Tag: Canada

More Canadians “Watching Their Mouth” in Public Conversations

More Canadians “Watching Their Mouth” in Public Conversations

By Mario Canseco

Almost three-in-five say they “frequently” or “occasionally” swear when talking to friends.

Vancouver, BC [September 29, 2023] – More Canadians are making an effort to avoid uttering swear words in public, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 44% of Canadians say they always alter the way they speak to make sure they do not swear in public, up eight points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in November 2021.

The same proportion of Canadians (44%, -5) sometimes alter the way they speak so as not to swear in front of certain people, while 12% (-3) never alter the way they speak and do not worry if a curse word comes out.

“Canadians aged 35-to-54 are the least likely to always avoid swearing in public (38%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are higher among their counterparts aged 18-to-34 (46%) and aged 55 and over (48%).”

On a regional basis, residents of Ontario are the most likely to always watch their language in public (47%), followed by those in Alberta (46%), British Columbia (also 46%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (43%), Quebec (41%) and Atlantic Canada (35%).

More than seven-in-ten Canadians (72%, +12) say they hear their friends swear “frequently” or “occasionally”. There are also slight increases in the proportion of Canadians who are exposed to curse words in conversations with relatives (55%, +6), co-workers (52%, +4) and strangers (also 52%, +2).

Almost three-in-five Canadians (58%, +9) acknowledge relying on swear words “frequently” or “occasionally” themselves when talking to friends. The numbers are lower when it comes to the personal use of swear words in chats with relatives (43%, +7), co-workers (39%, +8) and strangers (26%, +9).

Canadians who voted for the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the 2021 federal election are more likely to use swear words “frequently” or “occasionally” when talking with friends (68%) than those who cast ballots for the Liberal Party (60%) or the Conservative Party (52%).

An open-ended question sought to collect the swear words that Canadians say the most. Two-in-five respondents wrote “f*ck” (40%), while just under a quarter (23%) chose “sh*t” or “m*rd*”. Just under one-in-five Canadians (17%) claim to not say any swear words.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from September 20 to September 22, 2023, 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

Many Canadians Still Displeased with Drivers as Bad Habits Drop

Many Canadians Still Displeased with Drivers as Bad Habits Drop

By Mario Canseco

The proportion of Canadians who witnessed a driver turning without signaling fell by 10 points since 2022.

Vancouver, BC [September 22, 2023] – While fewer Canadians recall seeing five improper behaviours on the road, almost half continue to think that drivers in their municipality are not as good as they used to be, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 46% of Canadians believe drivers in their city or town are worse now than five years ago, down two points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in August 2022.

Most residents of Atlantic Canada (52%, -9) think local drivers are not as good as they were in 2018. The proportions are lower in Quebec (47%, +13), Ontario (also 47%, +-9), British Columbia (45%, -12), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (42%, =) and Alberta (41%, -2).

“More than half of Canadians aged 55 and over (56%, -2) are convinced that drivers in their city or town are worse now than five years ago,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are lower among their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (43%, -9) and aged 18-to-34 (37%, +3).”

The annual survey also measures the incidence of specific occurrences on the country’s roads. Over the past month, just under three-in-five Canadians (59%, -10) recall seeing a driver not signalling before a turn, including 66% of Albertans.

Half of Canadians (50%, -4) recently witnessed a car taking up two or more spots in a parking lot, while fewer recall drivers not stopping at an intersection (45%, -4), drivers turning right or left from an incorrect lane (35%, -5) or a close call, such as having to slam the brakes or steer violently to avoid a collision (34%, -3).

For practically three-in-five Canadians (59%, +1), there are specific groups or people in their city or town who are worse drivers than others.

For the third consecutive year, the top four responses offered by Canadians on this open-ended question are “young” (33%, -7), “elderly” (21%, +3), “Asian (16%, -3) and “immigrant” (12%, +4).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from September 2 to September 4, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error – which measures sample variability – is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Conservative Party Holds Six-Point Lead Over Liberals in Canada

Conservative Party Holds Six-Point Lead Over Liberals in Canada

By Mario Canseco

Pierre Poilievre is tied with Justin Trudeau when Canadians are asked who would make the “Best Prime Minister.”

Vancouver, BC [September 7, 2023] – The popularity of the opposition Conservative Party has increased markedly in Canada over the past six months, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 37% of decided voters would cast a ballot for the Conservative candidate in their constituency, up four points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in February.

The governing Liberal Party is in second place across the country with 31% (-3), followed by the New Democratic Party (NDP) with 17% (-1), the Bloc Québécois with 8% (=), the Green Party with 3% (=) and the People’s Party with 1% (=).

The Conservatives are ahead of the Liberals in Ontario (40% to 35%) and British Columbia (42% to 31%). In Quebec, the Bloc is now in first place (34%), followed by the Liberals (30%) and the Conservatives (20%).

“About two-in-five decided voters aged 35-to-54 (39%) and aged 55 and over (40%) would support the Conservatives in a Canadian federal election,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The race is closer among decided voters aged 18-to-34.”

This month, the approval rating for Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau stands at 41% (-5). Official Opposition and Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre posts the same number (41%, =), while NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is at 48% (-1).

Fewer Canadians hold positive views on the way Green Party leader Elizabeth May (32%, =), Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet (20%, -2) and People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier (also 20%, +4) are handling their duties.

When asked which federal party leader would make the “Best Prime Minister”, Trudeau and Poilievre are tied at 28%, followed by Singh with 17%. On this particular question, Trudeau has lost five points since February, while Poilievre has gained three.

More than two-in-five Canadians (44%, -3) are satisfied with what the Liberals and the NDP have accomplished since they established a supply and confidence agreement in March 2022.

The Liberal-NDP deal is popular in Ontario (51%), but garners lower support in Atlantic Canada (45%), Quebec (also 45%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (41%), Alberta (35%) and British Columbia (33%).

Practically equal proportions of Canadians say they would be comfortable with Trudeau (44%, =) or Poilievre (42%, +2) being in charge of Canada’s economy.

One-in-four Canadians (25%, +4) identify housing, homelessness and poverty as the most important issue facing the country, followed by health care (24%, -2), the economy and jobs (20%, -6) and the environment (10%, +3).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from September 2 to September 4, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error – which measures sample variability – is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Canadians Deeply Divided on Use of Biometrics for Purchases

Canadians Deeply Divided on Use of Biometrics for Purchases

By Mario Canseco

Smartphone payments are gaining ground among Canadians aged 18-to-34, while those aged 55 and over prefer credit cards.

Vancouver, BC [September 6, 2023] – Support for the notion of paying for goods and services through biometrics has grown in Canada over the past year, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 44% of Canadians say they would like to see people relying on fingerprints, palm recognition or iris scans to make purchases in their lifetime, up four points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in April 2022.

More than two-in-five Canadians (45%, -4) say they would not like to see body measurements and calculations being used to buy things, while 11% (-1) are undecided.

“More than half of Canadians aged 18-to-34 (54%) would welcome a world where payments can be made through biometrics,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (44%) and aged 55 and over (31%) are not as certain.”

Just under one-in-four Canadians (23%, +5) expect to be able to rely on biometrics to make purchases in the next five years, while a third (33%, +1) foresee this option becoming available in the next 10 years.

Canadians were also asked how much they have used specific methods to buy things over the course of the past month.

Fewer than one-in-five financial transactions in Canada (18%) involved the use of cash, while two-in-five (40%) were made through a credit card and just under three-in-ten (28%) entailed a debit card.

Canadians across the country were less likely to make payments through a smartphone (7%), an e-transfer (6%) or a cheque (2%).

Credit cards are the method used in half of all purchases made by Canadians aged 55 and over (50%). Reliance on this method is lower among Canadians aged 35-to-54 (41%) and aged 18-to-34 (31%).

Fewer than three-in-ten transactions across all age groups are handled with a debit card. Canadians aged 18-to-34 are more likely to use their smartphone to make purchases (10%) than their older counterparts.

More than three-in-five Canadians (63%, =) say there was a time in the past month when they did not have any paper money with them and had to make a purchase of less than $10 with their credit or debit card.

Ontarians (71%) and Albertans (70%) are more likely to report having made a small purchase with a credit or debit card in the past month.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from August 17 to August 19, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error, which measures sample variability, is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Negative View of Using Animals in Rodeos Increases in Canada

Negative View of Using Animals in Rodeos Increases in Canada

By Mario Canseco

Majorities of Canadians are also opposed to keeping animals in zoos or aquariums, killing animals for their fur and trophy hunting.

Vancouver, BC [September 1, 2023] – Just over two thirds of Canadians are against the use of animals in rodeos, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 67% of Canadians are opposed to the practice, up six points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in April 2022.

Just under one-in-four Canadians (24%, -5) are in favour of using animals in rodeos—a proportion that rises to 31% in Alberta and to 30% in Atlantic Canada.

“Since 2019, the proportion of Canadians who approve of the use of animals in rodeos has fallen by 10 points,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Majorities of women (73%) and men (59%) are currently opposed to this type of entertainment.”

As was the case last year, most Canadians are in favour of eating animals (75%, +3) and hunting animals for meat (63%, +1).

The issue of keeping animals in zoos and aquariums is decidedly more contentious, with 35% of Canadians (-4) saying they are in favour of this practice and 56% (+3) voicing opposition to it.

Canadians aged 18-to-34 are more likely to be against keeping animals in zoos and aquariums (63%) than their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (54%) and aged 55 and over (53%).

Fewer than one-in-five Canadians are in favour of killing animals for their fur (18%, +1) or hunting animals for sport (trophy hunting) (14%, =).

Canadians who voted for the Conservative Party in the 2021 federal election are slightly more likely to have no problem with trophy hunting (20%) than those who cast ballots for the Liberal Party (15%) or the New Democratic Party (NDP) (13%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from August 17 to August 19, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error, which measures sample variability, is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Phone Calls to Strangers Cause Anxiety for Half of Canadians

Phone Calls to Strangers Cause Anxiety for Half of Canadians

By Mario Canseco

Residents of the country remain divided on whether text messages or emails are impersonal as modes of communication. 

Vancouver, BC [August 25, 2023] – Many Canadians are not thrilled at the prospect of having to connect by phone with a stranger, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 53% of Canadians say they feel anxious when they have to make a phone call to a person they do not know, up two points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in April 2022.

“Two thirds of Canadians aged 18-to-34 (66%) dread a telephone conversation with a stranger,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are lower among their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (55%) and aged 55 and over (40%).”

As was the case last year, Canadians remain split in their assessment of text messages and emails, with 46% believing this form of communication is impersonal and 47% disagreeing with this notion.

Canadians who reside in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (49%), Ontario (48%) and British Columbia (47%) are more likely to consider text messages and emails as impersonal than their counterparts in Quebec (44%), Atlantic Canada (42%) and Alberta (41%).

Just over two-in-five Canadians (43%) say they would have no problem giving a speech in front of other people—a proportion that drops to 39% among women.

Compared to last year, there is some movement in the preferred modes of communications chosen by Canadians for various tasks.

Just over a third of Canadians (35%, +2) would place a phone call if they had to ask a question to their municipality or City Hall, while 31% (-8) would send an e-mail and 22% (+2) would schedule a meeting in person.

Two-in-five Canadians (41%, +4) would place a phone call if they had to ask a question to their bank, while three-in-ten (31%, -1) would have an in person meeting. Significantly fewer Canadians would communicate with their financial institution via email (11%, -4), app (9%, -2) or text message (7%, +2).

More than three-in-four Canadians (77%, -5) think the best way to end a relationship with someone is in person. For 9% (+2), a text message would be a reasonable way to break up—a proportion that rises to 13% among those aged 18-to-34.

Two thirds of Canadians (68%, -5) would prefer to quit a job in person, while 13% (-2) would leave a position after sending an email, including 19% of Canadians aged 35-to-54.

Canadians remain divided on their preferred way to order food delivery to their home, with very similar proportions opting for a phone call (40%,+1) or an app (38%, -1).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from August 17 to August 19, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error, which measures sample variability, is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Three-in-Five Canadians Side with Human-Made Climate Change

Three-in-Five Canadians Side with Human-Made Climate Change

By Mario Canseco

More than one-in-four believe global warming is a fact and is mostly caused by natural changes.

Vancouver, BC [August 18, 2023] – The proportion of Canadians who think humans are responsible for global warming has dropped over the past year, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 60% of Canadians think climate change is a fact and is mostly caused by emissions from vehicles and industrial facilities, down nine points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in August 2022.

More than one-in-four Canadians (27%, +7) think global warming is a fact and is mostly caused by natural changes, while 8% (+3) say climate change is a theory that has not yet been proven.

“More than four-in-five Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party (82%) or the New Democratic Party (NDP) (81%) in the 2021 federal election say climate change is mostly caused by emissions,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Only 47% of Conservative Party voters feel the same way.”

More than tree-in-five residents of Atlantic Canada (63%), Quebec (also 63%) and Ontario (61%) think global warming is human-made. The proportions are lower in British Columbia (58%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (55%) and Alberta (52%).

More than three-in-five Canadians (63%, -5) describe climate change as a “major crisis”—a proportion that rises to 71% among Canadians aged 55 and over and to 74% among Quebecers.

When it comes to dealing with issues related to climate change that are happening or impacting people directly now, two thirds of Canadians think governments (68%, -1), as well as companies and corporations (also 68%, -7), should be doing more. Significantly fewer (58%, -9) believe individuals and consumers should also be playing a larger role.

When asked about actions that could be taken now to curb the impact of climate change in the future, the responses are similar. About two thirds of Canadians want companies and corporations (68%, -8) and governments (67%, -5) to do more, while fewer (60%, -8) think this is also the responsibility of individuals and consumers.

Just over three-in-five parents (61%, -24) claim to recycle more after conversations with their children motivated them to do so. Fewer parents are engaging in other behaviours, such as taking shorter showers (36%, -11) or driving less than usual (35%, -20).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from July 22 to July 24, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca  

Some Canadians Willing to Pay Higher Taxes to Deal with Issues

Some Canadians Willing to Pay Higher Taxes to Deal with Issues

By Mario Canseco

Fewer than half of Canadians would welcome paying more in order to fund transit improvements.

Vancouver, BC [August 16, 2023] – More than half of Canadians are willing to pay higher taxes to tackle specific challenges, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 57% of Canadians say they would “definitely” or “probably” be willing to pay higher taxes to adequately address homelessness and climate change.

“Support for additional tax revenue to deal with homelessness is highest in Atlantic Canada and Quebec (61% each),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are lower in Alberta (60%), Ontario (58%), British Columbia (51%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (also 51%).”

Almost two thirds of Canadians aged 18-to-34 (65%) are willing to pay higher taxes to adequately address climate change, along with 54% of those aged 35-to-54 and 53% of those aged 55 and over.

Slightly fewer Canadians would be willing to pay higher taxes in exchange for adequate action on schools (56%), forest fires (55%), housing improvements (54%) and floods (52%).

Fewer than half of Canadians (46%) would be willing to pay higher taxes to adequately deal with transit improvements.

More than three-in-five Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party (62%) or the New Democratic Party (NDP) (also 62%) in the 2021 federal elections are willing to pay higher taxes for housing improvements. The proportion drops to 41% among those who cast ballots for the Conservative Party.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from July 22 to July 24, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

English-Speaking Canadians Split on More “O Canada” Changes

English-Speaking Canadians Split on More “O Canada” Changes

By Mario Canseco

Younger respondents would welcome a different first line for the national anthem, but their older counterparts are not on board.

Vancouver, BC [August 11, 2023] – The notion of once again altering the lyrics of Canada’s national anthem again is divisive among English-speaking Canadians, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 41% of English-speaking Canadians would agree to change the first line of “O Canada” from “Our home and native land” to “Our home on native land”, while 44% disagree with the proposed modification.

In February, Canadian artist Jully Black sang “O Canada” with the line “Our home on native land” during the National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, Utah.

More than half of English-speaking Canadians aged 18-to-34 (55%) agree with amending the lyrics to “O Canada” to swap “and” for “on”, but are joined by just 42% of those aged 35-to-54 and 28% of those aged 55 and over.

“Majorities of English-speaking Canadians of South Asian (68%), Indigenous (64%) and East Asian heritage (51%) endorse the proposed change to the national anthem,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Only 36% of English-speaking Canadians of European descent concur.”

The lyrics to the national anthem in English were modified in 2018. The second line of “O Canada” was changed from “in all thy sons command” to “in all of us command”.

Across the country, 48% of English-speaking Canadians agree with this modification (+6 since a similar survey conducted in February 2018), while 34% (-14) disagree and 17% (+7) are undecided.

When asked which of the two versions of the national anthem they prefer, almost half of English-speaking Canadians (47%, -7) choose “in all thy sons command”, while 38% (+4) select “in all of us command”.

English-speaking men (52%) are more likely than English-speaking women (43%) to express a preference for the previous version of “O Canada”.

English-speaking Canadians who voted for the Conservative Party in the 2021 federal election are more likely to prefer the “sons” version of the national anthem (67%) than those who cast ballots for the Liberal Party (43%) and the New Democratic Party (NDP) (36%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from July 20 to July 24, 2023, among 1,572 English-speaking 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 +/- 2.5 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty..

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Canadians Hold Mixed Views on Gender Identity in the Classroom

Canadians Hold Mixed Views on Gender Identity in the Classroom

By Mario Canseco

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from July 20 to July 22, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Most Young Canadians Experience “Ghosting” in Life and Work

Most Young Canadians Experience “Ghosting” in Life and Work

By Mario Canseco

More than four-in-five Canadians aged 18-to-34 say someone abruptly ended communication with them without explanation.

Vancouver, BC [August 2, 2023] – More than half of Canadians have endured “ghosting” from a person they know or had a conversation with, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 55% of Canadians acknowledge having been “ghosted” over the course of their lives—including 81% of those aged 18-to-34.

The term “ghosting” has been used to refer to people who abruptly end communication with someone without explanation. Almost four-in-five Canadians (79%) are familiar with the term, including 83% of women and 91% of those aged 18-to-34.

Most instances of “ghosting” endured by Canadians are related to a friend (32%), a person they went out with (23%) or a relative (17%).

Fewer Canadians have been “ghosted” by a person they talked to during a job interview or hiring process (15%), a person they had a telephone conversation with for work-related purposes (9%) or a prospective client who sought information about their business (8%).

There is a significant generational gap when it comes to “ghosting”, particularly on friendship. While practically half of Canadians aged 18-to-34 (49%) have been unable to connect with a friend they sought out, the proportion is lower among their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (34%) and aged 55 and over (16%).

More than two-in-five Canadians (45%) have “ghosted” someone over the course of their lives, including friends (25%), someone they went out with (21%) or relatives (13%).

More than three-in-five Canadians say they would prefer to be told what happened—and not endure “ghosting”—when looking for a job (63%), dating (64%) or during work-related interactions (73%).

Canadians are divided on whether everyone should rely on “ghosting” if they so desire, with 44% saying the practice is sometimes appropriate, and 42% believing it is never appropriate. Only 2% of Canadians think “ghosting” is always appropriate.

“Just over three-in-five Canadians aged 18-to-34 (61%), who rely more often on electronic modes of communication, say that ‘ghosting’ is sometimes appropriate,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Conversely, more than half of Canadians aged 55 and over (56%) think the practice is never appropriate.”

Residents of three provinces are more likely to brand “ghosting” as sometimes appropriate: Alberta (54%), British Columbia (49%) and Ontario (48%). Those who reside in three other regions of Canada are more likely to say the practice is never appropriate: Quebec (47%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (also 47%) and Atlantic Canada (46%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from July 20 to July 22, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

United Kingdom and Japan Most Liked Countries for Canadians

United Kingdom and Japan Most Liked Countries for Canadians

By Mario Canseco

Fewer than one-in-five currently have a positive opinion of Iran, Russia and North Korea. 

Vancouver, BC [July 28, 2023] – Practically three-in-four Canadians have a favourable view of two G7 nations, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 74% of Canadians have a positive opinion of the United Kingdom (unchanged since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in January 2023) and Japan (up four points).

Nine-in-ten Canadians aged 55 and over (90%) hold favourable views on the United Kingdom, along with 71% of those aged 35-to-54 and aged 18-to-34.

On a regional basis, positive opinions on the United Kingdom are highest in British Columbia (82%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (also 82%), followed by Atlantic Canada (77%), Alberta (71%), Ontario (71%) and Quebec (70%).

Just over three-in-four Canadians aged 18-to-34 (76%) hold favourable views on Japan. The rating is similar among Canadians aged 55 and over (75%) and slightly lower among those aged 35-to-54 (69%).

At least two thirds of Canadians have a positive opinion of three European nations: Italy (73%, +2), Germany (72%, +3) and France (68%, -2).

More than half of Canadians hold favourable views on South Korea (58%, +1) and the United States (54%, =). The rating is lower for Mexico (47%, -2), India (39%, -2) and Venezuela (28%, -2).

There is a significant gender gap when it comes to the way Canadians feel about the United States right now. While 59% of men have a positive opinion of the country, only 50% of women concur.

Canadians who voted for the Conservative Party or the Liberal Party in the 2021 federal election are more likely to hold  favourable views on the United States (62% and 60% respectively) than those who cast ballots for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (44%).

Fewer than one-in-four Canadians have a positive opinion on Saudi Arabia (22%, -1) and China (20%, +2). As was the case in January, three countries are at the bottom: Iran (13%, =), Russia (also 13%, +2) and North Korea (11%, =).

“In December 2019, more than one-in-four Canadians (26%) had a positive opinion of the Russian Federation,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The favourability rating is 13 points lower in 2023.”

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from July 20 to July 22, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Almost Two Thirds of Canadians Content with COVID-19 Measures

Almost Two Thirds of Canadians Content with COVID-19 Measures

By Mario Canseco

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from July 16 to July 18, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490

[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

 

Pierre Best, Justin Worst as Canadians Rank Recent Prime Ministers

Pierre Best, Justin Worst as Canadians Rank Recent Prime Ministers

By Mario Canseco

For almost half of Canadians, Jack Layton would have been a “very good” or “good” head of the federal government.

Vancouver, BC [July 21, 2023] – Pierre Trudeau keeps a sight lead over Stephen Harper as Canadians ponder the best prime ministers of the past 55 years, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 20% of Canadians (+1 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in June 2022) think Pierre Trudeau has been the best head of government since 1968.

Harper is a close second with 17% (unchanged), followed by Jean Chrétien (11%, +2), Justin Trudeau (also 11%, -1), Brian Mulroney (8%, =), Paul Martin (3%, =), Joe Clark (2%, =), John Turner (1%, -1) and Kim Campbell (also 1%, =).

“More than a third of Albertans (36%) believe Stephen Harper has been Canada’s best recent prime minister,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Pierre Trudeau fares best in British Columbia (27%), Ontario (23%) and Atlantic Canada (22%).”

When asked about the worst recent prime minister, three-in-ten Canadians (30%, +1) choose Justin Trudeau. Harper is second with 18% (+1), followed by Campbell (7%, +1), Mulroney (6%, +1), Pierre Trudeau (5%, -1), Chrétien (3%, -2), Clark (3%, =), Martin (2%, =) and Turner (1%, -1).

About a third of Atlantic Canadians (32%) think Harper has been the worst recent head of government in Canada. Justin Trudeau’s negative rating reaches 45% in Alberta, 36% in British Columbia and 36% in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The survey also asked questions about 10 different politicians who served as leaders of the Official Opposition in Ottawa over the past five decades.

Just under half of Canadians (48%, -4) believe Jack Layton would have made a “very good” or “good” prime minister, including 61% of Canadians aged 55 and over.

Five former leaders of the opposition are regarded positively on this question by more than one-in-five Canadians: Preston Manning (28%, -1), Robert Stanfield (27%, -3), Tom Mulcair (also 27 %, -2), Andrew Scheer (22%, -1) and Erin O’Toole (also 22%, -1).

The rating is lower for Michael Ignatieff (19%, +1), Stockwell Day (also 19%, -1), Rona Ambrose (18%, -4) and Stéphane Dion (also 18%, =).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted on July 4 and July 5, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490

[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Photo Credit: Tony Webster

Few Canadians Are Paying Attention to Online News Act

Few Canadians Are Paying Attention to Online News Act

By Mario Canseco

More than two-in-five consumers of online news would try a different search engine if Bill C-18 restricts access to platforms.

Vancouver, BC [July 12, 2023] – Fewer than half of Canadians are monitoring the discussions related to Bill C-18, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 41% of Canadians are following news stories related to the Online News Act “very closely” or “moderately closely”.

Men (47%), Canadians aged 18-to-34 (50%) and British Columbians (also 50%) are more likely to be currently paying attention to Bill C-18.

The Online News Act seeks to compel Internet companies—such as Meta or Google—to negotiate deals and ultimately pay Canadian media companies for the content they preview and link to on their platforms.

At this point, just over two-in-five Canadians (43%) agree with the idea behind Bill C-18, while 35% disagree and 23% are undecided.

“Support for the Online News Act is highest among Liberal Party voters in the 2021 federal election (56%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Only 40% of Conservative Party voters and 38% of New Democratic Party (NDP) voters hold positive views on Bill C-18.”

More than three-in-five Canadians (63%) access news online (on a smartphone, computer, or tablet) at least four days a week. The proportions are lower for television news (51%), radio news (34%) and print (15%).

More than half of Canadians aged 55 and over (56%) watch television news every day, compared to 28% among those aged 35-to-54 and 19% among those aged 18-to-34.

About half of Canadians aged 35-to-54 (51%) and aged 55 and over (49%) are daily consumers of online news, along with 37% of those aged 18-to-34.

Canadians who access news online were asked about the way they seek content. More than a third say they access specific stories through a news aggregator (such as Google News) (42%), through a search engine, seeking information about a specific event (38%) or clicking on a link they saw on social media (35%) at least four days a week.

Fewer Canadians who access news online at least four days a week rely on three other methods: typing the URL of a specific website (28%), through newsletters they have subscribed to (21%) or through podcasts (15%)

Bill C-18 has the potential to restrict content that Canadians can find online on news aggregators. At least two-in-five Canadians who access news online say they would be likely to try a different search engine (43%) or access news on television (40%) if their ability to find content is limited.

Fewer Canadians who access news online are willing to try a different news aggregator (29%), bookmark news websites (28%), access news on the radio (also 28%) or access news on a print publication (18%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted on July 4 and July 5, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490

[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Canadians Cautiously Optimistic About Economic Conditions

Canadians Cautiously Optimistic About Economic Conditions

By Mario Canseco

More than seven-in-ten Canadians expect to pay more for groceries and gasoline in the next six months.

Vancouver, BC [July 5, 2023] – While most Canadians consider the country’s economic conditions as “bad” or “very bad”, the proportion is lower than it was at the start of the year, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 56% of Canadians hold negative views when asked about the country’s financial standing, down six points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in January 2023.

Two-in-five Canadians (41%, +6) consider the country’s current economic conditions as “very good” or “good”.

Only 30% of Albertans (+3) have a positive opinion of Canada’s economy. The proportion is higher in Ontario (41%, +4), British Columbia (42%, +7), Atlantic Canada (also 42%, +13), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (43%, +15) and Quebec (45%, +4).

About a third of Canadians (32%, -12) foresee a decline in the nation’s finances over the next six months. Only 16% (+3) expect an improvement, while 45 (+7) predict no changes.

The survey shows little movement on the question related to personal finances. More than half of Canadians (52%, +1) consider their situation as “very good” or “good”, while 46% (-1) regard it as “poor” or “very poor.”

There is a drop in the proportion of Canadians who have worried “frequently” or “occasionally’ in the last two months about the value of their investments (48%, -4) and the safety of their savings (47%, -5).

Fewer Canadians have been concerned recently about unemployment impacting their household (34%, -3), being able to cover their mortgage or rent payments (also 34%, =) or their employer running into serious financial trouble (27%, -2).

This month, 43% of Canadians (+1) have confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to do the right thing to help the economy. The numbers are lower for federal Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre (36%, +3) and Governor of the Bank of Canada Tiff Macklem (33%, -1).

“Justin Trudeau gets a higher favourability rating as an economic manager in Ontario (48%), Atlantic Canada (also 48%), Quebec (43%) and British Columbia (also 43%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Pierre Poilievre fares best in Alberta (50%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (46%).”

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted on June 26 to June 28, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490

[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Pride in Armed Forces and Indigenous Culture Grows in Canada

Pride in Armed Forces and Indigenous Culture Grows in Canada

By Mario Canseco

Fewer than half of Canadians say Parliament, the Canadian economy and the monarchy make them proud.

Vancouver, BC [June 30, 2023] – The feelings of pride expressed by Canadians on Indigenous culture, multiculturalism, the Armed Forces and bilingualism have increased over the past year, a new Research Co. poll has found.

The online survey of a representative national sample asks Canadians to say if 12 institutions and features elicit feelings of pride among them.

At least seven-in-ten Canadians say that the Canadian flag (80%, +2 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in 2022), multiculturalism (74%, +5), hockey (72%, +4) and the Canadian Armed Forces (70%, +5) make them proud.

More than three-in-five Canadians say Indigenous culture (66%, +8), bilingualism (64%, +5) and the state of democracy in Canada (61%, +4) elicit feelings of pride.

The rating is lower for five other institutions and features: the health care system (52%, -6), the Canadian justice system (50%, +1), Parliament (45%, =), the Canadian economy (42%, -7) and the monarchy (34%, -3).

The survey outlines some significant gender differences. Canadian men are more likely to say that hockey (76%), the health care system (57%) and the Canadian economy (47%) make them proud. The results are lower among women (68% for hockey, 47% for the health care system and 36% for the Canadian economy).

Conversely, Canadian women are more likely to be proud about Indigenous culture (70%) and bilingualism (68%) than men (63% and 59% respectively).

“Following a year that featured a coronation, perceptions of the monarchy as a source of pride for Canadians are still the lowest of all 12 items included in the survey,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “About a third of Canadians of all genders and age groups say the monarchy makes them proud.”

The rating for Canada’s heath care system dropped again to 52%, from a high of 77% in 2019. Fewer than half of Atlantic Canadians (46%) and Quebecers (43%) say the health care system makes them proud.

Perceptions about the state of democracy in Canada as a source of pride are significantly higher among Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party in the 2021 federal election (82%) than among those who cast ballots for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (60%) or the Conservative Party (48%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from June 23 to June 25, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error – which measures sample variability – is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490

[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Photo Credit: Suwannee.payne 

Canadian Police Officers Do Well on Friendliness, Low on Fairness

Canadian Police Officers Do Well on Friendliness, Low on Fairness

By Mario Canseco

One-in-four Canadians have lost confidence in the internal operations and leadership of the RCMP over the last five years.

Vancouver, BC [June 28, 2023] – More than two thirds of Canadians hold police officers in high regard on approachability and promptness, but perceptions are markedly lower on impartiality, a new Research Co. poll has found.

The online survey of a representative national sample asked Canadians to say whether the police officers who operate in their community possess five characteristics.

More than two thirds of Canadians believe the police officers who serve their communities are approachable (69%) and respond to calls promptly, while more than half say they can be trusted (64%) and are a source of pride (57%).

Only 50% of Canadians think the police officers who operate in their community treat every person fairly.

More than half of Canadians who reside in Alberta (58%) and British Columbia (52%) believe the police officers who serve their communities treat every person fairly, along with fewer than half of those who live in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (49%), Ontario (also 49%), Quebec (48%) and Atlantic Canada (43%).

“Fewer than half of Canadians of Indigenous and European descent (48% and 49% respectively) think police officers are fair to everyone,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportion is slightly higher among East Asians (51%) and superior among South Asians (61%).”

Two thirds of Canadians (67%) have confidence in the internal operations and leadership of their local police force. More than three-in-five feel the same way about the Supreme Court of Canada (65%) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) (64%). Respondents hive the lowest rating to the criminal courts in their province (58%).

On a regional basis, confidence in the RCMP is highest in Quebec (68%), followed by Ontario (65%), Alberta (also 65%), British Columbia (63%), Atlantic Canada (60%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (57%).

More than half of Canadians (54%) say their confidence in the internal operations and leadership of the RCMP has stayed the same over the last five years. One-in-four (26%) have lost confidence, while 12% say it has increased.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from June 17 to June 19, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error – which measures sample variability – is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490

[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Photo Credit: Suwannee.payne 

Almost Two-in-Five Canadians Say Haunted Houses Are Real

Almost Two-in-Five Canadians Say Haunted Houses Are Real

By Mario Canseco

Fewer Canadians believe in other concepts, such as astrology, mediumship and clairvoyance. 

Vancouver, BC [June 16, 2023] – The proportion of Canadians who think buildings can be inhabited by the spirits of dead people has increased markedly this year, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 39% of Canadians say they “definitely” or “probably” believe in haunted houses, up seven points since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in December 2021.

“At least two-in-five residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (46%), Alberta (40%) and Quebec (also 40%) believe in haunted houses,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are lower in Atlantic Canada (38%), British Columbia (37%) and Ontario (36%).”

Fewer than a third of Canadians believe in two other concepts: mediumship, or mediating communication between living human beings and spirits of dead people (32%, +6), and clairvoyance, or the ability to gain information about an object, person, location or physical event through extrasensory perception (31%, +3).

Women are more likely to believe in both mediumship and clairvoyance (36% and 34% respectively) than men (28% and 29% respectively).

Across the country, more than a third of Canadians (35%, +3) believe in astrology, or studying the movements and relative positions of celestial objects to make observations about human affairs and terrestrial events.

Compared to 2021, belief in astrology has increased in  Saskatchewan and Manitoba (43%, +12), Quebec (32%, +10), Atlantic Canada (35%, +5) and Alberta (42%, +2). There was no change in Ontario (38%, =) and a reduction in British Columbia (27%, -7).

Fewer than one-in-five Canadians (17%, +3) say they currently pay attention to astrology, while just under three-in-ten (28%, =) used to follow the concept, but do not anymore.

More than half of Canadians (55%, -3) say they have never paid attention to astrology—including 60% of men and 63% of Conservative Party voters in the 2021 federal election.

Canadians aged 18-to-34 are more likely to believe in astrology (45%) and to be currently paying attention to it (24%) than their older counterparts.

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from June 9 to June 11, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error – which measures sample variability – is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490

[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca

Race Relations Improving for More than Two-in-Five Canadians

Race Relations Improving for More than Two-in-Five Canadians

By Mario Canseco

More than three-in-five Canadians have witnessed behaviour on social media that they would consider racist.

Vancouver, BC [June 9, 2023] – The proportion of Canadians who believe race relations are on the mend has risen since 2021, even if specific groups recall being targeted by racist behaviour in particular settings, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 45% of Canadians believe race relations in Canada have improved over the past two years, up four points since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in July 2021.

More than a third of Canadians (37%, +1) think race relations have worsened over the past two years, while 18% (-4) are undecided.

Almost half of British Columbians (48%) believe race relations have degraded. The numbers are significantly lower in Ontario (40%), Alberta (36%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (35%), Quebec (33%) and Atlantic Canada (24%).

Majorities of Canadians whose ancestry is African (71%, +18), South Asian (57%, -1) and Southeast Asian (54%, +11) feel race relations are better now than in 2021. The proportions are lower among respondents of First Nations (48%, -5), European (41%, +7) and East Asian (40%, -1) origins.

More than two-in-five Canadians say they have personally endured racism on social media (47%, -2), on day-to-day social interactions (46%, -3) and at work (42%, +1).

Fewer Canadians have personally experienced racism at work (39%, -1), during interactions with police or law enforcement officers (33%, -2) or during interactions with the health care system (32%, =).

“Just under four-in-five Canadians of East Asian origins (78%) have experienced racism during day-to-say social interactions,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Canadians of First Nations descent are significantly more likely to have endured racism at work (59%) or when dealing with the police (also 59%).”

When asked about behaviour they have witnessed in Canada, there are increases in the number of Canadians who have been exposed to racism on social media (63%, +5), on day-to-day social interactions (58%, +5) and at school (50%, +3).

Fewer than half of Canadians report seeing racist behaviour at work (45%, +2), engaging with police and law enforcement officers (42%, =) and dealing with the health care system (41%, +5).

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from May 19 to May 21, 2023, 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: Kenny Louie