Canadians and their Views on Canadian Technology Innovation

Toronto, ON -- Just over half (55%) of Canadians believe Canada's technology sector leadership is hailed elsewhere as market leaders and even less (51%) think Canada is viewed around the world as a nation on the cutting edge of technology innovation according to a poll conducted by Ipsos for Global News.

In fact, only 44% of Canadians believe people in other countries look to Canada as a hothouse of technology invention.

There may be some contributing factors to their points of view.

First, it's similarly the view they have of themselves, a majority (54%) of Canadians thinks Canada is falling behind in a world of technology inventions and innovation--and only half (51%) see their country as a world leader in creating technological advancements. In essence, while less feel their country is a `creator' of technological advancements, far more sure thinks of it as a `user': a majority (68%) believes Canadian businesses are using the most up-to-date technologies to create better products and productivity.

Second, perhaps there's an `out of sight out of mind' element as three quarters (73%) believe Canada doesn't recognize or celebrate its technology inventions as much as it should be getting.

And lastly, despite the belief by a full majority (68%) that Canada has created the right environment that encourages technology entrepreneurs to flourish, almost three quarters (72%) believe that Canada has a technological brain drain where brilliant students go to other countries for better work and pay and only half (53%) think Canada is able to attract the best and brightest technology workers in the world.

Analysis...

A slim majority (55%) of Canadians believe that Canada's technology sector leadership is hailed elsewhere as market leaders...

This perspective is most held by those residing in the province of Quйbec (60%) followed by those in British Columbia (58%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (55%), Ontario (53%), Alberta (50%) and Atlantic Canada (48%). Men (58%) are more likely than women (52%) to have this point of view along with those with the least amount of education -those having less than high school (62%) education and those with just high school education (59%) - compared to those most educated (postsecondary 55%) and university graduated (43%). The results differ by income with those earning the lowest (57%) most likely to have this view compared to those who are in the middle income bracket (54%) and the highest income group (54%). Just under half (45%) disagree with this view.

Half (51%) of Canadians believe that Canada is viewed around the world as a nation on the cutting edge of technology innovation...

Those most likely to believe this reside in the province of Quйbec (61%) followed by those in British Columbia (57%), Atlantic Canada (51%), Ontario (49%), Alberta (40%) and Saskatchewan/Manitoba (39%). Men (55%) are more likely than women (40%) to hold this view along with older Canadians (57%) compared with those who are younger (50%) and middle-aged (48%). Those with lower education (less than high school 56%, high school 57% and postsecondary 50%) are more likely to share this belief than those who were university graduates (41%). Lower income Canadians (60%) are more likely to believe this than middle (76%) and upper (75%) income Canadians. The other half (49%) of Canadians disagree with this perspective.

A minority (44%) of Canadians believe that people in other countries look to Canada as a hothouse of technology invention...

This view is most held by those living in the province of Quйbec (52%) followed by those in British Columbia (45%), Ontario (43%), Atlantic Canada (43%), Alberta (37%) and Saskatchewan/Manitoba (35%). Men (47%) are more likely to hold this view than women (42%) along with older Canadians (47%) compared to their younger (43%) and middle-aged (42%) counterparts. Less educated Canadians (less than high school 47%/high school 49%) than the more educated (postsecondary 41%/university graduate 38%) and those in the lower income range (59%) compared with the middle (56%) and higher income (49%) groups hold this view. A majority (56%) of Canadians disagree with this view.

A majority (54%) believe Canada is falling behind in a world of technology inventions and innovation...

This is led by those from Saskatchewan/Manitoba (56%) followed by those in Alberta and Ontario (55%), Quйbec (54%), British Columbia (50%) and Atlantic Canada (47%). More women (55%) than men (52%) hold this view as do middle-aged (59%) Canadians compared to their younger (54%) and older (48%) counterparts. Higher educated Canadians (university graduation 62%/postsecondary 57%) are more likely than lower educated Canadians (high school and less than high school both at 48%). There is no significant difference in income when it comes to believing in this perspective. A minority (46%) of Canadians disagree with this view.

Half (51%) of Canadians believe Canada is a world leader in creating technological advancements...

Canadians most likely to believe are first from Quйbec (56%) and then followed by Atlantic Canada (53%), Ontario (52%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (47%), Alberta (46%) and British Columbia (45%). Men (54%) are more likely to believe this compared to women (49%) and among those who have less than high school education (57%) compared to high school graduates (54%), those who have had some form of postsecondary education (50%) and university graduates (43%). Older Canadians (55+ 76%) are more likely to believe this than their middle-aged (35 - 54 72%) and younger (18 - 34 69%) cohorts. Those in the lower and middle income brackets (49%) are more likely to believe this than those in the upper income bracket (42%). Half (49%) of Canadians don't agree that Canada is a world leader in creating technological advancements.

Seven in 10 (68%) of Canadians believe Canadian businesses are using the most up-to-date technologies to create better products and productivity...

Those most likely to believe this are from Quйbec (74%) followed by those in Alberta (72%), British Columbia and Ontario (68%), Atlantic Canada (61%) and Saskatchewan/Manitoba (57%). Women (72%) are more likely than men (65%) to believe this along with older (55+73%) Canadians compared to their middle-aged (67%) and youngest (66%) age groups. Further, those who are less educated (less than high school 74%/high school 70%/postsecondary 69%) are more likely to believe this than the most educated group (60%). Lower income Canadians (58%) are more likely than middle income Canadians (51%) and the highest income group (49%) to hold this view. One third (32%) of Canadians don't agree with this statement.

Three quarters (73%) of Canadians believe Canada does not recognize or celebrate its technology inventions as much as it should be getting...

Those most likely to believe this reside in British Columbia (76%) followed by those in Alberta (75%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (74%), Ontario (73%), Quйbec (71%) and Atlantic Canada (66%). Women (73%) and men (72%) equally share this view, and older (55+ 76%) Canadians are more likely to believe this compared with those who are middle-aged (35 - 54 72%) and younger (18 - 34 69. Those with the highest level of education (university graduates 81%) are most likely to believe this compared to their less educated counterparts ranging from postsecondary (74%) to high school graduates (69%) and those with less than high school (68%). Upper income Canadians (79%) are more likely to believe this compared to their middle income (75%) and lower income (76%) counterparts. Another three in 10 (27%) do not agree with this view.

Six in 10 (68%) believe that Canada has created the right environment that encourages technology entrepreneurs to flourish...

Those most likely to believe this are from Saskatchewan/Manitoba and Quйbec (62%) followed by those in Ontario (61%), Alberta (60%), British Columbia (58%) and Atlantic Canada (52%). Women (61%) and men (59%) essentially hold the same view with a much more significant variation when it comes to age--younger (67%) and middle-aged (60%) Canadians are more likely than their elders (55%) to hold this point of view. Similar findings exist on the basis of education with lower educated Canadians (less than high school and high school both at 65%) differing from those with who have graduated with some post-secondary education (58%) or are a University graduate (51%). Income levels also differentiate Canadians on this: lower and middle income Canadians (54%) are more likely than higher earners (50%) to believe this. Four in 10 (40%) Canadians don't agree with this perspective.

Almost three quarters (72%) of Canadians believe that Canada has a technological brain drain where brilliant students go to other countries for better work and pay...

This is mostly believed in Alberta (76%) followed by those in Atlantic Canada (75%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (74%), Quйbec (73%), British Columbia (71%) and Ontario (70%). Women (73%) and men (71%) basically hold the same views whereas there's a difference when it comes to age: middle-aged Canadians (77%) are more likely to believe this than their older (72%) and youngest (65%) counterparts. Higher educated Canadians (postsecondary 79%/University graduated 77%) compared with those who are lower educated (high school 66%/less than high school 58%). Three in 10 (28%) Canadians disagree with this view.

Just over half (53%) of Canadians believe that Canada is able to attract the best and brightest technology workers in the world...

Those Canadians most likely to believe so live in British Columbia (56%) followed by those in Quйbec and Ontario (54%), Alberta and Atlantic Canada (51%) and Saskatchewan/Manitoba (40%). Men (50%) are more likely than women (44%) to believe this and are followed by middle (55%) and younger (54%) Canadians compared to their elders (50%). Lower educated (high school 60%/less than high school 57%) Canadians are more likely to believe this than higher educated Canadians (postsecondary 50%/university graduate 41%) and the lowest income group (58%) is more likely to believe this than those in the middle income (51%) and highest income (47%) brackets. A minority (47%) disagree with this view.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between June 19th and 23rd, 2015 on behalf of Global News. For this survey, a sample of 1,006 Canadians from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within +/ - 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadian adults been polled. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the population. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

John Wright, CAPOR
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Public Affairs
(416) 324-2002
[email protected]

About Ipsos in Canada

Ipsos is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos' marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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