Dwindling Hopes for Canada Getting COVID-19 Under Control by the Summer: Less than Half (47%) are Optimistic, Down 11 Points
Toronto, ON, January 19, 2021 – Canadians are starting off the new year feeling decidedly more pragmatic about the odds of getting the coronavirus pandemic under control quickly. The latest Ipsos poll, conducted exclusively for Global News in early January, finds that less than half of Canadians (47%) are optimistic that Canada will get COVID-19 under control by this summer. Gen Z Canadians (59%) and Boomers (49%) are more optimistic than Millennials (38%) about the prospects of a summer reprieve, while regionally, Prairie residents (56%) are more optimistic than those living in Alberta (38%), where the caseload has grown rapidly over the past two months.
Belief in the possibility of controlling the pandemic by summer has dwindled 11 points in less than a month. In mid-December, Ipsos polling found 58% of Canadians optimistic that COVID-19 would be under control by the time warmer weather arrives. Optimism has likely faltered in the wake of news reports about rising case numbers, overwhelmed ICUs, and vaccination programs that are rolling out more slowly than first hoped.
Though it’s clear the pandemic is far from over, Canadians remain broadly positive that things will be better by the end of the year. Two in three (67%) are optimistic (16% very/51% somewhat) that Canada will get the virus under control by the end of 2021, down just 3 points from December polling. Boomers (75%) are more likely than Millennials (58%) to be optimistic about this scenario – likely since many of them are expecting to receive the vaccine before the year is out. Around the country, optimism is lowest in Quebec, which continues to have the highest number of cases of any province, and recently announced new safety measures including a four-week lockdown and 8 p.m. curfew. Only 59% of Quebecers think COVID-19 will be controlled in Canada by the end of 2021, compared to 63% of Albertans, 68% of Atlantic Canadians, 71% of British Columbians, 72% of Prairie residents, and 72% of Ontarians.
Many Canadians are pinning their hopes for ending the pandemic on the success of the vaccines being rolled out around the country and across the globe. A majority – eight in ten (79%) – are optimistic (22% very/56% somewhat) that the COVID-19 vaccine will be effective at limiting the spread of the virus. Those who feel most positively about the vaccine’s effectiveness are, perhaps unsurprisingly, more likely to be optimistic about Canada’s chances for controlling the virus, whether by the summer (52%) or the end of the year (76%).
A Return to the Office, but Not to the Skies
As the sun rises on what will doubtless be another turbulent year, Canadians are expecting some aspects of daily life to return to normal but anticipate others will be off-limits for some time yet. There is a widespread expectation that working from home will no longer be mandatory (or at least strongly encouraged): two in three (65%) are optimistic that Canadian workers will be able to return to their places of work, as normal, sometime in 2021 – though only 11% would bet the farm on it, saying they’re “very optimistic.” Overall, men (70%) are more optimistic than women (61%) on this front, as are Boomers (71%) compared to Millennials (57%).
When it comes to travel, however, fewer expect to take to the skies at any point in the next twelve months. Only three in ten (31%) are optimistic that they’ll be able to travel internationally in 2021 if they want to, including just 6% who are “very optimistic.” Optimism about international travel is somewhat higher in Atlantic Canada (37%) and BC (35%), and lower in Quebec (21%). Men (37%) are more likely than women (25%) to think they’ll be able to travel internationally this year, while no significant differences of opinion emerge by age group.
About the Study
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between January 5-6, 2021, on behalf of Global News. For this survey, a sample of 1,000 Canadians aged 18+ was interviewed online. Quotas and weighting were employed to ensure that the sample’s composition reflects that of the Canadian population according to census parameters. 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 Canadians aged 18+ 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:
Darrell Bricker
CEO, Ipsos Global Public Affairs
+1 416 324 2001
[email protected]
Mitra Thompson
Senior Account Manager, Ipsos Public Affairs
+1 514 904 4329
[email protected]
About Ipsos
Ipsos is the world’s third largest market research company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.
Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. We serve more than 5000 clients across the world with 75 business solutions.
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