Reports

Are Canadians more egalitarian than Americans? Are they more troubled by the existence of various forms of social inequality – such as those between rich and poor, men and women, white and Black – and more inclined to look to government to address them?

The Race Relations in Canada 2024 Survey is the most comprehensive national survey to date focusing on Canadians’ experience with hate, a rapidly spreading form of anti-social aggressive racism directed at people, most commonly because of their race, ethnicity or religion.

The research consisted of a main survey conducted online between February 12 and March 13, 2024 with 4,470 Canadians (ages 18+), and a supplementary survey conducted online between November 18 and 25, 2024 with 616 Canadians who identify as Jewish (by religion, ethnicity and/or culture).

The diminishing concern about the impact of free trade on Canada’s cultural identity coincides with some sharp differences of opinion between Canadians and Americans on prominent social issues.

A new national research project documents for the first time the social norms that govern how Canadians think about and act on different types of racial micro-aggressive actions directed at people who are Indigenous or Black.

This latest research once again confirms the reality of racism in Canada. A significant proportion of the population experiences discrimination because of their race or ethnic background at least occasionally, if not more often, and has witnessed other people encounter similar treatment.

Results from the latest Focus Canada survey reveal that Canadians continue to be largely positive and supportive about immigrants and refugees, who are much more likely to be viewed as making a positive contribution to the country than posing a threat.

The killing of George Floyd, an African-American, by white police officers in Minneapolis earlier this year sparked anti-racism protests across the United States and around the world, along with a wider public discussion of anti-Black racism and systemic racism.

The year 2020 has been unprecedented in Canada and worldwide, starting with a global pandemic the likes of which have not been seen in 100 years, causing the greatest economic slowdown since the Great Depression.

This study confirms the reality of racism in Canada. Also important, it shows that this reality is widely if not universally acknowledged. Many Canadians across different racial backgrounds report experiences of racism and discrimination due to race, and also recognize that it also affects others of their own race and from other racial groups.

The 43rd Canadian Federal Election just concluded was a tightly-contested campaign in which the incumbent Liberal Government led by Justin Trudeau found itself in a tough fight for reelection just a few years after it took office on a promise of “sunny ways” and broad political support.

How satisfied are Canadians with some of the most important services that governments provide? This report tackles this question by providing an updated look at Canadian public opinion, as it is changing over time and in comparison to other countries around the world.

A major survey was conducted in 2018 by the Environics Institute for Survey Research, in partnership with the University of Toronto and York University. The survey is the first of its kind in Canada to explore the perspectives of Jews in Canada, addressing themes of identity, practice and experience.

The past year has been a contentious one for immigration and refugee issues in many parts of the world. In the USA, the Trump administration is taking a harsher stance on migrants (e.g. separating children from parents) and the political climate is turning ever more xenophobic.

Canada is generally seen as a welcoming and tolerant country when it comes to immigration and cultural diversity, and public opinion research has shown that a majority of Canadians have consistently held generally (if not unequivocally) positive views towards immigrants and citizens with ethnic backgrounds much different from their own.

A groundbreaking research study of the "lived experience" of individuals across the Greater Toronto Area who self-identify as Black or of African heritage.

In the past six months, the surprising election of Donald Trump to the US presidency has sent shock waves through that country, and reverberations around to globe. His administration is charting an unpredictable new course in domestic and foreign policy, and among the first steps has been a tightening of restrictions for visitors, immigrants and refugees seeking to enter the USA.

Canada’s relationship with the Aboriginal Peoples who first inhabited this land continues to be largely unresolved and fraught with controversy. The findings from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is the latest compelling evidence of a troubled history and its contemporary legacy.

The last few years have not been good ones for immigrants and multicultural diversity – worldwide or in Canada. At the global level, the flow of migrants is now higher than at any time in human history.

Muslims represent the fastest growing religious minority in Canada today, but their emerging presence has been contentious, fuelled in part by security concerns (in the long wake of 9/11) and some religious practices (e.g., Sharia law).

The Institute’s first project was a national survey to examine the relationship between Canadian Muslims and Canadian society at large. This research was conducted as part of Environics Research FOCUS CANADA, and built upon an earlier study conducted by the US-based Pew Research Center with Muslims and non-Muslims that covered 13 countries (but not Canada).