Quebec residents ready to mingle earlier, poll says

Quebec might have been the hardest-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, but its residents are more willing than most Canadians to resume shaking hands with friends or attending weddings and funerals, according to a survey.

In a coming poll by the Association for Canadian Studies, 47.8 per cent of French-speaking respondents said they would hug or shake hands with friends within the next six months, compared with just 33.5 per cent of English-speaking Canadians.

It also found that 16 per cent of Quebec respondents would attend a sporting event, concert or play within the next six months, the highest among provinces along with Manitoba and Saskatchewan. That was followed by Atlantic Canada (15 per cent), Alberta (14 per cent), British Columbia (10 per cent), and Ontario (eight per cent).

Asked when they would be willing to attend a wedding or a funeral, 24.1 per cent of French respondents said they would attend in the next six months, compared with 19.4 per cent of English respondents.

The survey pointed to a wide disparity between the provinces (and the sexes) in their view toward the COVID-19 pandemic. It also underscored a broad hesitancy in Canada to return to so-called “normal life.”

Thirty-one per cent of respondents across Canada expect that life will “never” return to normal following the pandemic outbreak, while 58 per cent say it will “take time” before they resume normal life.

Quebec had the highest proportion of respondents saying it would take some time before life returns to normal (66 per cent), and the lowest proportion saying it would never return (22 per cent). Ontario had the highest share of people suggesting life would “never” return to normal, at 36 per cent, followed by Atlantic Canada (32 per cent), Alberta (32 per cent) and British Columbia (31 per cent).

“Quebecers — and francophones in particular — seem to not feel as threatened by the virus, and are less likely to think they’re going to get the virus,” said Jack Jedwab, president and CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies.

The poll also showed a hesitancy to attend public events within the next year. The largest share of Canadians (51 per cent) said they

QUEBECERS ... SEEM TO NOT FEEL AS THREATENED BY THE VIRUS.

would not attend a sporting event, concert, or play within the next year, with just 12 per cent saying they would attend in the next six months. Sixteen per cent of men said they would attend in the next six months, compared with just eight per cent of women. Men are also more likely to shake hands with friends or family in the next half year, at 37 per cent, compared with 33 per cent of women.

The survey polled 1,517 Canadians between July 3 and July 5, with a margin of error of 2.5 points, 19 times out of 20.