Canadians are getting more confident in COVID-19 vaccine rollout plans, new poll suggests

Vaccine poll shows increased optimism As vaccinations speed up across the country, a new survey suggests Canadians are feeling more confident life will look more normal by fall.

Vancouver — Are Canadians starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel? With vaccine rollouts picking up the pace in many provinces, optimism is also growing, a new poll suggests.

According to a new survey conducted by Research Co., almost two thirds of respondents think the goal to inoculate every willing Canadian by the end of September 2021 will be attained.

Some regions may see that timeline shrink even more. This week, B.C.’s provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, announced the province is shortening the gap between vaccine doses, meaning British Columbia could be on track to inoculate every willing resident by the end of the summer.

“When we asked about this question in February, only 40 per cent of Canadians believed this was going to happen,” said Mario Canseco, president of Research Co. “And now here we are just a few months before we're heading to that milestone, and we have 65 per cent who believe this is actually going to be happening. So definitely a big change when it comes to the actual expectations of Canadians when it comes to being fully vaccinated before Thanksgiving."

In an online survey, 57 per cent of Canadians are satisfied with the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the federal government, up nine points since a similar survey was conducted in March 2021. A majority of Canadians are also content with the vaccination plans and phases outlined by their provinces (61 per cent, up seven points) and with the pace of vaccination efforts in their province (58 per cent, up 10 points).

“The same regional differences that we currently see across Canada when it comes to COVID-19 management are also present the vaccine rollout,” says Mario Canseco, president of Research Co., in a news release.

“While more than three-in-five residents of Quebec (69 per cent) and British Columbia (62 per cent) are satisfied with the pace of vaccination efforts, only 48 per cent of those in Ontario and Alberta feel the same way.”

In December 2020, the Public Health Agency of Canada outlined its goal of having enough COVID-19 vaccine doses to inoculate every willing Canadian by the end of September 2021.

Despite hiccups in procuring doses along the way, and governments being blasted for slow vaccine rollouts at the beginning, it appears Canada is on track to reach its goal. Almost two thirds (65 per cent) believe the vaccination goal outlined by PHAC will be attained, up 20 points since a similar survey in completed in February 2021.

"It's the first time that we have more than half of Canadians who say we're ready, we see the light at the end of the tunnel, more than anything because of the vaccination," said Canseco.

Results are based on an online study conducted from May 17 to May 19, 2021, among 1,000 Canadian adults. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.