LOCATION	GROUP	LANGUAGE	DATE	TIME (EST)	GROUP COMPOSITION	NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
Frontenac Region – Ontario	1	English	Jan. 5	6:00-8:00 pm	General Population	8
Newfoundland	2	English	Jan. 6	4:30-6:30 pm	General Population	6
Alberta	3	English	Jan. 6	8:00-10:00 pm	Young Adults, aged 18-29	8
Vancouver Island	4	English	Jan. 11	9:00-11:00 pm	Parents of Children under 12	7
Greater Toronto Area (GTA)	5	English	Jan. 12	6:00-8:00 pm	Prospective Homeowners	6
Major Centres Quebec	6	French	Jan. 17	6:00-8:00 pm	Prospective Homeowners	8
British Columbia	7	English	Jan. 18	9:00-11:00 pm	First Generation Immigrants	8
Wellington and Waterloo Regions – Ontario	8	English	Jan. 19	6:00-8:00 pm	Young Adults, aged 18-29	7
Maurice Region – Quebec	9	French	Jan. 20	6:00-8:00 pm	Young Adults, aged 18-29	7
Major Centres Prairies	10	English	Jan. 24	7:00-9:00 pm	General Population	6
Nova Scotia	11	English	Jan. 25	5:00-7:00 pm	Parents of Children under 12	7
Northern Quebec	12	French	Jan. 27	6:00-8:00 pm	General Population	6
Total number of participants	84

Detailed Findings – Part I: COVID-19

Timeline of January Announcements

To help place the focus group discussions within the context of key events which occurred during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, below is a brief synopsis for the period spanning from the end of December 2021 until the end of January 2022.

At the end of December
- There had been 2,102,470 cases of COVID-19 in Canada with 30,253 deaths.
- Daily case counts increased to 25,332 across Canada, a 141% increase from the previous week.
- There were 207,418 active cases of COVID-19 in Canada.
- Over 67 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered across Canada.
January 1-9
- January 1. The Government of Canada marked the 75th anniversary of the first Canadian Citizenship Act.
- January 4. The Government of Canada announced that Agreements-in-Principle have been reached on a global resolution related to compensation for those harmed by discriminatory underfunding of First Nations child and family services and to achieve long-term reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services program and Jordan’s Principle.
- January 4. The Gottfriedson Indian Residential School Day Scholars Settlement Agreement for the Survivor and Descendant Classes opened. Eligible Day Scholars receive $10,000 in individual compensation for attending an Indian Residential School as a Day Scholar. The settlement also provides $50 million towards the creation of the Day Scholars Revitalization Society, an Indigenous-led not-for-profit corporation to support healing, wellness, education, language, culture, heritage and commemoration activities for the Survivor and Descendant classes.
- Focus groups were held with the general population in the Frontenac Region in Ontario (January 5), the general population in Newfoundland (January 6) and young adults in Alberta (January 6).
- January 7. The Government of Canada announced the creation of the new Federal Ministerial Coordinating Committee on PEI Potatoes, aiming to enhance coordination and collaboration across the federal government to respond to concerns and find solutions.
January 10-16
- January 10. The Government of Canada established the Canada-Vietnam Joint Economic Committee to strengthen international trade ties with an important global trading partner and vital economic player in the Indo-Pacific, Vietnam.
- January 11. The Government of Canada announced the arrival of over 250 Afghan refugees, including 170 human rights defenders, as government-assisted refugees in Canada.
- Focus groups were held with parents of children under 12 in Vancouver Island (January 11) and prospective homeowners in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) (January 12).
- January 12. The Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry announced over $550 million in support for more than 5,500 researchers as part of the federal government’s ongoing effort to support Canada’s science and research sector.
- January 12. The Minister of Finance announced the extension of the repayment deadline for Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) loans to qualify for partial loan forgiveness to December 31, 2023 from December 31, 2022.
- January 13. The Government of Canada announced it is providing financial support to Regina-based Caring Hearts Counselling for the development of a model for culturally appropriate education to support the families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) in their healing journey.
- January 14. The Minister of Health announced the creation of the Centre for Research on Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies with an ongoing investment of $18.5 million per year.
- January 14. The Government of Canada announced the launch of PocketWell, a free companion app to the Wellness Together Canada (WTC) online portal, which will provide another way to help Canadians access online mental health and substance use resources and supports, and measure and track aspects of their mental well-being.
January 17-23
- January 17. Health Canada authorized the combination of two antiviral drugs, nirmatrelvir and ritonavir (brand name PAXLOVID), to treat adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of progressing to serious disease, including hospitalization or death.
- January 17. The Government of Canada announced an investment of over $35 million to expand resettlement capacity and settlement services across Canada.
- January 17. The Government of Canada announced it had received an initial shipment of 30,400 treatment courses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 oral antiviral treatment, PAXLOVID, with 120,000 more expected between now and the end of March.
- Focus groups were held with prospective homeowners in major centres in Quebec (January 17), first-generation immigrants in British Columbia (January 18) and young adults in the Wellington and Waterloo regions in Ontario (January 19).
- January 19. The Government of Canada announced $10 million in funding to increase public health research capacity in Canada, including $8 million for seven new applied public health chairs who will carry out research programs in areas including infectious diseases, urban and environmental health, and disease prevention.
- January 19. The Government of Canada announced over $3 million in a federal investment to strengthen collaboration, advance emerging leadership, and attract private sector investment that will help grow businesses operating in Alberta’s clean technology sector.
- Focus group was held with young adults in the Mauricie region in Quebec (January 20).
- January 21. The Government of Canada announced a loan of up to $120 million to the Government of Ukraine to support the country’s economic resilience and governance reforms.
- January 21. The Government of Canada announced a financial contribution of $50.4 million for nine initiatives to support health services for Haitians, strengthen Haiti’s security capacity and infrastructure, support sexual and reproductive health and rights, and address food insecurity as well as other humanitarian challenges.
January 24-31
- Focus groups were held with the general population in major centres in the Prairies (January 24) and with parents of children under 12 in Nova Scotia (January 25).
- January 25. The Government of Canada announced a $2 million investment for The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) to help support the deployment and installation of up to 294 EV chargers in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
- January 26. The Government of Canada announced over $6.9 million in funding for five projects that will bring high-speed Internet to more than 3,455 households in rural Ontario.
- January 26. The Government of Canada announced $340 million for immediate support to Ukraine and for the extension and expansion of Operation UNIFIER, the Canadian Armed Forces’ military training and capacity-building mission in Ukraine.
- Focus group was held with the general population in Northern Quebec (January 27).
- January 27. The Government of Canada announced the strengthening of trade relations with Ukraine to mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and Ukraine, specifically the modernization of the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA).
- January 28. The Government of Canada announced that a 25% reduction in costs of mid-range cell phone wireless plans were achieved across the country three months before the target date.
- January 28. The Government of Canada announced an update regarding its border measures. Specifically, the removal of the modified pre-departure test requirements for travellers coming to Canada on direct or indirect flights from India or Morocco, and the termination of the temporary exemption from pre-entry, arrival, and Day-8 testing and quarantine requirements for residents and essential workers of British Columbia who have to travel by land to or through the United States for essential food and supplies.
- January 28. There had been 2,998,329 cases of COVID-19 in Canada with 33,373 deaths. Over 76 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in Canada.
  - A downward trend in cases was reported, with 18,497 reported during the latest 7-day period in January (21-27), a 28% decrease from the week prior.

Government of Canada in the News (All Locations)

At the beginning of each focus group, participants were asked what they had seen, read, or heard about the Government of Canada in recent days. Across all groups, the COVID-19 pandemic and the federal government’s response to it remained top of mind for most.

Though several participants reported having not heard anything recently related to the Government of Canada, many others recalled recent federal initiatives and announcements related to the pandemic, including:

The actions taken by the federal government to procure and distribute increased amounts of rapid antigen testing kits for Canadians to use at home. This was seen as particularly helpful given ongoing difficulties in getting tested due to the large influx of new cases brought on by the Omicron variant;
The approval by Health Canada (on January 17th, 2022) of an oral COVID-19 pill (Paxlovid), produced by Pfizer, with doses subsequently purchased by the federal government for use/treatment in Canada;
Guidance from public health officials at various levels of government, such as the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada and provincial/territorial Chief Medical Officers, about how to stay safe amid rising case counts, including strategies for self-managing infection at home due to the increasing strain being placed on the health care system in many provinces and territories;
Evolving travel-related testing measures and rules for international travel. In the groups held in the second half of January, several participants specifically mentioned the Government of Canada removing the exemption for certain categories of travellers entering Canada from border entry requirements, notably truck drivers (participants often framed this as a new policy). This issue was mentioned with increasing frequency as the month went on;
Statements or actions by the federal government to investigate reports about a chartered Sunwing Airlines flight (on December 30th, 2021) from Montreal to Cancun, Mexico involving unruly behaviour and a lack of adherence to COVID-19 rules;
The introduction of additional wage subsidies and other financial supports from the Government of Canada to aid Canadians impacted by stricter public health measures implemented in several provinces and territories due to rising case numbers. The Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB) was specifically mentioned in some instances; and
More generally, a number of participants recalled seeing or hearing federal and/or provincial/territorial communications regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Omicron variant, public health measures, and the ongoing vaccination campaign. In contrast, several mentioned actively avoiding the news, particularly related to the pandemic, finding it to be somewhat overwhelming at times.

A number of participants also recalled recent actions by the federal government unrelated to the pandemic, including:

The announcement of a settlement compensating Indigenous individuals and families who had been mistreated in the past under the federal child-welfare system. A few participants also expressed the view that there had been a renewed effort by the federal government in recent months to reach out to Indigenous communities and take tangible action towards improving the living conditions on Indigenous reserves across Canada;
An agreement reached by the federal government (with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation) to release thousands of records regarding the historic residential school system;
An investment in resettlement capacity and settlement services for newcomers and refugees settling in small towns and rural communities across Canada; and
Ongoing dialogue surrounding the real estate market and housing affordability within Canada, including the question of when the Bank of Canada would be raising interest rates. It was expressed by a number of participants that housing was becoming increasingly expensive and unaffordable in many regions across the country.

With respect to international issues, participants in several groups held in the latter part of the month mentioned the increasing tensions between Russia and Ukraine and the potential response from the Government of Canada and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members.

The group consisting of first-generation immigrants from British Columbia were asked an additional question regarding where they typically received news about the Government of Canada. Participants identified a number of sources, including Canadian news channels such as CBC and CTV, online newsfeeds on platforms such as Google, social media platforms such as Facebook, as well as Government of Canada websites.

Government of Canada Priorities (British Columbia First-Generation Immigrants, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults)

Asked to identify priorities unrelated to COVID-19 that they felt the Government of Canada should be focusing on, participants cited a wide range of issues, most commonly related to health care, the rising cost of living, the economy, as well as a desire among some participants for greater emphasis to be placed on social issues and the environment.

Related to health care, a number of participants wished to see greater investments by the federal government towards bolstering the capacity of the health care system, including efforts to attract more foreign-born doctors and simplify the foreign credential recognition process. This was felt to be especially important in regards to handling all of the appointments and procedures cancelled or delayed over the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of participants also mentioned the need for more investments into mental health supports, feeling that an increasing number of Canadians, particularly among younger generations, were suffering from mental health issues with limited access to resources in their communities.

Regarding economic issues, there were calls for the federal government to do more to prioritize the Canadian economy, in general, and to address specific issues, such as inflation and supply chain delays, as well as cost of living issues related to housing, student debt, and child care.

Among some there was also a strong desire for the federal government to focus greater attention on social issues. Specific suggestions included more support towards addressing the unique challenges faced by families with special needs children, a greater focus on homelessness and the remedies needed to reduce it, and more effort toward reconciliation with Indigenous communities within Canada.

A number of participants also wanted to see greater focus from the federal government on climate change and the environment. Many of these participants, especially in the young adult groups, felt these issues warranted increasing urgency, and that time was running out to take action.

COVID-19 Outlook and Vaccines (All Locations)

Omicron Variant (All Locations)

Participants in all groups discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the Government of Canada’s evolving response to it, including those related to the Omicron variant, increases in case counts, and public health measures to contain the spread.

To begin, participants were asked about their level of concern regarding the rising number of COVID-19 cases and growing spread of the Omicron variant. While a number of participants were concerned about higher case numbers, many were more concerned about the impact further spread could have on prolonging public health measures and restrictions. Several mentioned personal difficulties living with these measures, including the various challenges related to working from home, attending school online, securing child care, not being able to engage in normal social interactions and activities, and navigating the ever-changing landscape of public health measures.

From an economic perspective, a number of participants expressed concern about the impact prolonged restrictions could have on small businesses, in particular, which they felt had disproportionately struggled during the pandemic and were now facing extended closures and capacity restrictions in a number of provinces/territories that could lead to them closing permanently. Others worried about the negative impact ongoing public health measures might have on societal mental health, feeling many were currently experiencing a degree of fatigue or ‘burnout’ related to the pandemic. A few were particularly worried about the potential negative impacts on children posed by a return to online school, both in terms of academic achievement as well as the reduced ability to socialize with other kids.

Among those expressing concern about the potential medical consequences of rising case counts, many were more focused on the threat posed to others, including more vulnerable groups such as immunocompromised individuals, seniors, and young children as of yet unable to get vaccinated. More generally, several participants were worried about the impact of this strain on the health care system, particularly the ability of hospitals and intensive-care units to manage COVID-19 cases while maintaining adequate resources and personnel for activities unrelated to the pandemic. Given the reported transmissibility of the Omicron variant, some also worried about the economic impact of illness and staff shortages, especially in regard to important sectors such as education, health care, and other essential services.

A small number of participants were relatively unconcerned about this latest strain and its impact. Their impression was that Omicron was a mild variant and that the largely vaccinated population was more protected than ever from serious outcomes.

Asked to identify potential reasons for the recent increase in Covid-19 cases, apart from the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant, participants pointed to a number of possible causes, including:

The perceived mildness of the Omicron variant, which was thought to be prompting people to take more risks and fewer precautions to avoid contracting the virus;
Pandemic-related fatigue and complacency after two years, perceived to be adding to the increased laxness in the following of public safety measures, such as wearing facemasks, frequent handwashing, social distancing, and limiting social gatherings;
Increased socialization and travelling, and fewer restrictions compared to previous years, especially for those vaccinated. It was felt this was providing greater opportunity for transmission;
Difficulty getting tested, and confirming positive COVID-19 cases, leading to a likely increase in the number of people with the virus continuing their daily routines and going into work, risking spreading the virus further; and
Seasonal factors, particularly the colder weather, contributing to more individuals gathering indoors during the winter months and allowing the virus to transmit with greater ease.

Participants took part in an exercise designed to better understand their overall opinions regarding the COVID-19 restrictions in place in their regions at the time these groups were held. To that end, participants were asked to come up with a single word or phrase to describe their views.

A wide range of responses were provided, with a similar number feeling positive or accepting of the restrictions as those who were more ambivalent or opposed to recent local public health measures. Regionally, while most groups were relatively mixed in their opinions, those in Atlantic Canada were somewhat more receptive towards current public health requirements, while participants in Alberta and Quebec generally expressed greater frustration.

Among those who felt more positive, words such as ‘necessary’, ‘supportive’, ‘reassured’, and ‘glad’ were used to describe their view of current public health restrictions. While a few expressed disappointment that the pandemic had escalated to such a degree, these participants generally viewed restrictions in their regions as being fair and necessary, at least in the short term. Some also said the implementation of further safety measures had given them greater confidence in their ability to stay safe amidst this latest wave of the pandemic. A small number were of the opinion that restrictions needed to be stricter, using words such as ‘insufficient’, ‘loose’, or ‘weak’ to describe current measures.

Those feeling more ambivalent or pessimistic toward current restrictions, used words such as ‘exhausted’, ‘unfortunate’, and ‘anxiety’ to describe their views. While some felt that these enhanced public health measures were necessary, they also had concerns about their seemingly indefinite nature and the lack of a defined timeline for lifting them. Others expressed anxiety regarding what they perceived to be an endless cycle of restrictions being lifted and then reintroduced in response to the changing circumstances of the pandemic.

A smaller, though still notable number of participants were more adamant in their opposition to continued public health restrictions, selecting words such as ‘unnecessary’, ‘arbitrary’, ‘useless’, and ‘trapped’. Many of these individuals were of the opinion that restrictions and public health measures did little to stop the spread of COVID-19, especially given the higher transmissibility of the Omicron variant. Some felt that almost two years into the pandemic, new and prolonged restrictions could have a profoundly negative impact on the mental health and economic wellbeing of many Canadians. A number of these participants also felt certain measures were unfair or not being consistently applied, with several pointing to the closures of exercise facilities and gyms, while establishments such as restaurants were able to remain open. A few participants reflected on the emotional impact of ongoing public health measures, describing feelings of loneliness and isolation due to the social interruptions brought on by the pandemic.

Asked if public health measures should be loosened or lifted altogether in their regions, most felt that current restrictions should be kept in place and loosened only gradually as case numbers and hospitalizations went down. While few reported being happy about increased public health measures, most believed they played an important role in keeping people safe, at least for the time being. A number of participants, however, expressed the desire for greater consistency or clarification regarding the application of health measures and restrictions, questioning why some businesses were made to close while others remained open, as mentioned above. Again, a number of participants specifically mentioned gymnasiums and fitness centres, and felt these should be prioritized for reopening, believing them to be relatively low risk environments offering significant benefits to users in regard to physical and mental health.

Regionally, groups in Alberta and Quebec were again more inclined to want restrictions to be loosened. That said, while some in the group from the Prairies were in favour of stricter public health measures, there was little appetite among most participants in this group for restrictions to be tightened.

Asked if they had changed their own behaviours in response to the Omicron variant and rising cases, a significant number of participants said they had, taking steps such as:

Limiting social interactions and reducing their personal ‘bubble’ - A number of individuals mentioned having greatly reduced their social activities following the detection of the Omicron variant. This included reducing their personal interactions to just immediate family members, not participating in any gatherings held over the holiday season, making fewer trips for essential goods such as groceries and, for a few, taking their children out of school and child care for the time being;
Using rapid tests prior to social gatherings - Among those still taking part in social gatherings, a few mentioned having recently taken the additional precaution of having everyone take a rapid COVID-19 test prior to getting together, which they believed was helping to reduce the spread while providing additional peace of mind for everyone in attendance;
Cancelling or postponing leisure activities, either due to personal choice or in reaction to recently implemented public health measures - For some, this involved no longer going out to eat at restaurants, while for others it meant no longer partaking in sports such as hockey or playing music with others; and
Changing the type of mask they wore - Across all groups, a significant number of participants reported switching from a cloth or standard ‘medical’ mask to an N95 type mask. Several had heard N95 masks provided a greater degree of protection against COVID-19 and had made the switch to protect both themselves as well as reduce the potential of spreading the virus to others. Among those who had not changed the type of mask they typically wore, a number mentioned they were now considering purchasing N95 masks as a result of participating in these discussions.

While a significant number of participants indicated they had not changed their behaviours in light of the recent Omicron wave, most explained they had remained vigilant in adhering to public health requirements throughout the entirety of the pandemic, consistently following the advice of public health officials. Many felt they had become accustomed to precautions such as mask wearing, using hand sanitizer, and social distancing over the past two years and would likely continue to practice such behaviours going forward.

A small number of participants reported feeling relatively less concerned with following public health practices at present compared to earlier in the pandemic, feeling it was time to try to ‘live with’ the virus as normally as possible.

Participants had varying opinions about whether the spread of COVID-19 was likely to get worse, stay the same, or improve in the coming months. Most commonly, it was felt the pandemic would likely stay the same in the short term, with cases remaining high, but not escalating in severity. The relatively high rate of vaccination among Canadians was mentioned by several as a reason to believe the situation would not worsen in coming months. Some others, by contrast, thought that the vaccination rate needed to increase further or COVID-19 would persist for the foreseeable future.

A smaller, yet still significant number of participants believed the pandemic may worsen in the months to come. Several believed the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant, combined with the tendency for people to gather indoors during winter, and the potential of future variants developing were all cause for concern and that cases and hospitalizations may continue to rise in the short term.

Though few participants felt the situation would substantially improve in the next few months, several were optimistic that cases would eventually plateau and decrease, lessening the strain on the health care system. Most, however, believed this would not occur until the spring and summer months.

COVID-19 Travel Measures & Considerations (Ontario Frontenac Region, Newfoundland, Alberta Young Adults)

Focusing on travel-related measures to stem the spread of COVID-19, participants in three groups were first asked if they were aware of any recent actions by the Government of Canada related to international travel. Most participants were unable to recall anything specific and were generally a bit confused about the specific requirements currently in place, with the exception of those who had recently been travelling. Moreover, many expressed feeling it had been difficult as of late to stay up to date regarding international travel requirements, which they viewed as constantly changing, both in Canada as well as in other jurisdictions.

Among recent or frequent travellers, there were a number who mentioned the reinstatement of a pre-arrival negative PCR test result for short-term trips under 72 hours to the U.S. A few participants in different groups also mentioned a temporary ban on travellers from a number of southern African nations identified as ‘hot spots’ for the Omicron variant. There was also some mention of vaccine requirements for international students arriving in Canada.

Asked for their opinion on current federal travel requirements, and whether these measures were too strict, too lenient, or at the right level, there were mixed views and some regionally-based differences among the groups. While participants in Ontario and Alberta generally felt the restrictions were at about the right level, those in Newfoundland were inclined to describe them as too lenient and in need of being tightened. A number of participants in the Newfoundland group were of the view that non-essential travel was a primary driver behind the spread of Omicron and should be prohibited completely.

Across the groups, there were some who remained skeptical about the overall ability of international travel restrictions to slow community spread of variants, including Omicron, once these strains had been detected in local communities. There was also some skepticism among others who felt that while travel-related measures had the potential to be effective, they were often implemented too late, too gradually, or too inconsistently. In addition, there were a number of participants across groups who expressed uncertainty, saying they did not know enough about existing restrictions to form a judgement about their efficacy.

COVID-19 Information (Ontario Frontenac Region, Newfoundland, Alberta Young Adults, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners)

Asked how they typically received information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, participants in these groups identified a number of sources, including:

Traditional news outlets, such as CBC, CTV, Global News, and CBC/Radio-Canada;
From local public health authorities as well as announcements from provincial and federal health officials;
Through journal articles and podcasts from trusted medical experts and virologists;
Word of mouth from colleagues, family, or friends; and
On social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

While a large number in the groups from Quebec, Newfoundland, and the Frontenac region of Ontario reported actively seeking out news related to the pandemic, very few did so among those from Alberta and the Greater Toronto Area. Speaking on this, a number of participants indicated recently taking steps to avoid following news pertaining to COVID-19, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the pandemic. A few also voiced concerns regarding the issue of ‘disinformation’ and what they felt to be a growing presence of inaccurate or biased content on digital and social media platforms. Among those actively following pandemic-related issues, some described having developed a daily ritual of checking the news and most recent data, often at the same time each day. A small number of participants reported only following COVID-19 news specifically related to their occupations. This was particularly evident among those working in sectors such as education and child care which were frequently impacted by evolving public health measures.

COVID-19 Booster Dose (Ontario Frontenac Region, Newfoundland, Alberta Young Adults)

There were some notable regional differences in perspectives, when participants in these three groups were asked about the booster shot. While those in Ontario were more likely to have received their third dose, most in the Newfoundland and Alberta groups were still awaiting an invitation to book their appointment, either due to lack of availability in their region or ineligibility on account of age. Across groups, most were receptive to receiving a booster shot, especially in Ontario and Newfoundland, with a small number in the young adult group in Alberta expressing some hesitancy.

Among those uncertain as to whether they would get the booster dose, concerns primarily related to the efficacy and necessity of getting a third dose, as well as some concern about causing strife with family members opposed to the vaccine on more ideological grounds. Even among those positively inclined to get a booster dose, however, there were some lingering questions they hoped to get answered to support that choice, including:

Whether this third shot was expected to be the final COVID-19 vaccination needed or if an annual booster dose was now anticipated;
Whether receiving a different brand of vaccine (e.g., Pfizer or Moderna) than their initial vaccination doses would cause complications regarding proving their vaccination status in other jurisdictions;
What side effects they could expect to experience following their vaccine booster, which was a particular concern among those who had experienced side effects following their first two doses; and
The status of vaccinations for children under 5 years old, and when parents could expect to see these vaccines approved for use in younger children.

COVID-19 Vaccines for Children (Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12)

In two groups comprised of parents of young children, a few additional questions were asked regarding the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty vaccine recently approved by Health Canada for use in children ages 5-11.

To begin, participants were asked if they had discussed the subject of vaccines with their children. All said they had. Additionally, nearly all indicated they had either had their children vaccinated or intended to do so in the near future. Discussing their motivations, participants tended to identify two key considerations:

Protection against COVID-19 - A number of participants identified this as their primary reason. While some had heard that COVID-19 was relatively mild in younger children, many expressed concerns over the potential long-term effects of a COVID-19 infection and the implications this could have on their child’s health. Related to this, several also saw the vaccine as a means of protecting other more vulnerable family members, including grandparents; and
Vaccine requirements – A number of participants also mentioned the desire to ensure their children continued to be able to participate in normal social activities requiring that children be fully vaccinated in order to partake. These included pastimes such as dining out at restaurants, playing sports, or attending larger social gatherings.

While few participants had any outstanding questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine for children, a small number were curious about the dose level, questioning whether children who are close to 12 years in age would be offered better protection by the ‘adult’ vaccine dose rather than the smaller dose currently being offered to children 5-11 years old. It was hoped that additional guidance could be provided by public health officials on this front.

COVID-19 Vaccine Ad Testing (Frontenac Region, Newfoundland, Alberta Young Adults, Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12)

Participants in these four groups reviewed and discussed potential advertisements being developed by the Government of Canada related to the third dose of COVID-19 vaccines, otherwise known as the booster dose. Participants were shown storyboards for two different advertisement concepts (labelled as “A” and “B”) and were informed that the final version would feature professional animation and would be 15-seconds in length, designed for use on social media and digital platforms. While most groups were asked to compare Concepts A and B, the group from Vancouver Island were shown two different versions of Concept A. The groups in Vancouver Island, Alberta, and Ontario were all shown Concept A first, while those in Newfoundland were shown Concept B first to see if any differences emerged related to sequence of exposure.

To begin these discussions, participants were asked whether they had received a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. While most in the group from Ontario had received their booster, few in Newfoundland, Alberta, and on Vancouver Island had done so. Most of those who had yet to receive their third dose intended to do so and many were still awaiting an opportunity to make an appointment. A small number in the group from Alberta expressed hesitancy regarding the booster dose and COVID-19 vaccines more generally.

Option A: Public Health Ad Campaign – Inside Out (Frontenac Region, Newfoundland, Alberta Young Adults)

Above is a storyboard featuring six animated frames from a Public Health Ad Campaign. The first and second frame show a woman sneezing, with descriptive text reading, “We zoom in on the human body to see antibodies.” These first two frames are shown simultaneously with a voiceover that reads, “COVID-19 vaccines have helped keep us protected against infection.” The third frame transitions to an animated image of antibodies, with descriptive text reading, “There are only 1 or 2, and they’re moving around pretty slowly. With a pulse of music, we see more antibodies. They start moving rhythmically and more energetically.” The voiceover reads, “Now our immune response needs a boost.” The next frame shows a larger group of animated antibodies, with descriptive text reading, “We pull back to see a large group of antibodies moving in an energetic, rhythmic way.” The voiceover reads, “Booster doses can strengthen your immune response by producing more antibodies.” After this frame, a plain white screen with black, bold text reads, “Book your booster dose when you’re eligible and keep following public health measures.” The final frame features the Government of Canada logo with a link in black, bold text that reads, “Canada.ca/covid-vaccine.”

Revised Option A: Public Health Ad Campaign – Inside Out (Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12)

Above is a storyboard featuring six animated frames from a Public Health Ad Campaign. In comparison to the original ‘Option A’ storyboard, this ‘revised’ storyboard only differs in slides 3 and 4. The first and second frame show a woman, in black and white, sneezing, with descriptive text reading, “We zoom in on the human body to see antibodies.” These first two frames are shown simultaneously with a voiceover that reads, “COVID-19 vaccines have helped keep us protected against infection.” The third frame transitions to a coloured image of antibodies, with descriptive text reading, “There are only 1 or 2, and they’re moving around pretty slowly. With a pulse of music, we see more antibodies. They start moving rhythmically and more energetically.” The voiceover reads, “Over time, antibody levels have been found to decrease. While we still have good protection…” Also in colour, the next frame shows a larger group of animated antibodies, with descriptive text reading, “We pull back to see a large group of antibodies moving in an energetic, rhythmic way.” The voiceover continues from slide 3 and says, “…a booster dose produces more antibodies, which can strengthen our immune response, resulting in better protection especially against severe illness.” After this frame, a plain white screen with black, bold text reads, “Learn more and book your booster dose when eligible. Keep following public health measures.” The final frame features the Government of Canada logo with a link in black, bold text that reads, “Canada.ca/covid-vaccine.”

This concept was received positively by most participants. Many appreciated the fact-based and scientific approach, with its focus on the biological mechanisms behind the booster dose. Some described the concept as simple and straightforward and felt it was effective in making a complex subject more understandable. Among the small number of participants who were less positive about this concept, a few felt the treatment of the subject matter was over simplified and failed to adequately address why the booster was required or how it worked.

With respect to the main message, most felt the concept was focused on encouraging Canadians to make an appointment to get their booster shot in order to better protect themselves and others against COVID-19. Some were of the impression that the piece was directed more towards younger Canadians, including children, due to the accessible language, simple visuals (notably those who saw the initial storyboard concept), and vibrant animation. While most felt this concept provided a sufficient explanation regarding the importance of the booster shot, several were of the view that it spoke primarily to those already planning to receive their third dose. They felt that a different message was needed to reach those who are more hesitant, focusing more on addressing their skepticism than explaining the science behind the vaccines.

Asked if viewing this ad would encourage them to go to the Government of Canada website (Canada.ca/covid-vaccine) featured at the end of the advertisement for further information, participants had mixed views. While some felt they might be enticed to visit the website, the balance of participants were unsure. Some said that they already felt well-informed about the booster dose and were not seeking more information. Others mentioned they would be more likely to seek the advice of trusted medical professionals rather than visit the website if they had additional questions regarding the booster. A few participants felt that if the goal of the advertisement was to direct viewers to the Government of Canada website, the URL needed to be presented earlier in the video and more prominently. It was also suggested the advertisement end with a stronger call to action encouraging viewers to visit the website to learn more. A few participants suggested the messaging of this concept should focus more on those who had received their initial two vaccine doses but were now hesitant about the booster, explaining new scientific evidence regarding the potential waning immunity of the initial vaccinations and how the booster offered additional protection from the virus.

Alternate Option A: Public Health Ad Campaign – Inside Out (Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12)

The storyboard is an ‘alternate’ version of the previous two storyboards and features six animated frames from a Public Health Ad Campaign. The first four frames show a doctor with black hair wearing a white coat, blue shirt and stethoscope around her neck, with the doctor saying, “COVID-19 vaccines have helped to protect us. Over time, antibody levels have been found to decrease. While we still have good protection, a booster dose produces more antibodies, which can strengthen our immune response, resulting in better protection especially against severe illness.” After this frame, a plain white screen with black, bold text reads, “Book your booster dose when you’re eligible and keep following public health measures.” A voiceover simultaneously says, “Learn more and book your booster dose when eligible. Keep following public health measures.” The final frame features the Government of Canada logo with a link in black, bold text that reads, “Learn more at Canada.ca/covid-vaccine.”

The group from Vancouver Island was shown an alternate version of Concept A. Most reacted positively to this version, feeling it was straightforward, got the point across, and took a more serious tone than the first version by mentioning the potentially serious consequences of contracting COVID-19. Some felt this may help convince those who currently perceived the dangers of COVID-19 as being relatively mild to book an appointment for the third dose.

All participants felt the message was easy to understand, although only some said this version resonated with them. While a few felt a personal connection to the subject matter, due to family members previously contracting COVID-19, others believed that they would likely scroll past the advertisement if they came across it on social media, feeling it would be unlikely to grab their attention. Asked whether they believed the concept would be improved if a scientist rather than a doctor was speaking, all participants felt that a doctor would be more effective. Some, however, suggested that a nurse or teacher may be more relatable to a wider range of Canadians.

Option B: Public Health Ad Campaign – Tune Up (Frontenac Region, Newfoundland, Alberta Young Adults)

The above storyboard begins with the first three frames featuring a mechanic in a button up in front of his car with the front hood open, with descriptive text reading, “We see a mechanic in a garage. He pats the hood of a car. He points to himself.” The mechanic says, “Maintenance is important for this body, and this body. COVID-19 vaccines have helped protect us.” The fourth frame shows the mechanic at a closer angle with his hand gesturing as he says, “Now we need a tune-up – with a booster dose!” The next frame shows a plain white screen with black, bold text reading, “Book your booster dose when you’re eligible and keep following public health measures.” Over this, a voiceover of the mechanic is played, saying, “Help strengthen your protection against COVID-19. Book your booster dose when eligible.” The final frame shows the Government of Canada logo on a plain white screen, with black, bold text beneath it with a link to “Canada.ca/covid-vaccine.”

Participants in Newfoundland, Ontario, and Alberta were shown the storyboard for Concept B. They were generally less favourable toward this concept relative to Concept A. While some appreciated what they viewed as the lighthearted tone of this concept, and the use of an analogy to convey why the booster dose was necessary, most felt the comparison between the human body and an automobile was not especially relevant or relatable. Some believed this concept to be primarily targeted to older and middle-aged Canadians, primarily men who might be more interested in automotive maintenance,

While most identified the main message of this concept as encouraging Canadians to get their third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in order to better protect themselves and give their body a ‘tune-up’, few participants felt it would be effective in convincing viewers to book an appointment for their booster dose. A number of participants in the groups from Ontario and Alberta were of the opinion that most reservations about the COVID-19 vaccine were a factor of personal beliefs and values, rather than a misunderstanding of the science, and that the simplified tone of the advertisement could be viewed as ‘talking down’ to those who are hesitant about the vaccine. Some participants in the group from Newfoundland also thought that rather than utilizing the metaphor of a mechanic and a car, the concept would be improved if it focused more on human biology.

Similar to the response to Concept A, few participants felt that seeing this ad would encourage them to visit the Government of Canada website. A number of participants felt the advertisement should incorporate a clearer and more compelling reason for viewers to visit the website.

Focusing specifically on the analogy utilized in this concept, participants were asked if other analogies may be more effective. Examples provided included:

A piano tuner tuning a piano and talking about the need to keep a piano tuned in order to ensure optimal performance;
Recharging a mobile phone when the battery is low; and
A hockey goalie wearing old, 1970s-era equipment and then changing into state-of-the-art modern equipment, speaking on the evolution of protection.

While some felt the mobile phone and goalie analogies would likely be more effective than the analogy to vehicle maintenance, most were of the opinion that the overall approach, and use of any type of analogy, was not the best way to communicate the importance of receiving the COVID-19 booster shot. Of the three options participants considered, the analogy to a piano being tuned was the least relatable. Many felt that very few Canadians either owned a piano or were familiar with the process of tuning it.

Those who had been shown concepts A and B were asked which one they thought was most effective. Participants in Ontario and Newfoundland overwhelmingly chose Concept A, while the Alberta group was about evenly split between the two concepts. Many who selected Concept A preferred the science-related imagery and what they saw as the more direct, fact-based approach of the advertisement. Those who preferred Concept B generally felt it would be more entertaining and memorable for viewers.

Participants on Vancouver Island who had viewed two versions of Concept A, largely preferred the original over the alternate, though both versions were viewed quite positively. While some participants felt the inclusion of the doctor in the alternate storyboard would be more trusted by the audience, most believed the visuals in the original to be more dynamic and attention-grabbing and felt these elements would connect with a wider array of viewers.

COVID-19 Financial Supports (Frontenac Region, Newfoundland, Alberta Young Adults, Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults, Major Centres Prairies, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12)

Ten groups engaged in discussions regarding pandemic-related financial supports offered by the federal government. Conversations focused on a number of initiatives implemented in response to temporary business closures and capacity restrictions put in place in many provinces and territories as a way to limit the spread of the Omicron variant.

At the outset, participants were asked to evaluate the performance of the Government of Canada over the course of the pandemic in providing financial support to Canadians and businesses impacted by COVID-19 measures. Across all groups, while participants were mostly positive regarding these federal financial supports, a significant number felt more was needed, especially in relation to the most recent wave of the pandemic. Several described the financial supports offered by the Government of Canada to Canadians and businesses in this instance as somewhat lacking.

Among those more positive about the federal government’s performance, many cited the efficient roll-out of the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) in the early stages of the pandemic as being particularly helpful. It was felt the Government of Canada had reacted quickly at the outset of the pandemic to ensure Canadians would receive enough support to stay afloat financially. In addition, many noted the relative ease in accessing the CERB, believing the process had been efficient and uncomplicated. Some spoke from personal experience, while others had heard positive comments from friends or family who had received CERB payments. Related specifically to small businesses, a number of participants felt federal supports had prevented many businesses in their communities from having to close permanently, and believed the Government of Canada had done a good job in balancing public safety concerns with the economic health of Canadian businesses. Some also positively mentioned the federal government’s legislation (Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code) to provide ten days of paid sick leave for workers in federally-regulated industries.

For those who believed the federal government’s performance could have been better, several felt more needed to be done to help those still struggling as a result of the pandemic, particularly amidst the current wave. Some felt the eligibility criteria for federal programs were too narrow and did not do enough to provide financial aid to those who had seen their hours reduced or eliminated altogether as a result of temporary business closures or capacity restrictions imposed on businesses in their provinces. A few participants also felt the CERB and CRB should not have ended, believing many Canadians still required this support, particularly given rapidly rising case counts. Taking an opposite view, there were some who felt that financial supports like CERB had been distributed too widely earlier in the pandemic and should have been more targeted. There were also a smaller number of participants who felt the CERB and other financial supports had negatively impacted the Canadian economy by adding to inflation and perceived labour shortages.

Speaking more generally, a number of participants thought the Government of Canada had done the best it could amidst unprecedented circumstances. A few were of the opinion that the federal government had been almost too effective in financially supporting Canadians, believing many individuals had become accustomed to these supports and were now reluctant to return to the work force. A small number of participants felt they did not know enough about this subject to form a proper opinion, having not accessed these supports at any point throughout the pandemic.

Probing for awareness regarding recently introduced federal pandemic-related financial initiatives, participants were asked if they had heard of programs such as the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB), and the Local Lockdown Program (LLP). While a small number recalled hearing some details related to the CEWS and CWLB in passing, very few had heard of the LLP. Across all groups, overall awareness of these programs was quite limited among participants.

Recent Federal Financial Supports (Ontario Frontenac Region, Newfoundland, Alberta Young Adults)

Participants were informed that the CWLB was designed to provide temporary income support to employed and self-employed individuals who could not work due to a COVID-19 lockdown. In addition, participants were told the Government of Canada had temporarily changed the definition of a ‘lockdown’ to include businesses impacted by capacity restrictions of 50% or more, and that they had also temporarily reduced the minimum number of consecutive days for public health measures to be considered ‘lockdowns’, from 14 to 7, with these changes in place until February 12^th, 2022. Participants were told those eligible for the CWLB would receive $300 ($270 after taxes withheld) for each 1-week period.

While most participants felt this initiative represented a step in the right direction, many felt it did not go far enough. The $300/week was widely viewed as insufficient to meet minimum costs for the majority of Canadians, while the mid-February end-date for the program’s expanded eligibility criteria was viewed as likely not long enough. Moreover, a number of participants commented that even the expanded criteria remained too narrow and should include everyone whose income had been financially impacted by recent public health measures. Taking an opposite view, a small number of participants praised what they felt to be the more limited scope of the CWLB compared to larger-scale programs such as the CERB. Despite what they felt to be limitations of the CWLB, several participants expressed appreciation for the support from the federal government, feeling any level of financial assistance was useful at this point in the pandemic.

Participants were told that the LLP would provide businesses facing temporary new local lockdown measures with the maximum amount available through rent and subsidy programs. As with the CWLB, participants were told that the eligibility criteria for this program had also been temporarily expanded (to include businesses with a capacity restriction of 50 per cent or more, with a 25% per cent versus 40% decline in revenue). Eligible employers would be able to receive wage and rent subsidies ranging from 25 to 75 per cent, participants were told, depending on how much revenue they had lost due to lockdowns or capacity limits. Participants were informed these temporary changes would also be in place until February 12^th, 2022.

Most participants generally felt that the LLP was an important program to have in place, especially for small businesses and those in the hospitality and service sectors, which they felt had been disproportionately impacted by public health measures over the course of the pandemic. Similar to the CWLB, however, many believed the timeline for the expanded eligibility criteria was too short and did not align with how long they anticipated the current rise in cases may last. A few participants were concerned about accountability, wanting to ensure there would be some oversight confirming businesses receiving these supports were utilizing them as intended, to maintain their staff. Some were also curious about whether the term ‘local’ referred to one’s municipality, region, health district, or some other definition. A small number also felt the LLP would need to be explained with greater clarity to those attempting to access the program, given the perceived complexity of the eligibility criteria for the program.

Discussing where federal COVID-19 related supports would be most effectively directed, participants were asked whether they felt that financial support from the Government of Canada would be better distributed to workers, on an individual basis, or to employers in the form of wage subsidies, preventing these businesses from having to lay off workers in the first place. While most in the group from Ontario felt supports should be sent to individuals directly, several in the group from Newfoundland had the opposite view and felt that wage subsidies would be an effective method of helping both workers and employers. The group from Alberta was more split, with participants voicing support for both options.

Those who preferred supports for workers felt that this method was simpler and more straightforward and direct. Some also raised concerns that some businesses may not take advantage of their program, or use it as intended, which could leave some employees with no way of accessing support. For those who preferred wage subsidies, many felt this was a more sustainable strategy that would help keep businesses open and operating as normally as possible, which would be more beneficial for the Canadian economy overall.

Detailed Findings – Part II: Other Issues

Housing and Home Renting (GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, British Columbia First-Generation Immigrants, Major Centres Prairies, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12, Northern Quebec)

Housing Affordability (GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, British Columbia First-Generation Immigrants)

Asked if they had heard about recent actions by the Government of Canada related to making homes more affordable for Canadians, few recalled any. Among the small number who were aware of recent federal initiatives, the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive was mentioned, though not specifically by name. A few participants were also under the impression the federal government had recently pledged additional resources towards the development of affordable rental units, with a particular focus on providing housing for lower-income Canadians. In the group based in British Columbia, several participants had not heard of any recent actions by the federal government related to housing, which they viewed this as an important priority and one in need of greater attention by the Government of Canada.

Participants were shown a number of potential federal housing initiatives and prompted to discuss which ones they believed would be most effective in increasing housing affordability for Canadians:

Anti-flipping tax: requiring residential properties to be held for at least 12 months;

Banning blind bidding: blind bidding is where home buyers don’t know how much others are bidding;

First-Time Home Buyer Incentive: first-time home buyers can borrow 5 or 10% of the purchase price of a home to put towards a down payment;

Funding to repair and build new affordable housing units;

Housing Accelerator Fund: making funding available to municipalities to speed up their housing plans;

National rent-to-own program: where people could pay their rent on a house and have that go towards the down payment, so that they eventually own that home;

Preventing renovictions: a renoviction occurs when a landlord evicts a tenant by claiming they will complete major renovations (or demolish the unit or convert it to commercial use); and

Temporary ban on non-recreational residential sales to foreign buyers: to help ensure that housing does not sit vacant and unavailable to Canadians wanting to buy homes.

Among the initiatives related to providing additional financial supports for prospective homeowners, the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive was identified by a large number of participants as being particularly useful. Several felt that saving up for a sufficient down payment was currently a primary barrier towards home ownership for many Canadians. As such, many felt this initiative could be very helpful in getting more Canadians into the housing market. The Incentive was particularly popular among participants in the groups from the Greater Toronto Area and Quebec.

The proposal of a national rent-to-own program also received support from several participants, who felt this represented a way for Canadians to ‘earn’ their home through steady monthly payments, similar to a mortgage. It was also believed this program might benefit users by encouraging them to create more long-term household budgets, with greater stability in how much they would pay towards housing each month. A few participants expressed the desire to see more information on the ‘rent-to-own’ program, feeling more details were necessary in order for them to assess the initiative.

The proposal to allocate additional funding to build new affordable housing units and repair existing dwellings also received support across all three groups, particularly among those from British Columbia and Quebec. A number of participants felt the housing supply at present did not adequately meet the high level of demand in many regions. Given this, it was thought the most straightforward solution to this issue would be for the federal government to focus on building additional housing units. Related to this initiative, several participants also brought up what they believed to be the poor condition of existing affordable housing units in urban centres such as Montreal and Quebec City, feeling resources urgently needed to be devoted towards repairing and modernizing these buildings. A few also mentioned what they perceived to be a lack of alternative affordable housing options such as co-op housing. It was felt building more of this type of housing, as well as providing funding towards repairing existing units, would aid many in finding affordable housing. Though also related to developing and building more housing units, the Housing Accelerator Fund received far less attention among participants.

Regarding rules and regulations that could be put in place to help make the housing market more affordable, the proposal to temporarily ban non-recreational residential sales to foreign buyers received a high level of support across all groups. It was widely felt that foreign buyers were a key driver of exorbitant housing prices in major centres such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, and that it was common practice for these buyers to purchase high-end apartments in these cities as financial investments, leaving them vacant for the majority of the year. It was thought that a temporary ban on this behaviour could potentially have a substantial impact on ‘cooling off’ the housing market. Similarly, the proposal of a ban on the practice of ‘blind bidding’ was also broadly supported, particularly among those in B.C. and Toronto. Many believed that due to a lack of transparency in the bidding process at present, many prospective homeowners were paying far more than what their properties may be worth, putting in exceedingly high bids to ensure they offered more than other potential buyers. A number of participants recalled having personally dealt with this issue in their own efforts to purchase a home. Among other potential rules and regulations, actions such as the implementation of an ‘anti-flipping’ tax and the prevention of ‘renovictions’ were concerning to some participants who felt these measures could unfairly limit the ability of homeowners to sell or improve their properties as necessary.

Home Renting (Major Centres Prairies, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12, Northern Quebec)

While a larger proportion of participants in these groups reported being homeowners, a still significant number were currently renting their homes. Regionally, more participants were homeowners in the groups from the Prairies and Nova Scotia while those in the group from Northern Quebec were primarily renters.

On balance, most participants felt the federal government had at least some role to play in regulating the cost of rent in Canada, though it was felt by a few that this issue should be handled primarily by provincial/territorial governments. Almost all participants felt at least some regulation was necessary due to what they perceived to be an exceedingly overheated rental market. Most felt that housing prices in general were becoming increasingly unaffordable, particularly for middle and lower-income Canadians whose wages had not kept pace with rapidly rising housing costs. No participants were of the opinion that housing and rental prices should be solely left up to the ‘free market’.

Discussing potential actions that could be taken by the federal government, participants were informed of a potential approach where the Government of Canada could provide subsidies or incentives to owners of rental housing in exchange for binding commitments to not raise rents. Most participants were largely in support of this idea. Several found it to be a unique approach and were open to seeing it tried. A few, however, were concerned about homeowners (the presumed wealthier party in the rental arrangement) being the primary recipients of housing subsidies and felt that financial support would be better utilized by being allocated to renters themselves. Among participants in the group from the Prairies it was mentioned that a similar program, the Saskatchewan Housing Benefit, was already in place at the provincial level. Regionally, all participants in the groups from the Prairies and Nova Scotia felt this was a viable idea, while those in the group from Northern Quebec were more mixed in their views, with some skeptical about whether this plan represented the best strategy to provide more affordable housing.

Participants also discussed whether the Government of Canada should pass legislation making it illegal for landlords to charge monthly rent above a certain amount. Though less popular than the previous proposal, this idea still received support among a number of participants. Many felt this action would greatly aid renters as well as help more individuals find affordable housing. Among these, some expressed the belief that housing was a basic human right and that any action on this front would be beneficial. Contrastingly, some participants felt such actions by the federal government would go too far in limiting the ability of homeowners to utilize their property to earn income. It was also suggested that such legislation may be improved if it targeted real estate companies and foreign investors rather than individual homeowners renting out their units for supplemental income. In addition, a few were concerned that actions to regulate rent may have the unintended consequence of reducing the rental inventory if homeowners no longer felt it was profitable to be a landlord.

Opioids (British Columbia First-Generation Immigrants)

To start this discussion, participants were asked for their impressions of a recent plan by the City of Vancouver to gain approval from Health Canada for the decriminalization of small amounts of illicit drugs, shifting from a law enforcement model to one of harm reduction. No participants were aware of the initiative. While none were against this proposal, some felt that additional supports would need to accompany this plan for it to work, including the allocation of greater funding for the health care system and more support for safe injection sites such as InSite. It was also suggested that, in order to be optimally effective, the program should be expanded from the City of Vancouver to the entire Lower Mainland.

Participants widely felt decriminalizing small amounts of illicit drugs could significantly help those currently struggling with opioid addiction. Several felt that enacting this policy would help to decrease the stigma currently faced by drug users, and could potentially encourage them to seek treatment. Some pointed to the perceived success other jurisdictions such as Portugal had experienced in taking a similar approach. Others felt this initiative could serve to reduce the number of people incarcerated for drug use and help more get treatment instead. A few participants positively commented that this approach could also aid in freeing up law enforcement resources to focus their time and effort elsewhere.

Asked what additional responses the Government of Canada could take to address opioid addiction, several ideas were put forward. These included:

Taking steps to make mental health care more affordable and widely available. Many felt mental health issues were a primary contributing factor to opioid addiction;
Greater funding for rehabilitation programs, particularly for lower-income individuals and those in areas such as Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES) where drug use is particularly prevalent;
Increased law enforcement and accountability towards those illegally distributing these substances, particularly those containing highly potent opioids such as fentanyl;
Improving education about addiction, including its drivers and dangers; and
Research into alternative treatment methods, such as the use of psilocybin, a substance included in Health Canada’s Special Access Program (SAP), which allowed physicians in some circumstances to request drugs currently not for sale in Canada for patient use. The program recently came into force on January 5th, 2022.

Youth Issues (Frontenac Region, Mauricie Region Young Adults)

Two groups comprised of young adults engaged in discussions regarding a range of youth-related issues, including their assessments of federal government programs and communications related to younger Canadians, their media habits and how best to connect to youth, as well as their expectations from the Government of Canada from a young adult perspective.

To begin, participants were asked to recall any recent actions taken by the Government of Canada to support young Canadians, including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several participants identified financial supports such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), which they felt had aided younger Canadians financially during the pandemic.

Asked where they typically received their news, participants shared a variety of sources, including:

Televised news channels such as CBC and Global News;
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok;
Recommendations from search engines such as Google; and
Through word of mouth from friends, family, or at work.

A small number of participants expressed feeling overwhelmed regarding current events in recent months, and reported actively avoiding the news.

Regarding news specifically related to the COVID-19 pandemic, participants recalled receiving their news primarily through word of mouth, traditional media such as radio and television, as well as on official provincial and federal government websites. Discussing whether they actively sought out news related to the pandemic, approximately half of participants indicated they did, with this behaviour more common among those in the group from Ontario compared to those in Quebec. Among those who regularly followed information related to the pandemic, monitoring changing public health measures, travel requirements, and metrics such as case counts and hospitalizations were the primary reasons for doing so. A small number of participants mentioned additional reasons, including seeking economic insights related to investing in pandemic-related sectors.

Relative to those seeking out news related to the pandemic, fewer participants reported regularly seeking out information pertaining to the Government of Canada more generally. Among those who did follow this type of news, primary sources included federal government websites as well as commentary from trusted journalists. A few participants identified specific areas of interest for them in terms of government activities, including immigration, Indigenous issues, and affordable housing.

A few participants from the group in Ontario recalled recently seeing advertisements from the Government of Canada, while none from the group in Quebec had done so. For those who had encountered these communications, most related to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly advertisements on television, radio, and social media encouraging them to get their booster shot. A small number of participants also recalled seeing advertisements related to cannabis, specifically warning about the dangers of driving while impaired.

Discussing whether the Government of Canada was doing an effective job in addressing the concerns of young people, few felt the federal government prioritized youth in their decision making. A number of participants criticized the federal government’s communications approach with youth, with some describing it as performative, or noting a lack of presence on the platforms frequently used by young people, such as Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, which some felt could help the federal government reach a larger proportion of young Canadians (based on a perception the federal government was not using these social media channels). Moreover, some felt that the Government of Canada could do a better job of promoting programs and supports for younger Canadians and how to access them. A smaller number of participants felt differently, believing the federal government did make an effort to prioritize young people. They believed this was particularly the case regarding matters such as environmental issues, tuition support for post-secondary education, and cannabis legalization, all of which were perceived as particularly relevant to younger generations. Regarding these and other topics of interest, it was suggested that the federal government could create curated digital mailing lists, allowing Canadians to subscribe to receive announcements from the Government of Canada regarding the topics they were personally interested in.

Asked to identify the most important issue they personally felt the Government of Canada should be focusing on, participants provided a number of responses. These included:

Housing affordability – Several felt this needed to be a top priority, citing increasingly expensive housing prices and the difficulties many younger families had in attaining home ownership;
Economic issues – A number of participants highlighted the economy as an area of importance, mentioning issues such as income inequality, worker training for emerging sectors such as digital technology and renewable energy, increasing the rate of employment, and fostering a more robust Canadian economy in the long-term;
Mental health – It was felt that many Canadians were currently unable to access sufficient mental health support, an issue participants believed had been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic; and
Social equity – Some wanted to see social equity issues prioritized by the federal government, specifically related to race, gender, religious beliefs, and sexual identity.

Asked to identify issues of particular importance to young people, participants cited housing affordability, economic stability, and education, as well as the need for more affordable child care options.

Canadian Content (Major Centres Prairies, Northern Quebec)

Two groups discussed the subject of Canadian content, specifically focusing on the Canadian film, television, and music industries. Initially asked what they thought of when they heard the phrase ‘Canadian Content’, a number of participants in the group from the Prairies provided responses, while those in the group from northern Quebec were largely unaware of what the term referred to. Among the responses provided were:

Canadian television channels such as the CBC and CTV;
Films and television shows produced by Canadian creators and filmed in Canada;
Educational content centered around Canadian history and literature; and
Digital content categories specifically focused on Canadian content on platforms such as Netflix.

More generally, a few participants mentioned that in previous eras Canadian content had always had a different ‘look’ to it and was perceived as being of lower quality compared to U.S. productions. They felt that in recent years this was no longer the case, attributing this to significant improvements in the overall quality of Canadian content. Specifically focusing on music made in Canada, some participants from the Prairies felt there was an increasing trend in mainstream Canadian music to incorporate Indigenous and French-language music, showcasing the unique diversity of Canadian culture. The group from Quebec focused primarily on individual artists and creators, remarking that many Canadian talents were among the best in their fields in film, television, and music, though some of these participants were of the opinion that many of these individuals only became more widely known after leaving Canada.

Discussing their viewing habits, most indicated they would be inclined to watch a film or television production they knew had been produced in Canada. Several thought it was important to give Canadian content a chance if they came across it, believing this to be a way of supporting these productions. A few participants also were of the view that Canadian content, particularly when directed towards education, was of a particularly high quality and was something they would seek out. Regarding music by Canadian artists, several participants said they listen to a number of Canadian musicians. A few participants from the Prairies region mentioned listening to specific genres, such as fiddling, which they felt to be heavily influenced by Canadian artists. Though many said that they were predisposed to listen to Canadian music, a significant number of participants felt the genre of music was more important to them than the nationality of the artist. Asked if they felt that Canadian content included Quebecois content, many in the group in northern Quebec believed that it did, but that Quebecois content was also its own distinct category.

Focusing on the state of the Canadian television and film industry, some participants believed it was potentially at risk, feeling that production delays and cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly impacted the industry’s fiscal health and employment rate. It was also felt by some that younger generations may be less inclined to seek out Canadian content. A few participants felt that there should be increased subsidies provided to Canadian creators by the federal government, expressing the belief that it was important to support homegrown talent. A small number in the group from northern Quebec were of the opinion that while the U.S. film and television industry would likely always be more significant, the Canadian industry was under no immediate threat.

Participants were shown a number of statements describing potential actions the Government of Canada could take to support Canadian content, and were prompted to identify the ones they most strongly supported:

The Government of Canada needs to protect Canadian content and stories;

The Government of Canada needs to support Canadian artists and creators;

The Government of Canada needs to level the playing field between traditional broadcasters and foreign web giants;

Foreign web giants need to pay their fair share to support Canadian creators;

Rules for online content are outdated and we need to modernize them;

Web giants need to make Canadian content more discoverable on their platforms; and

Web giants need to do more to showcase Canadian content on their platforms.

In both groups, the statement focusing on protecting and supporting Canadian artists and creators received the highest level of support, with almost all participants in favour of it. Similarly, participants largely supported the notion of the federal government taking steps to protect Canadian content and stories. The statements regarding Canadian content on ‘web giants’ were also met with wide support, with a large number believing steps needed to be taken to make Canadian content both more discoverable and showcased to a greater degree on these platforms. Asked what the difference was between being ‘more discoverable’ versus ‘showcased’, those participants familiar with the terms were under the impression that the former referred to being able to find content if one searched for it, whereas the latter meant content was being actively spotlighted by the platform. Participants from the Prairies were also supportive of the idea of ‘leveling the playing field’ between traditional Canadian broadcasters and foreign web giants, while the idea received only limited support among those in Quebec. Very few participants mentioned modernizing the rules governing online content or making foreign-based web giants pay their ‘fair share’ to support Canadian creators as actions they particularly supported. That said, while some participants expressed a desire to learn more about these issues before venturing an opinion, none felt that any of the statements were disagreeable at face value.

Participants were then asked if they were aware of proposed federal legislation to amend the Broadcasting Act, otherwise known as Bill C-10. Though a small number of participants in the group from the Prairies recalled having read headlines about the legislation, no specific details could be provided. No participants in the group from northern Quebec recalled hearing anything regarding this Bill. In both groups, participants were largely against the notion of the Government of Canada playing a role in regulating the content available to Canadians on major online platforms such as Spotify and Netflix. Several believed these sorts of decisions should be left to the consumer, and that the ‘open market’ should prevail, though a small number did feel that areas such as news broadcasts should be held to an increased degree of reliability and accountability to the public. In regards to supporting Canadian content, participants widely felt it would be preferable for the federal government to devote its resources to financially supporting Canadian artists and creators and working to increase the overall presence of Canadian content, rather than regulating the types of content available to Canadians.

Child Care (Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12)

Asked to identify the largest challenges related to child care in Nova Scotia, participants provided a number of responses, including:

The high costs and perceived lack of affordable child care options – Several were of the opinion that child care was unaffordable for many families, forcing some parents to leave their jobs and stay home for financial reasons;
Lack of spaces for child care – Many participants mentioned having personally experienced difficulties finding child care, recalling wait lists of over a year as well as a general lack of available spaces in many communities; and
Concern over cleanliness and the spread of illness – A few parents mentioned concerns about the general cleanliness of many child care providers as well as concerns over the potential spread of illnesses in these facilities. This was particularly a concern in regards to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Most participants were aware of a recent agreement between the Government of Canada and Nova Scotia to make early learning and child care more affordable for Nova Scotia families. A number of participants were also able to recall that the aim of the agreement was to reduce child care costs to $10 a day, on average. In addition to providing affordable child care, participants were informed that the specific objectives of the agreement focused on creating more high-quality, affordable, regulated child care spaces, addressing barriers to flexible and inclusive child care options, and providing further development and training opportunities to those working in early childhood education.

Almost all participants felt this agreement would be helpful for parents in Nova Scotia. Citing the lower costs and pledge to increase available child care spaces, many felt this deal would make child care far more accessible and allow many parents to be able to return to work. This sentiment was shared both by those participants who had children of child care age, and those whose children no longer required child care. While a small number of participants recalled having heard this agreement could potentially have a negative impact on ‘in-home’ and non-regulated day cares, they felt, after hearing some of the details, that this deal could be of assistance to families in Nova Scotia.

Net-Zero Emissions Building Strategy (Frontenac Region, Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, British Columbia First-Generation Immigrants, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults, Major Centres Prairies, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12, Northern Quebec)

Participants in these ten groups discussed the subject of net-zero emissions buildings, and the Government of Canada’s recent announcement to create a National Net-Zero Emissions Building Strategy. Sharing their initial impressions of what such a strategy may include, participants identified a number of key elements they would expect, including:

A greater emphasis on reducing the carbon emissions produced in the construction and operation of new buildings in Canada – Several participants expected a net-zero emissions building strategy would lead to the development of more buildings that rely on renewable power sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric energy;
Utilizing more environmentally-friendly construction materials and building practices – Describing what they thought constituted a ‘Net-Zero Emissions Building’, many felt this would include the use of ‘greener’ building materials, the incorporation of green spaces in building plans, and construction practices that would ensure minimal environmental impact;
Financial supports for businesses and families seeking to retrofit their homes and offices to reduce emissions and become more environmentally friendly – Several felt that incentives should be offered by the federal government to those seeking to lessen the environmental impact of their homes and businesses, with a few referring to the existing Canadian Greener Homes Program (though not specifically by name) which offers grants of up to $5,000 to pay for energy-saving home upgrades. A small number of participants in the group from the Prairies recalled having recently installed solar panels on their home, which had served to substantially reduce their electricity bill;
The creation of national energy efficiency standards for developers and builders – Several expected any new buildings would be influenced by Canada’s carbon pollution pricing system and would be required to meet environmental standards or risk financial penalty; and
An overall shift away from energy sources such as fossil fuels to renewable energy sources – It was expressed by a few participants in the group from British Columbia that regions should develop new buildings that align with the region's natural energy sources, such as installing solar panels on all new buildings in the Okanagan or utilizing hydroelectricity in the regions of the province which typically experience high levels of rainfall.

More generally, a few participants expressed the view that a ‘net-zero emissions’ strategy aligned with the more environmentally-friendly direction much of society was already moving in, and that this was an intuitive step for the federal government to take. Across all groups, however, a number of participants indicated confusion regarding the term ‘net-zero’ and were thus uncertain as to what this building strategy may involve.

To aid in discussion, it was clarified for participants that a ‘net-zero’ building was one that can produce as much energy as it consumes through the use of renewable sources. Components of the Net-Zero Emissions Building Strategy proposed by the federal government were described as including:

Grants for home retrofits;

Financial support for businesses choosing to retrofit their building;

Renovations of federally-owned buildings to become more energy efficient;

Requirements for all new buildings to be designed as net-zero emission buildings; and

Funding for Indigenous communities to build and retrofit buildings to be net-zero buildings.

Among these initiatives, participants were particularly supportive of the idea of providing grants for individual home retrofits, feeling this could benefit Canadian families as well as their wider communities. Some, including those who had considered or completed a home retrofit project in recent years, felt that federal financial support would be greatly beneficial in helping to cover what they perceived to be the high costs of retrofitting one’s home. The proposal to provide financial support for businesses was met with similar high support among participants. A small number, however, felt that in the case of large businesses, these companies should be required to pay for the entirety of their retrofitting costs and should not qualify for federal financial support. On balance, most participants felt financial supports to aid individual families and businesses would be an effective way to encourage retrofitting as a wider practice. It was believed by incentivizing these changes at the individual level, the federal government could work to bring about a wider societal shift towards retrofitting and ensuring ‘greener’ buildings overall.

The pledge requiring all new buildings be designed to be ‘net-zero’ was also popular among a number of participants. Several felt this was the most important component of the federal government’s strategy in terms of providing sustainability for future generations. Many believed that ensuring all new buildings would have a minimal ‘carbon footprint’ would be a highly positive step by limiting the amount of new emissions being created. Some, however, felt while this was an important initiative, it was also likely the hardest to achieve due to the perceived high costs of constructing net-zero buildings and the significant shift in building and development practices it would require to be successful. A few also raised concerns that these additional requirements could have the negative effect of reducing the number of new buildings being constructed as well as drive up the prices of existing buildings in the process. A significant number of participants also mentioned the initiative to renovate all federally-owned buildings to be more energy efficient as a worthwhile action to take. It was believed that in taking this action the Government of Canada would be providing leadership by example, and setting a standard for private Canadian businesses and institutions.

The proposal to provide funding for Indigenous communities to build and retrofit buildings to be ‘net-zero’ was supported by virtually all participants. Many expressed the view that important infrastructure in a number of Indigenous communities was currently in urgent need of repair and that these actions could help address this issue. It was also felt that by prioritizing net-zero emissions buildings and the development of renewable energy sources these communities could potentially lower their overall energy costs. It was strongly felt among participants that Indigenous communities should be a part of any federal retrofitting programs and that all new buildings on Indigenous reservations should be built to the same environmental standards as those in the rest of the country. A number of participants believed these actions would serve to improve living standards and the overall health and wellness of Indigenous communities and felt this represented an important priority for the federal government going forward.

More generally, a number of participants felt that all proposed components of the National Net-Zero Emissions Building Strategy were worth pursuing to ensure a more sustainable future. In addition to the environmental benefits, it was also felt that a shift towards net-zero building practices may also spur job creation in the green energy and construction sectors. Related to this, it was suggested by some participants that the federal government’s strategy should provide financing to retrain Canadian workers and provide the necessary skills for them to earn a living in these emerging industries.

Participants were next engaged in an exercise evaluating a number of alternate names proposed for the National Net-Zero Emissions Building Strategy. These included:

Better Buildings Plan

Canadian Green Buildings Strategy

Cleaner Buildings Canada

National Net-Zero Emissions Buildings Strategy

National Renewable Buildings Plan

Reduced Emissions Building Plan

Sustainable Building Strategy

Sustainable Building Strategy was widely popular among participants. This was generally the case in all groups with the exception of the three groups in Quebec, where participants all preferred Canadian Green Buildings Strategy. Many participants positively responded to what they identified as thought-provoking terms utilized in these names, including ‘sustainable’ and ‘green’. While a small number felt these words were overused or potentially vague, more were of the opposite opinion, feeling the terms would resonate with a large number of Canadians and convey the overarching goal of the strategy. Many who responded positively to Canadian Green Buildings Strategy identified the use of ‘Canadian’ in the name as particularly appealing, presenting this strategy as a national effort.

National Renewable Buildings Plan also received a moderate level of support, viewed by some as being particularly straightforward and clear on the strategy’s goals. Others thought the name effectively communicated the plan’s national scope as well as the overarching aim of developing more environmentally-friendly buildings. By contrast, though a small number liked the serious tone of the original name, National Net-Zero Emissions Building Strategy, most felt the name for such a strategy needed to be more concise. Few participants expressed support for Better Buildings Plan, Reduced Emissions Building Plan, or Cleaner Buildings Canada. Many described these names as feeling somewhat vague, specifically pointing to terms such as ‘better’, ‘reduced’, or ‘cleaner’, which they felt did not adequately communicate the Government of Canada’s objectives.

Zero Emission Vehicles (Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, British Columbia First-Generation Immigrants, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults, Major Centres Prairies, Northern Quebec)

Participants in nine groups were engaged in a discussion regarding zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs), a class of automobiles which have the potential to produce no tailpipe emissions, including battery-electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles. Though very few reported having owned a ZEV, a significant number indicated they would consider purchasing one in the future, with some having recently looked into doing so. Discussing the factors that could potentially motivate them to buy a ZEV, participants shared a number of responses, including:

A positive environmental impact – A number of participants said they would consider buying a ZEV to support environment objectives and help combat climate change. A large number of participants were of the opinion that the widespread adoption of ZEVs by Canadians would greatly contribute to environmental sustainability in the long-term;
Lower fuel costs – Several believed owning a ZEV would substantially reduce fuel costs and provide a more affordable option over the long term, especially in light of increasing fuel costs;
Financial incentives – A few participants mentioned the availability of public rebates, including from the Government of Canada, as a potential motivator that would help offset the upfront costs of owning a ZEV; and
Modern technology – A small number associated ZEVs with cutting edge technology and design, and a more enjoyable driving experience overall.

In considering ZEVs, participants also expressed a number of potential concerns they had regarding these automobiles, including:

High costs – The most commonly cited concern regarding ZEVs was the belief that these vehicles were currently prohibitively expensive for many Canadians. It was thought while they may reduce gasoline costs, the initial cost of purchasing a ZEV was too high;
Difficult to repair – Some participants also were of the impression that ZEVs would be expensive to repair due to the complex technology involved. It was believed that in most cases ZEVs in need of repair would need to be taken to the dealers or manufacturers themselves, a process which could become quite costly;
Lack of range – A number of participants, particularly those residing in or frequently travelling to more rural regions, expressed concern about the range of ZEVs. A common worry identified by participants was the potential of running out of power while in a remote area and having no way to recharge their vehicle; and
Lack of infrastructure – Many were also of the view that most communities in Canada would not likely be able to support a massive influx of ZEVs in the short term. It was felt there would need to be a significant investment into developing infrastructure, such as charging stations, to support wider ZEV use. It was also added that for those who live in apartment complexes, owning a ZEV was quite impractical, as these buildings rarely had sufficient charging stations available.

Asked to evaluate a potential proposal by the Government of Canada to set a target requiring all new cars sold in Canada to be ZEVs by the year 2050, participants were mixed in their responses. Many felt this was a reasonable goal, given the environmental benefits and the lengthy time horizon for implementation, which they believed would allow for governments to put necessary infrastructure in place, and for manufacturers to address perceived issues related to range and affordability. A smaller yet still significant number of participants were opposed to the idea of a federal requirement regarding ZEVs. Several expressed concerns about the ability of these vehicles to navigate remote or difficult terrain, an issue that was felt to be particularly important for Canada, given the nation’s regional diversity. Others were worried that the high costs of these vehicles would make it especially difficult for lower and middle-income Canadians to purchase them. A few participants expressed uncertainty regarding this proposal, clarifying that while they were supportive of ZEVs, they believed the decision should ultimately lie with the consumer about the type of vehicle they wished to purchase.

Asked to consider a scenario in which ZEVs in 2050 were no more expensive than other types of automobiles, many participants who were initially hesitant indicated they would be far more likely to purchase a ZEV if this were the case, feeling that, at present, cost was their primary barrier. A few, however, remained disinclined to buy a ZEV, reiterating concerns regarding battery life, range, as well as a general preference towards gasoline-powered vehicles.

Small Nuclear Reactors (Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, British Columbia First-Generation Immigrants, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults, Major Centres Prairies, Northern Quebec)

Participants in these groups discussed the topic of nuclear energy, specifically focusing on its potential as a viable energy source within Canada. Sharing their initial impressions regarding nuclear power, participants were generally mixed in their views on this matter, with roughly as many in favour of expanding the use of nuclear power in Canada as those either skeptical or opposed to it. Among proponents of nuclear energy, it was felt that nuclear power was safe, efficient, and a relatively environmentally-friendly method of generating power. Adding to this, a number of participants believed nuclear power represented a sustainable long-term energy source, and felt it made sense to pursue this technology further, so long as proper safeguards could be guaranteed.

For those more worried about nuclear power, safety was the most commonly cited concern. Pointing to large-scale accidents such as those occurring in Chernobyl and Fukushima, many were concerned that similar incidents could happen in Canada. Some also raised the issue of nuclear waste and the challenge of disposing of it safely, especially over the long term, while others felt that while the technology may be ‘cleaner’ in some aspects, it was not without its own environmental concerns. This negative sentiment was particularly prominent among the three groups in Quebec, where participants tended to have a more pessimistic view regarding the safety of nuclear power than participants from other parts of Canada.

Discussing whether the federal government should look to do more or less with nuclear power, the most common sentiment expressed by participants was one of uncertainty, with many finding it difficult to properly evaluate this matter without knowing more about nuclear technology and the degree to which it was already being utilized in Canada. While some strongly felt the federal government should do more with nuclear power, a number of participants qualified their opinions, saying they were open to this approach, but did not wish to see it prioritized over other renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectricity. Few were of the opinion that the Government of Canada should seek to do less with nuclear power.

Asked if they had heard about Small Nuclear Reactors (SMRs), few participants were aware of this technology. To aid in discussion, it was clarified that SMRs were an emerging area of nuclear energy innovation in Canada and around the world, featuring enhanced safety features, a reduced ‘carbon footprint’, and considerably less waste than traditional nuclear energy reactors. Though a number of participants reiterated the view that they did not know enough about nuclear power to form an opinion, many felt positively about the potential of SMRs in Canada. In particular, several participants were of the belief that SMRs would likely be easier to construct, require less resources, produce less waste, and could produce a large amount of energy for Canadians. It was also suggested that having a larger number of smaller reactors could potentially bring additional safety benefits, in that any accidents would likely be much smaller in scale compared to larger, traditional nuclear reactors. While a number of others remained uncertain, some indicated they would be open to the Government of Canada looking into SMRs further in order to determine whether their widespread use could be implemented safely and effectively. A small number of participants remained hesitant regarding any increased use of nuclear power, even via SMRs, expressing concerns regarding the availability of enough qualified workers to safely operate these facilities as well as the worry that expanding the number of nuclear reactors in Canada could also increase the chances of an accident occurring and compound the issues related to nuclear waste.

Discussing the primary justifications for looking further into SMRs, participants were informed that some experts had identified using these smaller reactors as an effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and aid the Government of Canada in achieving its goal of net-zero emissions. Across the groups, participants were largely receptive to this idea, with many of the view that so long as these SMRs were safe and produced minimal waste, they could potentially be a viable alternative to non-renewable energy sources. While supportive of SMRs, many expressed the preference for this technology to be one of many ‘clean’ energy sources prioritized by the federal government, rather than the primary source of energy generation within Canada.

Focusing on the possible economic benefits of SMRs, participants were also informed of the economic opportunities presented by these smaller reactors in that a number Canadian companies were already experienced in developing this technology and could export these SMRs to other countries. Though a few participants expressed the desire to ensure these SMRs could be safely operated in other countries and were not in danger of being ‘weaponized’, the potential economic advantages were seen by most as a strong reason to further pursue this technology. It was thought by several participants that by becoming leaders in this field, Canadian companies could promote a high standard of efficiency and safety for constructing and operating SMRs, and this would have a largely positive overall effect on the Canadian economy. Many were also of the opinion that increased production of SMRs in Canada could be a key driver towards job creation in both the public and private sectors.

Hydrogen-Based Energy (Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, Northern Quebec)

Participants in two groups in Quebec were asked a series of questions related to hydrogen-based energy. To begin, participants were asked if they had recently heard anything about ‘clean hydrogen’. Very few participants were familiar with this term. Among the small number indicating some awareness, hydrogen was positively described as a ‘clean’ and renewable energy source that was relatively easy to generate. Most participants, however, felt they did not know enough to form an opinion.

To aid in discussion, participants were provided with additional information explaining the process through which hydrogen-based energy is created, as well as its potential applications. Participants were shown the following:

Essentially, natural resources such as clean electricity (electricity generated from non-emitting sources, such as hydro-electricity, wind, solar, etc.), natural gas and other sources of renewable energy can be converted to hydrogen with little or no emissions.

Once produced, hydrogen can be used as a low carbon feed-stock to drive down emissions for a variety of industrial processes, like steel manufacturing. It can also be converted to electricity via fuel cells, which can be used in a wide range of applications, such as providing power for vehicles, power plants, buildings, and long-term energy storage.

When combusted, used as a feedstock, or used in a fuel cell, hydrogen emit only water; there are no carbon dioxide emissions, and no air pollutants. Fuel cell applications (including in medium and heavy-duty vehicles) also tend to be quiet during operation as they have few moving parts.

Asked whether they could think of concerns or downsides related to using hydrogen-based energy, very few potential drawbacks were identified, though a small number expressed concern regarding what they perceived to be the highly flammable nature of hydrogen and the potential for accidents or explosions. Discussing the degree to which the Government of Canada should prioritize hydrogen-based energy going forward, some felt it could provide considerable environmental and economic benefits, specifically mentioning its potential as a mobile power source for zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs). A significant number of participants, however, felt that based on the passage above more research still needed to be undertaken to determine whether this technology represented a viable way to meet Canadian energy needs going forward.

Appendix A – Recruiting Scripts

English Recruiting Script

Privy Council Office

Recruiting Script – January 2022

English Groups

Recruitment Specifications Summary

Groups conducted online
Each group is expected to last for two hours
Recruit 8 participants
Incentives will be $100 per person and will be sent to participants via e-transfer following the group

Specifications for the focus groups are as follows:

GROUP	DATE	TIME (EST)	TIME (LOCAL)	LOCATION	COMPOSITION	MODERATOR
1	Wed., January 5^th	6:00-8:00	6:00-8:00 (EST)	Frontenac Region – Ontario	General Population	DN
2	Thurs., January 6^th	4:30-6:30	5:30-7:30 (AST) 6:00-8:00 (NST)	Newfoundland	General Population	DN
3	Thurs., January 6^th	8:00-10:00	6:00-8:00 (MST)	Alberta	Young Adults, aged 18-29	TBW
4	Tues., January 11th ^th	9:00-11:00	6:00-8:00 (PST)	Vancouver Island	Parents of Children under 12	TBW
5	Wed., January 12^th	6:00-8:00	6:00-8:00 (EST)	Greater Toronto Area (GTA)	Prospective Homeowners	DN
7	Tues., January 18^th	9:00-11:00	6:00-8:00 (PST)	British Columbia	First Generation Immigrants	TBW
8	Wed., January 19^th	6:00-8:00	6:00-8:00 (EST)	Wellington and Waterloo Regions – Ontario	Young Adults, aged 18-29	DN
10	Mon., January 24^th	7:00-9:00	6:00-8:00 (CST)	Major Centres Prairies	General Population	DN
11	Tues., January 25^th	5:00-7:00	6:00-8:00 (AST)	Nova Scotia	Parents of Children under 12	TBW

Recruiting Script

INTRODUCTION

Hello, my name is [RECRUITER NAME]. I'm calling from The Strategic Counsel, a national public opinion research firm, on behalf of the Government of Canada/Bonjour, je m’appelle [NOM DU RECRUTEUR]. Je vous téléphone du Strategic Counsel, une entreprise nationale de recherche sur l’opinion publique, pour le compte du gouvernement du Canada.

Would you prefer to continue in English or French?/Préfériez-vous continuer en français ou en anglais? [CONTINUE IN LANGUAGE OF PREFERENCE]

RECORD LANGUAGE

English CONTINUE

French THANK AND END

On behalf of the Government of Canada, we’re organizing a series of online video focus group discussions to explore current issues of interest to Canadians.

The format is a “round table” discussion, led by an experienced moderator. Participants will be given a cash honorarium in appreciation of their time.

Your participation is completely voluntary and all your answers will be kept confidential. We are only interested in hearing your opinions - no attempt will be made to sell or market you anything. The report that is produced from the series of discussion groups we are holding will not contain comments that are attributed to specific individuals.

But before we invite you to attend, we need to ask you a few questions to ensure that we get a good mix/variety of people in each of the groups. May I ask you a few questions?

YesCONTINUE

NoTHANK AND END

SCREENING QUESTIONS

1. Have you, or has anyone in your household, worked for any of the following types of organizations in the last 5 years?

A market research firm

THANK AND END

A marketing, branding or advertising agency

THANK AND END

A magazine or newspaper

THANK AND END

A federal/provincial/territorial government department or agency

THANK AND END

A political party

THANK AND END

In public/media relations

THANK AND END

In radio/television

THANK AND END

No, none of the above

CONTINUE

1a. IN ALL LOCATIONS: Are you a retired Government of Canada employee?

YesTHANK AND END

NoCONTINUE

2. In which city do you reside?

LOCATION	CITIES
Frontenac Region – Ontario	Cities could include (but are not limited to): Kingston, Frontenac Islands, South Frontenac, North Frontenac, Central Frontenac. AIM FOR MAX OF 4 PARTICIPANTS FROM KINGSTON. AIM FOR A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES.	CONTINUE - GROUP 1
Newfoundland	Cities could include (but are not limited to): St. John’s, Mount Pearl, Corner Brook, Conception Bay South, Paradise, Grand Falls-Windsor, Gander, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Torbay, Labrador City, Portugal Cove-St. Phillip’s, Stephenville, Clarenville, Bay Roberts, Marystown NO MORE THAN TWO PER CITY. ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES.	CONTINUE - GROUP 2
Alberta	Cities include (but are not limited to): Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Fort McMurray, Wood Buffalo, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie, Lloydminster, Fort Saskatchewan, Sylvan Lake, Brooks, Strathmore, High River, Wetaskiwin, Cold Lake ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE PROVINCE. NO MORE THAN TWO PER CITY. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES.	CONTINUE - GROUP 3
Vancouver Island	Cities could include (but are not limited to): Victoria, Nanaimo, Courtenay, Campbell River, Parksville, Duncan, Port Alberni, Lady Smith, Sooke ENSURE A GOOD MIX ACROSS THE REGION. NO MORE THAN TWO PER CITY. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES.	CONTINUE - GROUP 4
Greater Toronto Area (GTA)	Cities include: City of Toronto, Durham (Ajax, Clarington, Brock, Oshawa, Pickering, Whitby), Halton (Burlington, Halton Hills, Oakville, Milton), Peel (Brampton, Caledon, Mississauga), York (Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, Aurora), Dufferin County (Mono, Orangeville) and Simcoe County ENSURE A GOOD MIX ACROSS THE REGION. NO MORE THAN TWO FROM CITY OF TORONTO OR PER REGION/COUNTY. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES.	CONTINUE - GROUP 5
British Columbia	Cities could include (but are not limited to): Vancouver, Surrey, Victoria, Richmond, Burnaby, Kelowna, Abbotsford, Nanaimo, Kamloops, White Rock, Chilliwack, Prince George, Vernon, Port Alberni, Squamish, Prince Rupert, Williams Lake, Kitimat, Smithers MAX 3 PARTICIPANTS FROM THE LOWER MAINLAND AND 1 FROM VANCOUVER ISLAND. ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES.	CONTINUE - GROUP 7
Wellington and Waterloo Regions – Ontario	Cities could include (but not limited to): Wellington: Guelph, Fergus, Erin, Elora, Aberfoyle, Mount Forest. Waterloo: Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo, Woolwich, Wilmot, North Dumfries, Wellesley. ENSURE 4 PARTICIPANTS FROM EACH REGION. ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION. NO MORE THAN 1 PER CITY. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES.	CONTINUE - GROUP 8
Major Centres Prairies	Cities include: Manitoba: Winnipeg, Brandon. Saskatchewan: Saskatoon, Regina. ENSURE 4 PARTICIPANTS FROM EACH PROVINCE. NO MORE THAN TWO FROM EACH CITY. ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION.	CONTINUE - GROUP 10
Nova Scotia	Cities include: Halifax, Dartmouth, Cape Breton – Sydney, Truro, New Glasgow, Glace Bay, Sydney Mines, Kentville, Amherst, Bridgewater, New Waterford, Yarmouth, Windsor. ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION. NO MORE THAN TWO PER CITY. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES.	CONTINUE - GROUP 11

2a. How long have you lived in [INSERT CITY]? RECORD NUMBER OF YEARS.

Less than two years	THANK AND END
Two years or more	CONTINUE
Don’t know/Prefer not to answer	THANK AND END

ENSURE A GOOD MIX BY NUMBER OF YEARS IN CITY. NO MORE THAN 2 PER GROUP UNDER 5 YEARS.

3. ASK ONLY IF GROUP 4 OR 11 Do you have any children under the age of 12?

Yes CONTINUE TO Q3A

NoTHANK AND END

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer THANK AND END

3a. ASK ONLY IF GROUP 4 OR 11 Could you please tell me the ages of these children?

Child	Age
1
2
3
4
5

ENSURE A GOOD MIX BY AGE AND NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN EACH GROUP. ALL MUST HAVE AT LEAST 1 CHILD BETWEEN THE AGES OF 5 AND 11.

4. ASK ONLY IF GROUP 5 Do you currently or have you previously owned a home?

Yes THANK AND END

NoCONTINUE TO Q4a

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer THANK AND END

4a. ASK ONLY IF GROUP 5 Are you looking to purchase a home sometime within the next 5 years?

Yes CONTINUE

Not sure/MaybeCONTINUE

NoTHANK AND END

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer THANK AND END

SKEW GROUPS TO THOSE WHO SAY ‘YES.’ NO MORE THAN 2 WHO SAY ‘NOT SURE/MAYBE.’

5. ASK ONLY IF GROUP 7 Were you born in Canada?

Yes THANK AND END

NoCONTINUE TO Q5a

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer THANK AND END

5a. ASK ONLY IF GROUP 7 How many years have you lived in Canada?

5 to <10 years
Less than 5 years	CONTINUE – GROUP 7
10 to <20 years
20 to <30 years
30 or more years
Don’t know/Prefer not to answer	THANK AND END

ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF TIME LIVED IN CANADA.

6. Would you be willing to tell me in which of the following age categories you belong?

Under 18 years of age	IF POSSIBLE, ASK FOR SOMEONE OVER 18 AND REINTRODUCE. OTHERWISE THANK AND END.
18-24	IF ALBERTA = GROUP 3 IF WELLINGTON/WATERLOO = GROUP 8 ALL OTHER LOCATIONS, CONTINUE
25-29
30-39	IF ALBERTA OR WELLINGTON/WATERLOO = THANK AND END ALL OTHER LOCATIONS, CONTINUE
40-54
55+
VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer	THANK AND END

ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF AGES WITHIN EACH GROUP.
YOUNG ADULTS IN GROUPS 3 & 8 ENSURE A MIX OF AGES BETWEEN 18 AND 29.
PARENTS IN GROUP 4 & 11 MAY SKEW YOUNGER-MIDDLE AGED (30S/40S).
PROSPECTIVE HOMEOWNERS IN GROUP 5 MAY SKEW YOUNGER-MIDDLE AGED (30S/40S).

7. [DO NOT ASK] Gender RECORD BY OBSERVATION.

Male	CONTINUE
Female	CONTINUE

ENSURE A GOOD MIX BY GENDER IN EACH GROUP.
PARENTS IN GROUP 4 & 11 MAY SKEW FEMALE BUT TRY FOR A 50/50 SPLIT MALE/FEMALE.

8. Which of the following racial or cultural groups best describes you? (multi-select)

White/Caucasian

South Asian (e.g., East Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan)

Chinese

Black

Latin American

Filipino

Arab

Southeast Asian (e.g., Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai)

Korean or Japanese

Indigenous

Other (specify)

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer THANK AND END

ENSURE A GOOD MIX.

FIRST GENERATION IMMIGRANTS IN GROUP 7 MAY SKEW TO NON-WHITE/CAUCASIAN

9. Are you an international student?

YesTHANK AND END

No EXPLAIN THE FOLLOWING

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer THANK AND END

10. Which of the following best describes the industry sector in which you are currently employed?

Accommodation and Food Services

Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation

Construction

Educational Services

Finance and Insurance

Health Care and Social Assistance

Information and Cultural Industries

Management of Companies and Enterprises

Manufacturing

Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction

Other Services (except Public Administration)

Professional, Scientific and Technical Services

Public Administration

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

Retail Trade

Transportation and Warehousing

Utilities

Wholesale Trade

Unemployed

Full Time Student

Retired

Other, please specify: ______________

CONTINUE FOR ALL. ENSURE A GOOD MIX BY TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT FOR EACH GROUP. NO MORE THAN TWO PER SECTOR.

11. Are you familiar with the concept of a focus group?

YesCONTINUE

No EXPLAIN THE FOLLOWING “a focus group consists of six to eight participants and one moderator. During a two-hour session, participants are asked to discuss a wide range of issues related to the topic being examined.”

12. As part of the focus group, you will be asked to actively participate in a conversation. Thinking of how you engage in group discussions, how would you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 means ‘you tend to sit back and listen to others’ and 5 means ‘you are usually one of the first people to speak’?

1-2THANK AND END

3-5CONTINUE

13. As this group is being conducted online, in order to participate you will need to have high-speed Internet and a computer with a working webcam, microphone and speaker. RECRUITER TO CONFIRM THE FOLLOWING. TERMINATE IF NO TO ANY.

Participant has high-speed access to the Internet

Participant has a computer/webcam

14. Have you used online meeting software, such as Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts/Meet, etc., in the last two years?

YesCONTINUE

NoCONTINUE

15. How skilled would you say you are at using online meeting platforms on your own, using a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means you are not at all skilled, and 5 means you are very skilled?

1-2THANK AND END

3-5CONTINUE

16. During the discussion, you could be asked to read or view materials on screen and/or participate in poll-type exercises online. You will also be asked to actively participate online using a webcam. Can you think of any reason why you may have difficulty reading the materials or participating by video?
TERMINATE IF RESPONDENT OFFERS ANY REASON SUCH AS SIGHT OR HEARING PROBLEM, A WRITTEN OR VERBAL LANGUAGE PROBLEM, A CONCERN WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY, ANY CONCERNS WITH USING A WEBCAM OR IF YOU AS THE INTERVIEWER HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE PARTICIPANT’S ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE EFFECTIVELY.

17. Have you ever attended a focus group discussion, an interview or survey which was arranged in advance and for which you received a sum of money?

Yes CONTINUE

No SKIP TO Q.21

18. How long ago was the last focus group you attended?

Less than 6 months ago THANK AND END

More than 6 months ago CONTINUE

19. How many focus group discussions have you attended in the past 5 years?

0-4 groups CONTINUE

5 or more groups THANK AND END

20. On what topics were they and do you recall who or what organization the groups were being undertaken for?

TERMINATE IF ANY ON SIMILAR/SAME TOPIC OR GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IDENTIFIED AS ORGANIZATION

ADDITIONAL RECRUITING CRITERIA

Now we have just a few final questions before we give you the details of the focus group, including the time and date.

21. What is the highest level of formal education that you have completed?

Grade 8 or less

Some high school

High school diploma or equivalent

Registered Apprenticeship or other trades certificate or diploma

College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma

University certificate or diploma below bachelor's level

Bachelor's degree

Post graduate degree above bachelor's level

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer

ENSURE A GOOD MIX.

22. Which of the following categories best describes your total household income in 2020? That is, the total income of all persons in your household combined, before taxes?

Under $20,000

$20,000 to just under $40,000

$40,000 to just under $60,000

$60,000 to just under $80,000

$80,000 to just under $100,000

$100,000 to just under $150,000

$150,000 and above

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer THANK AND END

ENSURE A GOOD MIX.

23. The focus group discussion will be audio-taped and video-taped for research purposes only. The taping is conducted to assist our researchers in writing their report. Do you consent to being audio-taped and video-taped?

Yes

NoTHANK AND END

INVITATION

I would like to invite you to this online focus group discussion, which will take place the evening of [INSERT DATE/TIME BASED ON GROUP # IN CHART ON PAGE 1]. The group will be two hours in length and you will receive $100 for your participation following the group via an e-transfer.

Please note that there may be observers from the Government of Canada at the group and that the discussion will be videotaped. By agreeing to participate, you have given your consent to these procedures.

Would you be willing to attend?

YesCONTINUE

NoTHANK AND END

May I please have your full name, a telephone number that is best to reach you at as well as your e-mail address if you have one so that I can send you the details for the group?

Name:

Telephone Number:

E-mail Address:

You will receive an e-mail from The Strategic Counsel with the instructions to login to the online group. Should you have any issues logging into the system specifically, you can contact our technical support team at support@thestrategiccounsel.com.

We ask that you are online at least 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the session in order to ensure you are set up and to allow our support team to assist you in case you run into any technical issues. We also ask that you restart your computer prior to joining the group.

You may be required to view some material during the course of the discussion. If you require glasses to do so, please be sure to have them handy at the time of the group. Also, you will need pen and paper in order to take some notes throughout the group.

This is a firm commitment. If you anticipate anything preventing you from attending (either home or work-related), please let me know now and we will keep your name for a future study. If for any reason you are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible at [1-800-xxx-xxxx] so we can find a replacement.

Thank you very much for your time.

RECRUITED BY: ____________________

DATE RECRUITED: ____________________

French Recruiting Script

Bureau du Conseil privé

Questionnaire de recrutement – janvier 2022

Groupes en français

Résumé des consignes de recrutement

Groupes tenus en ligne.
Durée prévue de chaque rencontre : deux heures.
Recrutement de huit participants.
Incitatifs de 125 $ par personne, versés aux participants par transfert électronique après la rencontre.

Caractéristiques des groupes de discussion :

GROUPE	DATE	HEURE (DE L’EST)	HEURE (LOCALE)	LIEU	COMPOSITION DU GROUPE	MODÉRATEUR
6	17 janvier	18 h-20 h	18 h-20 h (HNE)	Grandes villes du Québec	Propriétaires futurs	M. Proulx
9	20 janvier	18 h-20 h	18 h-20 h (HNE)	Région de la Mauricie – Québec	Les jeunes adultes (18-29 ans)	M. Proulx
12	27 janvier	18 h-20 h	18 h-20 h (HNE)	Nord-du-Québec	Population générale	M. Proulx

Questionnaire de recrutement

INTRODUCTION

Hello, my name is [RECRUITER NAME]. I’m calling from The Strategic Counsel, a national public opinion research firm, on behalf of the Government of Canada/Bonjour, je m’appelle [NOM DU RECRUTEUR]. Je vous téléphone du Strategic Counsel, une entreprise nationale de recherche sur l’opinion publique, pour le compte du gouvernement du Canada.

Would you prefer to continue in English or French?/Préféreriez-vous continuer en français ou en anglais?
[CONTINUER DANS LA LANGUE PRÉFÉRÉE]

NOTER LA LANGUE ET CONTINUER

Anglais REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Français CONTINUER

Nous organisons, pour le compte du gouvernement du Canada, une série de groupes de discussion vidéo en ligne afin d’explorer des questions d’actualité qui intéressent les Canadiens.

La rencontre prendra la forme d’une table ronde animée par un modérateur expérimenté. Les participants recevront un montant d’argent en remerciement de leur temps.

Votre participation est entièrement volontaire et toutes vos réponses seront confidentielles. Nous aimerions simplement connaître vos opinions : personne n’essaiera de vous vendre quoi que ce soit ou de promouvoir des produits. Notre rapport sur cette série de groupes de discussion n’attribuera aucun commentaire à une personne en particulier.

Avant de vous inviter à participer, je dois vous poser quelques questions qui nous permettront de former des groupes suffisamment diversifiés. Puis-je vous poser quelques questions?

OuiCONTINUER

NonREMERCIER ET CONCLURE

QUESTIONS DE SÉLECTION

1. Est-ce que vous ou une personne de votre ménage avez travaillé pour l’un des types d’organisations suivants au cours des cinq dernières années?

Une société d’études de marché REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Une agence de commercialisation, de marque ou de publicité REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Un magazine ou un journal REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Un ministère ou un organisme gouvernemental fédéral, provincial ou territorial REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Un parti politique REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Dans les relations publiques ou les relations avec les médias REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Dans le milieu de la radio ou de la télévision REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Non, aucune de ces réponses CONTINUER

1a. POUR TOUS LES LIEUX : Êtes-vous un ou une employé(e) retraité(e) du gouvernement du Canada ?

OuiREMERCIER ET CONCLURE

NonCONTINUER

2. Quelle langue parlez-vous le plus souvent à la maison ?

Anglais REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Français CONTINUER

Autre [Préciser ou non la langue, selon les besoins de l'étude] REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Préfère ne pas répondre REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

3. Dans quelle ville habitez-vous ?

LIEU	VILLES
Grandes villes du Québec	Ces villes peuvent notamment comprendre : Montréal, Gatineau, Québec, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, Chicoutimi – Jonquière ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES VILLES DE LA RÉGION. PAS PLUS DE DEUX PARTICIPANTS PAR VILLE.	CONTINUER - GROUPE 6
Région de la Mauricie – Québec	Les villes de la région de la Mauricie peuvent notamment comprendre : Trois-Rivières, Shawinigan, La Tuque, Louiseville, Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES VILLES DE LA RÉGION. PAS PLUS DE DEUX PARTICIPANTS PAR VILLE. RECRUTER DES RÉSIDENTS DE GRANDES ET DE PETITES COLLECTIVITÉS.	CONTINUER - GROUPE 9
Nord-du-Québec	Les villes du Nord-du-Québec peuvent notamment comprendre : Chibougamau, Chisasibi, Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Kuujjuaq, Baie-James, Inukjuak, Eeyou Istchee James Bay, Chapais, Waswanipi, Puvirnituq, Matagami, Salluit, Kangiqsualujjuaq, Kangiqsujuaq, Kuujjuarapik, Kawawachikamach, Akulivik, Kangirsuk, Umiujaq, Ivujivik, Quaqtaq, Tasiujaq, Aupaluk, Baie-d'Hudson, Rivière-Koksoak, Mistissini, Nemiscau, Waskaganish, Eastmain and Wemindji. ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES VILLES DE LA RÉGION. RECRUTER DES RÉSIDENTS DE GRANDES ET DE PETITES COLLECTIVITÉS.	CONTINUER - GROUPE 12
Autre lieu	-	REMERCIER ET CONCLURE
RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE Préfère ne pas répondre	-	REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

3a. Depuis combien de temps habitez-vous à [INSÉRER LE NOM DE LA VILLE]? NOTER LE NOMBRE D’ANNÉES.

Moins de deux ans	REMERCIER ET CONCLURE
Deux ans ou plus	CONTINUER
Ne sais pas/Préfère ne pas répondre	REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION EN FONCTION DU NOMBRE D’ANNÉES DE RÉSIDENCE DANS LA VILLE. PAS PLUS DE DEUX PAR GROUPE DOIVENT Y VIVRE DEPUIS MOINS DE 5 ANS.

4. DEMANDER SEULEMENT POUR LE GROUPE 6 Êtes-vous actuellement propriétaire d’un logement, ou l’avez-vous déjà été?

Oui REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Non CONTINUER (ACHETEUR POSSIBLE D’UN PREMIER LOGEMENT)

RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE Je préfère ne pas répondre REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

4a. DEMANDER SEULEMENT POUR LE GROUPE 6 Est-ce que vous envisagez d’acheter un logement au cours des cinq prochaines années?

Oui CONTINUER

Pas sûr/peut-être CONTINUER

Non REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE Je préfère ne pas répondre REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

RECRUTER PLUS DE RÉPONDANTS QUI DISENT « OUI ». PAS PLUS DE DEUX RÉPONDANTS QUI DISENT « PAS SÛR/PEUT-ÊTRE ».

5. Seriez-vous prêt/prête à m’indiquer votre tranche d’âge dans la liste suivante?

25 à 29	+ RÉGION DE LA MAURICIE = GROUP 9 CONTINUER
Moins de 18 ans	SI POSSIBLE, DEMANDER À PARLER À UNE PERSONNE DE 18 ANS OU PLUS ET REFAIRE L’INTRODUCTION. SINON, REMERCIER ET CONCLURE..
18 à 24	+ RÉGION DE LA MAURICIE = GROUP 9 CONTINUER
30 à 39	+ RÉGION DE LA MAURICIE = REMERCIER ET CONCLURE CONTINUER ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES ÂGES DANS CHAQUE GROUPE.
40 à 54
55 ans ou plus
RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE Je préfère ne pas répondre	REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

LES PROPRIÉTAIRES FUTURS DU GROUP 6 PEUVENT ÊTRE D’ÂGE PLUS JEUNE ET MOYEN (30S/40S).

6. [NE PAS DEMANDER] Sexe NOTER SELON VOTRE OBSERVATION.

Homme

Femme

ASSURER UNE PROPORTION ÉGALE D’HOMMES ET DE FEMMES DANS CHAQUE GROUPE.

7. Êtes-vous un étudiant international?

Oui REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Non CONTINUER

RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE Je préfère ne pas répondre REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

8. Parmi les choix suivants, lequel décrit le mieux le secteur d’activité dans lequel vous travaillez ?

Administrations publiques

Agriculture, foresterie, pêche et chasse

Arts, spectacle et loisirs

Autres services, sauf les administrations publiques

Commerce de détail

Commerce de gros

Construction

Extraction minière, exploitation en carrière, et extraction de pétrole et de gaz

Fabrication

Finance et assurances

Gestion de sociétés et d'entreprises

Hébergement et services de restauration

Industrie de l'information et industrie culturelle

Services administratifs, services de soutien, services de gestion des déchets et services

d'assainissement

Services d'enseignement

Services immobiliers et services de location et de location à bail

Services professionnels, scientifiques et techniques

Services publics

Soins de santé et assistance sociale

Transport et entreposage

Sans emploi

Aux études à temps plein PAS D’ÉTUDIANTS ÉTRANGERS

À la retraite – DEMANDER : « DANS QUEL SECTEUR TRAVAILLIEZ-VOUS AVANT? » ET NOTER LA RÉPONSE

Autre situation ou autre secteur ; veuillez préciser : ______________

CONTINUER POUR TOUS LES RÉPONDANTS. ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES TYPES D’EMPLOI DANS CHAQUE GROUPE. PAS PLUS DE DEUX RÉPONDANTS PAR SECTEUR D’ACTIVITÉ.

9. Est-ce que vous connaissez le concept du « groupe de discussion »?

OuiCONTINUER

NonEXPLIQUER QUE : « un groupe de discussion se compose de six à huit participants et d’un modérateur. Au cours d’une période de deux heures, les participants sont invités à discuter d’un éventail de questions reliées au sujet abordé ».

10. Dans le cadre du groupe de discussion, on vous demandera de participer activement à une conversation. En pensant à la manière dont vous interagissez lors de discussions en groupe, quelle note vous donneriez-vous sur une échelle de 1 à 5 si 1 signifie « j’ai tendance à ne pas intervenir et à écouter les autres parler » et 5, « je suis habituellement une des premières personnes à parler » ?

1-2REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

3-5CONTINUER

11. Étant donné que ce groupe se réunira en ligne, vous aurez besoin, pour participer, d’un accès Internet haut débit et d’un ordinateur muni d’une caméra Web, d’un microphone et d’un haut-parleur en bon état de marche. CONFIRMER LES POINTS CI-DESSOUS. METTRE FIN À L’APPEL SI NON À L’UN DES TROIS.

Le participant a accès à Internet haut débit

Le participant a un ordinateur avec caméra Web

12. Avez-vous utilisé des logiciels de réunion en ligne tels que Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts/Meet, etc., au cours des deux dernières années ?

OuiCONTINUER

NonCONTINUER

13. Sur une échelle de 1 à 5 où 1 signifie que vous n’êtes pas du tout habile et 5 que vous êtes très habile, comment évaluez-vous votre capacité à utiliser seul(e) les plateformes de réunion en ligne ?

1-2REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

3-5CONTINUER

14. Au cours de la discussion, vous pourriez devoir lire ou visionner du matériel affiché à l’écran, ou faire des exercices en ligne comme ceux qu’on trouve dans les sondages. On vous demandera aussi de participer activement à la discussion en ligne à l’aide d’une caméra Web. Pensez-vous avoir de la difficulté, pour une raison ou une autre, à lire les documents ou à participer à la discussion par vidéo?
CONCLURE L’ENTRETIEN SI LE RÉPONDANT SIGNALE UN PROBLÈME DE VISION OU D’AUDITION, UN PROBLÈME DE LANGUE PARLÉE OU ÉCRITE, S’IL CRAINT DE NE POUVOIR COMMUNIQUER EFFICACEMENT, SI L’UTILISATION D’UNE CAMÉRA WEB LUI POSE PROBLÈME, OU SI VOUS, EN TANT QU’INTERVIEWEUR, AVEZ DES DOUTES QUANT À SA CAPACITÉ DE PARTICIPER EFFICACEMENT AUX DISCUSSIONS.

15. Avez-vous déjà participé à un groupe de discussion, à une entrevue ou à un sondage organisé à l’avance en contrepartie d’une somme d’argent?

Oui CONTINUER

Non PASSER À LA Q.19

16. À quand remonte le dernier groupe de discussion auquel vous avez participé ?

À moins de six mois,REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

À plus de six mois, CONTINUER

17. À combien de groupes de discussion avez-vous participé au cours des cinq dernières années?

0 à 4 groupes, CONTINUER

5 groupes ou plus REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

18. Quel était leur sujet, et vous rappelez-vous pour qui ou pour quelle organisation ces groupes étaient organisés?

TERMINER SI LE SUJET EST SEMBLABLE OU IDENTIQUE, OU SI L’ORGANISATION NOMMÉE EST LE GOUVERNEMENT DU CANADA

CRITÈRES DE RECRUTEMENT SUPPLÉMENTAIRES

Il me reste quelques dernières questions avant de vous donner les détails du groupe de discussion, comme l’heure et la date.

19. Lequel ou lesquels des groupes raciaux ou culturels suivants vous décrivent le mieux? (plusieurs choix possibles)

Blanc

Sud-asiatique (p. ex., indien, pakistanais, sri-lankais)

Chinois

Noir

Latino-américain

Philippin

Arabe

Asiatique du sud-est (p. ex., vietnamien, cambodgien, thailandais)

Coréen ou japonais

Autochtone

Autre groupe racial ou culturel (préciser)

RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE : Préfère ne pas répondre

ASSURER UN BON MÉLANGE.

20. Quel est le niveau de scolarité le plus élevé que vous avez atteint ?

École primaire

Études secondaires partielles

Diplôme d’études secondaires ou l’équivalent

Certificat ou diplôme d’apprenti inscrit ou d’une école de métiers

Certificat ou diplôme d’un collège, cégep ou autre établissement non universitaire

Certificat ou diplôme universitaire inférieur au baccalauréat

Baccalauréat

Diplôme d’études supérieur au baccalauréat

RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE : Préfère ne pas répondre

ASSURER UN BON MÉLANGE.

21. Laquelle des catégories suivantes décrit le mieux le revenu annuel total de votre ménage en 2020— c’est-à-dire le revenu cumulatif de l’ensemble des membres de votre ménage avant impôt?

Moins de 20 000 $

20 000 $ à moins de 40 000 $

40 000 $ à moins de 60 000 $

60 000 $ à moins de 80 000 $

80 000 $ à moins de 100 000 $

100 000 $ à moins de 150 000 $

150 000 $ ou plus

RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE : Préfère ne pas répondre

ASSURER UN BON MÉLANGE.

22. La discussion sera enregistrée sur bandes audio et vidéo, strictement aux fins de la recherche. Les enregistrements aideront nos chercheurs à rédiger leur rapport. Est-ce que vous consentez à ce qu’on vous enregistre sur bandes audio et vidéo?

Oui

Non REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

INVITATION

J’aimerais vous inviter à ce groupe de discussion en ligne, qui aura lieu le [DONNER LA DATE ET L’HEURE EN FONCTION DU N^O DE GROUPE INDIQUÉ DANS LE TABLEAU, PAGE 1]. La discussion durera deux heures et vous recevrez 125 $ pour votre participation. Ce montant vous sera envoyé par transfert électronique après la tenue du groupe de discussion.

Veuillez noter que des observateurs du gouvernement du Canada pourraient être présents au groupe et que la discussion sera enregistrée sur bande vidéo. En acceptant de participer, vous donnez votre consentement à ces modalités.

Est-ce que vous accepteriez de participer ?

OuiCONTINUER

NonREMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Puis-je avoir votre nom complet, le numéro de téléphone où vous êtes le plus facile à joindre et votre adresse électronique, si vous en avez une, pour vous envoyer les détails au sujet du groupe?

Nom :

Numéro de téléphone :

Adresse courriel :

Vous recevrez un courrier électronique du Strategic Counsel expliquant comment rejoindre le groupe en ligne. Si la connexion au système vous pose des difficultés, veuillez en aviser notre équipe de soutien technique à : support@thestrategiccounsel.com.

Nous vous prions de vous mettre en ligne au moins 15 minutes avant l’heure prévue, afin d’avoir le temps de vous installer et d’obtenir l’aide de notre équipe de soutien en cas de problèmes techniques. Veuillez également redémarrer votre ordinateur avant de vous joindre au groupe.

Vous pourriez devoir lire des documents au cours de la discussion. Si vous utilisez des lunettes, assurez-vous de les avoir à portée de main durant la rencontre. Vous aurez également besoin d’un stylo et de papier pour prendre des notes.

Ce rendez-vous est un engagement ferme. Si vous pensez ne pas pouvoir participer pour des raisons personnelles ou professionnelles, veuillez m’en aviser dès maintenant et nous conserverons votre nom pour une étude ultérieure. Enfin, si jamais vous n’êtes pas en mesure de participer, veuillez nous prévenir le plus rapidement possible au [1-800-xxx-xxxx] pour que nous puissions trouver quelqu’un pour vous remplacer.

Merci de votre temps.

RECRUTEMENT FAIT PAR : ____________________

DATE DU RECRUTEMENT : __________________

Appendix B – Discussion Guides

English Moderators Guide

MODERATOR’S GUIDE – January 2022

MASTER

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes) All Locations

Moderator or technician should let participants know that they will need pen and paper in order to take some notes, jot down some thoughts around some material that we will show them later in the discussion.

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IN THE NEWS (5-10 minutes) All locations

What have you seen, read or heard about the Government of Canada in the last few days? Newfoundland, Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12, Nova Scotia Parents of Children Under 12 (NOTE TO MODERATOR: MOVE THROUGH THIS QUICKLY)
British Columbia First Generation Immigrants How do you typically learn about Government of Canada news; that is, what is your primary source of information?
British Columbia First Generation Immigrants, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults We’ll be talking about COVID-19 in a moment, but before we get to that: what other issue do you think the Government of Canada should be focusing on most right now?

VACCINE ADS (25 minutes) Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland, Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12

Have any of you gotten a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine? (SHOW OF HANDS)
- FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT: Have you made an appointment to get a third dose? (SHOW OF HANDS)

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland I’m now going to show you concepts that are currently being developed by the Government of Canada for possible advertising regarding COVID-19 vaccines.

There are 2 concepts, each of which includes a storyboard. You will notice that these are not in finished form. Instead the images look more like a comic strip (which we call a storyboard) and convey what you would see in each frame of the ad. A storyboard is something that advertisers develop early in the creative process so you get a graphical illustration and short narrative that give a sense of what the ad might look like in its finished format. Note that the current images in the ad are just examples (what we call “illustrations or storyboards”) to give you an idea of what the ad would look like; these are not the ones that will be used. The final product will be a 15-second video produced professionally to be advertised through social media and digital platforms. Please keep this in mind as you are viewing the ad.

Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 I’m now going to show you a concept that is currently being developed by the Government of Canada for possible advertising regarding COVID-19 vaccines.

The concept includes a storyboard. You will notice that it is not in finished form. Instead, the images look more like a comic strip (which we call a storyboard) and convey what you would see in each frame of the ad. A storyboard is something that advertisers develop early in the creative process so you get a graphical illustration and short narrative that gives a sense of what the ad might look like in its finished format. Note that the current images in the ad are just examples (what we call “illustrations or storyboards”) to give you an idea of what the ad would look like; these are not the ones that will be used. The final product will be a 15-second video produced professionally to be advertised through social media and digital platforms. Please keep this in mind as you are viewing the ad.

ORDER:
Frontenac Region: A, B
Alberta Young Adults: A, B
Newfoundland: B, A

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland SHOW CONCEPT A ON SCREEN

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland What are your initial thoughts about this ad? What makes you say that?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland What is the main message of this ad?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland Does this ad effectively explain why a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose is needed?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland Does it entice you to go to the website to get more information?
- Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults IF NO: What if it said something like “To learn more…”?
- Newfoundland IF NO: Do you have any suggestions that would entice you to go to the website?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland Does it get you thinking about COVID-19 booster doses any differently?
- IF YES: How so?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland Do you have any other thoughts about what could make this ad more effective, including enticing you to go to the website to learn more?
Newfoundland Do you think there are other scenarios that would be effective?
- What are your thoughts on the following potential scenarios?:
  - A piano tuner is tuning a piano, and talking about needing to keep a piano tuned for optimal performance.
  - Charging a mobile phone when the battery is low.
  - A hockey goalie wearing old, thin equipment from the 1970s changing into state-of-the-art modern-looking equipment, and talking about the evolution of protection and wanting the best possible protection for yourself and your family.
- Now that I’ve provided a couple of examples, do you have any other suggestions for scenarios?

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland Let’s move on to the next concept.

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland SHOW CONCEPT B ON SCREEN

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland What are your initial thoughts about this ad? What makes you say that?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland What is the main message of this ad?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland Does this ad effectively explain why a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose is needed?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland Does it entice you to go to the website to get more information?
- Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults IF NO: Do you have any suggestions that would entice you to go to the website?
- Newfoundland IF NO: What if it said something like “To learn more…”?

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland Does it get you thinking about COVID-19 booster doses any differently?
- IF YES: How so?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland Do you have any other thoughts about what could make this ad more effective, including enticing you to go to the website to learn more?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults Do you think there are other scenarios that would be effective?
- What are your thoughts on the following potential scenarios?:
  - A piano tuner is tuning a piano, and talking about needing to keep a piano tuned for optimal performance.
  - Charging a mobile phone when the battery is low.
  - A hockey goalie wearing old, thin equipment from the 1970s changing into state-of-the-art modern-looking equipment, and talking about the evolution of protection and wanting the best possible protection for yourself and your family.
- Now that I’ve provided a couple of examples, do you have any other suggestions for scenarios?

Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 SHOW INSIDE OUT CONCEPT ON SCREEN

Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 What are your initial thoughts about this ad? What makes you say that?
Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 What is the main message of this ad?
Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 Does this ad effectively explain why a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose is needed?
Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 Does it entice you to go to the website to get more information?
IF NO: Do you have any suggestions that would entice you to go to the website?
Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 Does it get you thinking about COVID-19 booster doses any differently?
- IF YES: How so?
Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 Do you have any other thoughts about what could make this ad more effective, including enticing you to go to the website to learn more?

Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 Now, I’m going to show you an alternate version of this ad. Again, this is not in finished form; it’s just a quick sketch that is meant to give you a sense of what the ad would look like. The final product would be done using professional animation.

SHOW ALTERNATE VERSION ON SCREEN

Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 What are your initial thoughts about this version?
Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 Is the message easy to understand?
Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 Does this version speak to you? Why or why not?
Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 How do you feel about having a doctor talking about a vaccine booster dose? Do you think this makes the ad more effective, less effective, or makes no difference? What makes you say that?
- What if it were a scientist instead?
- IF LESS EFFECTIVE/MAKES NO DIFFERENCE: Do you have any suggestions to make this ad more effective, or is an additional visual not needed?

AD WRAP-UP

- Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland POLL: Which concept do you feel is most effective in terms of enticing you to get a vaccine booster dose?
  - CONCEPT A
  - CONCEPT B
- Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 POLL: Which version do you feel is most effective in terms of enticing you to get a vaccine booster dose?
  - INSIDE OUT CONCEPT
  - ALTERNATE CONCEPT
- What is it about XX concept that you prefer over the other one?

COVID-19 OUTLOOK/VACCINES (15-30 minutes) All Locations

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland Now I’d like to focus more broadly on COVID-19, not just the ad concepts we reviewed…

Are you concerned about the rising number of new COVID-19 cases? How about the COVID-19 variant Omicron?
- Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland, Mauricie Region Young Adults, Northern Quebec Why do you think cases have been rising so rapidly recently? Is it only related to the emergence of Omicron, or are there other things contributing?
POLL: Please type in one word that describes how you feel about the current restrictions in place in your region? [PROMPT AS NECESSARY: Why did you choose that word?]
- Should they be lifted? Should more things be opened up?
- Should they be more restricted?
Have any of you changed your behaviour in response to rising case numbers?
- Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, British Columbia First Generation Immigrants, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults, Major Centres Prairies, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12, Northern Quebec PROMPT AS NECESSARY: For example, are you reducing the number of people you are socializing with? Have you changed the kind of face mask you wear?
- Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 PROMPT AS NECESSARY: For example, are you reducing the number of people you/your kids are socializing with? Have you changed the kind of face mask you/your kids wear?
- Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, British Columbia First Generation Immigrants, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults, Major Centres Prairies, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12, Northern Quebec Would you say your behaviours during this wave of COVID-19 cases are similar to your behaviours during previous waves when case counts were high? Why or why not?
- Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12 Would you say your behaviours during this wave of COVID-19 cases are similar to your behaviours during previous waves when case counts were high? Why or why not?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland What have you heard about recent restrictions on international travel?
- Do you think these restrictions are too strict? Too lenient?
- Do you think travel restrictions will slow the spread of Omicron within Canada?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults, Major Centres Prairies, Northern Quebec Do you think that the spread is going to get worse throughout the winter? Better?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners In terms of where you get news about COVID-19, do you actively seek out new information about COVID-19 on a regular basis?
- What are your main sources for information about COVID-19?

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GOTTEN THIRD DOSE OR MADE AN APPOINTMENT:

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland What made you decide to get a third dose?

FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T GOTTEN THIRD DOSE OR MADE AN APPOINTMENT:

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland Are there questions about COVID-19 vaccines in general or about the third dose specifically that you would like answers to?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland What other information do you need to help you decide about getting a third dose?

FINANCIAL SUPPORT (10-30 minutes) Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland, Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults, Major Centres Prairies, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12.

Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults Now I’d like to focus on Government of Canada financial supports during COVID-19 for the country as a whole (not just young adults)…

How well do you think the Government of Canada is doing when it comes to providing financial support to Canadians and businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19? What makes you say that?
Have you heard anything about the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy recently?
Have you heard anything about the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit recently?
- PROMPT AS NECESSARY: Have you heard anything on the latest temporary support for Canadians who can’t work because of the lockdown? What have you heard?

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland CLARIFY AS NECESSARY/SHOW ON SCREEN

The Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB) gives temporary income support to employed and self-employed people who cannot work due to a COVID-19 lockdown.

The Government of Canada recently announced that the definition of a lockdown order has been temporarily expanded to also include provincial and territorial orders involving capacity restrictions of 50 per cent or more – until February 12, 2022. The minimum number of days a lockdown order needs to be in place to meet the new definition is 7 consecutive days (down from 14 consecutive days).

After February 12, the definition will revert back to its original definition. At that point, the CWLB will only be available to workers living in a region where commercial activities or non-essential services are closed to the public for at least 14 consecutive days.

If you are eligible for the CWLB, you can receive $300 ($270 after taxes withheld) for each 1-week period. You may apply for any weeks your region is eligible between October 24, 2021 and May 7, 2022.

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland What do you think about this?
- What do you think about the definition of a lockdown being temporarily expanded to include capacity restrictions?
  - Do you think the timeline makes sense (i.e., the definition reverting back to its original definition after February 12)?
- What do you think about the amount available per week ($300/week)?
Have you heard anything about the Local Lockdown Program recently?
- PROMPT AS NECESSARY: Have you heard anything about the latest temporary support for employers that are subject to restrictions that cap their capacity at 50% or more?

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland CLARIFY AS NECESSARY/SHOW ON SCREEN

The Local Lockdown Program provides businesses that face temporary new local lockdowns with up to the maximum amount available through the wage and rent subsidy programs. The program has been temporarily expanded to also include any employers that are subject to restrictions that cap their capacity at 50 per cent or more. Businesses must have their current monthly revenue decline by 25% to qualify, which has also been temporarily lowered from a 40% revenue-decline threshold.

Employers that are eligible for this program will receive wage and rent subsidies that can range from 25% to a maximum of 75%, depending on how much revenue they lost as a result of the capacity limits.

These temporary changes will also be in place until February 12, 2022. At that point the program will revert back to its original form.

Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland What do you think about this?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland Do you think the timeline makes sense (i.e., reverting back to its original form after February 12)?
Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland With the recent increases in COVID-19 cases, some people have suggested these lockdown measures need to be a top priority to support those who are no longer able to work, while others suggest the federal government should focus on wage subsidies so that employers don’t have to lay off staff in the first place. In general, who do you agree with more?

NET ZERO EMISSIONS BUILDINGS STRATEGY (15 minutes) Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, British Columbia First Generation Immigrants, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults, Major Centres Prairies, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12, Northern Quebec

I’d like to shift now to a completely different topic…

The Government of Canada has recently announced it intends to create a “National Net-Zero Emissions Buildings Strategy”.

What actions do you think this strategy would include?
- What is a Net-Zero Emissions Building?

CLARIFY AS NECESSARY/SHOW ON SCREEN

A net-zero building is a building that can produce as much energy as it consumes through renewable resources such as solar panels.

Some components of this strategy would include:

- providing grants for home retrofits;
- providing financial support for businesses who choose to retrofit their buildings;
- renovating federally owned buildings to be more energy efficient;
- requiring that all new buildings are designed to be net-zero emission buildings; and
- providing funding for Indigenous communities to build and retrofit buildings to be net-zero buildings.

Do any of these stand out as very positive policies that the Government of Canada should be prioritizing?
Are any of these policies something the Government of Canada should not do?

Some have suggested alternative names for this strategy instead of calling it a “National Net-Zero Emissions Building Strategy”.

POLL: I’m going to show you some alternative names, along with the current name, and I’d like you to select any that you think are a good name for the program. You can select up to 3; if you don’t like any of the names, don’t select any.

- Better Buildings Plan
- Canadian Green Buildings Strategy
- Cleaner Buildings Canada
- National Net-Zero Emissions Buildings Strategy
- National Renewable Buildings Plan
- Reduced Emissions Building Plan
- Sustainable Building Strategy

MODERATOR TO GO THROUGH SELECTIONS

Are there any names you don’t like? Why is that?
Do you have any other ideas for what a strategy like this could be called?

ZERO-EMISSIONS VEHICLES (10 minutes) Newfoundland, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, British Columbia First Generation Immigrants, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults, Major Centres Prairies, Northern Quebec

Has anyone here ever owned a Zero-Emissions Vehicle, also known as ZEV (CLARIFY AS NEEDED: an electric vehicle is a type of ZEV)? Has anyone considered purchasing one?
- What would be the main reason for you to consider buying a zero-emission vehicle?
- What would be your main reason not to consider buying a zero-emission vehicle?
How would you feel if the Government of Canada set a target that all new cars sold in Canada need to be ZEV by the year 2050?
- IF NEGATIVE: Imagine that the prices of zero-emissions cars in 2050 are no different than the prices of other comparable cars. Would that change your opinion, or is it more than just prices that concern you with this proposal?

SMALL NUCLEAR REACTORS (10 minutes) Newfoundland, Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, British Columbia First Generation Immigrants, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults, Major Centres Prairies, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12, Northern Quebec

How do you feel about nuclear power compared to other energy sources? Should Canada be doing more or less with nuclear power?
Have you heard about small nuclear reactors, or Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)?

CLARIFY AS NECESSARY

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are an emerging area of nuclear energy innovation in Canada and around the world. SMRs will have enhanced safety features, a smaller footprint and produce less waste than traditional nuclear energy reactors.

How do you feel about more SMRs in Canada?
- IF CONCERNED: What are your biggest concerns about SMRs?
Some people say this is a good way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and get Canada to net-zero emissions. What do you think of that? Do you think that’s a good reason to build more SMRs in Canada, or not?
Some people say there’s a good economic opportunity since several Canadian companies are able to make these and could sell them to other countries. This would, therefore, create jobs in Canada. What do you think of that? Do you think that’s a good reason to build more SMRs in Canada, or not?

COVID-19 VACCINE FOR CHILDREN (15 minutes) Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12

Now I’d like to focus more broadly on COVID-19, not just the ad concepts we reviewed…

As you may be aware, Health Canada has approved a Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty vaccine made for children 5 to 11 years old.

Have any of you talked to your kids about it?
Have any of you gotten your kids under 12 vaccinated? (SHOW OF HANDS)
- FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT: Have you made an appointment to get your kids vaccinated? (SHOW OF HANDS)

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GOTTEN KIDS VACCINATED OR MADE AN APPOINTMENT:

What made you decide to get your kids vaccinated?

FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T GOTTEN KIDS VACCINATED OR MADE AN APPOINTMENT:

What are the factors that will influence your decision on whether or not to get your kids vaccinated?
Are there questions about administering COVID-19 vaccines to kids that you would like answers to?

HOUSING (25 minutes) GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, British Columbia First Generation Immigrants

I’d now like to shift our attention to another topic.

Have you seen, read or heard anything about any Government of Canada actions related to housing affordability?
- IF YES: What have you heard?

I want to focus on some potential housing initiatives that the Government of Canada could do, and get your thoughts.

SHOW ON SCREEN

- Anti-flipping tax: requiring residential properties to be held for at least 12 months
- Banning blind bidding: blind bidding is where home buyers don’t know how much others are bidding
- First-Time Home Buyer Incentive: first-time home buyers can borrow 5 or 10% of the purchase price of a home to put towards a down payment
- Funding to repair and build new affordable housing units
- Housing Accelerator Fund: making funding available to municipalities to speed up their housing plans
- National rent-to-own program: where people could pay their rent on a house and have that go towards the down payment, so that they eventually own that home
- Preventing renovictions: a renoviction occurs when a landlord evicts a tenant by claiming they will complete major renovations (or demolish the unit or convert it to commercial use)
- Temporary ban on non-recreational residential sales to foreign buyers: to help ensure that housing does not sit vacant and unavailable to Canadians wanting to buy homes

POLL: Now I’d like you to select which of these housing initiatives should be a priority for the Government of Canada. You can select up to 3; if you don’t think any should be a priority, don’t select any.

- Anti-flipping tax
- Banning blind bidding
- First-Time Home Buyer Incentive
- Funding to repair and build new affordable housing units
- Housing Accelerator Fund
- National rent-to-own program
- Preventing renovictions
- Temporary ban on non-recreational residential sales to foreign buyers

MODERATOR TO GO THROUGH SELECTIONS

Will any of these affect you personally? How so?
Are there any that you don’t think the Government of Canada should do? Why is that?

HYDROGEN-BASED ENERGY (10 minutes) Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, Northern Quebec

Have you heard anything about clean hydrogen?
Even if you don’t know much about it, are you aware of any benefits to using clean hydrogen?

CLARIFY AS NECESSARY/SHOW ON SCREEN

Essentially, natural resources such as clean electricity (electricity generated from non-emitting sources, such as hydro-electricity, wind, solar, etc.), natural gas and other sources of renewable energy can be converted to hydrogen with little or no emissions.

Once produced, hydrogen can be used as a low carbon feed-stock to drive down emissions for a variety of industrial processes, like steel manufacturing. It can also be converted to electricity via fuel cells, which can be used in a wide range of applications, such as providing power for vehicles, power plants, buildings, and long-term energy storage.

When combusted, used as a feedstock, or used in a fuel cell, hydrogen emit only water; there are no carbon dioxide emissions, and no air pollutants. Fuel cell applications (including in medium and heavy-duty vehicles) also tend to be quiet during operation as they have few moving parts.

When you think about hydrogen, are they any concerns or downsides that come to mind?
When thinking about investments in clean energy more broadly, how much of a priority should clean hydrogen be for the Government of Canada, compared to other investments in clean energy?

OPIOIDS (10 minutes) British Columbia First Generation Immigrants

Moving on to another topic…

Have you seen, read or heard anything in the news about a plan by the City of Vancouver to gain Health Canada approval of the decriminalization of small amounts of illicit drugs? What have you heard?
- What do you think the impact of decriminalising small amounts of illicit drugs would be?
- Do you think Health Canada should approve this plan or not? What makes you say that?
Do you think there are other things the Government of Canada should be doing to address substance use and the overdose crisis?
- IF YES: What else should it do?

YOUTH ISSUES (25 minutes) Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults

Have you heard anything the Government of Canada has done recently to support young Canadians?
- PROMPT AS NECESSARY: How about things the Government has done to help young Canadians financially during COVID?
Where do you normally hear about news first?
- What about news related to COVID-19 – what are your main sources of information?
  - In terms of COVID-19, do you actively seek out new information about it?
- And now thinking about Government of Canada information in general (not just related to COVID-19), including policies it implements or measures it implements: do you actively seek out this kind of information?
  - IF YES: Where do you seek it out?
Have you seen any advertising from the Government of Canada recently?
- IF YES: What was the topic of the advertisement? Where did you see it?
Overall, do you feel that the Government of Canada makes an effort to reach out to young Canadians? Do you feel they prioritize youth when making decisions? Why or why not?
- What could the Government of Canada do to more effectively reach out to young Canadians?
What is the most important issue for you that you think the Government of Canada should be focusing on the most? What makes you say that?
And what’s the most important issue facing young people more broadly right now that the Government of Canada should be paying more attention to? What makes you say that?

HOME RENTING (10 minutes) Major Centres Prairies, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12, Northern Quebec

I’d like to shift now to a completely different topic…

Do you currently rent the place you are living in?
Do you think the Government of Canada has a role to play in regulating the cost of rent in Canada?
- What should it do?
Recently, some have suggested the Government of Canada should provide subsidies or incentives to owners of rental housing in exchange for binding commitments not to raise the amount they are charging for rent. What do you think of this proposed approach?
Others have suggested that the Government of Canada should just pass legislation that makes it illegal to raise rent beyond a capped price instead. What do you think of this proposed approach?

CANADIAN CONTENT (25 minutes) Major Centres Prairies, Northern Quebec

Changing topics again…

What comes to mind when I say the words “Canadian content”?
- What are some examples of Canadian content?
In general, how would you rate the quality of Canadian content? Do you think it tends to be high quality, or not?
- If you know that a TV show or film is Canadian, does this make you more or less likely to watch it?
  - What about when it comes to music?
Do you think the Canadian TV and film industry is at risk right now?
- IF YES: From what?
POLL: I’m going to show you some statements and I’d like you to select the ones you agree with it. You can select all of them, none of them, or anywhere in between.

- The Government of Canada needs to protect Canadian content and stories.
- The Government of Canada needs to support Canadian artists and creators.
- The Government of Canada needs to level the playing field between traditional broadcasters and foreign web giants.
- Foreign web giants need to pay their fair share to support Canadian creators.
- Rules for online content are outdated and we need to modernize them.
- Web giants need to make Canadian content more discoverable on their platforms.
- Web giants need to do more to showcase Canadian content on their platforms.

MODERATOR TO GO THROUGH SELECTIONS

Are there any statements you disagree with? Why is that?
What is the difference between making Canadian content “discoverable” versus “showcasing” it?
Have you heard about proposed federal legislation to amend the Broadcasting Act, known as Bill C-10?
- IF YES: What have you heard?

I’d like to focus on online services, where content is streamed or accessed on demand on major online platforms, such as Netflix or Spotify. Note that I am not referring to user-generated content, such as individual users posting on sites such as YouTube or Facebook.

Do you think the Government of Canada should play a role in regulating what content is served to Canadians by major online platforms? What makes you say that?

CHILD CARE (20 minutes) Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12

I’d like to talk about child care…

What is the biggest challenge with child care in Nova Scotia?
Do any of you have kids in child care? (SHOW OF HANDS)
- How much does it cost you?
- How easy or difficult was it to find and secure a spot?
Have you heard about any child care agreement between the Government of Canada and Nova Scotia? What have you heard?

CLARIFY AS NECESSARY/SHOW ON SCREEN

The Government of Canada has reached an agreement with Nova Scotia that aims to make early learning and child care more affordable for Nova Scotia families. This agreement has the following objectives:

Providing a 50% reduction in average parent fees by the end of 2022 and reaching an average of $10/day by 2025/26 for all provincially-funded, regulated child care spaces;
Creating more high-quality, affordable regulated child care spaces, primarily through not-for-profit and public child care providers;
Addressing barriers to provide inclusive and flexible child care; and
Valuing the early childhood workforce and providing them with training and development opportunities.
Will this plan help you or anyone you know? Why/why not?

CONCLUSION (5 minutes)

French Moderators Guide

GUIDE DU MODÉRATEUR – JANVIER 2022

DOCUMENT MAÎTRE

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes) Tous les lieux

Le modérateur ou la personne responsable du soutien technique doit faire savoir aux participant(e)s qu’un stylo et du papier seront nécessaires afin de prendre des notes et d’écrire quelques réflexions au sujet des pièces de communication que nous leur montrerons plus tard au cours de la discussion.

LE GOUVERNEMENT DU CANADA DANS L’ACTUALITÉ (5-10 minutes) Tous les lieux

Terre-Neuve, parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver, parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de la Nouvelle-Écosse Qu’avez-vous vu, lu ou entendu au sujet du gouvernement du Canada au cours des derniers jours ? (NOTE AU MODÉRATEUR : PASSER RAPIDEMENT SUR CE SUJET)
Immigrant(e)s de première génération de la Colombie-Britannique Comment obtenez-vous habituellement des nouvelles du gouvernement du Canada, c’est-à-dire quelle est votre principale source d’information ?
Immigrant(e)s de première génération de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes des régions de Wellington et de Waterloo, jeunes adultes de la région de la Mauricie Nous parlerons de COVID-19 dans quelques instants, mais d’abord, quels sont les autres enjeux sur lesquels, selon vous, le gouvernement du Canada devrait davantage se concentrer en ce moment ?

PUBLICITÉS SUR LES VACCINS (25 minutes) Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve, parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver

Y en a-t-il parmi vous qui ont reçu une troisième dose du vaccin contre la COVID-19 ? (À MAIN LEVÉE)
- POUR LES PERSONNES NE L’AYANT PAS REÇUE : Avez-vous pris un rendez-vous pour recevoir une troisième dose ? (À MAIN LEVÉE)

Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Je vais maintenant vous montrer des concepts en cours de développement par le gouvernement du Canada pour une éventuelle publicité portant sur les vaccins contre la COVID-19.
Il y a deux concepts qui comprennent chacun un scénarimage. Vous remarquerez que la publicité n’est pas dans sa forme définitive. Les images ressemblent plutôt à une bande dessinée (c’est ce que nous appelons un scénarimage) et illustrent ce que vous verriez dans chaque plan de la publicité. Un scénarimage est ce que les annonceurs produisent au début du processus de création afin d’obtenir des illustrations graphiques et une courte narration qui donnent une idée de ce à quoi la publicité pourrait ressembler dans sa version définitive. Veuillez noter que les images qui figurent dans la publicité que vous allez voir sont utilisées seulement à titre d’exemple (ce qu’on appelle des illustrations ou scénarimages) pour vous donner une idée de ce à quoi ressemblerait la publicité ; ce ne sont pas celles qui seront utilisées. Le produit final sera une vidéo de 15 secondes réalisée de manière professionnelle et qui sera diffusée par le biais des médias sociaux et des plateformes numériques. Veuillez garder cela à l’esprit pendant que vous regardez la publicité.

Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver Je vais maintenant vous montrer un concept qui en cours de développement par le gouvernement du Canada pour une éventuelle publicité portant sur les vaccins contre la COVID-19.
Le concept comprend un scénarimage. Vous remarquerez que la publicité n’est pas dans sa forme définitive. Les images ressemblent plutôt à une bande dessinée (c’est ce que nous appelons un scénarimage) et illustrent ce que vous verriez dans chaque plan de la publicité. Un scénarimage est ce que les annonceurs produisent au début du processus de création afin d’obtenir des illustrations graphiques et une courte narration qui donnent une idée de ce à quoi la publicité pourrait ressembler dans sa version définitive. Veuillez noter que les images qui figurent dans la publicité que vous allez voir sont utilisées seulement à titre d’exemple (ce qu’on appelle des illustrations ou scénarimages) pour vous donner une idée de ce à quoi ressemblerait la publicité ; ce ne sont pas celles qui seront utilisées. Le produit final sera une vidéo de 15 secondes réalisée de manière professionnelle et qui sera diffusée par le biais des médias sociaux et des plateformes numériques. Veuillez garder cela à l’esprit pendant que vous regardez la publicité.

ORDRE :
Région de Frontenac (Ontario) : A, B
Jeunes adultes de l’Alberta : A, B
Terre-Neuve : B, A

Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve AFFICHER CONCEPT A À L’ÉCRAN

Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Quelles sont vos premières impressions de cette publicité ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire ça ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Quel est le message principal de cette publicité ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Cette publicité explique-t-elle efficacement pourquoi une dose de rappel du vaccin contre la COVID-19 est nécessaire ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-NeuveVous incite-t-elle à vous rendre sur le site Web pour obtenir plus d’informations ?
- Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta SI NON : Et si elle mentionnait quelque chose comme « Pour en savoir davantage… » ?
- Terre-Neuve SI NON : Avez-vous des suggestions quant à ce qui pourrait vous inciter à vous rendre sur le site Web ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Est-ce que cela vous fait réfléchir différemment sur les doses de rappel du vaccin contre la COVID-19 ?
- SI OUI : Comment ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Avez-vous d’autres idées sur ce qui pourrait rendre cette publicité plus efficace, y compris pour vous inciter à vous rendre sur le site Web afin d’en apprendre davantage ?
Terre-Neuve Pensez-vous qu’il y ait d’autres scénarios qui pourraient être efficaces ?
- Que pensez-vous des scénarios potentiels suivants ? :
  - Un accordeur de piano accorde un piano, et parle de la nécessité de garder un piano accordé pour bénéficier d’une performance optimale.
  - Charger un téléphone mobile lorsque la batterie est faible.
  - Un gardien de but de hockey, vêtu d’un vieil équipement mince datant des années 1970 qui se transforme en un équipement de pointe d’apparence moderne, parle de l’évolution de la protection et du fait de vouloir la meilleure protection possible pour soi-même et sa famille.
- Maintenant que je vous ai fourni quelques exemples, avez-vous d’autres suggestions de scénarios ?

Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Passons au concept suivant.

Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve AFFICHER CONCEPT B À L’ÉCRAN

Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Quelles sont vos premières impressions de cette publicité ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire ça ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Quel est le message principal de cette publicité ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Cette publicité explique-t-elle efficacement pourquoi une dose de rappel du vaccin contre la COVID-19 est nécessaire ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Vous incite-t-elle à vous rendre sur le site Web pour obtenir plus d’informations ?
- Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta SI NON : Avez-vous des suggestions quant à ce qui pourrait vous inciter à vous rendre sur le site Web ?
- Terre-Neuve SI NON : Et si elle mentionnait quelque chose comme « Pour en savoir davantage… » ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Est-ce que cela vous fait réfléchir différemment sur les doses de rappel du vaccin contre la COVID-19 ?
- SI OUI : Comment ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Avez-vous d’autres idées sur ce qui pourrait rendre cette publicité plus efficace, y compris pour vous inciter à vous rendre sur le site Web afin d’en apprendre davantage ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta Pensez-vous qu’il y ait d’autres scénarios qui pourraient être efficaces ?
- Que pensez-vous des scénarios potentiels suivants ? :
  - Un accordeur de piano accorde un piano, et parle de la nécessité de garder un piano accordé pour bénéficier d’une performance optimale.
  - Charger un téléphone mobile lorsque la batterie est faible.
  - Un gardien de but de hockey, vêtu d’un vieil équipement mince datant des années 1970 qui se transforme en un équipement de pointe d’apparence moderne, parle de l’évolution de la protection et du fait de vouloir la meilleure protection possible pour soi-même et sa famille.
- Maintenant que je vous ai fourni quelques exemples, avez-vous d’autres suggestions de scénarios ?

Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver AFFICHER LE CONCEPT INSIDE OUT À l’ÉCRAN

Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver Quelles sont vos premières impressions de cette publicité ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire ça ?
Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver Quel est le message principal de cette publicité ?
Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver Cette publicité explique-t-elle efficacement pourquoi une dose de rappel du vaccin contre la COVID-19 est nécessaire ?
Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver Vous incite-t-elle à vous rendre sur le site Web pour obtenir plus d’informations ?
- SI NON : Avez-vous des suggestions quant à ce qui pourrait vous inciter à vous rendre sur le site Web ?
Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver Est-ce que cela vous fait réfléchir différemment sur les doses de rappel du vaccin contre la COVID-19 ?
- SI OUI : Comment ?
Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver Avez-vous d’autres idées sur ce qui pourrait rendre cette publicité plus efficace, y compris pour vous inciter à vous rendre sur le site Web afin d’en apprendre davantage ?

Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver Je vais maintenant vous montrer une autre version de cette publicité. Là encore, il ne s’agit pas de la version définitive, mais plutôt d’un croquis rapide visant à vous donner une idée de ce à quoi ressemblerait la publicité. Le produit final serait réalisé à l’aide d’une animation professionnelle.

AFFICHER L’AUTRE VERSION À L’ÉCRAN

Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver Qu’elles sont vos premières impressions de cette affiche ?
Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de VancouverEst-ce que le message est facile à comprendre ?
Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver Est-ce que la publicité vous interpelle ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver Que pensez-vous du fait qu’une docteure parle de la dose de rappel du vaccin ? Pensez-vous que cela rend l’annonce plus efficace, moins efficace ou ne fait aucune différence ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
- Et si plutôt c’était un ou une scientifique ?
- SI MOINS EFFICACE/NE FAIT PAS DE DIFFÉRENCE : Avez-vous des suggestions pour rendre cette publicité plus efficace, ou un élément visuel supplémentaire n’est-il pas nécessaire ?

RÉCAPITULATIF DE LA PUBLICITÉ

- Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve SONDAGE : Lequel de ces concepts vous semble le plus efficace quant à vous inciter à recevoir une dose de rappel du vaccin ?
  - CONCEPT A
  - CONCEPT B
- Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver SONDAGE : Lequel de ces concepts vous semble le plus efficace quant à vous inciter à recevoir une dose de rappel du vaccin ?
  - CONCEPT INSIDE OUT
  - CONCEPT ALTERNATIF
- Que préférez-vous du concept X par rapport aux autres ?

PERSPECTIVES LIÉES À LA COVID-19 ET AUX VACCINS (15-30 minutes) Tous les lieux

Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve J’aimerais maintenant me concentrer plus largement sur la COVID-19, et pas seulement sur les concepts publicitaires que nous venons de passer en revue…

Le nombre croissant de nouveaux cas de COVID-19 vous préoccupe-t-il ? Qu’en est-il du variant Omicron de COVID-19 ?
- o Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve, jeunes adultes de la région de la Mauricie, Nord-du Québec Pourquoi pensez-vous que les cas ont augmenté si rapidement récemment ? Est-ce uniquement en raison de l’émergence du variant Omicron ou y a-t-il d’autres facteurs qui y contribuent ?
SONDAGE : Dans la case prévue à cet effet, veuillez saisir un mot qui décrit comment vous vous sentez par rapport aux restrictions en vigueur dans votre région. [DEMANDER AU BESOIN : Pour quelle raison avez-vous choisi ce mot ?]
- Devraient-elles être levées ? Devrait-on rouvrir plus de choses ?
- Devraient-elles être davantage resserrées ?

Y’en a-t-il parmi vous qui ont modifié leurs comportements en réponse à l’augmentation du nombre de cas ?
- Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve, futurs propriétaires de la RGT, futurs propriétaires des grands centres du Québec, immigrant(e)s de première génération de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes des régions de Wellington et de Waterloo, jeunes adultes de la région de la Mauricie, grands centres des Prairies, parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de la Nouvelle-Écosse, Nord-du Québec DEMANDER AU BESOIN : Par exemple, est-ce que vous réduisez le nombre de personnes que vous fréquentez ? Avez-vous changé le type de masque que vous portez ?
- Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver DEMANDER AU BESOIN : Par exemple, est-ce que vous réduisez le nombre de personnes que vous ou vos enfants fréquentez ? Avez-vous changé le type de masque que vous ou vos enfants portez ?
- Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve, futurs propriétaires de la RGT, futurs propriétaires des grands centres du Québec, immigrant(e)s de première génération de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes des régions de Wellington et de Waterloo, jeunes adultes de la région de la Mauricie, grands centres des Prairies, parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de la Nouvelle-Écosse, Nord-du Québec Diriez-vous que vos comportements au cours de cette vague de cas de COVID-19 sont semblables à vos comportements lors des vagues précédentes quand le nombre de cas était élevé ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
- Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver Diriez-vous que vos comportements au cours de cette vague de cas de COVID-19 sont semblables à vos comportements lors des vagues précédentes quand le nombre de cas était élevé ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Qu’avez-vous entendu au sujet des récentes restrictions sur les voyages internationaux ?
- Pensez-vous que ces restrictions sont trop sévères ? Trop légères ?
- Pensez-vous que les restrictions de voyages vont ralentir la propagation d’Omicron au Canada ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve, futurs propriétaires de la RGT, futurs propriétaires des grands centres du Québec, jeunes adultes des régions de Wellington et de Waterloo, jeunes adultes de la région de la Mauricie, grands centres des Prairies, Nord-du Québec Pensez-vous que la propagation va s’aggraver au cours de l’hiver ? S’améliorer ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve, futurs propriétaires de la RGT, futurs propriétaires des grands centres du Québec En ce qui concerne les sources de nouvelles que vous utilisez pour vous informer sur la COVID-19, recherchez-vous activement de nouvelles informations sur la COVID-19 sur une base régulière ?
- Quelles sont vos principales sources d’information sur la COVID-19 ?

POUR LES PERSONNES QUI ONT REÇU UNE TROISIÈME DOSE OU QUI ONT PRIS UN RENDEZ-VOUS :

Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Qu’est-ce qui a fait que vous avez décidé de recevoir une troisième dose ?

POUR LES PERSONNES N’AYANT PAS REÇU UNE TROISIÈME DOSE OU QUI N’ONT PAS PRIS DE RENDEZ-VOUS :

Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Y a-t-il des questions liées aux vaccins contre la COVID-19 en général ou plus spécifiquement sur la troisième dose auxquelles vous aimeriez obtenir des réponses ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve De quelles autres informations avez-vous besoin pour vous aider dans votre décision de recevoir une troisième dose ?

SOUTIEN FINANCIER (10-30 minutes) Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve, parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver, futurs propriétaires de la RGT, futurs propriétaires des grands centres du Québec, jeunes adultes des régions de Wellington et de Waterloo, jeunes adultes de la région de la Mauricie, grands centres des Prairies, parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de la Nouvelle-Écosse

Jeunes adultes des régions de Wellington et de Waterloo, jeunes adultes de la région de la Mauricie J’aimerais maintenant me pencher sur les soutiens financiers du gouvernement du Canada pendant la COVID-19 pour l’ensemble du pays (pas seulement pour les jeunes adultes)…

Comment évaluez-vous le travail que fait le gouvernement du Canada quant au soutien financier qu’il apporte aux Canadiennes et aux Canadiens affecté(e)s par la COVID-19 ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit au sujet de la Subvention salariale d’urgence du Canada récemment ?

Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit au sujet de la Prestation canadienne pour les travailleurs en cas de confinement récemment ?
- DEMANDER AU BESOIN : Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit sur le plus récent soutien temporaire pour les Canadiennes et les Canadiens qui ne peuvent pas travailler en raison du confinement ? Qu’avez-vous entendu ?

Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN/AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN

La Prestation canadienne pour les travailleurs en cas de confinement (PCTCC) fournit un soutien au revenu temporaire pour les employés et les travailleurs indépendants qui ne peuvent pas travailler en raison d’un confinement lié à la COVID-19.

Le gouvernement du Canada a récemment annoncé qu’il élargissait temporairement la définition d’ordre de confinement pour inclure également les ordres provinciaux et territoriaux réduisant la capacité de 50 % ou plus — jusqu’au 12 février 2022. La durée minimale de l’ordre de confinement doit être de 7 jours consécutifs (contre 14 jours consécutifs auparavant) conformément à la nouvelle définition.

Après le 12 février, la définition reviendra à la définition initiale. À compter de cette date, la PCTCC sera disponible seulement pour les travailleurs qui résident dans une région où les activités commerciales ou les services non essentiels sont fermés au public pendant au moins 14 jours consécutifs.

Si vous êtes admissible à la PCTCC, vous pouvez recevoir 300 $ (270 $ après les retenues d’impôt) pour chaque période d’une semaine. Vous pouvez faire une demande pour les semaines pendant lesquelles votre région est admissible entre le 24 octobre 2021 et le 7 mai 2022.

Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Que pensez-vous de cela ?
- Que pensez-vous du fait que la définition d’un confinement soit élargie temporairement pour inclure les restrictions de capacité d’accueil ?
  - Pensez-vous que l’échéancier est raisonnable (c’est-à-dire que la définition reviendra à la définition initiale après le 12 février) ?
- Que pensez-vous du montant prévu par semaine (300 $ par semaine) ?
Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit au sujet du Programme de soutien en cas de confinement local récemment ?
- DEMANDER AU BESOIN : Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit sur le plus récent soutien temporaire pour les employeurs assujettis à une restriction en matière de capacité de 50 % ou plus ?

Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN/AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN

Le Programme en cas de confinement local fournit aux entreprises qui font face à de nouveaux confinements locaux temporaires un soutien jusqu’à concurrence du montant maximal disponible dans le cadre des programmes de subventions salariales et de subvention pour le loyer. Le programme a été élargi temporairement pour inclure également tout employeur assujetti à des restrictions qui limitent leur capacité d’accueil à 50 % ou plus. Les entreprises doivent voir leurs revenus mensuels actuels diminuer de 25 % pour y être admissibles, ce qui a également été réduit temporairement d’un seuil de 40 % de baisse des revenus.

Les employeurs qui sont admissibles à ce programme recevront des subventions pour les salaires et pour le loyer qui peuvent aller de 25 % à un taux maximal de 75 %, selon les pertes subies en raison des restrictions sur la capacité d’accueil.

Ces modifications temporaires sont également en vigueur jusqu’au 12 février 2022. À compter de cette date, le programme reviendra à sa forme initiale.

Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Que pensez-vous de cela ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Pensez-vous que l’échéancier est raisonnable (c’est-à-dire revenir à sa forme initiale après le 12 février) ?
Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, Terre-Neuve Avec l’augmentation récente des cas de COVID-19, certaines personnes ont suggéré que ces mesures de confinement devraient être une priorité absolue pour soutenir ceux et celles qui ne peuvent plus travailler, tandis que d’autres suggèrent que le gouvernement fédéral devrait se concentrer sur les subventions salariales afin que les employeurs n’aient pas à mettre du personnel à pied en premier lieu. De manière générale, avec qui êtes-vous le plus d’accord ?

STRATÉGIE NATIONALE CARBONEUTRE DES BÂTIMENTS (15 minutes) Région de Frontenac (Ontario), jeunes adultes de l’Alberta, parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver, futurs propriétaires de la RGT, futurs propriétaires des grands centres du Québec, immigrant(e)s de première génération de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes des régions de Wellington et de Waterloo, jeunes adultes de la région de la Mauricie, grands centres des Prairies, parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de la Nouvelle-Écosse, Nord-du Québec

J’aimerais passer à un tout autre sujet…

Le gouvernement du Canada a récemment annoncé son intention de créer une « Stratégie nationale carboneutre des bâtiments ».

Quelles actions pensez-vous qu’on y retrouverait ?
- Qu’est-ce qu’un bâtiment carboneutre ?

ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN/AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN
Un bâtiment carboneutre est un bâtiment qui peut produire autant d’énergie qu’il en consomme à l’aide de ressources renouvelables comme des panneaux solaires.

La stratégie contiendrait certains des éléments suivants :

offrir des subventions pour les rénovations résidentielles ;
fournir un soutien financier aux entreprises qui choisissent de rénover leurs bâtiments ;
rénover les bâtiments appartenant au gouvernement fédéral pour les rendre plus écoénergétiques ;
exiger que tous les nouveaux bâtiments soient conçus pour être des bâtiments carboneutres ;
accorder un financement aux communautés autochtones pour construire et rénover des bâtiments qui seront carboneutres.

Parmi celles-ci, y en a-t-il qui se démarquent comme étant des politiques très positives et qui méritent que le gouvernement du Canada en fasse des priorités ?
Y a-t-il certaines de ces politiques que le gouvernement du Canada ne devrait pas mettre en œuvre ?

Certaines personnes ont proposé d’autres noms pour cette stratégie plutôt que de l’appeler la « Stratégie nationale carboneutre des bâtiments ».

SONDAGE : Je vais vous montrer d’autres noms possibles, ainsi que le nom actuel, et j’aimerais que vous choisissiez ceux qui vous semblent être un bon nom pour le programme. Vous pouvez en choisir jusqu’à trois ; n’en sélectionnez pas si aucun des noms ne vous plaît.

- Plan pour de meilleurs bâtiments
- Stratégie canadienne des bâtiments verts
- Bâtiments plus propres Canada
- Stratégie nationale carboneutre des bâtiments
- Plan national des bâtiments renouvelables
- Plan des bâtiments à émissions réduites
- Stratégie des bâtiments durables

LE MODÉRATEUR PASSERA EN REVUE LES CHOIX

Y a-t-il des noms qui ne vous plaisent pas ? Pour quelles raisons ?
Est-ce que vous avez d’autres suggestions de noms pour cette stratégie ?

VÉHICULES ZÉRO ÉMISSION (VZE) (10 minutes) Terre-Neuve, futurs propriétaires de la RGT, futurs propriétaires des grands centres du Québec, immigrant(e)s de première génération de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes des régions de Wellington et de Waterloo, jeunes adultes de la région de la Mauricie, grands centres des Prairies, Nord-du Québec

Y a-t-il quelqu’un qui a déjà été propriétaire d’un véhicule zéro émission, aussi connu comme un VZE (ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN : un véhicule électrique est un type de VZE) ? Est-ce que quelqu’un en a déjà envisagé l’achat ?
- Quelle serait la raison principale pour laquelle vous envisageriez l’achat d’un véhicule à zéro émission ?
- Quelle serait la raison principale pour laquelle vous n’envisageriez pas l’achat d’un véhicule à zéro émission ?
Que penseriez-vous si le gouvernement du Canada fixait un objectif qui voudrait que tous les véhicules neufs vendus au Canada soient des VZE d’ici l’année 2050 ?
- SI NÉGATIF : Imaginez que le prix des automobiles à zéro émission n’était pas différent du prix des autres véhicules comparables. Est-ce que cela vous ferait changer d’avis ou bien y a-t-il autre chose que le prix qui vous préoccupe par rapport à cette proposition ?

PETITS RÉACTEURS NUCLÉAIRES (10 minutes) Terre-Neuve, parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver, futurs propriétaires de la RGT, futurs propriétaires des grands centres du Québec, immigrant(e)s de première génération de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes des régions de Wellington et de Waterloo, jeunes adultes de la région de la Mauricie, grands centres des Prairies, parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de la Nouvelle-Écosse, Nord-du Québec

Que pensez-vous de l’énergie nucléaire par rapport aux autres sources d’énergie ? Le Canada devrait-il en faire plus ou en faire moins avec l’énergie nucléaire ?
Avez-vous entendu parler de petits réacteurs nucléaires, ou petits réacteurs modulaires (PRM) ?

ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN
Les petits réacteurs modulaires (PRM) sont un secteur émergent de l’innovation en matière d’énergie nucléaire au Canada et dans le monde. Les PRM auront des caractéristiques de sécurité améliorées, une plus petite empreinte et produiront moins de déchets que les réacteurs d’énergie nucléaire traditionnels.

Que pensez-vous d’avoir plus de PRM au Canada ?
- SI PRÉOCCUPÉ : Quelles sont vos principales préoccupations ?
Certaines personnes affirment que c’est un bon moyen de réduire les émissions de gaz à effet de serre et d’amener le Canada à la carboneutralité. Que pensez-vous de cela — pensez-vous qu’il s’agit d’une bonne raison de construire davantage de réacteurs PRM au Canada, ou non ?
Certaines personnes disent que cela représente une occasion économique importante puisque plusieurs entreprises canadiennes ont la capacité de les fabriquer et qu’elles pourraient les vendre à d’autres pays. Cela permettrait donc de créer des emplois au Canada. Que pensez-vous de cela — pensez-vous qu’il s’agit d’une bonne raison de construire davantage de réacteurs PRM au Canada, ou non ?

VACCIN CONTRE LA COVID-19 POUR LES ENFANTS (15 minutes) Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de l’île de Vancouver, parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de la Nouvelle-Écosse

J’aimerais maintenant me concentrer plus largement sur la COVID-19, et pas seulement sur les concepts publicitaires que nous venons de passer en revue…

Comme vous le savez peut-être, Santé Canada a approuvé un vaccin Pfizer-BioNTech, Comirnaty, développé pour les enfants de 5 à 11 ans.

En avez-vous parlé à vos enfants ?
Y en a-t-il parmi vous qui ont fait vacciner leurs enfants de moins de 12 ans ? (À MAIN LEVÉE)
- POUR LES PERSONNES QUI NE L’ONT PAS FAIT : Avez-vous pris un rendez-vous pour faire vacciner vos enfants ? (À MAIN LEVÉE)

POUR LES PERSONNES QUI ONT FAIT VACCINER LEURS ENFANTS OU QUI ONT PRIS UN RENDEZ-VOUS :

Qu’est-ce qui a fait que vous avez décidé de faire vacciner vos enfants ?

POUR LES PERSONNES QUI N’ONT NI FAIT VACCINER LEURS ENFANTS NI PRIS UN RENDEZ-VOUS :

Quels sont les facteurs qui influenceront votre décision de faire vacciner ou non vos enfants ?
Y a-t-il des questions sur la vaccination des enfants contre la COVID-19 auxquelles vous aimeriez obtenir des réponses ?

LOGEMENT (25 minutes) Futurs propriétaires de la RGT, futurs propriétaires des grands centres du Québec, immigrant(e)s de première génération de la Colombie-Britannique

J’aimerais maintenant que l’on tourne notre attention sur un autre sujet.

Avez-vous vu, lu ou entendu quoi que ce soit au sujet des actions du gouvernement du Canada en matière d’accessibilité au logement ?
- SI OUI : Qu’avez-vous entendu ?

Je veux me pencher sur quelques initiatives potentielles en matière de logement que le gouvernement du Canada pourrait mettre en œuvre et obtenir votre avis.

AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN

Taxe anti-opérations immobilières de vente-achat (taxe anti-flip) : exige que les propriétaires conservent ces propriétés au moins 12 mois
L’interdiction des offres à l’aveugle : les offres à l’aveugle sont celles où les acheteurs ne connaissent pas l’offre des autres
L’incitatif à l’achat d’une première propriété : les acheteurs d’une première maison peuvent emprunter un montant de 5 ou 10 % du prix d’achat de l’habitation pour la mise de fonds
Financement pour la réparation et la construction de nouveaux logements abordables
Fonds pour accélérer les logements : mettre des fonds à la disposition des municipalités pour leur permettre d’accélérer leurs plans de logement
Programme national de location avec option d’achat : selon lequel le loyer que paient les gens pour un logement pourrait être affecté à la mise de fonds, de sorte à éventuellement se porter acquéreur de la propriété
Empêcher les rénos-évictions : une réno-éviction survient lorsqu’un propriétaire évince un locataire en prétextant qu’il effectuera des rénovations majeures (ou démolir le logement, ou le convertir à un usage commercial)
Interdiction temporaire sur les achats des propriétés résidentielles non récréatives par des étrangers : de sorte que les logements ne restent pas inoccupés et non disponibles pour les Canadiens qui souhaitent s’acheter une propriété

SONDAGE : J’aimerais maintenant que vous choisissiez les initiatives en matière de logement qui devraient constituer une priorité pour le gouvernement du Canada. Vous pouvez en choisir jusqu’à trois ; n’en sélectionnez pas si vous pensez qu’aucune ne devrait constituer une priorité.

Taxe anti-opérations immobilières de vente-achat (taxe anti-flip)
L’interdiction des offres à l’aveugle
L’incitatif à l’achat d’une première propriété
Financement pour la réparation et la construction de nouveaux logements abordables
Fonds pour accélérer les logements
Programme national de location avec option d’achat
Empêcher les rénos-évictions
Interdiction temporaire sur les achats des propriétés résidentielles non récréatives par des étrangers

LE MODÉRATEUR PASSERA EN REVUE LES CHOIX

Y’en a-t-il parmi celles-ci qui vont vous toucher personnellement ? De quelle manière ?
Y’en a-t-il dont vous êtes d’avis que le gouvernement du Canada ne devrait pas mettre en œuvre ? Pour quelle raison ?

L’ÉNERGIE À HYDROGÈNE (10 minutes) Futurs propriétaires des grands centres du Québec, Nord-du Québec

Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit au sujet de l’hydrogène propre ?
Même si vous en savez peu sur le sujet, connaissez-vous de quelconques avantages à utiliser de l’hydrogène propre ?

ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN/AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN
Essentiellement, les ressources naturelles telles que l’électricité propre (l’électricité produite à partir de sources non émettrices, comme l’hydroélectricité, l’éolien, le solaire, etc.), le gaz naturel et d’autres sources d’énergie renouvelable peuvent être converties en hydrogène et produire peu ou pas d’émissions.

Une fois produit, l’hydrogène peut être utilisé comme matière première à faible teneur en carbone pour ainsi réduire les émissions de divers procédés industriels, comme la fabrication de l’acier. Il peut également être converti en électricité grâce à des piles à combustible, lesquelles peuvent être utilisées dans un large éventail d’applications, telles qu’alimenter des véhicules, dans des centrales électriques, dans des bâtiments ainsi que pour le stockage d’énergie à long terme.

Lorsqu’il est brûlé, utilisé comme matière première ou utilisé dans une pile à combustible, l’hydrogène n’émet que de l’eau ; il n’y a aucune émission de dioxyde de carbone et aucun polluant atmosphérique. Les applications des piles à combustible (y compris dans les véhicules moyens et lourds) ont également tendance à être silencieuses pendant leur fonctionnement, car elles comportent peu de pièces mobiles.

Lorsque vous pensez à l’hydrogène, avez-vous certaines préoccupations ou y a-t-il certains inconvénients qui vous viennent à l’esprit ?
Lorsqu’on pense aux investissements dans les énergies propres de façon plus générale, quelle priorité le gouvernement du Canada devrait-il accorder à l’hydrogène propre, par rapport à d’autres investissements dans les énergies propres ?

LES OPIOÏDES (10 minutes) Immigrant(e)s de première génération de la Colombie-Britannique

Passons à un autre sujet…

Avez-vous vu, lu ou entendu quoi que ce soit dans les nouvelles au sujet du plan de la ville de Vancouver visant à obtenir l’approbation de Santé Canada pour décriminaliser la possession de petites quantités de drogues illicites ? Qu’avez-vous entendu ?
- Quel serait, selon vous, l’impact de décriminaliser la possession de petites quantités de drogues illicites ?
- Pensez-vous que Santé Canada devrait approuver ou non ce plan ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
Pensez-vous qu’il y ait autre chose que le gouvernement du Canada devrait faire pour s’attaquer à la consommation de substances et à la crise des surdoses ?
- SI OUI : Que devrait-il faire d’autre ?

ENJEUX SPÉCIFIQUES AUX JEUNES (25 minutes) Jeunes adultes des régions de Wellington et de Waterloo, jeunes adultes de la région de la Mauricie

Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit sur ce que le gouvernement du Canada a fait récemment pour soutenir les jeunes Canadiennes et Canadiens ?
- DEMANDER AU BESOIN : Qu’en est-il des choses que le gouvernement a faites pour aider financièrement les jeunes Canadiennes et Canadiens pendant la COVID ?
Quelle est habituellement la première source des nouvelles que vous entendez ?
- Qu’en est-il des nouvelles concernant la COVID-19 — quelles sont vos principales sources d’information ?
  - En ce qui concerne la COVID-19, cherchez-vous activement de nouvelles informations à ce sujet ?
- Et maintenant, si vous songez à l’information en général (pas seulement celle qui a trait à la COVID-19) qui concerne le gouvernement du Canada, y compris les politiques qu’il met en œuvre ou les actions qu’il prend, cherchez-vous activement ce genre d’information ?
  - SI OUI : Où cherchez-vous pour trouver ce genre d’information ?
Avez-vous vu de quelconques publicités du gouvernement du Canada récemment ?
- SI OUI : Quel était le sujet de la publicité ? Où l’avez-vous vue ?
Dans l’ensemble, pensez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada fait un effort pour atteindre les jeunes Canadiennes et Canadiens ? Pensez-vous qu’il privilégie les jeunes lorsqu’il prend des décisions ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
- Que pourrait faire le gouvernement du Canada pour atteindre les jeunes Canadiennes et Canadiens de manière plus efficace ?
Quel est l’enjeu le plus important pour vous et celui sur lequel vous estimez que le gouvernement du Canada devrait se concentrer le plus ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
Et quel est l’enjeu le plus important auquel les jeunes, plus largement, sont confrontés à l’heure actuelle et auquel le gouvernement du Canada devrait accorder plus d’attention ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?

LOCATION DE LOGEMENT (10 minutes) Grands centres des Prairies, parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de la Nouvelle-Écosse, Nord-du Québec

Je voudrais passer à un tout autre sujet…

Est-ce que vous louez actuellement le lieu où vous habitez ?
Pensez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada a un rôle à jouer dans la réglementation du coût des loyers au Canada ?
- Que devrait-il faire ?
Récemment, il a été suggéré que le gouvernement du Canada devrait offrir des subventions ou des incitatifs aux propriétaires de logements locatifs, en échange d’engagements contraignants à ne pas augmenter leurs loyers. Que pensez-vous de cette approche proposée ?
D’autres ont suggéré que le gouvernement du Canada devrait plutôt adopter une loi qui rend illégale une hausse de loyer au-delà d’un prix plafond. Que pensez-vous de cette approche proposée ?

CONTENU CANADIEN (25 minutes) Grands centres des Prairies, Nord-du Québec

Je voudrais maintenant passer à un tout autre sujet…

Qu’est-ce qui vous vient à l’esprit lorsque je prononce les mots « contenu canadien » ?
- Quels sont des exemples de contenu canadien ?
En général, comment évalueriez-vous la qualité du contenu canadien — pensez-vous qu’il tend à être de haute qualité ou non ?
- Si vous savez qu’une émission de télévision ou un film sont des productions canadiennes, est-il plus probable ou moins probable que vous les regardiez ?
  - Qu’en est-il quand il s’agit de musique ?
Pensez-vous que l’industrie canadienne de la télévision et du cinéma est menacée à l’heure actuelle ?
- SI OUI : Par quoi ?
SONDAGE : Je vais vous montrer des énoncés et je voudrais que vous choisissiez ceux avec lesquels vous êtes d’accord. Vous pouvez tous les choisir, n’en choisir aucun ou en choisir un nombre qui se situe entre ces deux extrêmes.
- Le gouvernement du Canada doit protéger le contenu et les récits canadiens.
- Le gouvernement du Canada doit soutenir les artistes et les créateurs canadiens.
- Le gouvernement du Canada doit uniformiser les règles du jeu entre les radiodiffuseurs traditionnels et les géants étrangers du Web.
- Les géants étrangers du Web doivent payer leur juste part pour soutenir les créateurs canadiens.
- Les règles relatives au contenu en ligne sont désuètes et nous devons les moderniser.
- Les géants du Web doivent rendre le contenu canadien plus découvrable sur leurs plateformes.
- Les géants du Web doivent en faire davantage pour mettre en valeur le contenu canadien sur leurs plateformes.

LE MODÉRATEUR PASSERA EN REVUE LES CHOIX

Y a-t-il des énoncés avec lesquels vous êtes en désaccord ? Pour quelle raison ?
Quelle est la différence entre rendre le contenu canadien « découvrable » et le « mettre en valeur » ?
Avez-vous entendu parler du projet de loi fédérale modifiant la Loi sur la radiodiffusion, connu comme le projet de loi C-10 ?
- SI OUI : Qu’avez-vous entendu ?

Je voudrais qu’on se concentre sur les services en ligne où le contenu est diffusé en continu ou accédé sur demande sur les grandes plateformes en ligne telles que Netflix ou Spotify. Notez que je ne fais pas référence au contenu généré par les utilisateurs, comme les utilisateurs individuels qui publient sur des sites tels que YouTube ou Facebook.

Pensez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada devrait jouer un rôle dans la réglementation du contenu servi aux Canadiennes et aux Canadiens par les grandes plateformes en ligne ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?

LA GARDE DE JEUNES ENFANTS (20 minutes) Parents d’enfants de moins de 12 ans de la Nouvelle-Écosse

Je voudrais parler de garde de jeunes enfants…

Quel est le plus grand défi en matière de garde de jeunes enfants en Nouvelle-Écosse ?
Avez-vous des enfants en garderie ? (À MAIN LEVÉE)
- Combien cela vous coûte-t-il ?
- Dans quelle mesure a-t-il été facile ou difficile de trouver et d’obtenir une place ?
Avez-vous entendu parler d’une quelconque entente sur les services de garde de jeunes enfants entre le gouvernement du Canada et la Nouvelle-Écosse ? Qu’avez-vous entendu ?

ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN/AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN
Le gouvernement du Canada a conclu une entente avec la Nouvelle-Écosse qui vise à rendre les services d’apprentissage et de garde de jeunes enfants plus abordables pour les familles néo-écossaises. Cette entente comporte les objectifs suivants :

Offrir une réduction de 50 % des frais moyens facturés aux parents d’ici la fin de 2022 pour atteindre une moyenne de 10 $ par jour d’ici 2025-2026 pour toutes les places en services de garde réglementés et financés par la province ;
Créer davantage de places en services de garde réglementés de grande qualité et abordables, principalement par l’intermédiaire de fournisseurs de services de garde d’enfants publics et à but non lucratif ;
Remédier aux obstacles à la prestation de services de garde flexibles et inclusifs ;
Valoriser les éducatrices et éducateurs de la petite enfance et leur offrir des possibilités de formation et de perfectionnement professionnel.
Ce plan vous aidera-t-il ou aidera-t-il quelqu’un que vous connaissez ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?

Appendix C – Advertising Concepts

Option A: Public Health Ad Campaign – Inside Out (Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland)

Revised Option A: Public Health Ad Campaign – Inside Out (Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12)

Alternate Option A: Public Health Ad Campaign – Inside Out (Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12)

Option B: Public Health Ad Campaign – Tune Up (Frontenac Region, Alberta Young Adults, Newfoundland)

Continuous Qualitative Data Collection of Canadians’ Views – January 2022

Final Report

Prepared for the Privy Council Office

Supplier name: The Strategic Counsel

Contract number: 35035-182346/001/CY

Contract value: $2,428,991.50

Award date: December 16, 2021

Delivery date: March 17, 2022

Registration number: POR-005-19

For more information on this report, please email por-rop@pco-bcp.ca

Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français.

Continuous Qualitative Data Collection of Canadians’ Views

Final Report

Prepared for the Privy Council Office

Supplier Name: The Strategic Counsel

January 2022

Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Rapport final - Collecte continue de données qualitatives sur les opinions des canadiens – janvier 2022.

This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from the Privy Council Office. For more information on this report, please contact the Privy Council Office at: por-rop@pco-bcp.ca or at:

Privy Council OfficeBlackburn Building85 Sparks Street, Room 228Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A3

Catalogue Number:

International Standard Book Number (ISBN):

Related publications (registration number: POR-005-19):

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2022

Political Neutrality Certification

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: __________________________________

Donna Nixon, Partner The Strategic Counsel

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Introduction

As a note of caution when interpreting the results from this study, findings of qualitative research are directional in nature only and cannot be projected with any statistical accuracy or degree of confidence on to the overall population under study.

Methodology

Overview of Groups

Detailed Approach

Group Locations and Composition

Key Findings

Part I: COVID-19 Related Findings

Government of Canada in the News (All Locations)

Government of Canada Priorities (British Columbia First-Generation Immigrants, Ontario Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Quebec Mauricie Region Young Adults)

COVID-19 Outlook and Vaccines (All Locations)

Omicron Variant (All Locations)

COVID-19 Travel Measures & Considerations (Ontario Frontenac Region, Newfoundland, Alberta Young Adults)

COVID-19 Information (Ontario Frontenac Region, Newfoundland, Alberta Young Adults, GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners)

COVID-19 Booster Dose (Ontario Frontenac Region, Newfoundland, Alberta Young Adults)

COVID-19 Vaccines for Children (Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12)

COVID-19 Vaccine Concept Testing (Frontenac Region, Newfoundland, Alberta Young Adults, Vancouver Island Parents of Children under 12)

Recent Federal Financial Supports (Ontario Frontenac Region, Newfoundland, Alberta Young Adults)

Part II: Other Issues

Housing and Home Renting (GTA Prospective Homeowners, Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, British Columbia First-Generation Immigrants, Major Centres Prairies, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12, Northern Quebec)

Very few were able to recall any recent actions taken by the Government of Canada related to making housing more affordable. A number of participants, however, felt this was an important issue and one requiring further attention from the Government of Canada.

Home Renting (Major Centres Prairies, Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12, Northern Quebec)

Asked whether they felt the federal government had a role to play in regulating the cost of rent in Canada, most participants in these groups felt this was necessary given what they perceived to be an exceedingly overheated rental market.

Opioids (British Columbia First-Generation Immigrants)

Questioned about a recent plan by the City of Vancouver to gain approval from Health Canada for the decriminalization of small amounts of illicit drugs - shifting from a law enforcement model to one of harm reduction – none of the participants in this group were aware of this initiative.

Youth Issues (Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults)

Canadian Content (Major Centres Prairies, Northern Quebec)

Prompted to share what came to mind upon hearing the phrase ‘Canadian Content’, participants mentioned Canadian television channels, films and television produced in Canada, Canadian news and literature, and educational content centred around Canadian perspectives and history.

Child Care (Nova Scotia Parents of Children under 12)

Most were aware of a recent agreement between the Government of Canada and Nova Scotia to make child care more affordable for Nova Scotia families, with a number identifying the target of this deal being to make the cost of child care $10 a day, on average, by 2025-26.

Participants in these groups were asked to discuss zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs), a class of automobiles that have the potential to produce no tailpipe emissions, including battery-electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered vehicles.

Hydrogen-Based Energy (Major Centres Quebec Prospective Homeowners, Northern Quebec)

MORE INFORMATION

The Strategic Counsel

Contract number: 35035-182346/001/CY

Contract award date: December 16, 2021

Contract value: $2,428,991.50

Detailed Findings – Part I: COVID-19

Timeline of January Announcements

To help place the focus group discussions within the context of key events which occurred during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, below is a brief synopsis for the period spanning from the end of December 2021 until the end of January 2022.

Government of Canada in the News (All Locations)

At the beginning of each focus group, participants were asked what they had seen, read, or heard about the Government of Canada in recent days. Across all groups, the COVID-19 pandemic and the federal government’s response to it remained top of mind for most.

Though several participants reported having not heard anything recently related to the Government of Canada, many others recalled recent federal initiatives and announcements related to the pandemic, including:

A number of participants also recalled recent actions by the federal government unrelated to the pandemic, including:

With respect to international issues, participants in several groups held in the latter part of the month mentioned the increasing tensions between Russia and Ukraine and the potential response from the Government of Canada and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members.

Government of Canada Priorities (British Columbia First-Generation Immigrants, Wellington and Waterloo Regions Young Adults, Mauricie Region Young Adults)

Regarding economic issues, there were calls for the federal government to do more to prioritize the Canadian economy, in general, and to address specific issues, such as inflation and supply chain delays, as well as cost of living issues related to housing, student debt, and child care.

A number of participants also wanted to see greater focus from the federal government on climate change and the environment. Many of these participants, especially in the young adult groups, felt these issues warranted increasing urgency, and that time was running out to take action.

COVID-19 Outlook and Vaccines (All Locations)

Omicron Variant (All Locations)

Participants in all groups discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the Government of Canada’s evolving response to it, including those related to the Omicron variant, increases in case counts, and public health measures to contain the spread.

Privy Council Office
Blackburn Building
85 Sparks Street, Room 228
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A3

Donna Nixon, Partner
The Strategic Counsel