HALIFAX, November 5, 2020: In an ongoing effort to understand the impact of the global pandemic, Narrative Research has been asking Canadians about the impact they have experienced. The information in this release comes from two sources – the East Coast Voice online panel (including over 1,900 responses from Atlantic Canadians), and the Logit Group’s Omnibus panel (over 1,200 Canadians).
ECONOMIC IMPACTS
One-third of Canadians indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has created economic or financial hardship for their household, with those in the Prairie Provinces and Ontario feeling the worst of it, compared with just two in ten in Quebec. The financial hit has been more acute for GenXers, Millennials and Gen Z, compared with Boomers, and not surprisingly, those with lower incomes are more likely to have been hit with financial hardship compared with those earning more.
Turning to Atlantic Canada in particular, one-third of residents indicate that they or someone in their household has applied for financial assistance programs such as Employment Insurance or emergency funding programs since the onset of COVID-19, marking an increase of 4 points since we last polled on this issue in April. Likelihood of having applied for assistance is lower in PEI compared with the other three provinces (26%, compared with 35% NL, 33% NS and 32% NB). Younger residents are by far more likely to have applied for assistance compared with older residents (49% aged 18 – 34, compared with 36% of those 35 – 54 and 23% of those 55+).
EMOTIONAL IMPACTS
Aside from the large financial impacts, the pandemic is clearly having an effect on Canadians’ mental health. Four-in-ten indicate they have experienced a major emotional or mental health hardship. Again, this sentiment is most acute in the Prairie Provinces and Ontario. By age, half of Millennials have experienced this type of hardship, compared with just three-in-ten Boomers. Those unemployed are most likely to have suffered emotionally during the pandemic.
Results shown are from a survey conducted online October 7-9, 2020, with 1,230 Canadians 18 years of age or older (972 decided adults), 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 these population characteristics in each province. 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.
Additional Atlantic Canadian results are derived from an online survey conducted from September 24-29, 2020, with 1,911 Atlantic Canadians, 18 years of age or older, from Narrative Research’s online panel, East Coast Voice. This sample included responses from each Atlantic province (NB: 571; NS: 914; NL: 288; PE: 138). Using data from the 2016 Census, the results were weighted by gender, age, and region to reflect these population characteristics in each province.
For more information, please contact:
Margaret Chapman, COO, Narrative Research – 902.222.4048, 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 was recently certified as 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.
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 @EveryNarrative and @LogitGroup
