A new poll suggests Canadians are satisfied with the response of the federal, provincial, and municipal governments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leger conducted an online survey between April 3 and April 5, with a total of 1,512 Canadian participants and 1,000 Americans. It is considered accurate +/- 2.52 per cent 19 times out of 20 for Canadians, and +/- 3.09 per cent 19 times out of 20 for American respondents.
The survey asked participants a broad range of questions, including how they felt about government spending during the pandemic, whether they agreed with measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, if they were afraid of contracting the virus, and if they lost income.
Photo of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau from Facebook.
It found that almost half of Canadians believe the federal government's $82 billion emergency aid package and wage subsidy program is enough to keep the country out of a recession. While 38 per cent said it was not enough, and 14 per cent said the government was spending too much, 47 per cent felt Ottawa was in the Goldilocks zone.
It also found almost all Canadians are social distancing, taking steps to avoid contracting COVID-19 or passing it on to someone else. The results from American participants were very similar. About 98 per cent of Canadians said they were socially distancing themselves, compared to 93 per cent of Americans. Ninety-five per cent said they had stopped leaving the house except for essential trips like to the grocery store or pharmacy, and about the same were washing their hands more frequently. Only 28 per cent said they were wearing a mask compared to 57 per cent of respondents in the U.S.
Almost two-thirds of respondents in Canada admitted they were afraid of contracting the virus.
When it came to measures taken by all levels of government to contain the pandemic, 76 per cent of Canadians were satisfied with the federal government's response, 84 per cent liked the steps taken by their provincial government, and 71 per cent supported the actions of their municipal government. In the U.S., 44 per cent of Americans were happy with Washington's response.
Governments can also be heartened by the response to whether the hype around the pandemic has been overblown. In Canada, 83 per cent said they felt the level of response was correct, and 70 per cent of Americans agreed. Only 14 per cent of Canadians and 26 per cent of Americans thought it was blown out of proportion.
As for whether the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. could impact Canada, 65 per cent across the country, and 68 per cent of Ontario residents believe it will.
Most respondents in Canada think the worst of the pandemic is ahead of us. That was 56 per cent in Canada, and 37 per cent in the U.S. Another four per cent of Canadians said it was behind us, and 29 per cent felt the country was experiencing the worst of it now.
As for when life will get back to normal, 29 per cent felt that would come when there were no new cases for two weeks. Another 21 per cent do not believe normalcy will return until there is a vaccine, and 25 per cent said only when there are just sporadic cases. Only six per cent in Canada said life should return to normal now.