  
 
Vancouver, BC [September 6, 2021] – As the federal election campaign continues, the three main federal party leaders are connecting in different ways with Canadians on the most important issues facing the country, a new Research Co. poll has found.  
 
In the online survey of a representative national sample, just under a third of Canadians (32%) think Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau is the best person to handle crime and public safety.  
 
Trudeau is also the preferred choice of Canadians to manage immigration (30%), health care (29%) and the environment (28%).  
 
Official opposition and Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole is the top option for Canadians to handle the economy and jobs (34%), energy and pipelines (32%), and accountability and leadership (27%). O’Toole and Trudeau are tied, with 30% each, when Canadians are asked about the best leader to manage foreign affairs (30%).  
 
New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh is the most popular leader to deal with housing, homelessness and poverty (27%), with Trudeau and O’Toole tied at 24%.  
 
Health care is identified as the most important issue facing Canada for 26% of respondents, followed by the economy and jobs with 20%, housing, homelessness and poverty with 15% and the environment with 13%.  
 
The survey also asked Canadians about other characteristics and topics related to the three main federal party leaders. Trudeau emerged as the most popular option to be the Prime Minister in the event of another Quebec referendum (31%) and to represent Canada at the next round of climate change talks (30%).  
 
The incumbent prime minister is also ahead on four personality traits: having a drink with you at the local bar (28%), being on your sports team (also 28%), babysitting your kids or a relative’s kids (25%) and being part of your trivia quiz team (23%, with Singh close behind at 21%).  
 
Singh is practically tied with Trudeau on two of the items tested: having a coffee or tea with you at the local coffee shop (27%, with Trudeau at 26%) and giving you a good recommendation on a book to read (22%, with Trudeau at 21%).  
 
More than three-in-ten Canadians express a preference for O’Toole on three separate matters: negotiating with U.S. President Joe Biden on trade and security issues (34%), being the Prime Minister in the event of a terrorist attack (32%) and negotiating with Russia over Arctic sovereignty (31%).  
 
“There is a theme developing when it comes to the perceptions of Canadians on the three main party leaders,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “While Trudeau and Singh score highly on some of the personality traits, like hanging around at a bar or coffee shop, O’Toole has a decisive advantage on foreign policy items.”  
 
This week, there will be two televised debates organized by the Leaders’ Debate Commission. More than two-in-five Canadians (42%) agree with the Commission’s decision to not extend an invitation to these debates to People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier, while 33% disagree and 25% are undecided.  
 
The results are similar when Canadians are asked about the presence of Maverick Party leader Jay Hill on the televised meetings, with 44% agreeing with the decision to leave him out, 27% disagreeing and 29% saying they are not sure.  
 
Almost half of Quebecers (49%) are in favour of the Commission’s decision to leave both Bernier and Hill off the stage.  
 
Across the country, 17% of Canadians say they plan to vote by mail this year—a proportion that includes 30% of British Columbians and 21% of Albertans.  
 
While more than one-in-four Canadians (26%) plan to cast their ballot during Advance Voting from September 10 to September 13, more than two-in-five (44%) intend to vote on Election Day (September 20).
 
Methodology:
Results are based on an online study conducted from August 28 to August 30, 2021, 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
Conservatives Close Gap in Canada as Liberal Lead Disappears

Conservatives Close Gap in Canada as Liberal Lead Disappears

By Mario Canseco
Justin Trudeau’s approval rating fell to 45% (-5 since June), but he is still ahead of Erin O’Toole in the “Preferred PM” question.
 
Vancouver, BC [August 31, 2021] – The federal election in Canada is currently a dead heat between the two most prominent parties in the country, a new Research Co. poll has found.
 
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 33% of Canadian decided voters would cast a ballot for the candidate of the Liberal Party in their riding, down five points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in June.
 
The Conservative Party remains in second place with 32% (+2), followed by the New Democratic Party (NDP) with 22% (+2), the Bloc Québécois with 6% (+1), the Green Party with 4% (-1) and the People’s Party with 3% (+2). Fewer than 1% of decided voters would vote for the Maverick Party, for another party or for an independent candidate.
 
In June, the Liberals were ahead of the Conservatives by 15 points among female decided voters in Canada. This month, the advantage has narrowed to just eight points (36% to 28%). The Tories are now in first place among male decided voters (36% to 31%).
 
The Liberals are still popular among decided voters aged 18-to-34 (34%, followed by the NDP with 29%) and among decided voters aged 35-to-54 (38%, with the Conservatives at 32%). The Tories hold a seven-point advantage over the Liberals among decided voters aged 55 and over (37% to 30%).
 
The Liberals are in first place among decided voters in Atlantic Canada (40%) and Quebec (also 40%). The Conservatives have outright leads in Alberta (49%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (46%).
 
There are close races developing in two Canadian provinces. In Ontario, the Conservatives and the Liberals are essentially tied (36% and 35% respectively). In British Columbia, the Liberals—who were leading in a Research Co. survey conducted in early August—have fallen to third place (28%), with both the Conservatives and the New Democrats at 32%.
 
There is some movement when Canadians are asked about the most important issue facing the country. Health care is first with 26% (-3), followed by the economy and jobs with 20% (-3) and housing, homelessness and poverty with 15% (+1). The environment is fourth on the list with 13% (+6).
 
“While health care remains the dominant issue for Atlantic Canadians and Quebecers, financial matters are crucial for those who reside in Alberta,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “One-in-five Ontarians and British Columbians are worried about housing, but the issue that has seen the biggest gains since June is the environment.”
 
The approval rating for Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau stands at 45% at the end of the month. This is higher than the numbers posted by Official Opposition and Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole (41%, +7) and lower than NDP leader Jagmeet Singh (51%, +1).
 
Just over one-in-five Canadians (21%, -11) approve of the way Green Party leader Annamie Paul is handling her duties, while there was no significant movement for People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier (15%, +1).
 
When Canadians are asked which one of the five leaders who are running nationwide campaigns would make the best head of government, the incumbent prime minister also lost some ground. Trudeau is in first place with 32% (-5), followed by O’Toole (26%, +11), Singh (20%, +4), Bernier (3%, =) and Paul (1%, -1).
 
Since the start of the campaign, Trudeau posts a negative momentum score (-24, with 39% of Canadians saying their opinion of him has worsened). Paul and Bernier are also in negative territory (-18 and -19 respectively), while O’Toole is even and Singh is at +10 (with 27% of Canadians reporting a better assessment of the current NDP leader).
 
Methodology:
Results are based on an online study conducted from August 28 to August 30, 2021, 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
Support for “Vaccine Passports” Rises in British Columbia

Support for “Vaccine Passports” Rises in British Columbia

By Mario Canseco
Only 21% of the province’s residents would be willing to attend a live sporting event as spectators right now.  
 
Vancouver, BC [August 26, 2021] – Favourable views on the idea of a “Vaccine Passport” have increased in British Columbia over the past five months, a new Research Co. poll has found.  
 
In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, 67% of British Columbians think it is a good idea to rely on a “Vaccine Passport” to be able to go to live sporting events as spectators, up five points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in March 2021.  
 
“Vaccine Passports” would essentially amount to “Proof of Vaccination” certificates for people who have been inoculated against COVID-19.  
 
Two thirds of British Columbians (66%, +4) are supportive of a “Vaccine Passport” to be able to go to live concerts—including 74% of respondents aged 55 and over.  
 
More than three in five British Columbians endorse the concept of a “Vaccine Passport” to be able to visit a gym or fitness facility (63%, +1), to be able to work at an office (also 63%, +5) and to be able to go to the theatre or cinema (62%, +6).  
 
While 61% of British Columbians (+1) are in favour of relying on a “Vaccine Passport” for travel inside their own province, support for the idea is higher for travel to other Canadian provinces (69%, +5) and for travel to other countries (77%, +4).  
 
British Columbians are not particularly eager to embark on a wide range of activities as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Fewer than three-in-ten of the province’s residents say they are willing to visit a gym or fitness facility (28%), a music venue (23%) or a live sporting event (20%) in their municipality right now.  
 
“In spite of the high vaccination rates in British Columbia, residents of the province are not particularly prepared to attend crowded spaces,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Only 29% of those aged 18-to-34 are willing to go to a concert or dance right now.”  
 
Just over a third of British Columbians would be willing to ride on the bus (37%), ride on SkyTrain (also 37%) or visit a Community Centre (34%) at this stage.  
 
More than half of British Columbians are currently willing to visit a library (53%), a barbershop or salon (54%), a restaurant, pub or bar where they can only eat indoors (56%) or a restaurant, pub or bar where they can eat outside (like a patio) (70%).
 
Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from August 19 to August 21, 2021, 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
 
British Columbians Give Mixed Reviews to Horgan After Four Years

British Columbians Give Mixed Reviews to Horgan After Four Years

By Mario Canseco

Almost three-in-five residents (59%) think it has become harder for them to make ends meet in the province.

Vancouver, BC [August 3, 2021] – A significant proportion of British Columbians are concerned about affordability issues four years after the BC New Democratic Party (NDP) formed the provincial government, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, 59% of British Columbians say it has become harder to make ends meet over the course of the past four years.

“The concerns about the high cost of living in British Columbia are significant across the political spectrum,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Majorities of residents who voted for the BC Green Party (70%), the BC NDP (59%) and the BC Liberals (55%) in last year’s provincial election state that making ends meet is more difficult now than in 2017.”

Almost three-in-four British Columbians (74%) think buying a house is now harder than it was in 2017, and more than three-in-five (63%) feel the same way about saving money for retirement.

Roughly half of British Columbians think paying for post-secondary education (52%) and finding a job (49%) are now more difficult than four years ago.

In a Canada-wide Research Co. survey conducted in June 2021, 14% of Canadians—and 19% of British Columbians—identified housing, homelessness and poverty as the most important issue facing the country.

Just over seven-in-ten British Columbians (71%) believe the housing situation in the province is worse now than it was in 2017, and a majority (53%) feel the same way about taxation.

Just under half of British Columbians (48%) think that public safety is worse now than it was four years ago.

More than two-in-five British Columbians believe there has been no change on four other government files: public schools (49%), health care (48%), the justice system (46%) and the environment (42%).

Half of British Columbians (50%) believe BC NDP leader John Horgan has performed “about the same” as they expected after he became the province’s premier in July 2017.

Similar proportions of British Columbians think Horgan has performed better (20%) or worse (19%) than they originally envisioned.

One third of British Columbians (33%) believe it is too early to judge Horgan’s accomplishments since he became premier, while 26% think he has done little and 21% say he has achieved much.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from July 17 to July 19, 2021, 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

Vaccine Hesitation Drops, Satisfaction with Rollout Rises in Canada

Vaccine Hesitation Drops, Satisfaction with Rollout Rises in Canada

By Mario Canseco

Seven-in-ten Canadians say they are still wearing a mask every time they go out, including 76% of women.

Vancouver, BC [July 20, 2021] – More Canadians are pleased with the way their federal and provincial administrations have managed the inoculation process related to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, more than seven-in-ten Canadians are satisfied with the vaccination plans and phases outlined by their province (73%, +12 since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in May) and with the pace of vaccination efforts in their province (also 73%, +15).

A similar proportion of Canadians are content with the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the federal government (72%, +15).

This month, almost nine-in-ten Canadians (88%, +5) acknowledge that they have already been inoculated against COVID-19, or plan to have their first shot when it becomes available to them.

Fewer than one-in-ten Canadians (8%, -5) say they will “definitely” or “probably” not get vaccinated. This marks the first time in nine different surveys conducted since April 2020 that the proportion of Canadians who plan to refuse a COVID-19 shot is in single digits.

In December 2020, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) stated that it expected to have enough COVID-19 vaccine doses to inoculate every willing Canadian by the end of September 2021.

“In February 2021, only 45% of Canadians expected the vaccination goal outlined by the PHAC to actually be met,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “This month, practically three-in-four Canadians (74%) believe the milestone will be reached.”

Across the country, seven-in-ten Canadians (70%, -5) say that they wear a mask every time they go out, including 76% of women and 75% of Canadians aged 55 and over.

This month sees sizeable reductions in the proportion of Canadians who are cleaning the groceries they buy to prevent infection (24%, -6) and who are losing their temper more than usual at home (16%, -4).

The indicators are mostly stable on other behavioural aspects related to the pandemic, including the proportion of Canadians who are overeating or eating more than usual at home (27%, -2),  not ordering food from restaurants at all because they fear infection (16%, +1), having a bath or shower less often (14%, -2), drinking more alcohol than usual at home (also 14%, +1) and brushing their teeth less often than before the pandemic (9%, -2).

Methodology:  Results are based on an online study conducted from July 9 to July 11, 2021, among 1,000 Canadian adults. 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

Satisfaction with Pandemic Handling Increases Across Canada

Satisfaction with Pandemic Handling Increases Across Canada

By Mario Canseco

Three-in-four Canadians think the border with the United States should remain closed to non-essential travel.

Vancouver, BC [July 15, 2021] – While more Canadians are content with the way all levels of government have managed the COVID-19 pandemic, a majority of the country’s residents believe it is too soon to fully reopen the border with the United States, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, more than three-in-five Canadians (61%) are satisfied with the way the federal government has dealt with the COVID-19 outbreak, up 10 points since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in May.

“Residents of Atlantic Canada (73%) and Quebec (67%) are more likely to be satisfied with the way Ottawa has managed the pandemic,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “They are joined by majorities of Canadians who reside in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (62%), Ontario (54%), Alberta (53%) and British Columbia (52%).”

More than three-in-five Canadians are also satisfied with the way their municipal governments (63%, +8) and their provincial governments (62%, +10) have handled COVID-19.

The satisfaction rating increased in the four most populous provinces. British Columbia (71%, +10) and Quebec (71%, +10) continue to post significantly higher numbers than Ontario (51%, +9) and Alberta (46%, +12).

More than seven-in-ten Canadians (72%, +17) think the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is now behind us, while 15% (-12) believe it still lies ahead.

In spite of the fact that most Canadians think the pandemic will not worsen, 77% believe that COVID-19 is still “a very serious” or “moderately serious” problem, while 19% deem it “not too serious” or “not a problem.”

Just under four-in-five Canadians (79%, -5 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in May) believe that all customers or visitors entering an indoor premise should wear a face covering while inside.

There are reductions in the proportion of Canadians who would like to prohibit non-essential travel from one province to another (65%, -9) and non-essential travel inside provinces (59%, -8). In addition, 71% (-8) would continue to place all travellers arriving to Canada into a mandatory 14-day quarantine or isolation period.

Across the country, 75% of Canadians (-5 since May) think the border with the United States should remain closed to non-essential travel—a proportion that rises to 80% in British Columbia and 85% among Canadians aged 55 and over.

Methodology:  Results are based on an online study conducted from July 9 to July 11, 2021, among 1,000 Canadian adults. 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 Losing Pride in Specific Institutions and Features

Canadians Losing Pride in Specific Institutions and Features

By Mario Canseco

The proportion of Canadians who say they are proud of the Armed Forces has fallen by 22 points since 2019.

Vancouver, BC [July 1, 2021] – Fewer Canadians are expressing a positive emotional connection with important components of life in the country, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, more than three-in-four Canadians (77%) say they are proud of the Canadian flag, down five points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in 2020.

At least two thirds of Canadians express pride in multiculturalism (70%, -1), the Canadian Armed Forces (67%, -7), the health care system (66%, -9) and hockey (also 66%, +2).

Compared to a Research Co. poll conducted in 2019, pride in the Canadian Armed Forces has fallen by 22 points. Canadians aged 55 and over are more likely to express pride in the Canadian Armed Forces (73%) than their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (67%) and aged 18-to-34 (60%).

This year, about three-in-five Canadians say they are proud of Indigenous culture (62%, =), the state of democracy in Canada (also 62%, -4), and bilingualism (59%, -2).

Just over half of Canadians who voted for the Conservative Party in the 2019 federal election (54%) are proud of indigenous culture. The proportion is significantly higher among those who cast ballots for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (72%) and the Liberal Party (75%).

About half of Canadians express pride in the Canadian justice system (52%, -3), Parliament (50%, -3) and the Canadian economy (49%, -4).

While two thirds of Canadians who voted for the Liberals in the last federal election (68%) say they are proud of Parliament, only a third of those who supported the Conservatives (34%) share the same view.

“In 2019, 80% of Canadians said they were proud of the Canadian economy,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “This year, the proportion has fallen by 31 points to 49%.”

The Monarchy remains the lowest ranked of the 12 institutions and features tested, with 34% of Canadians saying it makes them proud, down six points since 2020.

British Columbia has the highest proportion of residents who are proud of the monarchy (44%) while Quebec has the lowest (29%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from June 24 to June 26, 2021, 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

Liberals Have Eight-Point Lead Over Tories in Canada

Liberals Have Eight-Point Lead Over Tories in Canada

By Mario Canseco

Health care is the most important issue facing the country for three-in-ten Canadians, followed by the economy and jobs.

Vancouver, BC [June 17, 2021] – The governing Liberal Party remains ahead of its rivals in Canada’s federal political scene, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 38% of Canadian decided voters would support the Liberal candidate in their constituency if a federal election were held tomorrow, up one point since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in March.

The Conservative Party is second with 30% (+2), followed by the New Democratic Party (NDP) with 20% (=), the Bloc Québécois with 5% (-2), the Green Party also with 5% (-1) and the People’s Party with 1% (=).

The Liberals are ahead of the Conservatives by 15 points among female decided voters (40% to 25%). Among male decided voters, the Liberals are barely ahead of the Conservatives (37% to 35%).

This month, the Liberal Party fares best with decided voters aged 55 and over (41%, with the Conservatives at 36%) and decided voters aged 18-to-34 (40%, with the NDP at 29%). The race is closer among decided voters aged 35-to-54 (36% for the Liberals, and 34% for the Conservatives).

The Liberals remain the most popular federal party among decided voters in Atlantic Canada (49%), Ontario (42%) and Quebec (39%). The Conservatives continue to dominate in Alberta (50%) and Manitoba and Saskatchewan (also 50%). In British Columbia, the New Democrats are in first place (34%), followed by the Liberals (31%) and the Conservatives (27%).

Half of Canadians (50%, -6) approve of the way Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau is handling his duties.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh posted the same approval rating as Trudeau (50%, +4). The numbers are lower for Official Opposition and Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole (34%, +1), Green Party leader Annamie Paul (32%, +2) and People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier (14%, -1).

More than a third of Canadians select Trudeau when asked which one of the main party leaders would make the best prime minister (37%, -3). For the first time, Singh is in second place on this indicator (17%, +5), followed by O’Toole (15%, =), Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet (3%, +1), Bernier (3%, +1) and Paul (2%, -1).

Health care is identified as the most important issue facing the country by 29% of Canadians (-4), followed by the economy and jobs (23%, -1), housing, homelessness and poverty (14%, +5), the environment (9%, +2) and COVID-19 (7%, -4).

Methodology:

Results are based on an online study conducted from June 12 to June 14, 2021, 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

Photo Credit: Makaristos

Canadians Support Paid Leave for Couples After Miscarriage

Canadians Support Paid Leave for Couples After Miscarriage

By Mario Canseco

Across the country, 13% of Canadians say themselves or their partner have experienced a miscarriage.

Vancouver, BC [June 4, 2021] – A sizeable proportion of Canadians are in favour of allowing people who have experienced a pregnancy loss to have paid time off from work, a new Research Co. poll has found.

New Zealand’s Parliament recently voted to pass legislation that would allow couples who go through a miscarriage or stillbirth to have three days of paid leave.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 78% of Canadians support enacting similar legislation in Canada, while only 10% are opposed and 13% are undecided.

Support for allowing paid leave to people who experience a pregnancy loss reaches 80% among women, 81% among Canadians aged 55 and over, and 83% among British Columbians.

Across the country, 13% of Canadians say themselves or their partner have experienced a miscarriage, defined as the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks of gestation. In addition, about one-in-five say they know a family member (19%) or a friend (18%) who went through this complication.

Fewer Canadians have faced two other setbacks. Just under one-in-ten (8%) report that themselves or their partner experienced infertility, or trying to get pregnant for at least a year with no success, and 3% endured a stillbirth, defined as the loss of a pregnancy after 20 weeks of gestation.

Most Canadians who have experienced miscarriage and/or stillbirth say they received enough information and support from their family (70%) and their friends (66%). The numbers are lower for their family doctor or general practitioner (58%) and their workplace (41%).

Three-in-ten Canadians (30%) who endured a miscarriage or stillbirth state that their family doctor did not provide enough information and support after the loss, while one-in-four (24%) feel the same way about their workplace.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from May 17 to May 19, 2021, among 1,000 Canadian adults. 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

Vaccine Rollout Opinions Improve in Some Canadian Provinces

Vaccine Rollout Opinions Improve in Some Canadian Provinces

By Mario Canseco

Almost two thirds of respondents think the goal to inoculate every willing Canadian by the end of September 2021 will be attained.

Vancouver, BC [May 28, 2021] – The perceptions of Canadians on the way COVID-19 vaccination efforts are advancing have improved markedly this month, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 57% of Canadians are satisfied with the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the federal government, up nine points since a similar survey conducted in March 2021.

Majorities of Canadians are also content with the vaccination plans and phases outlined by their province (61%, +7) and with the pace of vaccination efforts in their province (58%, +10).

“The same regional differences that we currently see across Canada when it comes to COVID-19 management are also present on the vaccine rollout,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “While more than three-in-five residents of Quebec (69%) and British Columbia (62%) are satisfied with the pace of vaccination efforts, only 48% of those in Ontario and Alberta feel the same way.”

In December 2020, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) stated that it expected to have enough COVID-19 vaccine doses to inoculate every willing Canadian by the end of September 2021.  

Almost two thirds of Canadians (65%) believe the vaccination goal outlined by the PHAC will be attained, up 20 points since a similar survey completed in February 2021.  

This month, 83% of Canadians say they have already been vaccinated against COVID-19, or plan to have a first shot when it becomes available to them, while 13% will “definitely” or “probably” not get inoculated—including 20% of those who voted for Conservative Party candidates in the 2019 federal election.  

More than four-in-five Canadians (84%, +1) agree with regulations that require all customers or visitors entering an indoor premise to wear a mask while inside.  

Three-in-four Canadians (75%, -2) say they wear a mask every time they go out, a proportion thar rises to 82% among women and 80% among Canadians aged 55 and over.  

Sizeable proportions of Canadians continue to endorse specific measures to deal with COVID-19, including keeping the border with the United States closed to non-essential travel (80%, -3) and placing all travellers arriving to Canada into a mandatory 14-day quarantine or isolation period (79%, -3). In addition, 74% (=) would prohibit non-essential travel from one province to another and 67% (-1) would prohibit non-essential travel inside provinces.  

Just under a third of Canadians say they are cleaning the groceries they buy to prevent infection (30%, +1) and acknowledge they are overeating or eating more than usual at home (29%, +4).  

Fewer Canadians admit to losing their temper more than usual at home (20%, including 28% of those aged 18-to-34), having a bath or shower less often than before the pandemic (16%, -1), not ordering food from restaurants at all because they fear infection (15%, -4), drinking more alcohol than usual at home (13%, -1) and brushing their teeth less often than before the pandemic (11%, but rising to 21% among Albertans).  

Methodology:

Results are based on an online study conducted from May 17 to May 19, 2021, among 1,000 Canadian adults. 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

 

Views on Governments Falter as Canadians See Pandemic’s End

Views on Governments Falter as Canadians See Pandemic’s End

By Mario Canseco

Ontarians and Albertans are the least likely to express confidence in the measures implemented by their provincial administrations.

Vancouver, BC [May 25, 2021] – For the first time since the start of the pandemic, a majority of Canadians believe the most vicious moments of COVID-19 have passed, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 55% of Canadians think the worst of the COVID-19 outbreak is behind us, up eight points since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in March.

Conversely, 27% of Canadians think the worst of the pandemic is ahead of us, down six points in two months.

Just over half of Canadians (51%) are satisfied with how the federal government has managed the pandemic, unchanged since March. The numbers are similar for provincial governments (52%, -1) and municipal governments (55%, +1).

Among the four most populous provinces, the satisfaction rating remains below the 50% threshold in Ontario (42%, -3) and Alberta (34%, -3). More than three-in-five residents of British Columbia (62%, -3) and Quebec (61%, +3) are content with how their governments have managed COVID-19.

Almost half of Canadians (46%) think the measures that are currently in place in their province to deal with COVID-19 are correct for the situation. While three-in-ten (29%) believe the measures do not go far enough, one-in-five (19%) claim they go too far.

“Residents of Ontario and Alberta are more likely to be dissatisfied with the measures implemented to deal with COVID-19,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Just over a third of residents in each jurisdiction endorse the course of action outlined by their provincial governments.”

Canadians were also asked about the level of confidence they have in their provincial government to handle specific tasks.

Majorities of respondents trust their provincial administration to release accurate (61%) and complete (56%) information about COVID-19 cases and hospitalization rates to the media and the public.

Most Canadians also trust their provincial administrations to respond to a natural disaster (60%), establish public health guidelines and restrictions (58%) and ensure the sustainability of the health care system (55%). Fewer respondents (43%) express confidence in their provincial government to spend tax dollars wisely.

On the matter of establishing public health guidelines, the level of confidence is highest in British Columbia (66%), followed by Quebec (63%), Atlantic Canada (also 63%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (58%), Ontario (52%) and Alberta (45%).

Across the country, 84% of Canadians believe that COVID-19 is “definitely” or “probably” a real threat, while 12% disagree with this assessment.

Canadians who voted for the Conservative Party in the 2019 federal election are more likely to be skeptical of the threat posed by COVID-19 (20%) than those who supported the New Democratic Party (NDP) (11%) or the Liberal Party (8%).

Methodology:

Results are based on an online study conducted from May 17 to May 19, 2021, among 1,000 Canadian adults. 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

 

Money and Health Worries Are Making Canadians Lose Sleep

Money and Health Worries Are Making Canadians Lose Sleep

By Mario Canseco

Three-in-five Canadians (60%) fall below the recommended sleep guidelines on weekdays or workdays.

Vancouver, BC [May 11, 2021] – Canadians who are having a difficult time falling asleep at night have two major concerns on their minds, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 43% of Canadians say financial matters made it harder for them to fall asleep at night over the past month, while 36% mention health.

Since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in December 2019, the proportion of Canadians who found it challenging to fall asleep on account of financial matters fell by six points, while those worried about health increased by seven points.

One third of Canadians (32%, =) had a hard time falling asleep on account of relationship and family concerns, while fewer were worried about work (24%, +1), Canadian politics and issues (10%< +4) and international politics and issues (9%, +3).

“More than two-in-five Canadians aged 55 and over (44%) had no trouble falling asleep over the past month,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The numbers drop dramatically among their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (23%) and aged 18-to-34 (17%).”

Millennials are significantly more likely to have a difficult time falling asleep due to financial matters (53%) and work (42%) than Baby Boomers (31% and 7% respectively).

Health Canada guidelines recommend sleeping from 7 to 9 hours a night. Across the country, 60% of Canadians are sleeping for fewer than 7 hours on weekdays or workdays, down four points since 2019. Just under half of Canadians (49%, -2) are sleeping for fewer than 7 hours on a weekend or non-workday.

There is little change since 2019 on the feeling Canadians have after waking up each morning. Almost one-in-five respondents (18%, +1) say they are “very well rested” after a typical night’s sleep on a weekday or workday, and a majority (52%, -1) are “moderately well rested.” 

About a third of women (33%), Canadians aged 35-to-54 (34%), Atlantic Canadians (also 34%) and residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (also 34%) deem themselves “not too well rested” or “not well rested at all” when a new workday or weekday arrives.

After a typical night’s sleep on a weekend or non-workday, the proportion of Canadians who claim to feel “very well rested” or “moderately well rested” remains at 75%.

Just over two-in-five Canadians (41%, +2) continue to say that they have a difficult time falling asleep at least 3 days a week. A slightly smaller proportion (35%, -1) find it difficult to slumber for 1 or 2 days each week, while one-in-four (24%, -1) never have problems. 

Methodology:
Results are based on an online survey conducted from May 1 to May 3, 2021, 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