Category: Latest Insights

May 16, 2023 – Nine-in-ten Canadians feel that people are quitting the country’s workforce due to stress and burnout, according to the latest Canadian Household Perspectives survey conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights for The Prosperity Project. The sixth survey in this series of groundbreaking research reveals that, for most, the reasons cited are work-related – that is, feeling stressed, being underpaid, or not getting enough support. And, women are notably more likely to consider taking a step back from work.

More than three-quarters (77%) of women say they have considered quitting their jobs over work-related issues, compared to 66% of men.

“The immediate health threat from COVID-19 may have abated, but the economic threat is still very real,” said Julie Savard-Shaw, Executive Director of The Prosperity Project, a registered charity created to ensure Canadian women are not left behind in the COVID-19 recovery.

On behalf of The Prosperity Project, Pollara Strategic Insights conducted the online survey from April 3 to 11, 2023, among N=1,001 adult (18+) Canadians. This dataset mainly includes men and women who are currently working and some recent retirees that have retired since 2020 onwards. It also includes some who are unemployed or stay at home/care for family. The dataset is weighted as per the profile of these Canadians by age, gender within regions to be representative of the proportions of this population. Online surveys do not permit the application of a margin of error. However, as a guideline, a probability sample of N=1,001 carries a margin of error of ±3.1% nineteen times out of twenty.

A key theme in the 2023 survey was attitudes and perceptions around workplace advancement as the pandemic recovery progresses. Nearly six-in-ten employed Canadians (59%) are looking to change their job levels to a more senior role, with about three quarters (76%) being optimistic about this move. Men are notably more ambitious (64%) regarding the move to a senior role compared to women (55%) and are slightly more optimistic about it (78% of men versus 75% of women). Conversely, 7% of those employed – 9% of women and 5% of men – have taken or are considering taking a step back from their work. Women are more stressed about handling a senior role, while men are more concerned about getting paid enough for the amount of hours they put in.

“For women to accept a senior role, they need more flexible working options such as hours or location, they need to be valued as a team member and they need mentoring and affordable education and training options. Employers need to recognize and understand the stresses people are feeling, and adjust to keep our workforce robust,” Savard-Shaw said. “A practical work-home balance, particularly for women with added burdens such as childcare, is critical to both retention and advancement,” Savard-Shaw noted.

Other highlights from the poll:

Burnout

• 90% of Canadians believe that burnout is prevalent in the Canadian work force. A third (32%) feel that many people are quitting their jobs due to burnout, 46% feel that this is happening occasionally, and 11% feel it is happening but rarely.
• Notably, 71% of Canadians have at least considered quitting their jobs due to burnout or stress – 32% report actually quitting, while the remainder have at least thought of it. Women are more likely to say they quit their jobs because of stress or burnout than men (39% vs. 25%), and are also more likely to think of quitting their jobs at least occasionally than men (38% vs. 30%).
• Most of the reasons for considering taking a step down are related to job stress (51%), not feeling appreciated for the amount of work they put it (42%) or not getting enough support at work (29%). Although the reasons are similar among men and women, women are more likely to experience work related stress than men (57% vs. 43%), are more likely to not feel appreciated at work (49% vs. 33%) and are more likely feel they don’t have enough support at work (35% vs. 22%).
• Some decided to prioritize themselves (34%), with women more likely to take this step than men (37% vs. 28%). A majority see those who prioritize themselves over work as positive affirmative action (83%) and don’t see stepping down as a sign of weakness (72%). That said, men are more likely than women to see this as a sign of weakness (28% vs. 19%).
• Working women find it more difficult to manage their households and work responsibility than working men (53% vs. 42%).
• Childcare is a key concern. Mothers of kids under 13 years have considered quitting much more often than the fathers (80% vs. 63%) – among them, four-in-ten (41%) say they have left a job, compared to 24% of the fathers. Almost one-fifth of women specifically work hours that allow them to handle the childcare as well as work (17% vs. 6% of men). More than a third of working mothers (35%) say it is very difficult for them to arrange for childcare.

Compensation/Promotion

• Women are more likely to feel that they are not being fairly compensated because of their gender (46%) than men (30%). They are also more likely to feel that their colleagues are not fairly compensated because of their gender (29% women vs. 18% men).
• Employed BIPOC Canadians are much more likely to feel they are not fairly compensated (31%) and that their colleagues are not fairly compensated (28%) because of their racial identity compared to employed Caucasian Canadians (18% and 15% respectively). Similarly, 35% feel they have been passed over for a promotion or feel a colleague was passed over for a promotion (27%) because of their ethnicity compared to White Canadians (14% and 18% respectively).
• While salary remains the most important factor to consider when moving to senior role for both men and women, there are a few subtle differences between other priorities: working women are more likely to want work flexibility in terms of hours and location (25% vs. 20% men), to be seen as a valuable member of the team (22% vs. 14% men) and to be able to take the allotted vacation time off (21% vs. 16%).

Visit The Prosperity Project website for more information and details emerging from this study, including the press release and the full Pollara report on the survey results.

March 31, 2023 – About 3 years after the first COVID-19 lockdown began, Pollara Strategic Insights today released a new research report detailing Canadians’ views and experiences regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The report also includes public assessments of the government responsiveness during the pandemic and government preparedness for another, future pandemic.  

In terms of the health impact of COVID, more than half (55%) of adult Canadians report catching COVID-19 over the past 3 years – with 43% testing positive and 13% believing they have caught it (without confirming via test). Those who report catching COVID in the past 3 years are far more likely to say they have caught it once (68%) than multiple times (22%). And, half say their symptoms were mild while a quarter say their symptoms were severe.  

• Notably, 1-in-10 (9%) of those who have caught COVID say they have been diagnosed with (3%), or believe they have (6%), Long COVID.
• Two-thirds of Canadians still wear a face mask to protect themselves at least some of the time – just 34% say they never wear a mask

Turning to the relationship impacts of the pandemic, about one-in-five Canadians report having lost a family member or friend who died due to COVID. 7-in-10 feel Canada is more divided since the pandemic, and a quarter – or almost 10 million Canadians – have stopped talking to a friend or family member over COVID-related disagreements.  

When considering the job done by governments responding to the pandemic, 6-in-10 feel the federal government did a good job overall, and 7-in-10 feel the same about the job done procuring vaccines for Canadians.  

• Less than half of the residents of Alberta (39%), Manitoba (41%), Saskatchewan (48%), and Ontario (49%) feel their provincial governments did a good job managing the pandemic, whereas clear majorities (62-82%) in the other provinces approve of the job done by their provincial governments.

Looking towards the future, three-quarters of Canadians believe there will be another pandemic in the next 20-30 years. However, only four-in-ten feel federal and provincial governments are currently prepared for it.  

Read our new report for more details.  Also, to see where public opinion stood at the start of the pandemic, see our first public opinion report on COVID, conducted in Late March 2020.  

February 23, 2023 – Today, Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) released the results of the latest in-depth survey designed, executed, and analysed on their behalf by Pollara Strategic Insights. This is the 15^th survey conducted for MHRC since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to monitor, track, and understanding Canadians’ mental health during this crisis and beyond.  

In our recent waves of research for MHRC, we saw mental health indicators improve. However, this new piece of research sees levels of high anxiety (10%), depression (8%), and not coping well with stress (14%) remain constant compared to our last data collection in November 2022. Future polls will validate whether this is indicative of a new normal for Canadians, or the result of transitional changes, such as a seasonal impacts or the state of the economy.   

The online survey was conducted from January 23 to February 6, 2023 amongst a randomly-selected, reliable sample of N=3,238 adult Canadians.  

The poll reveals some positive trends, such as high levels of happiness (81%) and hopefulness (64%) and a slight increase in the number of Canadians accessing mental health services in the past year. However, the poll also reveals a number of items of concern:     

• A quarter of Canadians are feeling exhausted and burnt out (24%, and higher among the unemployed and students).
• A disproportionate level of mental health challenges faced by 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadians, including self-rated anxiety, depression, and resilience indicators.
• While half of Canadians indicate that inflation is not having a negative mental health impact on them, those whose mental health has been affected by inflation are showing significant signs of worsening mental health, in terms of higher anxiety (33%), depression (32%), difficulties handling stress (30%), suicide ideation (31%), and alcohol (23%) or cannabis (22%) dependency.
• We’ve also noted increases in similar negative mental health indicators in parents of children under the age of nine.

For more detailed findings from this survey, please read the report.  In addition, in collaboration with Pollara, MHRC hosts an interactive, easily searchable Data Portal, which tracks the data captured in this series of surveys. MHRC has also released a series of research briefs that provide an in-depth investigation of specific issues and population cohorts in this survey series.  

February 2, 2023 — New polling from Pollara Strategic Insights shows Canadians conceptually support safe injection sites, but are more hesitant about one potentially opening in their community. While 62% of Canadians feel that safe injection sites save lives and 51% support governments funding them, only 41% would support a safe injection site opening in their community.

Quebecers are the most supportive of governments funding safe injection sites (58%), and are the most open to one opening in their community (53%). 

There is a partisan skew on this issue, with around two-thirds of Liberal, NDP and Bloc voters supportive of safe injection sites, compared to one-third of Conservative and PPC voters.

See the full findings and survey methodology in our report, and additional analysis and commentary by Paul Wells at his Substack.

January 11, 2023 — Pollara’s annual Economic Outlook study finds the public the most pessimistic about the Canadian economy and their personal finances they have been since the 2008 financial crisis. On many questions, we see levels of negativity only reached a few times over the 28 years this study has been fielded.

As we head into 2023, over eight-in-ten (83%) Canadians feel the country is in a recession, a 17-point increase from last year, and the highest level recorded since 2009.

This pessimism can also be seen when people look at their personal finances. The percentage of Canadians who feel they are “losing ground” financially has jumped from 25% last year to 38% this year. The biggest cost of living expenses driving this are the cost of food (46% say it’s a major source of stress), housing expenses (34%), and the cost of gas (30%).

Amidst these cost of living pressures, when looking ahead to 2023, half (50%) of Canadians expect their household income will fall behind the cost of living – a high only reached once during the 28 years of Pollara’s Economic Outlook study.

The public’s one ray of hope for 2023 is Canada’s job market, which ended the year with low unemployment levels. Only two-in-ten (20%) Canadians feel it is likely they or a family member will lose their job this year, the lowest level recorded since 2008.

See the full details in our report and commentary on the study in the Toronto Star.

December 21, 2022 – Today, Pollara Strategic Insights released an updated report for the 5^th edition of SocialScape – Canada’s definitive measurement of social media, messaging, and videoconferencing platform usage patterns.   Although SocialScape 2022 was released two months ago, recent anecdotal reports of Twitter account cancellations occurring in the wake of Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter prompted us to conduct a short follow-up survey in order to update Twitter membership and usage data in the report. Ultimately, we found no evidence of a significant post-Musk exodus of members, as recent anecdotes may suggest, but reading and posting activity amongst members has reduced noticeably from August to December 2022.   Some of the key findings in SocialScape 2022 include:  

• 90% of Canadians are social media users.
• Facebook and Instagram continue to be the top social media platforms used in Canada. Notably, newer platforms, like TikTok and Discord,have quickly entered the top 10 social media platforms in Canada.
• Many platforms have somewhat lower membership figures in 2022 compared to 2019, with the exception of Instagram and Reddit. Although Twitter recorded a steady, gradual increase in membership from 2016 to 2019, membership numbers declined notably by August 2022 – and continued to do so following Elon Musk’s purchase and assumption of the CEO position. However, as mentioned above, there is no evidence of a significant post-Musk exodus of members.
• As in 2019, social media users spend 6 hours per week on social media, on average – with browsing far more prevalent than posting content.  
• Social media continues to be a tool that helps people stay connected with family and friends. However, it is also considered a medium that allows the spread of conspiracy theories and fake news and fosters hate and violence. And, privacy concerns remain high, with few trusting social media to keep their personal information private.
• Turning to messaging platforms, 94% of Canadians use at least one. Three-quarters use basic SMS or MMS texting or (Facebook) Messenger – by far the most-used messaging platforms. iMessage and WhatsApp are used by two- fifths. While these four platforms see an uptick in usage, other older platforms such as Skype, Android Messages, and Google Chat see a significant drop in usage.
• And, turning to our new entry in SocialScape, 82% of Canadians use at least one video conferencing platform.  Zoom is – by far – the most widely-used platform, followed by Facetime and Microsoft Teams.

For more details and insights, please read the SocialScape 2022 report. 

September 30, 2022 —Pollara Strategic Insights’ second edition of the Rage Index shows Canadians’ mood improving after a summer of frustration, with the percentage of Canadians annoyed or angry across our tracking questions down 5 points this month.

One topic at the centre of high profile outbursts of rage over the past year is vaccine mandates. However, this poll shows only 23% of Canadians are annoyed or angry by the mandates – while nearly twice as many (43%) are pleased or happy with them. However, the mandates are a highly politicized issue, with three-in-ten Conservative voters and over seven-in-ten PPC voters very angry about them:

While the mandates themselves are not a source of widespread anger, they may be leading to increased frustration among Canada’s unvaccinated. This edition of the Rage Index finds that unvaccinated Canadians are significantly angrier about nearly all topics polled, with the majority of them annoyed or angry about the federal government (71%), provincial government (64%), Canadian economy (68%), personal financial situation (52%), and the types of changes happening in Canada (63%).

One topic generating significantly more widespread anger this month than vaccine mandates is the firing of Lisa LaFlamme. This news story has struck a nerve among women over 50, with 36% of them very angry and another 29% annoyed or moderately angry. Strikingly, this is as big a source of anger for women over 50 as inflation or delays in the healthcare system.

See the full details in our report and commentary on the study in the Toronto Star. You can read last month’s Rage Index here.

September 29, 2022 – Pollara’s 2022 Canadian Telecom Sentiment Report shows a majority (59%) of Canadians are annoyed or angry about telecom companies, ranking ahead of insurance companies (51%), airlines (45%), real estate companies (41%), banks (41%), and grocery stores (40%).

Price is driving much of this negativity, as two-thirds (66%) of Canadians say their cell phone bill would be “unaffordable” if it rose by 10%. Moreover, telecom bills trail only groceries and gas as the cost of living bills that make Canadians angriest:

When asked about other Telecom irritants, the majority of Canadians report being annoyed or angry at companies who try to upsell them (63%), hidden fees (59%), and locking phones to networks (57%). Close to half are also upset about fees for going over their data limit (49%), their monthly bill (48%), and roaming charges (48%).

These findings come from the 2022 Canadian Telecom Sentiment Report, conducted by Pollara on behalf of Globalive. The survey was fielded online between September 2nd and 12th, 2022, among 3,105 Canadians 18 years and older. A probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of ± 1.8%, 19 times out of 20.

For a detailed summary of the findings from this survey, please see our report . For Globalive’s commentary on the survey, you can read their press release.

October 3, 2022 (Toronto) – The Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC) and Pollara Strategic Insights today released the results of their annual Canadian Mutual Fund and Exchange-Traded Fund Investor Survey. The annual survey has tracked Canadian investor sentiments and behaviour since 2006.

The survey this year expanded its focus on the value of advice and investor responses to annual fee and performance statements and added a component investigating the impact of inflation on saving and investment. The survey also had additional questions relating to responsible investing, including perceived impact on returns, sources of information, and interests in specific focus areas.

“The Pollara investor survey has become an increasingly valuable tool to test regulatory assumptions about the value of advice and to better understand how investors view advice,” said Paul Bourque, President and CEO, IFIC. “We are particularly pleased to see that the vast majority of investors feel that the advice they receive is worth the fees, and that investors feel more confident about reaching their investment goals when using a financial advisor.”

“This survey gives us the opportunity to learn about how investors respond to the ever-evolving economic environment,” said Lesli Martin, Vice President, Pollara Strategic Insights. “In a year of rising inflation, it was particularly interesting to learn more about how investors have reacted and responded.”

This year, the survey moved to an online-only format. The samples for the 2022 survey were 4,045 MF investors and 1,503 ETF investors.

Key Findings:

• For mutual fund investors, confidence their product will help them achieve financial goals is at 88%, and for ETF investors, confidence is at 91%.
• Nine in ten mutual fund and ETF investors are satisfied with their advisors.
• Eight in 10 mutual fund investors agree that advice is worth the fees and they would not want to handle investments on their own, an increase by two and three points respectively.  Seven in 10 ETF investors would not want to handle investments on their own, an increase by seven points.
• 80% of mutual fund investors and 73% of ETF investors believe that they get a better return on investments due to their financial advisor.
• 84% of mutual fund and 78% of ETF investors feel more confident that they will reach their investment goals when using a financial advisor.
• Two-thirds of investors remember receiving their annual fee and performance (CRM2) statements, and 56% of mutual fund investors and 63% of ETF investors report reading their statements.
• 25% of investors currently own responsible investments, and a majority who do not currently own responsible investments report they may include these investments in their portfolio in the future.
• Inflation has had an impact on investing with half of investors saying they are investing less than usual

To access the full survey, please visit IFIC.ca or pollara.com.

About IFIC

The Investment Funds Institute of Canada is the voice of Canada’s investment funds industry. IFIC brings together approximately 150 organizations, including fund managers, dealers, professional and back-office service providers, to strengthen the integrity of the investment funds industry, foster public confidence in investment funds, and enable investors to achieve good outcomes. By connecting savers to Canada’s economy, our industry contributes significantly to Canadian economic growth and job creation. To learn more about IFIC, please visit www.ific.ca. 

About Pollara Strategic Insights

Founded in 1980, Pollara Strategic Insights is one of Canada’s premier full-service research firms – a collaborative team of senior research veterans who are passionate about conducting research through hands–on creativity and customized solutions. Taking full advantage of their comprehensive toolbox of industry-leading quantitative and qualitative methodologies and analytical techniques, Pollara provides research-based strategic advice to a wide array of clients across all sectors on a local, national, and global scale.

For more information, please contact:

Pira Kumarasamy
Senior Manager, Communications and Public Affairs
pkumarasamy@ific.ca
416-309-2317

Lesli Martin
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
Pollara Strategic Insights
leslimartin@pollara.com
416-707-9770

September 13, 2022 — Fresh polling by Pollara Strategic Insights fielded in the days after the death of Queen Elizabeth II shows only 35% of Canadians want Canada to remain a constitutional monarchy, with 44% wanting to end this connection to the British Crown.

Quebecers are the most opposed to remaining a constitutional monarchy (18% yes / 64% no), and a sharp age divide can be seen across the country with support for keeping the monarchy over twice as high among Canadians 55+ (47% yes / 35% no) as among Canadians 18-to-34 (22% yes / 54% no).

While there is not consensus on this question, the majority of Canadians (56%) are against Canada putting Charles III’s face on its money, with only one-in-four (24%) supportive.

This is not necessarily indicative of intense negativity towards the new King, as Canadians are divided on how they feel about Charles III: 37% are favourable and 33% are unfavourable. Though Canadians are divided on Charles, they are largely favourable towards his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry:

See the full details in our report and commentary on the study in the Toronto Star.

September 7, 2022 – Today, Pollara Strategic Insights released a new study focussed on Canadians’ engagement, understanding, and views on Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.  

Nearly all Canadians have heard about Bitcoin, but it remains a mystery to most, as only one-in-four (26%) Canadians report ownership and/or sufficient familiarity that they could explain it to someone else.

Less than one-in-ten (8%) Canadians report ownership of Bitcoin and/or other cryptocurrencies, with ownership overwhelmingly concentrated among young men.  Politically speaking, PPC and Conservative Voters are more likely to report ownership and interest in investing in Bitcoin and/or other cryptocurrencies.     

Amongst those who own Bitcoin or have some understanding of it, almost nine-in-ten (88%) view it as a risky investment and more than three-quarters (77%) report that it has declined in value.

Amongst those who own Bitcoin or have some understanding of it, only one-in-ten (11%) think it is a good way to opt out of inflation, and half (48%) feel that most people who recommend investing in Bitcoin are scam artists.  PPC Voters and young men are the most likely to feel that moving investments into Bitcoin are a good way to opt out of inflation.   

For more detailed results, read our report. 

June 15, 2022 – The Prosperity Project released the results of a new Pollara Strategic Insights survey today, with fascinating findings for employers to pay heed to. This – the 5^th survey in The Prosperity Project – Pollara series of Canadian Household Perspectives surveys – surveyed employed women to understand their views and preferences for their working situations as society continues to re-open.

Fewer Canadian women (62%) are working full-time now as compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic (70%). While three-quarters (73%) acknowledged that employers were more accommodating during the pandemic, a similar proportion (72%) expect employers to put the priority on in-person office work going forward. However, the vast majority of women (91%) would prefer to work remotely most or part of the time in the foreseeable future.

• Nearly six-in-ten feel they will have to choose between their career and their family – at a time when almost half (46%) said the pandemic has increased their responsibilities at home.
• More than six-in-ten (63%) said they would turn down promotions in order to keep working from home.
• Most alarmingly, almost half (45%) are more likely to quit their jobs if working from home at least part of the time is not an option.

“As organizations create post-pandemic work strategies, this research sheds light on what women are thinking and feeling about work and their careers. A majority would like the flexibility offered during the pandemic to continue, specifically the option to work remotely some of the time,” said Andrea Spender, CEO of The Prosperity Project, a registered charity created to ensure Canadian women are not left behind in the COVID-19 recovery.

The research also highlighted mixed views on the impact of the pandemic, with a third (35%) of working women saying their careers are in a better place now, compared to 29% who said they are worse off than two years ago and 36% saying their career condition had not changed.  Opinions were also mixed on what the end of the pandemic could mean for career prospects, with three-in-ten (29%) optimistic that there will be more opportunities ahead and a quarter (24%) believing there will be fewer opportunities. However, the research shows many Canadian women are concerned that the better paying and higher level jobs are more likely to be offered to men than to themselves. 

A plurality (44%) of women are excited about their career prospects, while one-third (33%) are not.

“We learned important lessons about workplace flexibility during the pandemic, and we must continue to heed those lessons,” said Pamela Jeffery, founder of The Prosperity Project. “Canada’s economic growth needs women contributing. Enabling women to balance their careers and home responsibilities – through hybrid home/office work and other adjustments, with equal opportunity for promotion and advancement – is a critical priority.”

Other highlights from the study:

• Working from Home:  All of the women surveyed were working full-time in January 2019. During the pandemic, almost half (46%) went from working outside the home to working from home. Of those who started working remotely, 71% continue to work from home at least part of the time, with 28% returning to work in-person at the office most or all of the time. 
• Return to In-Person Office Work: – Half of the respondents believe they will be returning to working in the office, either with a hybrid model (31%) or in the office full-time (2%), while 8% said their employer no longer has an office, and 17% believe they will have a choice of where they will work. Approximately half of the women surveyed (51%) are fine with their organization’s plan regarding going back to the office. A fifth (19%) said it is not exactly what they want, but they aren’t concerned about it, and 18% are concerned about how they will make it work.
• Home/Office Preferences:  The vast majority (91%) of women surveyed want to work remotely at least part of the time. Almost three-quarters (73%) of women would prefer to work from home all (42%) or most (31%) of the time. One-fifth (22%) would rather spend all (9%) or most (13%) of their work time in the office.
• Advancement:  In terms of career advancement, 28% of working women are considering but not actively looking to advance, 22% are actively looking, and 19% said they could be open to advancement if the right opportunity came along. Racialized women are more likely to be actively looking to advance their careers (31%).
• Barriers:  For half (52%) of the working women with kids under 18, balancing their career with being a good parent is the major barrier. Only a sixth (16%) said it is not a barrier at all. Work-life balance is cited as a barrier for almost two-thirds (64%) of the women surveyed.
• Childcare – Those working from home during the pandemic and having kids under 12 are somewhat (37%) to very (24%) concerned about going back to work in-person. Younger women are most likely to be concerned about going back into the office. More than half of the women surveyed (55%) are primarily responsible for child care. Only 7% said their partner/spouse are responsible and over a third (35%) share the responsibilities equally.
• Finances:  Views on women’s financial situations were almost evenly split: A third (33%) said they are in a better place in terms of their finances, with almost an equal number (37%) saying they are in a worse place, and 30% reporting no change in their finances. Younger women are likely to be in a better place with their finances (46% amongst those aged 18-34, 30% for 35-54, and 20% for 55+).

“This research tells us some changes brought about by the pandemic were actually improvements for working women, but there’s still uncertainty about whether they’re permanent,” said Pollara Senior Vice-President Lesli Martin. “Amid this uncertainty, many Canadian working women are understandably apprehensive about their future.”

These are some of the findings of The Prosperity Project’s 5^th Canadian Household Perspectives survey, conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights from May 12 to May 17, 2022. The online survey interviewed a randomly-selected, reliable sample of N=800 employed adult women across Canada. As a guideline, a probability sample of N=800 carries a margin of error of ± 3.5, 19 times out of 20. The margin of error is larger for sub-segments. The dataset was weighted by the most current age and region Census data, to ensure the sample reflects the actual population of women in Canada.

The survey is part of The Prosperity Project’s Canadian Households’ Perspective on the New Economy initiative. Partner organizations in the initiative are CIBC, Enterprise Canada, and Pollara Strategic Insights. Launched in May 2020, The Prosperity Project is a volunteer-driven, registered charity conceived by a diverse group of 62 female leaders from across the country – women who have historically made a difference and are committed to continuing to promote positive change as active participants in The Prosperity Project. 

Please visit The Prosperity Project website for more information about this study or the organization itself.   

May 30, 2022 – A new Pollara Strategic Insights study, conducted on behalf of News Media Canada, shows eight-in-ten (79%) Canadians believe web giants like Facebook and Google should have to share revenue they generate from Canadian news content with the Canadian media outlets that produce these copyrighted stories. The proportion who strongly supportive (42%) of this outnumber the strongly opposed (4%) by a 10:1 ratio.

This survey also found that nine-in-ten (90%) Canadians believe it’s important that local media outlets survive, and eight-in-ten (80%) support Parliament passing a law that would let smaller outlets negotiate collectively with the web giants.  

Notably, this is a topic that has broad cross-partisan support with the supporters of all parties placing a high level of important on the survival of local media outlets, and supportive of forcing web giants to share their revenue with Canadian media outlets.

These are some of the findings arising from a survey conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights, on behalf of News Media Canada. Pollara conducted an online survey of N=1,500 adult Canadians between May 20to May 26, 2022. Data has been weighted by gender, age, and region statistics, based on the most recent census data, so as to be representative of all Canadians. Online surveys cannot be officially assigned a margin of error, but a probability sample of this size is accurate within ± 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.  

For more information, please see the News Media Canada release and the Interview Schedule.

May 30, 2022 – A new survey conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights on behalf of the Ontario College of Family Physicians reveals that – when informed that 1.3 million residents of the province do not have a family doctor – eight-in-ten Ontarians (80%) feel that this is either a crisis for Ontario’s health care system (34%) or a major problem (46%).  

Moreover, nine-in-ten Ontarians want the provincial government to ensure that every Ontarian that needs a family doctor has access to one, regardless of who wins the Ontario provincial election.  

These are some of the results of an online survey conducted from May 16-18, 2022 on behalf of the Ontario College of Family Physicians. The survey was conducted amongst a reliable, randomly-selected sample of N=816 adult Ontarians. Online surveys do not permit the assignment of a margin of error, but a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-3.4%, 19 times out of 20.  

For more details and commentary, please view our report and the opinion editorial from the President of the Ontario College of Family Physicians.

May 24, 2022 – Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) has released its 12th poll in its ongoing series of surveys on Canadians’ mental health since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey, conducted from April 13-25, 2022 amongst N=3,000 adult Canadians, represents a period when COVID-19 restrictions in Canada had substantially eased and some public health measures were removed.

The study found that the mental health of Canadians slowly continues to improve. The percentage of Canadians experiencing high levels of self-rated anxiety has dropped from 24% in December 2021 to 21% in April 2022. These are the lowest levels seen in the self-rated scale and clinical screeners in depression and anxiety since April 2021. Fewer Canadians are experiencing disruptions caused by mental health challenges. Recovery to mental health levels seen prior to the pandemic remains a distant hope. 

Concern around the lasting impact of COVID-19 continues and has seen a slight increase in this poll. Fear of a family member catching the virus has also increased. A majority of Canadians also support COVID-19 health measures, particularly those experiencing high levels of self-rated anxiety.

Other key findings include:  

• Mental health literacy — measured by how often mental health is thought about, discussed, or read about — in Canadians is low. Canadians over the age of 55 are demonstrating the lowest mental health literacy while students are demonstrating the highest.
• New mothers are experiencing higher than average levels of anxiety. About 31% of mothers with children aged between 0 and 1 have high anxiety, as compared to the 21% of the general population with high anxiety. Optimistically, the findings show that new mothers are very hopeful, have good relationships with others, and are more likely to talk to a mental health professional.
• About a quarter (27%) of working Canadians are experiencing burnout. This is even higher among those who are currently looking for work (36%) and low among retirees (9%).
• One-fifth of Canadians have accessed mental health support since the start of the pandemic. There was a considerable decline in Canadians’ satisfaction with accessing mental health support since December 2021. Now, levels are back to those seen in November 2021 (69% are satisfied).
• Despite the issues they are facing,most Canadians continue to be hopeful for their future. They feel their relationships are valued and allow them to get help when they need it.  

These and other key findings are featured in both the summary report and full survey report – as well as an interactive, searchable data portal – are available at www.mhrc.ca. The online survey was conducted amongst a randomly-selected, reliable sample of N=3,000 adult Canadians from April 13-25, 2022, as part of MHRC’s ongoing series of surveys – “Mental Health in Crisis: How COVID-19 Is Impacting Canadians” – designed to capture Canadians’ perceptions of their levels of anxiety and depression to identify and evaluate factors that influence mental health.

April 28, 2022 – A new Pollara Strategic Insights study, conducted on behalf of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN), reveals that most Canadians support mandatory labelling on genetically modified foods and food products with genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and that the public opposes by a margin of nearly 2 to 1 a proposal to let food companies conduct their own safety assessments of genetically modified foods produced through gene editing.  

The study found that almost half (47%) of Canadians felt knowledgeable about GMOs prior to participating in the survey. However, only 6% felt very knowledgeable, whereas four-in-ten (41%) felt somewhat knowledgeable.

Similarly, just over half (54%) of Canadians expressed concern about the safety of genetically modified foods and food products that contain GMOs, although this concern is more likely to be moderate (37%) than intense (17%). 

After being presented with arguments for and against the labelling of genetically modified foods (i.e. “let consumers make informed decisions” vs. “labels might make unknowledgeable consumers assume the foods are unsafe”), more than two-thirds of Canadians (68%) expressed support for the federal government making it mandatory for food companies to label if their foods are genetically modified or contain GMOs. Just 7% were opposed, as 18% were ambivalent and 6% were unsure.

After informing respondents of the Health Canada proposal to allow food companies to assess the safety of some genetically foods produced through gene editing – a process whereby plant genes are deleted or changed, but no foreign DNA is introduced – almost half (46%) of Canadians expressed opposition, preferring that Health Canada conduct these safety assessments. Comparatively, a quarter (24%) supported the Health Canada proposal.  Two-in-ten were ambivalent (19%) and 11% were unsure. 

These are the findings of a public opinion research study conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights on behalf of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) from April 21-24, 2022. Pollara Strategic Insights conducted an online survey amongst a randomly-selected, reliable sample of N=1,517 adult Canadians. Online surveys do not permit the assignment of a margin of error. A probability sample of this size and design would carry a margin of error of +/- 2.5, 19 times out of 20. The dataset has been weighted using standard statistical techniques to ensure that the sample accurately reflects the gender, age, and provincial distribution of the adult Canadian population according to the most recent Census.

For more information, please see the CBAN media release and the data tables.

April 27, 2021 — Our ongoing municipal satisfaction tracking survey reveals that Canadians’ overall satisfaction with local municipal governments has dropped by a significant 15 points in 2022 (55%) compared to 2020 (70%). One-in- three (36%) are dissatisfied.

Six-in-ten (60%) residents are satisfied with the quality of services provided by their local municipal government – significantly lower than seen in 2020 (71%), but a return to similar territory as in 2019 (66%).

Two-thirds (62%) of Canadians are satisfied with the range of services provided by their local municipal government, although this represents a notable decline since 2020 (-11).

Although a majority of Canadians remain satisfied (57%) with how their local municipal government has managed and responded to COVID-19, satisfaction has declined notably compared to September 2020 (71%). For more details, including provincial/regional results, please see our report.  

February 23, 2022 – A new Pollara Strategic Insights survey of drivers and delivery people working on the Uber platform reveals very high support for the new agreement between Uber Canada and UFCW Canada. The study also found that drivers and delivery people provide resounding support to their provincial government enacting the slate of industry reforms that are laid out in the agreement.  

• After reading a description of the agreement, 85% of all drivers and delivery people working on the Uber platform expressed support for it. Only 6% were opposed. Notably, 87% of drivers and delivery peop le in BC and Ontario were supportive.

• After reading the list of proposed reforms for app-based workers contained in the agreement, 89% of drivers and delivery people expressed support, and only 4% were opposed. Nine-in-ten drivers and delivery people in BC (91%) and Ontario (90%) were supportive.

Testing support for each of the reforms separately revealed high, strong support for provincial governments enacting each of the individual reforms proposed, with each element garnering between 86% to 91% support.    

These high levels of support for the Uber Canada-UFCW Canada agreement and their industry reform proposals are not surprising given that the survey also found that the goals of the agreement and its proposed reforms align very strongly with driver and delivery people’s values and preferences – especially their strong desire to maintain flexibility and control over their schedule.

These are the key findings of an online survey conducted from February 2-9, 2022 by Pollara Strategic Insights, on behalf of Uber Canada, amongst a randomly selected, representative sample of N=1,000 app-based rideshare drivers and delivery people on the Uber platform. Survey results amongst the total sample carry a margin of error of ± 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The sub-samples and margins of error for BC and Ontario drivers and delivery people were n=197 (± 7.0%) and n=537 (± 4.2%), respectively.  

For a detailed summary of the findings from this survey as well as a summary of the agreement and its proposed reforms, please see our report.  For UFCW and Uber’s commentary on the agreement, their proposed industry reforms, and this study, please see their opinion editorial in iPolitics.

February 8, 2022 — The results are in for the 27th annual edition of Pollara Strategic Insights’ Economic Outlook study – Canada’s longest-running study of the public’s perceptions and expectations of the economy and their personal financial situation.  

It reveals that most Canadians are in a psychological recession and tend to hold negative expectations for the economy, although perceptions are somewhat improved compared to January 2021.  

Yet, when considering their personal finances, most continue to report a positive situation – as many Canadians have higher levels of savings due to reduced consumer spending and unprecedented government supports (i.e. CERB) during the pandemic. Buttressing this sense of financial stability, the study also found significantly reduced public expectations of job losses.  

However, there are potential storm clouds on the horizon. When it comes to public expectations for 2022, almost half of Canadians now feel that they will fall behind the pace of the cost of living in the months ahead. An equal proportion say they will keep pace with, or outpace, the cost of living, but many Canadians may have more negative perspectives on their personal finances dependent upon the trajectory of the rate of inflation.  

• When it comes to the cost of living, most Canadians (69%) are stressed about grocery prices, and majorities (50-56%) of the public are also stressed about the gas prices, housing expenses, income taxes, and telecom bills.

See the full details in our report and commentary on the study in the Toronto Star.

September 28, 2021 – Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) has released its 8th survey in its ongoing series of surveys on Canadians’ mental health since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reveals asignificant divide in mental health experiences of Canadians as more of the population is vaccinated. Respondents who have not been vaccinated indicated significantly more symptoms of mental distress, as well as higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to those who have received the vaccine.   

For the first time in this ongoing series of MHRC research – designed, conducted, and analysed by Pollara Strategic Insights – the majority (84%) of respondents reported being double-vaccinated. Three out of four of these individuals (75%) indicated concern about the continuing potential threat of COVID-19, compared to 38% of unvaccinated respondents. However, unvaccinated Canadians indicated significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression when looking ahead two months in the context of pandemic-related restrictions.   

Key findings include:

• A quarter (26%) of parents indicate that their children “rarely” or “never” had a chance to socialize with other children in the last month.
• A third (32%) of Canadians indicate either that they are, or they should be, accessing mental health supports since COVID-19.
• The increase in mental health service delivery is almost entirely in virtual services (phone, text, online) — 4% of Canadians were accessing services in this way in the year prior to COVID, compared to 14% now.

These and other key findings are featured in both the summary report and full survey report for this wave of research – as well as an interactive, searchable data portal – available at www.mhrc.ca. The online survey was conducted amongst a randomly-selected, reliable sample of N=3,010 adult Canadians from August 17-24, 2021, as part of MHRC’s ongoing series of surveys – “Mental Health in Crisis: How COVID-19 Is Impacting Canadians” – designed to capture Canadians’ perceptions of their levels of anxiety and depression to identify and evaluate factors that influence mental health.

Of these Canadians still in school or in the workforce, 8% noted losing school or work days to mental health and 30% noted their productivity is significantly impaired. 

These are some of the key findings of MHRC’s sixth poll in our ongoing series of polls on “Mental Health in Crisis: How COVID-19 Is Impacting Canadians.” The poll captures Canadians’ perceptions of their levels of anxiety and depression in order to identify and evaluate the factors that influence mental health.  

On the positive side, two-thirds (69%) of Canadians indicate a high degree of resiliency, which suggests a belief in a robust mental health recovery post-pandemic and a level of optimism. When looking ahead two months, even Canadians with high levels of anxiety expect their mental health to improve (28% to 18%), which suggests the vaccine efforts, reduced lockdowns and start of summer will improve mental health. Depression levels are expected to remain steady. 

Other major findings of MHRC’s study include:  

• Self-rated anxiety continues to rise, with 28% of Canadians reporting high levels of anxiety and 17% reporting high levels of depression. This is driven primarily by an increase in Ontario, where 1 in 3 (33%) Ontarians reports high levels of anxiety and 1 in 5 (21%) reports high levels of depression.
• Specific groups and demographics continue to show the highest rates of self-rated anxiety and depression, including younger Canadians, those with young children at home, those living alone or with roommates, and frontline healthcare workers.

• Going outside (walking and hiking) continues to be the most positive thing you can do to support your mental health.
• The number of Canadians accessing mental health services is increasing, with 11% accessing services in the year before the onset of the pandemic, compared to 18% who accessed in the year that COVID began.

Data for our seventh poll will be collected in the first to second week of June.  

ABOUT THE STUDY

The poll was conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights from April 20 to April 28, 2021. A total of 4,005 adult Canadians were surveyed online, including an oversample of 500 surveys with residents of New Brunswick and an oversample of 500 surveys with residents of Newfoundland.

Results of earlier polls are compared when applicable. Results from a probability sample of this size could be considered accurate to within ±2.2 percentage points; they are weighted based on age, gender and region to be representative of the Canadian population. 

Findings from Polls 2 to 5 are searchable on our free Data Portal — and the findings of Poll 6 are in the process of being integrated.

March 14, 2021 – Mental health concerns are on the rise among Canada’s working women, especially mothers, as the COVID-19 pandemic persists, according to the second Prosperity Project survey exploring the impact of the pandemic on women in Canada.

Conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights in partnership with The Prosperity Project and CIBC, the second national survey of more than 1,000 adults found women much more likely than men to feel anxious, stressed, and depressed during the pandemic’s second wave as compared to the first. Although employment situations have not changed substantially since the first survey in August 2020, mental health has declined significantly. These feelings are even higher among working mothers, who reported experiencing higher levels of stress (52%), anxiety (47%) and depression (43%), compared to working women without children (36%; 38%; 29%). These levels are also higher when compared to working fathers (37%; 40%; 27%).

In addition to worries about helping with schoolwork and their children’s safety, mothers are also more likely to feel guilty about not spending time with their children and are more likely to turn down jobs or promotions to spend more time with their family. The survey also found that, during the pandemic’s second wave, women were more likely to consider quitting their job, ask for reduced working hours or take a position with different working conditions.

Other highlights of the poll include:

• Women continue to be more worried about their household finances, particularly about repaying debts they already have and paying household bills. However, a plurality of men is also concerned. Working parents are much more concerned about all these issues than those who don’t have children.
• Four-in-ten respondents men (41%) and women (40%) say they have had to use their savings during the pandemic to make ends meet. Working parents (48% of working mothers, compared to 44% of working fathers), reported having to dip into their savings than those without children (35% women; 38% men).
• 44% of women feel that they will face an economic recession and lack of job prospects once the pandemic is over. 
• Notably, more racialized/visible minority women (41%) than white women (29%) believe that women are less likely to be considered for jobs after the pandemic.

On behalf of the Prosperity Project, Pollara Strategic Insights conducted an online survey among a randomly-selected, reliable sample of N=1,003 adult Canadians from January 26-February 1, 2021. As a guideline, a probability sample of this size carries a margin of error of ± 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. Demographic and regional quotas were used to ensure reliable and comparable sub-segment analysis, and the data was weighted by the most current gender, age, and region Census data to ensure the sample reflects the actual population of adult Canadians.

This survey is part of The Prosperity Project’s 2021 Canadian Households’ Perspective on the New Economy initiative. Partner organizations in the initiative are Enterprise Canada, CIBC, and Pollara Strategic Insights.

Visit The Prosperity Project website for the complete reports to both waves of this ongoing study.

March 12, 2021 – Our latest sounding on Canadians’ views and feelings about the pandemic reveals that slim majorities of the public continue to approve of the Trudeau Liberal Government’s overall governance of the country and response to COVID-19. Most notably, there is a significant increase in the number of Canadians who intend to get vaccinated against the coronavirus as soon as the vaccine is available to them, accompanied by a related decrease in the number of Canadians who express hesitancy or opposition about it.

When considering specific actions by the Trudeau Government regarding the pandemic, six-in-ten Canadians approve of the Liberals’ job performance on communicating and informing the public about matters related to the outbreak, and about half approve of the Government’s job performance on managing and controlling the spread of new COVID-19 variants.

Concerns about COVID-19 spread and risks remain at the same levels seen in Dec 2020, and have abated only slightly since March 2020. Two-thirds of Canadians are still concerned about catching the virus themselves, and remain more worried about family members, friends, and other Canadians outside of their social circle catching it.

• One year after the onset of the pandemic, a large majority of Canadians (86%;-7) remain concerned about the pandemic’s impact on the economy. Concerns about the impact on students’ education are still high (68%) – slightly lower than Dec 2020 (-4), but higher than at the beginning of the pandemic (+6).
• Although just over half (52%) of Canadians are concerned about the pandemic’s impact on their personal finances, this represents a notable 8-point decrease in concern since December 2020 and 20-point decrease since March 2020. This improved sentiment regarding personal finances aligns with the findings of our recent studies on the middle class and 2021 economic expectations – wherein we found that many Canadians were reporting higher savings rates and greater financial stability due to pandemic-related reductions in consumer spending and unprecedented income support from the federal government.

Compared to December 2020, more Canadians now intend to get vaccinated as soon as possible (59%; +9), while fewer say they will wait a while before getting the shot (21%; -8). Less than one-in-ten (8%; – 3) now say they will never get vaccinated.  Seven percent (7%; -2) are unsure if they will get it.

Vaccination hesitancy amongst those preferring to wait, those opposed to the vaccine, and those who are unsure is primarily rooted in concerns about safety, side effects, and rushed trials – followed by lack of information.

• Those who say they will never get vaccinated are also driven by skepticism about the vaccines’ efficacy.

For more details, see our report.

February 26, 2021 – Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) today released the results of the fifth study in their ongoing series of surveys devoted to tracking and exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadians’ mental health. This study was conducted in Early February 2021, while MHRC’s previous studies were conducted in April, August, October, and December 2020. The study will continue with new surveys every 6-8 weeks until March 2022. The key findings of this study include: 

• Canadians are reporting their highest levels of anxiety (25%; +2 since December) and depression (17%; +2) of the pandemic to-date – above the levels at the peak of COVID’s first wave.
• More than 1.8 million Canadians ages 18 and older – or 6% of the population – have all four negative indicators, based on a composite index, that this study uses to track mental health. The indicators are: a high anxiety and depression rating, moderate to severe mental health symptoms, low management of stress, and low resiliency. Female and younger Canadians are over-represented in this group.
• Social isolation is now the leading self-reported stressor having a negative impact on mental health, increasing again in Poll 5.
• The economy is again having a negative impact on mental health, countering the signs of improvement noted in Poll 4. More than half of Canadians are worried about making ends meet, a considerable increase since before the pandemic.
• Younger Canadians, ages 18 to 34, are the group who tend to be the most vulnerable to a decline in mental health. This group exhibits a higher incidence of anxiety and depression, a higher incidence of daily symptoms, and are more likely to be scored as severe on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Also, the economic decline, ability to make ends meet financially, and social isolation are disproportionately having a negative impact on this group’s mental health. They are also less likely to be optimistic about their ability to recover and are less likely to be receiving treatment. 
• Canadians report that getting outdoors is the best activity to support positive mental health, with two-fifths of Canadians indicating a positive impact on mental health even during the winter months. The impact is significantly more positive than physical activity (21%) and a number of indoor activities including reading (30%) and entertainment (25%).​

These are just some of the results from the latest MHRC pandemic study, based on an online survey conducted among a randomly-selected, reliable sample of N=3,005 adult Canadians from February 1-8, 2021. On behalf of MHRC, Pollara Strategic Insights designed, conducted, and analysed the results of this survey and the previous surveys in this ongoing series. The next survey installment will be in field soon. Stay tuned for more results in the months ahead.

Please visit the MHRC survey data hub to download the full report of these survey findings as well as the reports from the previous surveys in this series.

Jan 14, 2021 – Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) today released the results of the fourth study in their ongoing series of surveys devoted to tracking and exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadians’ mental health. MHRC’s previous studies were conducted in April, August, and October, 2020. 

The key findings of this study include: 

• Canadians are reporting their highest levels of anxiety (23%) and depression (15%) of the pandemic to-date – above the levels at the peak of COVID’s first wave.
• However, most Canadians are optimistic that they will recover once the pandemic is over, with 65% of Canadians indicating they remain highly resilient to challenges like COVID-19.
• Frontline healthcare workers report high levels of anxiety, high levels of an anxiety diagnosis, as well as high levels of accessing treatment for anxiety and high levels of resiliency in overcoming these challenges.

• 75% of Canadians indicate they will be getting a COVID-19 vaccination. 
• Notably, those who are more concerned or who indicated they would not get the vaccine report a higher degree of anxiety and depression overall.
• Social isolation and working from home are having more of a negative impact on mental health as the pandemic continues and as guidelines restricting movement are in place.

These are just some of the results from the latest MHRC pandemic study, based on an online survey conducted among a randomly-selected, reliable sample of N=2,761 adult Canadians from December 10-18, 2020. On behalf of MHRC, Pollara Strategic Insights designed, conducted, and analysed the results of this survey and the previous surveys in this ongoing series. The next survey installment will be field soon. Stay tuned for more results in the months ahead.

Please visit the MHRC survey data hub to download the full report of these survey findings as well as reports from the previous surveys in this series.

January 12, 2021 — The results are in for the 26th annual edition of Pollara Strategic Insights’ Economic Outlook study – Canada’s longest-running study of the public’s perceptions and expectations of the economy and their personal financial situation. It reveals a dramatic decline in Canadians’ views and expectations regarding the economy, but largely positive and somewhat improved sentiment about their own personal financial situation.   The positive outlook of 2018 was short-lived, as Canadians began 2019 once again feeling they were in a recession. Although 2020 began with a somewhat improved – but still negative – perception of the economy, the COVID-19 pandemic struck shortly thereafter. Thus, unsurprisingly, the public’s perception of the economy has now turned severely negative, with 81% (+34) feeling that the economy is in recession. Just 9% (-28) feel we are in a period of growth, although Q3 2020 saw our real GDP grow by 8.9%, following declines in Q2 (11.3%) and Q1 (1.9%).

• Notably, there is an increase in the intensity of this perception, with 32% (+26) perceiving a severe recession and close to half (49%; +8) feeling a mild recession.
• Those who believe Canada is in a recession are expecting it to last for a longer duration than in previous years, with a  majority expecting it to last either 1 to 2 years (48%) or longer (20%).
• Most Canadians hold a negative outlook for 2021, expecting the Canadian economy and employment levels to worsen or remain stagnant. However, compared to previous years, more Canadians are expecting an improvement both factors.

Although Canadians have negative perceptions of the economy, sentiment about their personal financial situation is largely positive and somewhat improved compared to January 2020. Although this finding may appear counter-intuitive, it aligns with the findings of the sixth wave of our recent study on class identity and financial stability, wherein we found that many Canadians were reporting higher savings rates and greater financial stability – likely due to pandemic-related reductions in consumer spending and unprecedented income support from the federal government.

• More than three-quarters are holding their own (54%; +1) or getting ahead (20%; +8) – an increase of 9 points, overall, since January 2020. And, fewer report that they are losing ground (22%; -10).
• Also, fewer Canadians report that their household income is falling behind the cost of living (39%; -6). The remainder are outpacing (10%; +2), or keeping pace (43%; +2) with, the cost of living. 
• Fears of job loss in the household have increased once again (35%; +10), to the largest level recorded in the past 26 years of this tracking study – just slightly above the previous high of 34% in 2014. However, just 8% say such job loss is very likely.

On a related economic matter, our study also found that approval ratings for the new CUSMA free trade agreement (AKA NAFTA 2.0 or USMCA) remain steady since 2019. Half (51%; +1) approve, while 19% (-2) disapprove and 30% are unsure – a level of uncertainty typically recorded for questions concerning free trade agreements as well as low-profile foreign affairs issues. Importantly, amongst Canadians with an opinion on this matter, almost three quarters (73%) approve, with just 23% expressing disapproval.

See the full details in our report and commentary in the Toronto Star article.

January 7, 2021 — Our annual hospital reputation tracking survey reveals that Canadians held a significantly improved overall impression of their primary hospital in 2020, as compared to 2019. In September 2020 – six months into the COVID-19 pandemic – Canadians who held an opinion about their primary hospital provided a mean average impression rating score of 7.1 on a 0-10 scale. In 2019, the average impression score was 6.5. All provinces and regions provided higher overall impressions, except Saskatchewan – where the mean average rating held steady year-over-year. 

Amongst Canadians with an opinion, impressions of the overall quality of care provided by their primary hospital increased slightly compared to 2019 (7.1 vs. 6.9). Most provinces and regions provided higher impressions of quality of care, with Manitoba residents expressing the greatest increase (6.8 vs. 5.8). In contrast, residents of Saskatchewan and Quebec exhibit somewhat reduced impressions on this factor.

On average, Canadians with an opinion on the matter provide an impression rating of 7.3 to their primary hospital’s management of, and response to, COVID-19. Primary hospital impressions on this factor are highest in Atlantic Canada (7.8), B.C. (7.6), Alberta (7.5) and Ontario (7.5), whereas they are below the national average in Quebec (7.0), Saskatchewan (6.7), and Manitoba (6.6).

For the full detailed results, please see our report.

January 6, 2021 — Our annual municipal satisfaction tracking survey reveals that Canadians were somewhat more satisfied with their municipal government in 2020, as compared to 2019. In September 2020 – six months into the COVID-19 pandemic – seven-in-ten (70%) Canadians were satisfied with their local government, overall. This represents a 7-point increase over 2019.  Satisfaction was highest in Atlantic Canada (75%; +14), Ontario (74%; +11), and Saskatchewan (71%; +16), and lower in Manitoba (66%; +13), Quebec (66%; -3), British Columbia (66%; -2), and Alberta (62%; +6). However, all provinces and regions saw increased year-over-year satisfaction, except for Quebec and BC.

Most Canadians remain satisfied with the quality of services provided by their local municipal government (71%;+5 since 2019). Ontario (76%; +10) and BC (73%; +1) lead on this score, as the other provinces and regions post satisfaction ratings ranging from 69% in Quebec to 61% in Manitoba. All provinces and regions posted increased satisfaction on this factor, except for Quebec, which held steady. 

Most Canadians also remain satisfied with the range of services provided by their municipal government (73%; +4). Satisfaction is once again highest in Ontario (79%; +9), followed closely by Alberta (76%; +8). The remaining provinces post satisfaction ratings ranging from 71% in Quebec to 64% in Manitoba. All provinces and regions received higher saw increased satisfaction with the range of municipal services, except for BC (67%; -7) and Quebec (71%; -2).

Across all of the factors assessed, municipal governments in Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta consistently receive the most improved satisfaction ratings compared to 2019.

Seven-in-ten (71%) Canadians are satisfied with how their local municipal government has managed and responded to COVID-19. Residents are most satisfied in Ontario (74%), Atlantic Canada (73%), Alberta (71%), and Quebec (70%), and less satisfied in Manitoba (66%), BC (65%), and Saskatchewan (62%).

For the full detailed results, please see our report.

October 1, 2020 – Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) today released the results of a second major survey from their ongoing series of surveys devoted to tracking and exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadians’ mental health. MHRC’s first survey, conducted in April 2020, revealed that the proportion of Canadians reporting high levels of anxiety and depression had quadrupled and doubled, respectively, compared to pre-COVID levels. This second survey reveals that these dramatically increased levels of anxiety and depression remained high in Late August – before the second wave had emerged, when COVID restrictions had been relaxed and cases were relatively low.   

These are just some of the results from this study, based on an online survey conducted among a randomly-selected, reliable sample of N=4,010 adult Canadians from August 21-31, 2020. The first MHRC survey on this subject matter was conducted amongst N=1,803 adult Canadians in April 2020. On behalf of MHRC, Pollara Strategic Insights designed, conducted, and analysed the results of these surveys. The next survey in this series will be fielded in October, in order to gauge the impact of COVID-19’s second wave upon the mental health of Canadians.  

Some of the key findings emerging from this second major survey are as follows:  

• Despite the reduction in lockdown restrictions and in new COVID cases between April and August, high levels of anxiety and depression remained steady – if slightly increased – across Canada (anxiety: 20% in April vs. 22% in August; depression: 10% in April vs. 13% in August).

• Nearly two-thirds of Canadians who indicated a high level of anxiety or depression would be classified as having a moderate to severe level of psychological distress according to the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Of those in the severe category, the highest proportions were found among men and people living alone.

• Teachers (K-12) are experiencing high levels of anxiety. In Late August – prior to the second wave – 25% of teachers were reporting high levels of anxiety, compared to just 5% prior to the pandemic. Teachers were also pessimistic about their levels of anxiety over the next two months. Their concerns about contracting the virus (44%) and social isolation (50%) are having an outsized negative effect upon their mental health.

• While some factors – especially economic stress – that were negatively affecting mental health have been reduced, the activities previously cited by Canadians as having the most positive impact on mental health are no longer effective. Interaction with family members and entertainment are now having either a neutral or a negative effect on mental health. This may indicate that the effect of these positive activities is not long-lasting if the underlying cause of stress is not adequately addressed.

• Prescription medication is reported by Canadians to be the most common treatment for mental health: 60% of people who indicate a mood or mental disorder diagnosis use prescription medication, with only one-fifth of this group receiving counselling or psychotherapy from a professional.

• 17% of Canadians are currently accessing mental health services – almost half the proportion who were accessing mental health supports before the pandemic (32%), largely due to reduced access to family doctors and in-person one-to-one mental health services.

  Please visit the MHRC website to download the full report of the survey findings.

September 21, 2020 – The Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC) and Pollara Strategic Insights today released the results of their annual Canadian Mutual Fund and Exchange-Traded Fund Investor Survey, which has tracked attitudes, expectations, and behaviours of Canadian investors since 2006.

The survey continues to explore confidence in mutual funds and ETFs, the value of advisors, understanding and engagement in fees, and satisfaction with CRM2 statements. For the first time, this year’s survey gauges investor attitudes toward responsible investing.

“The annual Pollara survey enables us to better understand Canadian investors and work towards policy outcomes that best serve their needs,” said Paul Bourque, President and CEO, IFIC. “It is particularly interesting to note the strong interest in responsible investment as we continue to work towards greater clarity with respect to the strategies, products, and terminology related to this approach.”

“During these uncertain times, it is positive to see that investors continue to place a great deal of confidence in mutual funds,” said Lesli Martin, Vice President, Pollara Strategic Insights. “It is also encouraging to see that both mutual fund and ETF investors have shown increased satisfaction with CRM2 statements.”

Key Findings include:

• Confidence in mutual funds by mutual fund investors is at an all-time high, with 92% of respondents stating that they are somewhat confident, confident, or completely confident in mutual funds.
• The use of advisors for purchasing mutual funds has declined steadily since 2016, with 75% of investors stating that they work with an advisor in 2020.
• Satisfaction with advisors remains very high for both mutual fund investors, at 96% and ETF investors, at 98%.
• Satisfaction with the quality of information in CRM2 statements increased from last year across all key measures for mutual fund investors and ETF investors, including clearly showing the rate of return and clearly showing the fees paid.
• One-quarter of both mutual fund and ETF investors currently own responsible investments.
• A majority of both mutual fund (61%) and ETF (61%) investors who do not currently own responsible investments indicate they are somewhat likely, likely, or very likely to include these investments in their portfolio in the next few years.  

Pollara conducted telephone interviews with approximately 1,000 randomly-selected mutual fund holders and 500 ETF holders who are eighteen years of age or older and make all or some of the decisions regarding investment purchases in their households.

For more details, please download the full report in English or French.  Also, please visit the IFIC website for their press release and spokespeople. 

September 10, 2020 – Our latest survey measuring the impact of COVID-19 on society reveals that the pandemic has disproportionately impacted women, with job losses being reported by almost twice as many women (11%) as men (6%).   

The study also found that two-thirds of Canadians – including working women and men – found it stressful managing children, family, and work during the lockdown. However, a third of women have considered quitting their jobs in order to manage these household issues, compared to less than 20% of men.

Pollara Strategic Insights is proud to partner with The Prosperity Project on this important study. On behalf of The Prosperity Project, Pollara conducted an online survey among a randomly-selected, reliable sample of 1,002 adult Canadians from August 21-24, 2020. A probability sample of this size carries a margin of error of ± 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. Demographic and regional quotas were used to ensure reliable and comparable sub-segment analysis, and the data was weighted by the most current gender, age, and region Census data to ensure the sample reflects the actual population of adult Canadians.

The study found that “homemaking” duties – childcare, assisting with homework, grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning –  continue to be largely executed by women. The prevalence of traditional household roles continues to act as an ongoing barrier to women’s careers, and this has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notably, women were more likely than men to feel guilty about not spending time with their children. Women were also more likely to feel stressed about juggling work and family responsibilities, leading them to be more likely to turn down jobs, overtime, and promotions – and, in some cases, leave the workforce entirely.

For the full report of the study findings, please visit The Prosperity Project.  

August 31, 2020 – In our latest survey conducted on behalf of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division (CMHA Ontario), Pollara has found that eight-in-ten Ontarians are concerned about the possibility of a second wave of COVID-19 (84%) and that such a resurgence would “put us back where we started” (85%).

Worries about the unsafe behaviour of others may be behind these concerns. Ontarians are concerned that other people are not following physical distancing guidelines (84%) and becoming too relaxed about COVID protocols too quickly (83%). Consequently, they are also concerned about coming in contact with people who are not taking the proper precautions (78%).

These are some of the findings from a new Pollara Strategic Insights survey conducted for CMHA Ontario from July 23 – August 2, 2020. The online survey was conducted amongst a randomly-selected, reliable sample of N=1,002 adult Ontarians. The dataset was weighted according to standard statistical techniques in order to ensure the sample accurately reflected the demographic and geographic distribution of Ontarians according to the most recent Census.  Online surveys are not officially assigned a margin of error.  A probability sample of this size carries a margin of error of +3.1%, 19 times out of 20.

As we saw in our May 2020 poll for CMHA Ontario, Ontarians continue to believe that the province may face a serious mental health crisis once the pandemic is over (66%; -3 since May). Only half (50%) feel confident that they would be able to find mental health supports for themselves or family members (if needed), but this represents a 6-point increase since May.

Among Ontario’s parents, nearly eight-in-ten are worried about their children contracting COVID-19 at school (78%) and infecting other household members (79%).  Two-thirds (64%) are concerned about their own anxiety about their children returning to in-class learning in September.

When it comes to education, 61% of parents are concerned COVID protocols will have a negative impact on learning. However, more than six-in-ten are also worried about their child’s motivation and productivity (67%) when learning remotely from home and their child’s ability to learn in the home environment, in general (63%).

For more findings from this survey, please see the article in the Toronto Star or visit the CMHA Ontario website.