40 per cent fear finances could worsen: B.C. poll
Many are doing OK, but job losses and cutbacks are hitting a many residents
COVID-19 hasn’t affected most British Columbians’ ability to meet their financial needs, get food or afford their homes, but 40 per cent worry their finances could worsen if public health measures don’t change in the coming months, according to a recent poll.
The poll, conducted by Leger for The Vancouver Sun and The Province, found that while 32 per cent of respondents were finding it more difficult to meet their financial needs and nine per cent were finding it easier, 59 per cent said their situation hadn’t changed.
A slight majority, 52 per cent, said they expect no change to their finances if B.C.’S health response doesn’t change for the next few months. But 40 per cent said it will get worse and five per cent said it will get better, according to the market research and analytics firm, which surveyed 601 people online between May 15 and 18.
“I’m not surprised to see these numbers as high as they are,” said Ian Large, Leger’s executive vice-president for Western Canada.
“Many of us are working reduced hours. Many people are working fewer hours or no hours, have lost their jobs or they’re on social benefits or the CERB from the federal government.”
According to a Statistics Canada report, B.C. lost 396,500 jobs in March and April after the COVID -19 pandemic hit the province. The unemployment rate in the province rose to 11.5 per cent last month. The federal government said that as of Thursday it had received 14.57 million applications for the $500-a-week Canada Emergency Response Benefit and processed 14.54 million claims, paying out $38.98 billion in benefits.
About 79 per cent of respondents to the Leger poll said they feel it is unlikely they will have to move in the next six months because they can no longer afford to live in their current homes. Eight per cent said it was likely and 10 per cent were unsure.
Asked whether they worried they could run out of food before they have money to buy more, 62 per cent of respondents said this was “never true,” but 22 per cent said it was sometimes true and five per cent said it was always true.
About a quarter of respondents, 26 per cent, said they have experienced difficulty getting necessary health care from a doctor, nurse, traditional health-care provider or other health professional during the pandemic, while 42 per cent said they haven’t experienced difficulty and 29 per cent said they haven’t needed care.
A third of respondents, 33 per cent, said they have avoided accessing health care they would have otherwise received, compared with 39 per cent who haven’t avoided it and 25 per cent who said they haven’t needed it.
“The news is that the healthcare system is potentially being overwhelmed or at risk of being overwhelmed, that hospital rooms are petri dishes for whatever happens to be going around,” Large said.
“People are afraid. They’re afraid to access health care, it’s more difficult to access health care.”
Leger’s poll was conducted during its weekly omnibus survey. If the data were collected through a random sample, the margin of error would be plus or minus percentage points., 19 times out of 20 in B.C., according to the company.