As we approach the federal election, Canadians continue to identify the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare, climate change, economic recovery and housing affordability as the most important issues facing the country.

  • Canadians express a high degree of interest in the upcoming election.
  • When asked to name the three most important issues to them, Canadians prioritize five key issues, though a wide range of other issues are important to the public as well.

September 17, 2021

With the upcoming federal election on Monday, September 20th, Canadians indicate a high degree of interest in the campaign, with three-quarters saying they are interested, and one-third giving superlative scores of ten out of ten for being extremely interested in the election. Interest is high across the country, but noticeably higher among Boomers compared with Gen X, Millennials or Gen Z Canadians. Canadians with higher incomes are also more likely to be interested compared with those with lower household incomes.

In terms of issues of importance, Canadians identify the COVID-19 pandemic most often as the pivotal issue in this campaign, closely followed by healthcare and climate change. Three in ten also identify economic recovery from the pandemic and housing affordability. It is important to note that a wide variety of other issues are felt to be important to a smaller number, including jobs, income support, treatment of seniors, poverty alleviation, long-term care, gun control, Indigenous reconciliation and oil pipelines, each identified by between eight and 16 percent of the population.  

Those living in Quebec and Atlantic Canada are much more likely to mention healthcare as a key issue compared to those living in other provinces, particularly Ontario, where the pertinence of either healthcare or climate change is shadowed by the importance of housing affordability as a key issue. Those in the Prairie Provinces are much more likely than those in other provinces to name oil pipelines as a topic of importance, while those in Atlantic Canada are more likely to mention childcare.


Results are from an online survey conducted September 13–16, 2021, with 1,127 Canadians 18 years of age or older from the Logit Group’s Canadian Omnibus. Fielding every month, the Logit Group’s COVID-19 Omnibus surveys Canadians to ask their opinions and behaviours related to topical issues. Results were analyzed by Narrative Research. Data was weighted based on the 2016 Census, by gender, age, and region to reflect population characteristics. As a non-probability sample (i.e., a panel sample where residents have joined a panel to share their opinions), and in accordance with CRIC Public Opinion Research Standards, a margin of error is not applied.

The questions included in this press release were the following:

  • To what extent are you interested in the upcoming federal election?
  • In the upcoming federal election, there are many topics being discussed. Of the following, which three do you personally believe are the most important issues facing Canada today?

For more information, contact:

Margaret Brigley, CEO, Narrative Research – 902.493.3830, mbrigley@narrativeresearch.ca
OR

Margaret Chapman, COO, Narrative Research – 902.493.3834, mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca
OR
Sam Pisani, Managing Partner, Logit Group – 416.629.4116, sam.pisani@logitgroup.com

Narrative Research (www.narrativeresearch.ca), is a leading public opinion and market research company headquartered in Canada. The company is certified as a WBE (Women Business Enterprise). As a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned research company, Narrative Research is dedicated to providing clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services.  Follow us on Twitter at @EveryNarrative

The Logit Group (https://logitgroup.com/) is a leading North American data collection and market research execution company headquartered in Toronto, conducting large-scale projects for a variety of well-known research agencies and brands. Logit employs industry-best technologies across an array of methodologies, and is independent, experienced and quality-oriented.  Follow us on Twitter at @LogitGroup

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