The latest survey results from Leger suggests the majority of Canadians experience stress leaving their homes, are maintaining social distancing, and still trust their leaders.
Leger has been conducting surveys throughout the pandemic to gauge how Canadians are coping with social distancing. The latest survey was taken online from May 8 to May 10 and included 1,526 Canadians and 1,004 Americans.
For Canadian respondents, it is considered accurate +/- 2.51 per cent, and +/- 3.09 per cent for American participants, 19 times out of 20.
The latest survey suggested Ontario residents are the most stressed about leaving their homes. Even though Quebec has the most reported cases of COVID-19, only 49 per cent of residents in that province reported anxiety, compared to 64 per cent of Ontarians. Across Canada, 56 per cent said they felt some level of fear leaving the house, and 46 per cent of Americans did.
[poll id="153"]
Whether the Ford government is moving fast enough to reopen the economy, only 12 per cent think the pace of reopening the economy is too slow, and more than half think the rate is just right.
The results contain good news for our elected government leaders. Most residents in Ontario are satisfied with the measures the Ford government took to hold COVID-19 at bay, while 56 per cent are happy with federal government measures. Almost eight out of ten Ontario residents said they were satisfied overall with the way Premier Doug Ford has handled the crisis.
As for who Canadians, Ontarians, and American respondents trust, the results indicate 70 per cent of us trust Canada's top public health official, Dr. Theresa Tam or Dr. Anthony Fauci in the U.S. Sixty-five per cent of total Canadian respondents trust the World Health Organization. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also has the trust of the majority of Canadians and Americans.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets face-to-face with U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time on Monday February 13, 2017. (Photo courtesy of Justin Trudeau's official Twitter account.)
However, the majority in both countries said they did not have a lot of trust or none at all in U.S. President Trump. Americans were more forgiving. Four out of ten said they trusted him, but 89 per cent of Ontario and respondents in other provinces said they do not.
It would appear the pandemic has benefitted the Liberals the most. If an election were held today, 41 per cent of Canadians and half of Ontarians said they would vote Liberal. Nationwide, that's an increase of 10 percentage points since January. The Conservatives lost four percentage points with the support of 22 per cent of Canadian voters, and 29 per cent in Ontario. The NDP also lost some ground. It was down two percentage points, as was the Green Pary.
The survey provides a window into what businesses we want to visit first as social distancing measures are relaxed. Seven out of ten Ontarians would like to visit a standalone retail store soon, while just shy of that would like golf courses to open. Only a third are eager to dine out, and only two in 10 Ontario residents want the kids to go back to school soon.
When it comes to compliance with physical distancing measures, Ontarians are holding firm. Asked if they are still social distancing, 93 per cent said they were. More than half now wear a mask when they go out, and 87 per cent said they only go out for necessities like groceries and medication.
