Tag: Canada

Spirituality Rises in Canada and Drops in the United States

Spirituality Rises in Canada and Drops in the United States

By Mario Canseco

Americans are more likely to say that religion is “very important” for them personally (38%) than Canadians (25%).

Vancouver, BC [December 6, 2022] – The perceptions of Canadians and Americans on religion have changed slightly over the past couple of years, a new two-country Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of representative national samples, one-in-four Canadians (25%) say religion is “very important” to them personally, up three points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in December 2021.

Fewer than two-in-five Americans (38%) say religion is “very important” to them personally, down 10 points since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in November 2020.

In Canada, only affluence (14%, +3) is ranked lower than religion among six different components of life. The rating is considerably higher for career (36%, +7), country (47%, +3), friends (60%, +6) and family (81%, +3).

In the United States, two items are ranked lower than religion: affluence (12%, -9) and career (31%, -9). The numbers are higher for country (51%, -11), friends (55%, +1) and family (77%, -2).

“On religion, there is a pronounced generational gap in the United States,” says Mario Canseco. “Only 28% of Americans aged 18-to-34 acknowledge that religion is very important to them, compared to 40% of those aged 35-to-45 and 42% of those aged 55 and over.”

In Canada, fewer than three-in-ten Canadians aged 18-to-34 (27%), aged 35-to-54 (25%) and aged 55 and over (22%) say religion is “very important” for them personally.

Two thirds of Americans (66%, -7) consider themselves as “very spiritual” or “moderately spiritual”. In Canada, 53% of respondents (+4) feel the same way.

Compared to 2021, there is a slight drop in the proportion of Canadians who describe their religion as Christian (48%, -2) and an increase in those who say they are atheist, agnostic or profess no religion (37%, +3).

In the United States, the proportion of self-described Christians fell by seven points since 2020 (from 70% to 63%), while the number of respondents who are atheist, agnostic or have no religion increased by six points (from 19% to 25%).

About a third of Canadians (32%, -1) never attend religious gatherings, while two-in-five (40%, +4) only do so for special events, such as weddings, funerals or baptisms. Only 15% of Canadians (-1) attend a church, temple or synagogue at least once a week.

About a quarter of Americans (23%, -15) attend a religious gathering at least once a week. There are sizeable increases in the proportions of Americans who never go to church (27%, +7) or who only do so in special occasions (29%, +8).

Methodology: Results are based on online studies conducted from November 26 to November 28, 2022, among representative samples of 1,000 adults Canada and the United States. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian and U.S. census figures for age, gender and region in each country. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points for each country.

Find our data tables for Canada here, the data tables for the United States 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

A Third of Canadians Would Remove All Statues of Sir John

A Third of Canadians Would Remove All Statues of Sir John

By Mario Canseco

More than half of the country’s residents think the removal of statues of colonial figures is an attack on Canadian history.

Vancouver, BC [December 2, 2022] – Most Canadians are not particularly satisfied with the idea of withdrawing existing monuments from public view, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 54% of Canadians believe the removal of statues of colonial figures is an attack on Canadian history, while 21% disagree and 14% are undecided.

Canadians aged 55 and over are more likely to feel that removing statues of colonial figures is an attack on the country’s history (61%) than their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (54%) and aged 18-to-34 (48%).

Some municipalities—including Charlottetown, Kingston, Regina and Victoria—have removed statues of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister.

While just under a third of Canadians (32%) think all statues of Macdonald should be withdrawn from public view, almost half (47%) disagree and 20% are not sure.

Support for keeping statues of Macdonald in place is highest in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (55%), followed by Alberta (51%), Ontario (also 51%), Atlantic Canada (50%), British Columbia (48%) and Quebec (38%).

“Two thirds of Conservative Party voters in the 2021 federal election (65%) are against the removal of all monuments depicting Sir John A. Macdonald,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Two-in-five Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party (41%) or the New Democratic Party (NDP) (40%) in the last election feel the same way.”

Across the country, 45% of Canadians have a favourable opinion of Sir John A. Macdonald, while 22% hold unfavourable views.

Positive opinions on Macdonald reach 51% in Ontario, but are lower in Alberta (45%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (44%), Atlantic Canada (43%), Quebec (42%) and British Columbia (36%).

Macdonald holds a higher favourability rating than five other former prime ministers included in the survey: John Diefenbaker (42%), Wilfrid Laurier (41%), William Lyon Mackenzie King (38%), Louis St. Laurent (33%) and Robert Borden (29%).

Methodology:

Results are based on an online study conducted from November 24 to November 26, 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
 
Photo Credit: Nhl4hamilton (Rick Cordeiro)
Half of Canadians Are Losing Sleep Over Financial Concerns

Half of Canadians Are Losing Sleep Over Financial Concerns

By Mario Canseco

A third say worrying about relationships and health made it harder for them to fall asleep in the past month. 

Vancouver, BC [November 25, 2022] – Most Canadians are unable to match Health Canada’s recommended sleep guidelines, and half are finding it harder to rest every night because of financial anxiety, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 50% of Canadians acknowledge that worrying about money made it harder for them to fall asleep at night over the past month, up seven points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in May 2021.

One third of Canadians say concerns about relationships and family (33%, +1) and health (also 33%, -3) make it more difficult for them to fall asleep at night. Fewer Canadians lost sleep over work (28%, +4), Canadian politics and issues (10%, =) and international politics and issues (10%, +1) over the past four weeks.

“Two-in-five Canadians aged 18-to-34 (40%) are losing sleep because of employment concerns,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Fewer Canadians aged 35-to-54 (33%) and aged 55 and over (14%) share the same experience.”

Health Canada guidelines recommend sleeping from 7 to 9 hours a night. Almost two thirds of Canadians (64%, +4) are sleeping fewer than seven hours on a typical weekday or workday.

Only 35% of Canadians (-3) say they are sleeping anywhere from 7 to 9 hours on a typical weekday or workday. On a regional basis, Quebec is first (40%), followed by Atlantic Canada (39%), Alberta (36%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (31%), Ontario (also 31%) and British Columbia (28%).

Across the country, 43% of Canadians (-3) are sleeping anywhere from 7 to 9 hours on a typical weekend or non-workday, while 50% (-1) are spending less time in bed.

Almost seven-in-ten Canadians (69%, -1) are “well rested” after a typical night’s sleep on a weekday or workday, while 76% (+1) feel the same way after a typical night’s sleep on a weekend or non-workday.

One-in-four Canadians (25%) claim to “never” find it hard to fall asleep at night on an average week—a proportion that rises to 31% among men and 33% among those aged 55 and over and 29 per cent of Quebecers.

Methodology:

Results are based on an online study conducted from November 18 to November 20, 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
Canadians Move Away from Conscience Rights in Health Care

Canadians Move Away from Conscience Rights in Health Care

By Mario Canseco

Compared to 2020, more Canadians believe practitioners should not be able to refuse services on account of moral beliefs.

Vancouver, BC [November 18, 2022] – Disapproval with the notion of provinces taking legislative action to entrench conscience rights for health care workers has grown in Canada, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 52% of Canadians would oppose a bill that sought to allow health care professionals the ability to have a moral or faith-based objection to providing services, up three points since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in February 2020.

“Opposition to the concept of conscience rights in health care delivery is strongest among Canadians aged 55 and over (56%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are lower among Canadians aged 35-to-54 (50%) and aged 18-to-34 (48%).”

In 2019, Alberta considered the implementation of Bill 207 which was later abandoned. The proposed legislation sought to enable the province’s health care practitioners to abstain from providing services to an individual if they considered that their conscientious beliefs would be infringed upon.

Just over half of Canadians (51%, +9) disagree with health care professionals having the ability to object to providing services if they have a moral or faith-based objection to physician-assisted death.

Canadians who voted for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (59%) and the Liberal Party (56%) in the 2021 federal election are more likely to disagree with conscience rights in physician-assisted death than those who backed the Conservative Party (40%).

A majority of Canadians (56%, +7) are against health care professionals being able to object to providing services if they have a moral or faith-based objection to abortion.

Opposition to conscience rights on abortion is highest in Quebec (63%), followed by Atlantic Canada (60%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (55%), British Columbia (54%), Alberta (also 54%) and Ontario (50%).

More than three-in-five Canadians (63%, +5) reject the notion of health care practitioners refusing to serve lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gender diverse, queer and Two-Spirit (LGBTQ2+) people because of a moral or faith-based objection—a proportion that rises to 69% among both Canadians aged 55 and over and Atlantic Canadians.

Methodology:

Results are based on an online study conducted from November 12 to November 14, 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
Most Canadians Oblivious to Acts Proposed by Western Premiers

Most Canadians Oblivious to Acts Proposed by Western Premiers

By Mario Canseco

Half of residents (50%) agree with what Saskatchewan is trying to accomplish, while 39% feel the same way about Alberta’s actions.

Vancouver, BC [November 11, 2022] – Few Canadians are actively following stories related to the recent pronouncements issued by the premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 37% of Canadians say they are paying close attention to the Alberta Sovereignty Act.

Just over three-in-ten Canadians (31%) are following stories related to the Saskatchewan First Act “very closely” or “moderately closely”

The Alberta Sovereignty Act proposed by Premier Danielle Smith seeks to allow the province to refuse to follow specific federal laws if they are deemed not to be in Alberta’s best interests.

The Saskatchewan First Act proposed by Premier Scott Moe seeks to confirm Saskatchewan’s autonomy and exclusive jurisdiction over its natural resources.

“Half of Conservative Party voters in the last Canadian federal election (50%) are keeping an eye on news related to the Alberta Sovereignty Act,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are lower among Canadians who cast ballots for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (36%) or the Liberal Party (35%) in 2021.”

Just over half of Canadians (51%) are concerned about the Alberta Sovereignty Act, while 45% feel the same way about the Saskatchewan First Act.

Half of Canadians (50%) think the Government of Saskatchewan is right to confirm its autonomy and exclusive jurisdiction over its natural resources, while 27% disagree with this notion and 22% are undecided.

On a regional basis, residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (60%) and Alberta (57%) agree with the principle of the Saskatchewan First Act, along with 48% of those who live in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.

Only 34% of Canadians think the Government of Alberta is right to refuse to follow specific federal laws if they are deemed not to be in Alberta’s best interests, while 42% disagree with this assessment and 21% are not sure.

Just over half of Albertans (52%) agree with the ideals behind the Alberta Sovereignty Act. The numbers are lower in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (43%), British Columbia and Ontario (38% each), Atlantic Canada (34%) and Quebec (33 %).

Methodology:

Results are based on an online survey conducted from November 4 to November 6, 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 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 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca
Concerns About Birth Tourism Drop Slightly in Canada

Concerns About Birth Tourism Drop Slightly in Canada

By Mario Canseco

More than seven-in-ten Canadians still want the federal government to investigate the full extent of the practice.

Vancouver, BC [November 4, 2022] – Canadians are currently not paying as much attention to the issue of “birth tourism” as they did in 2020, but a sizeable majority believe the practice should still be scrutinized, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 28% of Canadians say they have followed media stories related to the issue of “birth tourism” in the past year “very closely” or “moderately closely”, down 13 points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in August 2020.

British Columbians and Quebecers are significantly more likely to be paying attention to news related to “birth tourism” (36% and 34% respectively) than their counterparts in other Canadian provinces.

“Birth tourism” is the practice of traveling to a specific country for the purpose of giving birth there and securing citizenship for the child in a country that has birthright citizenship. Canada allows expectant mothers who are foreign nationals to gain automatic citizenship for their children born in Canada.

Over the past few years, there have been reports of unregulated “for profit” businesses that have facilitated the practice of “birth tourism” in Canada. More than half of Canadians agree that “birth tourism” can displace Canadians from hospitals (54%, -2) and can degrade the value of Canadian citizenship (53%, -6).

More than three-in-five Canadians (64%, -7) believe “birth tourism” can be unfairly used to gain access to Canada’s education, health care and social programs—a point of view shared by 76% of British Columbians.

More than seven-in-ten Canadians (73%, -5) believe the federal government should establish a committee to investigate the full extent of “birth tourism” in Canada.

“A federal inquiry into the full scope of birth tourism would not represent a political liability for the federal government,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Majorities of Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party (82%), the Conservative Party (77%) and the New Democratic Party (NDP) (72%) in the last federal election are on board.”

Almost half of Canadians (48%, -6) think the country should ponder establishing new guidelines for birthright citizenship, while more than a third (37%, +3) would prefer to keep existing regulations.

Support for developing a new framework to birthright citizenship in Canada is highest in Ontario (50%), followed by Manitoba and Saskatchewan (49%), Quebec (48%) and Alberta, British Columbia and Atlantic Canada (each at 47%).

More than three-in-five Canadians (62%, -5) agree with the notion that birthright citizenship may have made sense at one point, but now people have taken advantage of existing rules.

Methodology:

Results are based on an online study conducted from October 24 to October 26, 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 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 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca
Conservatives Have Four-Point Lead Over Liberals in Canada

Conservatives Have Four-Point Lead Over Liberals in Canada

By Mario Canseco

Canadians are evenly split when assessing the accomplishments of the Liberals and the NDP following their March 2022 agreement.

Vancouver, BC [October 31, 2022] – The opposition Conservative Party is ahead in Canada’s federal political scene, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 35% of decided voters would cast a ballot for the Conservative candidate in their constituency.

The governing Liberal Party is in second place with 31%, followed by the New Democratic Party (NDP) with 19%, the Bloc Québécois with 8%, the Green Party with 4% and the People’s Party with 2%.

The Conservatives hold sizeable leads in their traditional strongholds of Alberta (51%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (47%) and are also first in Ontario (41%) and British Columbia (37%). The Liberals are leading in Quebec (38%, with the Bloc at 32%) and Atlantic Canada (38%).

“Among Canadian decided voters aged 55 and over, the Conservatives have a double-digit lead over the Liberals (41% to 30%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The race is much closer among younger voters.”

More than two-in-five Canadians (44%) approve of the performance of Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau while just over half (51%) disapprove.

The approval rating is higher this month for NDP leader Jagmeet Singh (46%, -5 since the last Research Co. survey conducted before the 2021 federal election).

More than a third of Canadians (37%) approve of the way Official Opposition and Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has handled his duties, while 44% disagree and 19% are undecided.

The numbers are lower for Green interim leader Amita Kuttner (22%), Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet (20%, and 38% in Quebec) and People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier (18%).

Practically three-in-ten Canadians (29%, +7 since September 2021) identify the economy and jobs as the most important issue facing Canada, followed by housing, homelessness and poverty (21%, +6), health care (also 21%, -6), the environment (7%, -3), accountability and leadership (5%, -1), immigration (4%, +1) and crime and public safety (also 4%, +1).

The economy and jobs is regarded as the most pressing federal concern for residents of Alberta (38%), Quebec (33%), Ontario (30%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (also 30%).

Health care is the prevalent issue for Atlantic Canadians (35%), while housing, homelessness and poverty is the most important matter in British Columbia (33%).

When asked which one of the six main party leaders would make the best prime minister of Canada, Trudeau holds a six-point advantage over Poilievre (30% to 24%), followed by Singh (17%), Blanchet (4%), Bernier (2%) and Kuttner (1%).

Residents of two provinces are almost evenly divided on whether Trudeau or Poilievre would be the best head of government for Canada right now. In Ontario, Poilievre is a point ahead of Trudeau (30% to 29%). In British Columbia, the current prime minister edges the opposition leader by the same margin (27% to 26%).

More than two-in-five Canadians (43%) say they are comfortable with Trudeau being charge of Canada’s economy, a proportion that rises to 45% among those aged 35-to-54 and to 52% in Quebec.

Just under two-in-five Canadians (39%) say they would be comfortable with Poilievre being charge of Canada’s economy, including 48% of Albertans and 43% of Ontarians.

There is no clear consensus on what the March 2022 supply and confidence agreement between the Liberals and the NDP has meant to Canada so far. Across the country, 44% are satisfied with the accomplishments of this deal, while the same proportion (44%) are dissatisfied.

Liberal voters in the 2021 federal election are significantly more likely to hold positive views on the March 2022 supply and confidence agreement (80%) than those who voted for the New Democrats (51%) or the Conservatives (13%).

The country is also divided on whether a federal election should be called in the next six months now that the Conservatives have a full time leader (Agree 44%, Disagree 41%).

Canadians who voted for the Conservatives in the last federal election are more convinced about the need to hold a fresh ballot now (73%) than their counterparts who supported the NDP (44%) or the Liberals (30%) in 2021.

Methodology:

Results are based on an online study conducted from October 24 to October 26, 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 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 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca
Support for Celebrating Halloween on Saturday Rises in Canada

Support for Celebrating Halloween on Saturday Rises in Canada

By Mario Canseco

Negative perceptions about specific types of costumes for adults and children also increased since 2019.

Vancouver, BC [October 28, 2022] – A plurality of Canadians believe it is time to observe Halloween on the last Saturday of October, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 44% of Canadians agree with this idea, while 39% disagree and 17% are undecided.

Compared to a Research Co. poll conducted in 2019, support for moving Halloween to the last Saturday of October—instead of having it every year on the same day (October 31)— is up by four points, while opposition is down by the same margin.

Residents of Ontario (48%) and Atlantic Canada (47%) are more likely to back the notion of celebrating Halloween on a Saturday every year. The proportions are lower in British Columbia (44%), Alberta (43%), Quebec (42%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (33%).

In 2022, Canadians are more likely to find fault with specific Halloween costumes for children. More than half of Canadians think that three types of costumes for kids are inappropriate: those that represent an ethnic stereotype (60%, +3), those that change the colour of the child’s skin (57%, +6) and those where a child carries toy or replica weapons (51%, +4).

At least two-in-five Canadians also believe two other types of costumes for kids are inappropriate: those that refer to a culture that is not the child’s own (43%, +5) and those that represent a social stereotype, such as a jailbird or vagabond (40%, +7).

The views are similar when Canadians are asked to ponder the suitability of certain Halloween costumes for adults. Three-in-five deem it inappropriate for an adult to wear Halloween costumes that depict ethnic stereotypes (60%, +1) or that change the colour of the adult’s skin (also 60%, +7).

Half of Canadians also find fault with adult Halloween costumes that feature toy or replica weapons (50%, +1) or that refer to a culture that is not the adult’s own, (also 50%, +6%). Two-in-five (41%, +5) also think adult costumes that represent a social stereotype are inappropriate.

“Canadians of all backgrounds appear dissatisfied with the existence of Halloween children’s costumes that feature ethnic stereotypes,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “This includes Canadians whose ancestries are Indigenous (68%), South Asian (65%), East Asian (63%) and European (52%).”

A final question gauged views on some of the food and beverages that have become staples of the season. Two thirds of Canadians (66%) say they like pumpkin pie, and almost three-in-five (58%) enjoy pumpkin spice flavoured cakes.

Two other offerings are decidedly more contentious. Almost half of Canadians (47%) dislike pumpkin spice flavoured beverages, while 44% enjoy them.

A majority of Canadians aged 18-to-34 (53%) like pumpkin spice flavoured beverages. The numbers are lower among their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (46%) and aged 55 and over (34%).

The nationwide results are similar for candy corn: 42% of Canadians enjoy this confectionery, while 48% do not.

There is a sizeable gender gap on candy corn, with 45% of Canadian men saying they like it, compared to 37% of Canadian women.

Methodology:

Results are based on an online study conducted from October 22 to October 24, 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 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 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca
Mixed Messages on Organ Donation After Death in Canada

Mixed Messages on Organ Donation After Death in Canada

By Mario Canseco

While sizeable majorities of Canadians agree with the practice, significantly fewer have explicitly outlined their wishes.

Vancouver, BC [October 25, 2022] – While a vast majority of Canadians say they want to donate their human organs and tissue after death, few are actually registered to do so, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 84% of Canadians support the donation of human organs and tissue after death.

Canadians aged 55 and over are the most supportive of the practice (92%), followed by their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (84%) and aged 18-to-34 (78%).

Two thirds of Canadians (68%) say they would want their organs and tissue to be donated after their death, while 21% disagree and 11% are undecided.

On a regional basis, residents of Atlantic Canada are more likely to say that they would like to donate their organs and tissue after death (79%), followed by those who live in British Columbia and Alberta (each at 71%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (69%), Quebec (66%) and Ontario (64%).

Across the country, only 43% of Canadians say they have registered to be an organ and tissue donor after their death, an “explicit consent” usually expressed in a health card or driver’s licence.

“On the issue of organ and tissue donation after death, the thoughts and actions of Canadians differ greatly,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “While two thirds want to go through with donations, fewer than half have actually registered to do so.”

Some jurisdictions around the world have established “Active Donor Registration” systems for organ and tissue donation. Under these systems, every person over the age of 18 is considered an organ and tissue donor after death unless they specifically opt-out of a registry.

In January 2021, Nova Scotia’s “Human Organ and Tissue Act” came into effect. The law makes every single person who has resided in the province for at least a year a potential organ and tissue donor after death. Nova Scotians who do not wish to be donors are able to opt-out of the system.

Almost two thirds of Canadians (65%, down five points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in August 2020) want their provincial government to “definitely” or “probably” implement an “Active Donor Registration” system for organ and tissue donation after death.

Support for the implementation of an “Active Donor Registration” system is highest among Canadians who voted for the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the 2021 federal election (74%), but also encompasses majorities of those who cast ballots for the Liberal Party (68%) and the Conservative Party (67%).

Methodology:

Results are based on an online survey conducted from October 1 to October 3, 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 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 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca
Concerns About Opioid Crisis Stagnant in Canada, Rise in U.S.

Concerns About Opioid Crisis Stagnant in Canada, Rise in U.S.

By Mario Canseco

Just over a third of Canadians and Americans are satisfied with the way Justin Trudeau and Joe Biden are managing this issue.

Vancouver, BC [October 21, 2022] – Residents of Canada and the United States voice a high level of support for specific strategies to deal with the opioid crisis, a new two-country Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of representative national samples, 45% of Canadians and 60% of Americans describe the current situation related to the use of prescription and non-prescription opioid drugs in their community as “a major problem”.

Grave concerns about the opioid crisis remain stagnant in Canada compared to a Research Co. poll conducted in October 2021, but have risen by seven points in the United States since September 2020.

Respondents to this survey were asked to consider six ideas related to opioids. More than four-in-five Canadians and Americans endorse two of them: launching more education and awareness campaigns about drug use (CAN 84%, USA 88%) and creating more spaces for drug rehabilitation (CAN 82%, USA 84%).

The concept of “safe supply” programs, where alternatives to opioids can be prescribed by health professionals, is supported by 74% of Canadians and 80% of Americans. In addition, three-in-four residents of each country (CAN 75%, USA 75%) believe it is time to reduce the prescription of opioids by medical professionals.

Two other proposals are more contentious. Majorities of Canadians and Americans (CAN 63%, USA 56%) agree with setting up more “harm reduction” strategies, such as legal supervised injection sites.

The notion of decriminalizing all drugs for personal use is endorsed by 40% of Canadians and 35% of Americans.

“Nationwide support for the decriminalization of all drugs for personal use increased in Canada from 33% in 2021 to 40% this year,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “In the United States, it dropped from 47% in 2020 to 35% in 2022.”

Canadians and Americans have similar opinions on the work of elected politicians to deal with the opioid crisis. More than a third consider the performance of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Canadian federal government (36%) and President Joe Biden and the American federal government (34%) as satisfactory.

While 34% of Canadians think their own Member of Parliament is doing a “good job” managing the use of prescription and non-prescription opioid drugs in your community, only 23% of Americans feel the same way about the U.S. Congress.

The ratings are equivalent for Canadians premiers and provincial governments (36%) and American governors and state governments (also 36%).

Local governments fare slightly better, with 39% of Americans endorsing the work of their mayor and local government on the opioid crisis and 38% of Canadians feeling the same way about their mayor and council.

Methodology: Results are based on online studies conducted from October 15 to October 17, 2022, among representative samples of 1,000 adults in Canada and the United States. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian and U.S. census figures for age, gender and region in each country. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points for each country.

Find our data tables for Canada here, the data tables for the United States 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 Endorse Pardons for Simple Possession of Marijuana

Canadians Endorse Pardons for Simple Possession of Marijuana

By Mario Canseco

Two thirds of Canadians agree with cannabis being legal in Canada, as reliance on licensed retailers increases.

Vancouver, BC [October 12, 2022] – More than three-in-five Canadians are in favour of a plan to pardon people convicted of simple possession of marijuana, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 64% of Canadians agree with the federal government providing expungement orders to people convicted of possession of cannabis for personal use with no intent to traffic.

In Canada, an expungement order compels police forces, federal departments or agencies to destroy or remove any judicial record of a conviction.

“The issue of pardons for simple possession of marijuana is not particularly divisive politically,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Sizeable majorities of Canadians who voted for the New Democrats (78%), the Liberals (70%) and the Conservatives (63%) in 2021 believe it is the right course of action.”

Two thirds of Canadians (66%, +2 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in April 2021) agree with cannabis being legal in Canada.

There are some significant differences among Canadians of different ethnic backgrounds when it comes to marijuana. Majorities of Canadians of Indigenous (80%), European (68%) and South Asian (57%) heritage agree with cannabis being legal in the country, compared to just 41% of those of East Asian descent.

While half of Canadians (50%) have never tried marijuana, about two-in-five (39%) used cannabis before it became legal in October 2018.

Just over one-in-ten Canadians (11%) consumed it only after legalization—a proportion that rises to 16% among those aged 18-to-34.

Almost half of Canadians who have used marijuana after legalization (48%) say they acquired “all” of their product at a licensed retailer, up 10 points since 2021.

There is also a reduction in the proportion of marijuana consumers who have not bought any cannabis from a licensed retailer, from 20% in April 2021 to 15% this month.

Few Canadians think it is time to make other substances legal in Canada, including ecstasy (10%, -4), powder cocaine (10%, -6), heroin (10%, -5), fentanyl (8%,-6), crack cocaine (8%, -5) and methamphetamine or “crystal meth” (8% -5).

Three-in-five Canadians (60%, -1) believe companies should be able to administer “drug tests” to any employee now that marijuana is legal in Canada, even if they do not operate machinery (such as pilots, truck drivers or crane operators).

Methodology:

Results are based on an online survey conducted from October 1 to October 3, 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 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 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca
Canadians Support Wide Use of Territory Acknowledgements

Canadians Support Wide Use of Territory Acknowledgements

By Mario Canseco

Almost three-in-five of the country’s residents think the practice is a positive step towards reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

Vancouver, BC [October 4, 2022] – While fewer than half of Canadians have been at an event that featured a territory acknowledgement, most believe that the practice should become more common across the country, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 39% of Canadians say they have attended a ceremony, lecture or public event that featured a territory acknowledgement.

Residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (49%), Alberta (46%) and British Columbia (44%) are more likely to have listened to a territory acknowledgement than their counterparts in Atlantic Canada (36%), Quebec (also 36%) and Ontario (35%).

Territory acknowledgements are usually worded this way: “I want to acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of [nation names].”

More than half of Canadians (54%) think territory acknowledgements should be adopted widely before ceremonies, lectures and public events held in Canada, while 26% disagree and 19% are undecided.

“Support for the wide adoption of territory acknowledgements is highest among Canadians aged 18-to-34 (62%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Fewer Canadians aged 35-to-54 (57%) and aged 55 and over (45%) share the same point of view.”

More than three-in-five Canadians who cast ballots for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (62%) and the Liberal Party (64%) in the 2021 federal election are in favour of the wide adoption of territory acknowledgements in Canada. Fewer than half of Conservative Party voters (44%) welcome this idea.

Just over half of Canadians (53%) consider territory acknowledgements as a sincere and important practice, and practically three-in-five (59%) think they are a positive step towards reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

For 57% of Canadians, territory acknowledgements amount to a lip-service gesture, while just under two thirds (63%) believe they do little to address the problems facing Indigenous peoples.

Methodology:

Results are based on an online study conducted from September 25 to September 27, 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
Appetite for Political Correctness Rises in Canada, Sinks in U.S.

Appetite for Political Correctness Rises in Canada, Sinks in U.S.

By Mario Canseco

One-in-five Americans (20%) claim to never act “politically correct”, compared to just 11% of Canadians.

Vancouver, BC [September 28, 2022] – Residents of Canada and the United States hold differing views on the concept of “political correctness”, a new two-country Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of representative national samples, 55% of Canadians and 45% of Americans support the use of “political correctness” in their respective countries.

The term “political correctness” has been used to describe language and/or behaviour that seeks to minimize possible offenses to racial, cultural and gender identity groups, among others.

Since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in December 2020, support for “political correctness” has increased by five points in Canada and fallen by eight points in the United States.

“Canadians who voted for the Conservatives in 2021 (41%) and Americans who identify as Independent (35%) or Republican (29%) are less likely to endorse political correctness,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are higher among (66%) in the United States (66%) and among Canadians who voted for the Liberals (64%) or the New Democrats (67%) in 2021.”

There is little change when Canadians are asked about their own behaviour, with just over a third (34%, +2) claiming to always act “politically correct” because it’s the right thing to do. Two-in-five (40%, =) sometimes act “politically correct” because it’s the safe thing to do, while only 11% (=) do not act “politically correct” because it’s the wrong thing to do.

In the United States, the proportion of Americans who claim to never act “politically correct” increased to 20% (+5), while those who sometimes act “politically correct” rose to 41% (+4). About one-in-four Americans (24%, -12) say they always act “politically correct” because it’s the right thing to do.

As was the case in 2020, more than half of Canadians and Americans think three groups in society should act in a “politically correct” manner “always” or “most of the time”: teachers (75% in Canada and 64% in the U.S.), politicians (72% in Canada and 60% in the U.S.) and journalists (67% in Canada and 55% in the U.S.).

Significantly fewer Canadians (41%) and Americans (28%) believe comedians should act in a “politically correct” way “always” or “most of the time”.

Seven-in-ten Canadians (70%, +5) and just under three-in-five Americans (59%, -3) are in favour of adding a disclaimer to explain that programs or movies are presented “as originally created” and “may contain outdated cultural depictions.”

Opposition grew in the United States toward the notion of printing new editions of books that remove words that may be deemed offensive to a specific race or ethnicity (65%, +6). More than half of Canadians (55%, -6) feel the same way (55%, -6).

A similar scenario ensues when residents of the two countries are asked about re-dubbing movies to remove words that may be deemed offensive to a specific race or ethnicity. Just under two thirds of Americans are opposed (64%, +7), along with a majority of Canadians (56%, -6).

Methodology: Results are based on online surveys conducted from September 16 to September 18, 2022, among representative samples of 1,000 adults Canada and the United States. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian and U.S. census figures for age, gender and region in each country. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points for each country.

Find our data tables for Canada here, the data tables for the United States 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 Want King to Focus on Reconciliation and Environment

Canadians Want King to Focus on Reconciliation and Environment

By Mario Canseco

More than half of Canadians would have preferred a full holiday to observe and mark the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

Vancouver, BC [September 22, 2022] – More than two thirds of Canadians think the country’s new head of state should make an effort to address two pressing issues, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, almost seven-in-ten Canadians (69%) believe King Charles III should advance the cause of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, while almost three-in-four (74%) want him to commit to reduce the carbon footprint of the entire Royal Family.

More than half of Canadians (55%) say they would have preferred to see Prince William become King of the United Kingdom and the other 14 Commonwealth realms, including Canada.

Women (57%), Canadians aged 35-to-54 (58%) and British Columbians (59%) are more likely to be supportive of William’s ascension to the throne.

When asked about the fact that King Charles III will be featured on coins and bills that will be used in Canada, 56% of Canadians say they do not have a problem with this situation, while one third (34%) disagree.

Animosity towards the presence of King Charles III on Canada’s currency reaches 42% among Canadians aged 18-to-34 and 38% among women.

More than half of Canadians (54%) believe Queen Elizabeth II’s passing should have been observed and marked with a full holiday for everyone, while 9% would have preferred a full holiday for public sector employees only.

Just under three-in-ten Canadians (29%) think a holiday should not have been considered at all—a proportion that jumps to 39% among Conservative Party voters in the 2021 federal election.

Compared to a Research Co. survey conducted in February 2022, the perceptions of Canadians on the country have changed.

More than a third of Canadians (36%) say they would prefer for Canada to have an elected head of state, down 13 points since February. In contrast, just over three-in-ten Canadians (31%, +10) would like for Canada to remain a monarchy, while 24% (+6) do not care either way.

“More than a third of Albertans (42%), Atlantic Canadians (40%) and British Columbians (34%) are supportive of the continuation of the monarchy in Canada,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are lower in Ontario (31%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (26%) and Quebec (25%).”

The notion of an elected head of state is more prevalent among Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party (39%) and the New Democratic Party (NDP) (also 39%) in the 2021 federal election than among those who cast ballots for the Conservatives (32%).

Positive perceptions of six members of the Royal family have improved since February. Almost half of Canadians (46%, +11) have a favourable view of King Charles III, while just under a third (32%, +5) feel the same way about Queen Consort Camilla.

Just over two thirds of Canadians hold favourable views on William, Prince of Wales (67%, +9) and Catherine, Princess of Wales (also 67%, +7). The rating is lower for Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (64%, +14) and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (53%, +9).

A majority of Canadians (52%, +4) believe Canada will still be a monarchy in twenty years, while just over three-in-ten (31%, +1) think the country will have an elected head of state.

Residents of Alberta are significantly more likely to predict Canada remaining a monarchy in 2042 (65%) than their counterparts in Atlantic Canada (60%), Ontario (55%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (51%), British Columbia (45%) and Quebec (also 45%).

Methodology:

Results are based on an online survey conducted from September 16 to September 18, 2022, 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
Canadian Couples Did Mostly Well Cohabiting During Pandemic

Canadian Couples Did Mostly Well Cohabiting During Pandemic

By Mario Canseco

Significant gender gaps are observed when Canadians ponder their spouse or partner’s cleanliness and ability to prepare meals.

Vancouver, BC [September 20, 2022] – While most Canadians appear to be content with the manner in which their spouse or live-in partner behaved during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are some components of life at home where the discrepancies between genders are evident, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of adults who are living with their spouse or partner, 70% of respondents say they “strongly approve” of their significant other’s performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, while 22% “moderately approve.”

Canadians aged 55 and over who are living with their spouse or partner are more likely to say they “strongly approve” of their pandemic performance (80%) than their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (64%) and aged 18-to-34 (58%).

“More than seven-in-ten Atlantic Canadians (76%) and Quebecers (72%) are particularly happy with the way their spouse or live-in partner managed the pandemic,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The rating is slightly lower in British Columbia (69%), Ontario (68%), Alberta (67%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (65%).”

In spite of this high level of satisfaction, there are certain aspects of life at home where a significant difference between men and women is observed.

More than three-in-five men (63%) say they are “very satisfied” with their spouse or live-in partner on the matter of keeping the home clean and tidy. The proportion of women who feel the same way about their spouse or live-in partner is markedly smaller (41%).

While 73% of men are “very satisfied” with their spouse or live-in partner’s personal hygiene, the proportion drops to 64% among women.

A gender gap also emerges on the issue of cooking meals, with 67% of men saying they are “very satisfied” with the involvement of their spouse or live-in partner, compared to 56% of women.

The satisfaction levels are fairly stable across cohabiting couples on five other issues: taking care of pets (65%), taking care of children (62%), providing emotional support when needed (59%), making decisions about what to do (55%) and overall attitude and demeanour (also 55 %).

Almost half of Canadian adults who are living with their spouse or partner (47%) say their experience during the COVID-19 pandemic made them grow closer as a couple. More than two-in-five (44%) report no change, while 7% believe they grew more distant.

Methodology:

Results are based on an online survey conducted from August 14 to August 21, 2022, among a representative sample of 1,135 adults in Canada who are living with their spouse or partner. 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 +/- 2.9 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
More in Canada and U.S. Feel Climate Change is Major Crisis

More in Canada and U.S. Feel Climate Change is Major Crisis

By Mario Canseco

Most Canadians and Americans are willing to pay higher taxes in order to adequately address global warming.

Vancouver, BC [September 13, 2022] – The concerns of residents of Canada and the United States about global warming have increased over the past two years, a new two-country Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of representative national samples, 68% of Canadians (+6 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in June 2020) and 60% of Americans (+9) feel that climate change is a “major crisis”.

Almost seven-in-ten Canadians (69%, +5) and three-in-five Americans (60%, +7) think global warming is a fact and is mostly caused by emissions from vehicles and industrial facilities.

About one-in-five respondents in the two countries (20% in Canada and 21% in the United States) believe climate change is a fact and is mostly caused by natural changes. Only 5% of Canadians and 12% of Americans brand global warming as a theory that has not yet been proven.

“Belief in human-made climate change is low among Republicans in the United States (35%) and Conservatives in Canada (47%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The numbers are strikingly different among Democrats in the United States (80%) and Liberal Party voters in Canada (82%).”

Majorities of Canadians and Americans (59% and 61% respectively) say they are willing to pay higher taxes to adequately address climate change. Only two other issues come close to this level of acceptance for higher taxation: schools (CAN 57%, USA 64%) and homelessness (CAN 57%, USA 61%).

Fewer Canadians and Americans are willing to pay higher taxes in order to adequately address four other issues: forest fires (55% and 58% respectively), floods (52% and 56% respectively), housing improvements (51% each) and transit improvements (44% and 46% respectively).

Sizeable majorities of Canadians and Americans believe three groups should be doing more now to deal with issues related to climate change that are happening or impacting people directly now: companies and corporations (75% and 70% respectively), governments (69% and 65%) and individuals and consumers (67% and 65%).

Most residents of both countries also believe that more action is required to address issues related to climate change that may happen or impact people directly in the future from companies and corporations (76% in Canada and 70% in the United States), governments (72% and 66% respectively) and individuals and consumers (68% and 65%).

Parents of children under the age of 18 were asked about the effect of conversations they have had with their kids about climate change. Significant proportions of parents in Canada (85%) and the United States (79%) say they are recycling more as a result of these chats.

Practically half of American parents (49%) and a majority of Canadian parents (55%) claim to be driving less, and more than two-in-five (44% in the United States, 47% in Canada) say they are taking shorter showers as a result of conversations about global warming with their children.

Fewer parents in each country acknowledge taking other steps, such as reducing their consumption of meat (CAN 36%, USA 30%), changing the way they voted in a federal election (24% each) or changing the way they voted in a local election (CAN 18%, USA 21%).

Methodology: Results are based on online studies conducted from August 19 to August 21, 2022, among representative samples of 1,000 adults in Canada and the United States. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian and U.S. census figures for age, gender and region in each country. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points for each country.

Find our data tables for Canada here, the data tables for the United States 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

Just Under Half of Canadians Dread Their City or Town’s Drivers

Just Under Half of Canadians Dread Their City or Town’s Drivers

By Mario Canseco

Practically seven-in-ten Canadians saw a driver not signaling before a turn in the past month. 

Vancouver, BC [September 6, 2022] – The level of confidence that Canadians bestow upon drivers in their city or town has dropped drastically over the past year, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 48% of Canadians think drivers in their city or town are worse now than five years ago, up 18 points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in November 2021.

More than half of Canadians who live in Atlantic Canada (61%, +36), British Columbia (57%, +13) and Ontario (56%, +26) say drivers are worse now. The proportions are lower in Alberta (43%, +10), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (42%, +7) and Quebec (34%, +10).

More than half of Canadians aged 55 and over (58%, +22) and aged 35-to-54 (52%, +20) claim that drivers in their city or town are worse now than five years ago. The proportion is lower among Canadians aged 18-to-34 (34%, +13).

The survey also tracks the incidence of six specific occurrences on the country’s roads over the past month. Practically seven-in-ten Canadians (69%, +14) say they witnessed a driver not signalling before a turn, a proportion that climbs to 74% in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

A majority of Canadians (54%, +13) recently observed a car taking up two or more spots in a parking lot.

Practically half of Canadians (49%, +11) saw a driver not stopping at an intersection. This behaviour is more prevalent in Atlantic Canada (58%), British Columbia (55%) and Ontario (54%).

Two-in-five Canadians (40%, +8) witnessed a driver turning right or left from an incorrect lane, including 49% of British Columbians.

More than a third of Canadians (37%, +9) went through a close call, such as having to slam the brakes or steer violently to avoid a collision—including 48% of Atlantic Canadians and 44% of Albertans.

“Only 15% of Canadians say they did not see any illegal or regrettable behaviour on the road over the past month,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “This represents a 12-point drop since our previous survey in 2021.”

Just under three-in-five Canadians (58%, +7) claim that there are specific groups or people in their city or town who are worse drivers than others—a proportion that rises to 67% in British Columbia.

As was the case last year, the top four responses issued by Canadians who point the finger at a specific group for bad driving behaviours are “young” (40%, +8), “Asian (19%, +3), “elderly” (18%, -3) and “immigrant” (8%, +2).

Methodology:

Results are based on an online study conducted from August 19 to August 21, 2022, among a representative sample of 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
Americans More Upset Than Canadians When Pondering Freedom

Americans More Upset Than Canadians When Pondering Freedom

By Mario Canseco

Just over half of residents of each country feel their vote in federal elections does not make a difference.

Vancouver, BC [August 25, 2022] – Residents of the United States are significantly more likely than their counterparts in Canada to keep their political views to themselves, a new two-country Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of representative national samples, 49% of Americans and 32% of Canadians say they cannot express their political views sometimes because they fear reprisals.

“Most Republicans in the United States (55%) claim to withhold their political views sometimes, compared to 47% of Democrats and 48% of Independents,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “In Canada, this behaviour is more pronounced among those who voted for the People’s Party (68%), the Green Party (43%) and the Conservative Party (41%) in last year’s federal election.”

While more than seven-in-ten Americans (73%) feel that their freedoms are under attack by elected politicians, only 39% of Canadians hold the same sentiment.

More than three-in-five Americans (62%) and just over two-in-five Canadians (41%) believe their respective federal governments are oppressive and controlling.

More than half of Americans (52%) and Canadians (51%) feel that their vote in federal elections does not make a difference.

More than a third of Canadians think four issues are worse now than ten years ago: the ability of people to disagree with each other on social media (46%), the ability of people to disagree with each other in conversation (40%), the ability of people to convince others about looking at an issue differently (38%) and the ability of people to question stories they learn about in the media (37%).

Americans are significantly more likely to believe that certain elements of public discourse have deteriorated over the past decade, including the ability of people to disagree with each other on social media (63%), the ability of people to disagree with each other in conversation (62%), the ability of people to convince others about looking at an issue differently (58%) and the ability of people to question stories they learn about in the media (50%).

More than one-in-five Canadians say they find themselves disagreeing with other people “many times” about COVID-19 mandates and vaccines (26%), federal politics (24%) and provincial politics (22%).

In the United States, at least one-in-four residents disagree with other people “many times” about national politics (40%), COVID-19 mandates and vaccines (36%), state politics (28%), immigration (also 28%), morality (25%) and local politics (also 25%).

More than three-in-ten Canadians (31%) say they stopped talking to a person, or avoided a person, on account of a disagreement related to COVID-19 mandates and vaccines. Fewer Canadians chose the same route to deal with a person who they disagreed with on morality (22%), religion (20%), federal politics (19%) and immigration (18%).

In the United States, at least one-in-five Americans have ceased talking to a person, or avoided a person, due to a disagreement on national politics (32%), COVID-19 mandates and vaccines (30%), morality (25%), religion (24%), immigration (22%) and state politics (21%).

Methodology: Results are based on online studies conducted from August 19 to August 21, 2022, among representative samples of 1,000 adults Canada and the United States. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian and U.S. census figures for age, gender and region in each country. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points for each country.

Find our data tables for Canada here, the data tables for the United States 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

Half of Canadians Say Their City or Town is Noisier Than in 2021

Half of Canadians Say Their City or Town is Noisier Than in 2021

By Mario Canseco

More than a third of the country’s residents (36%) have been bothered by unnecessary noise from vehicles in their own homes.

Vancouver, BC [August 23, 2022] – A sizeable proportion of Canadians have been bothered by a variety of noises while inside their homes, and practically half claim that their surroundings are not as quiet as they were in 2021, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 49% of Canadians believe their city or town has become noisier over the past year, up 22 points since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in January 2021.

Just over two-in-five Canadians (41%, +18) think their street is noisier now than it was in 2021, while three-in-ten (30%, +2) feel the same way about their homes.

More than two-in-five Canadians of Indigenous (44%) and South Asian (41%) descent feel their home is noisier now, along with 32% of women, 40% of Canadians aged 18-to-34 and 37% of British Columbians.

When asked about specific disturbances that have bothered them at home over the past year, more than a third of Canadians (36%, +6) mention unnecessary noise from vehicles (such as motorcycles and cars revving up).

At least one-in-four Canadians were also subjected to construction-related noises (such as roofing, land clearing and heavy machinery) (29%, new), loud people outside their home (28%, +8), dogs barking (27%, +3), a car alarm (25%, +5) and yard work (such as lawnmowers and leaf blowers) (also 25%, +6).

Fewer Canadians were disturbed over the past 12 months by nine other noises, including loud music playing inside a vehicle (21%, +3), power tools (such as electric saws and sanders) (21%, +3), drivers honking the horn excessively (20%, +8), yelling or screaming at a nearby home (19%, +1), loud music at a nearby home (18%, +1), fireworks (18%, +2), a loud gathering or party at a nearby home (17%, +2), a home alarm (10%, +1) and cats meowing (7%, +2).

“Compared to 2021, there is significant growth in the proportion of Canadians who have been bothered at home by drivers honking the horn excessively,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “In British Columbia, three-in-ten residents (30%) have experienced this nuisance.”

Practically three-in-four Canadians (74%, -5) have not taken any action to deal with noise at home. About one-in-seven (14%, +2) have worn earplugs or earmuffs to mitigate noise—including 20% of Quebecers and 22% of Canadians aged 18-to-34.

Fewer Canadians have chosen to report noise concerns to the police (8%, +3), acquired hardware to mitigate noise while inside their home (such as noise cancelling headphones or earphones) (7%, =) or moved away from their previous dwelling because of noise (5%, +1).

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from August 14 to August 16, 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

Few Canadians Want to Go Back to Imperial Measurement System

Few Canadians Want to Go Back to Imperial Measurement System

By Mario Canseco

A sizeable majority of the country’s residents rely on feet and inches, and not metres, to measure a person’s height.

Vancouver, BC [August 15, 2022] – While Canadians are not particularly supportive of moving away from the International Metric System, many continue to use Imperial measurements in their daily lives, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, only 29% of Canadians would like to see the country adopting the Imperial system. More than half (56%) disagree and would carry on with the International Metric System.

“Practically two-in-five Canadians aged 55 and over (38%) would go back to the Imperial system of units,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “This wish is less prevalent among their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (23%) and aged 18-to-34 (24%).”

When asked about how they personally measure six different things, majorities of Canadians gravitate towards Imperial units in three specific cases.

Four-in-five Canadians (80%) measure a person’s height in feet and inches, while 20% rely on metres and centimetres.

More than three-in-four Canadians (76%) use pounds when calculating a person’s weight, while 24% rely on kilograms.

Three-in-five Canadians (59%) measure the temperature of their ovens in degrees Fahrenheit, while 41% use degrees Celsius.

Feet and inches are the preferred units to measure a person’s height for Canadians aged 18-to-34 (71%), aged 35-to-54 (79%) and aged 55 and over (88%).

Across Canada, three other measurements are more likely to be conducted using the International Metric System.

More than four-in-five Canadians (84%) calculate the amount of liquid in a container using litres, while 16% rely on quarts and gallons.

More than four-in-five Canadians (82%) measure a vehicle’s speed in kilometres per hour, while 28% use miles per hour.

More than three-in-four Canadians (77%) gauge the temperature outside their home in degrees Celsius, while 23% rely on degrees Fahrenheit.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from August 1 to August 3, 2022, 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