If the Canadian travel industry is counting on public pressure to get Ottawa to ease travel restrictions, they’re in a bit of trouble.
A new poll from Angus Reid finds the Canadian public is still high on testing and vaccination requirements for travel outside of the country.
The poll found that slightly more than three in five Canadians are in favour of testing at the border.
Asked if they support mandatory COVID testing to travel internationally or cross the border with the U.S., 61% said they’re in favour. Even in Alberta, 49% of respondents are on board with border testing.
Proof of a negative test – or evidence of COVID-19 recovery within 90 days – is still required to travel to the United States.
Asked if they agree with mandatory vaccination status to travel internationally or cross the border into the U.S., a very solid 70% said yes.
When asked if they support vaccine passports for entering restaurants or stores in their community, 64% of Canadians said yes. Asked if they support wearing masks in public indoor spaces, a whopping 73% said yes.
Support masks, vaccinations, testing and vaccine passports were weaker among men, especially those under the age of 55. Women over that age, conversely, are the most likely to support masking, vaccination requirements and testing at the border. Still, at least half of all demographics are in favour of all four measures.
Politics appears to play a significant role in whether or not a person supports masking, vaccine passports or border testing. Past CPC voters are much less likely to support masking requirements, mandatory vaccination to cross the border, vaccine passports to enter restaurants, and mandatory COVID testing at the border than past Liberal, NDP and Bloc voters.
There was some good news for the tourism industry, however. While 53% of respondents said they’ll avoid large gatherings, 47% said they won’t.
