Less Than Half (48%) of Canadians Are Satisfied With Their Provincial Healthcare System
Montreal, QC, April 6th, 2023 — An Ipsos survey for the Montreal Economic Institute has shown that for the first time since 2020, less than half (48%) of Canadians are satisfied with their provincial healthcare system. This proportion is even lower among women (43%), as well as residents of the Atlantic (25%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (34%) regions.
Perceptions of the healthcare system
Similar to last year, almost 4 in 10 Canadians (38%) believe that the investments injected over the last ten years have had no effect on the healthcare system. Three in ten (30%) say that it has worsened, which is higher among residents of Atlantic Canada (46% vs. 24% BC; 30% AB; 38% SK/MB; 31% ONT; 24% QC). Two-thirds of Canadians (67%) believe that private entrepreneurs are able to provide healthcare services faster than hospitals that are managed by the government.
Unchanged since 2022, the majority (52%) of Canadians agree that access to private healthcare should be increased. Down three points, more than half (54%) of Canadians agree that the rate of spending in the provincial healthcare system is unsustainable. Moreover, more than three-quarters (75%) of Canadians believe that their healthcare system is too bureaucratic – a similar proportion to last year (-2 pts). Indeed, less than six in ten Canadians (58%) agree that the healthcare system should be more decentralized.
Quebecers are more likely to say their provincial healthcare system is too bureaucratic (83%, +8 pts compared to the national average), that the rate of healthcare spending is not sustainable (64%, +10 pts compared to the national average), or that the healthcare system should be more decentralized (72%, +14 pts compared to the national average).
Healthcare propositions in Quebec and Alberta
Seven in ten (69%) Quebecers agree with the government’s proposition to open two new ‘mini-hospitals’ that would be managed by private healthcare entrepreneurs (25% completely, 44% somewhat). Those with a high school diploma or less are more likely to agree with this statement (81% vs. 64% College; 65% University).
Elsewhere, residents of Alberta are divided when it comes to the proposition of introducing health spending accounts. While 42% of Albertans agree (15% completely, 28% somewhat), 38% disagree (23% completely, 15% somewhat), and 20% say they don’t know.
About the Study
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between the 17th – 20th of March 2023, on behalf of the Montreal Economic Institute. For this survey, a sample of 1,164 Canadian adults aged 18+ years was interviewed. 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 ± 3.3 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:
Sébastien Dallaire
Senior Vice President, Ipsos Canada
General Manager, Ipsos Quebec
[email protected]
About Ipsos
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