A new survey by Angus Reid suggests we’ll still see many people wearing masks even after the requirement lifts in Ontario on Monday.
The pollster surveyed 2,550 members of its Angus Reid Forum earlier this month to gauge which precautions we are most likely to continue even after COVID-19 measures lift.
The majority of Ontario residents say they will continue to sanitize their hands, physically distance themselves from others, and avoid large groups, and 56 per cent say they will still wear a mask.
Nationally, Canadians are split down the middle when it comes to the most visible precaution, mask-wearing, with 50 per cent saying they will.
Mandatory or not, three-quarters of Ontario residents say they support mask-wearing indoors if others still feel the need.
Masking will remain in place for high-risk settings like hospitals, long-term care homes, and public transit.
However, 68 per cent in Ontario plan to start shaking hands and hugging again, and 70 per cent say the pandemic will no longer stop them from travelling abroad.
Most bars and restaurants stopped asking for proof of vaccination a few weeks ago, but the majority support those that continue to do so. The survey suggests 67 per cent have no issue with providing proof of vaccination, while seven out of ten still think vaccination should be mandatory for those who travel internationally. As for testing at the border, 61 per cent support it.
Angus Reid also asked participants if they were comfortable with the speed with which their province is lifting restrictions. Only 28 per cent in Ontario thought the Ford government was moving too fast, compared to 42 per cent who think the pace is just right, and 26 per cent who think it’s too slow.
The survey also gauged how the pandemic has impacted our relationship over the past two years.
Asked if it pulled people apart, 82 per cent agreed. Seventy-nine per cent believe it brought out the worst in people, and 61 per cent think Canadians are less compassionate as a result.
More than half of Ontario and all Canadian respondents admitted they had had a conflict with a friend or family member about getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
Forty-five per cent of Canadians and 47 per cent of respondents in Ontario said they had a disagreement about turning down an invitation to a social gathering, and 38 per cent said the conflict was over masking.
Angus Reid took the survey between March 1 and March 4. The margin of error is +/- two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
