Albertans the least likely to voluntarily mask indoors: poll
It has been two weeks since Alberta lifted the majority of its COVID-19 public health measures, including mandatory masking, and a new poll suggests people living in the province are the least likely in the country to continue to do so indoors.
The Angus Reid Institute found 73 per cent of Canadians support wearing a mask in a public indoor spaces, but only 50 cent would continue to do so voluntarily.
Support drops in Alberta to 41 per cent for people likely to continue to mask inside around strangers, the lowest in Canada.
Albertans were also the least likely in the country to keep social distancing, avoid large gatherings, not shake hands or hug people, or refrain from travelling abroad.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Craig Jenne says masking is still an important measure to stop the spread of COVID-19 and recommends it for some situations, like at large indoor gatherings.
"When you are indoors in tight spaces and large numbers of people outside your cohort, it’s still a good idea to wear that mask,” Jenne said.
Jenne says though hospitalization numbers are slowly coming down, there is still phenomenal strain on the health care system
"I think we’ve made some huge progress over the last year – or even six months – that is allowing us to get back to life as close to normal as we’ve seen now in two years," he said.
"We have to do our part over the next three, four, five months to ensure we keep numbers as low as possible."
Nationally, the poll found the majority of Canadians will continue to take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, with two-thirds planning to keep sanitizing their hands and three-in-five planning to continue social distancing.
When asked if the removal of restrictions were happening too quickly, there was no unified national consensus in the poll; two-in-five people in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Atlantic Canada believed their provincial government was moving too quickly.
Residents living in Alberta and Manitoba were also overwhelmingly critical of their respective premiers’ handling of the pandemic since it started.
Canadians are still required to be fully vaccinated to travel to the United States, which 70 per cent of Canadians polled agreed with, with the exception of Albertans who are least likely to support the full vaccine requirements to travel internationally.
Politics does appear to play a role in a person’s support of masking or vaccine passports, with the poll finding those who voted for the Conservative Party of Canada in the past much less likely to support restrictions.
The Angus Reid Institute poll surveyed 2,550 adult Canadians (including 256 Albertans) online between March 1 and 4, 2022. Angus Reid says a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.