POR Registration Number: 108-17

PSPC Contract Number: #60074-172291/001/CY Contract Award Date: February 21, 2018 Delivery Date: March 2018

Contracted Cost: $71, 818.28 (taxes included)

POR Registration Number: 108-17

PSPC Contract Number: #60074-172291/001/CY Contract Award Date: February 21, 2018 Delivery Date: March 2018

Contracted Cost: $71, 818.28 (taxes included)


Finance Canada 2018 Focus Groups on the Economy (Qualitative) through Perception Analyzer - Research Report



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Executive Summary

Prepared by:

Corporate Research Associates Inc.

Prepared for:

Finance Canada


Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français.


For more information on this report, please email:

finpub@fin.gc.ca


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Suite 5001, 7071 Bayers Road Halifax NS B3L 2C2 www.cra.ca

1-888-414-1336

Executive Summary

Contracted Cost: $71818.28 (taxes included)

Background and Objectives

Finance Canada wanted to assess the sentiment of a cross-section of Canadians in Montreal and Toronto with respect to what they heard in the budget speech. The stated objective of the research is “to explore Canadian’s reaction and gauge the effect of the Budget and its measures that flow from it.”


Results from the qualitative research allows Finance Canada to get a clear and current sense of the evolution of the public mood towards the state of the economy, sense of personal economic well-being and government actions in the economic sphere.


Methodology

For this study two “super focus groups” were conducted in Montreal (French) and Toronto (English). Participants were recruited to represent adult Canadians 18 years of age and older and recruiting was structured to provide a good cross representation based on gender, age, income, education, children in household and employment status. The recruitment screener is attached as Appendix A.


A total of 59 Canadians participated in the research (29 in Toronto and 30 in Montreal). The Toronto session was conducted in English, while the Montreal group was conducted in French. Participants were paid an incentive of $175 and both sessions were conducted simultaneously February 27th, 2018.


Participants used Perception Analyzer® software to indicate their sentiment with respect to a set of 16 questions asked pre and post speech (which allowed for a measure of change in sentiment). Participants also used the software to rate their positive and negative reactions in real-time as the Minister delivered the budget speech. The dial ranged from 0 to 100, with 50 representing a baseline “neutral” score.

Following this, participants discussed their impressions of the federal budget.


Perception Analyzer® technology allows participants to anonymously respond to stimuli in real time. Participants are provided a hand-held dial that relays their responses to a central PC that then consolidates the information and relays it onto viewing monitors for client groups.

Perception Analyzer® technology allows participants to anonymously respond to stimuli in real time. Participants are provided a hand-held dial that relays their responses to a central PC that then consolidates the information and relays it onto viewing monitors for client groups.


Context of Qualitative Research


Qualitative discussions are intended as moderator-directed, informal, non-threatening discussions with participants whose characteristics, habits and attitudes are considered relevant to the topic of discussion. The primary benefits of group qualitative discussions are that they allow for in-depth probing with qualifying participants on behavioural habits, usage patterns, perceptions and attitudes related to the subject matter. Qualitative techniques are used in marketing research as a means of

developing insight and direction, rather than collecting quantitatively precise data or absolute measures. As such, results are directional only and cannot be projected to the overall population under study.

Political Neutrality Certification

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I hereby certify as a Representative of Corporate Research Associates Inc. that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Directive on the Management of Communications. Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.


Signed

Margaret Brigley, President & COO | Corporate Research Associates Date: March 20, 2018

Key Findings

Perceptions of the Canadian economy and whether the government is taking positive steps to help Canadians improved following the budget speech.