U.S. and Canadian flags along Windsor's riverfront.  (Photo by Melanie Borrelli.)U.S. and Canadian flags along Windsor's riverfront. (Photo by Melanie Borrelli.)
Windsor

Poll shows majority of Canadians want the border to stay closed

As the number of COVID-19 infections continues to soar in the U.S., a new poll by Leger suggests most Canadians are content with keeping the border closed.

The latest survey, which polled 1,517 Canadians and 1,006 Americans randomly chosen from Leger's online panel, was released Tuesday. It is considered accurate with a margin of error +/- 2.52 per cent 19 times out of 20.

According to CNN, the U.S. caseload grew by another 250,000 in the first six days of July. As of Tuesday morning, John Hopkins University reported over 2.9-million total cases in the U.S. and 130,312 deaths from the virus.

Participants were asked if they felt the border between the two countries should reopen for American tourists. Not surprisingly, 86 per cent of respondents across Canada and 88 per cent in Ontario said no. Half of the U.S. respondents felt it should.

Canada and the U.S. have an agreement to keep the border closed to non-essential travel at least until July 21.

Canadians are also feeling nervous about flying. The airline industry has announced it will relax social distancing aboard flights and allow passengers to sit next to one another. Across Canada, 72 per cent of participants said that it made them feel uncomfortable. The percentage was slightly higher in Ontario at 77 per cent.

Most of us have cancelled any travel plans we may have had for later in the year too. More than eight out of 10 Canadians and Ontarians said they had no intention of travelling until the end of the year.

The survey was taken between July 3 and July 5.

Leger has been conducting weekly polls since the beginning of the pandemic, measuring how Canadians feel about everything from their finances to social distancing.

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