Final Report

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION’S BEHAVIOURAL INSIGHTS COVID-19 SURVEY TOOL IN THE CANADIAN CONTEXT: RAPID AND COST-EFFECTIVE MONITORING OF PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIOURS

2020

Submitted to

Privy Council Office (PCO)

Prepared by

Leger

Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français

Contract number: 35035-192504/001/CY

POR #001-20

Awarded April 1, 2020

Contract Value: $248,342.93 (including HST)

Delivery Date: October 2020

Leger

507 Place d’Armes, Suite 700

Montréal, Québec

G1R 2K2

Phone: 514-982-2464

Fax: 514-987-1960

For more information on this report, please contact the Privy Council Office at: Por-rop@pco-bcp.gc.ca

Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français.

Methodological Report

Prepared for Privy Council Office of Canada

Supplier Name: Leger

October 2020

This public opinion research methodological report presents the technical aspects of a web survey conducted by Leger Marketing Inc. on behalf of the Privy Council Office of Canada. The research was conducted with Canadians 18 and over who could understand and express themselves in either French or English.

Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre :

Mise en œuvre de l’outil de sondage de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé sur les comportements liés à la COVID-19 dans le contexte canadien : une surveillance rapide et économique des perceptions, des connaissances et des comportements du public.

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.gc.ca or at:

Privy Council Office

Blackburn Bldg

85 Sparks St.

Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A3

Catalogue Number: CP22-195/2021E-PDF

International Standard Book Number (ISBN): 978-0-660-37572-4
Français - Numéro de catalogue : CP22-195/2021F-PDF

Français - Numéro international normalisé du livre (ISBN) : 978-0-660-37573-1

Related publications (registration number: POR 001-20)

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary 4

1.1 Background and Objectives 4

1.2 Notes on The Interpretation of The Findings 5

1.3 Declaration of Political Neutrality and Contact Information 5

1.4 Methodology 6

1.5 Quotas 6

2. Details for Each Wave 7

2.1 Pretest 7

2.2 Data collection 9

2.3. Participation rate 12

APPENDIX A - Detailed Research Methodology 18

A.2 Quantitative Methodology 18

3. Survey instrument 27

APPENDIX B – SURVEY 40

1. Executive Summary

Leger is pleased to present The Privy Council Office of Canada, as well as the Government of Canada, with this technical report describing the methodology used for the longitudinal study on public perceptions, knowledge and behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report was prepared by Leger who was contracted by The Privy Council Office (contract number 35035-192504/001/CY awarded April 1^st, 2020. This contract has a value of $248,342.93 including HST).

1.1 Background and Objectives

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Privy Council Office (PCO), the secretariat responsible for providing nonpartisan advice to the Prime Minister and coordinating the work of federal government departments and agencies, needed ongoing access to quantitative data describing the evolution of Canadians' perceptions, attitudes, knowledge, and behaviours in this uncertain context. The Behavioural Insight Tool (BI), developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), was used as the data collection tool for this study. At each survey wave, the collection tool was adjusted to reflect the evolution of the pandemic and the primary data needs of PCO.

The main objectives of this study were to provide PCO and other government departments (e.g., Health Canada & Public Health Agency of Canada) with research-based information on Canadians’ perceptions, knowledge and behaviours relating to COVID-19.

This includes:

· trust in health authorities, recommendations, and information;

· risk perceptions;

· acceptance of recommended behaviours;

· knowledge;

· barriers/drivers to recommended behaviours;

· misperceptions;

· and stigma.

The results of this public opinion study has been and will be put to various uses by PCO and other federal departments and agencies:

· Track Canadians’ evolving perceptions, knowledge and behaviours relating to COVID-19, to better understand how public awareness campaigns and broader government response efforts have been affecting the population more holistically and to inform whole-of-government decision-making moving forward;

· Compare data trends cross-nationally (i.e., with other allied countries that adopt the WHO BI protocol) in a standardized manner, facilitating a better understanding how the Canadian populace fares relative to other nations on an ongoing basis in their perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge; and

· Enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine COVID-19 response efforts to meet the specific needs of Canadians. This study was seen as an element of broader public engagement efforts in response to COVID-19 that intend to proactively and iteratively educate and encourage Canadians to play their part in sustained response efforts.

1.2 Notes on The Interpretation of The Findings

Since a sample drawn from an Internet panel is not probabilistic in nature, the margin of error cannot be calculated for this survey. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have volunteered to participate/registered to participate in online surveys. The results of such surveys cannot be described as statistically projectable to the target population. The data have been weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the target population. Because the sample is based on those who initially self-selected for participation, no estimates of sampling error can be calculated.

1.3 Declaration of Political Neutrality and Contact Information

I hereby certify, as chief agent of Leger, that the deliverables are in full compliance with the neutrality requirements of the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and the Directive on the Management of Communications—Appendix C (Appendix C: Mandatory Procedures for Public Opinion Research).

Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, party positions, or the assessment of the performance of a political party or its leaders.

Signed by:

Christian Bourque

Executive Vice President and Associate

Leger

507 Place d’Armes, Suite 700

Montréal, Quebec

H2Y 2W8

cbourque@leger360.com

1.4 Methodology

This study was conducted through a web-based survey of the Canadian population aged 18 and over who can speak English or French. The respondents were randomly selected through the Leo panel, our panel of Canadian Internet users comprising nearly half a million Internet users.

Eight waves of studies were completed for this research project. A sample of 2,000 respondents was collected each wave. Since this was a longitudinal study, the objective was to re-invite the 2,000 respondents from wave 1 in subsequent survey waves. Our goal was to maximize the number of respondents who respond to the maximum number of survey waves. Respondents who cease to participate in subsequent waves were replaced following the gender, age and regional quotas that was be implemented in the project.

All respondents were contacted via email by Leger. All invitations were bilingual to ensure that no respondent gets a unilingual invitation in the wrong official language. Each respondent was provided with an invitation that includes preapproved information from PCO regarding the nature of the research (i.e. Government of Canada) including the required information for consent and the rights and obligations of respondents.

Fieldwork for this survey took place from April 10, 2020 to September 16, 2020. Details of the eight waves are provided in the following sections.

1.5 Quotas

A series of quotas were implemented for this project. Quotas were cross-referenced by gender and age groups and were also imposed on the region of residence of respondents. The first quota is 50% men and 50% women for the gender sample. These gender quotas were also respected within the following age groups: 18-34, 35-54 and 55 and over. Those gender and age quotas had to be respected at the regional level. The Canadian regions were split as follows:

● Atlantic Canada (Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick);

● Quebec;

● Ontario;

● Manitoba/Saskatchewan/Nunavut;

● Alberta/Northwest Territories;

● British Columbia/Yukon.

The following table details the expected distribution of the sample across the provinces and territories for each wave.

The sample distribution was planned as follows:

Provinces and Territories	NL	NS	PE	NB	QC	ON	MB	SK	AB	BC	NU	NT	YT
# of Respondents	40	80	22	60	400	620	126	106	260	280	2	2	2

As there were no respondents from Nunavut, the two planned respondents were replaced by respondents from Manitoba and Saskatchewan. As for any general population sample derived from a national survey, the final results were weighted by region, age groups, gender, education and the presence of children in the household to make the final samples representative of the actual population of Canada. Details on the weighting factors are presented in a subsequent section of this report.

2. Details for Each Wave

2.1 Pretest

To validate the programming of the questionnaire, a pre-test was conducted in both languages before each wave of the project. The following table shows the details of those pre-tests. A validation of frequencies and databases was done after each pre-test to ensure that the programming was accurate and functional.

Table 1. Pretest details for waves 1 through 8

Wave 1
Date of the pre-test	April 10^th,2020
Number of completed questionnaires	46
Average length during pre-test	17.34 min.
Wave 2
Date of the pre-test	April 21^st,2020
Number of completed questionnaires	31
Average length during pre-test	12.25 min.
Wave 3
Date of the pre-test	May 5^th, 2020
Number of completed questionnaires	24
Average length during pre-test	17.47 min.
Wave 4
Date of the pre-test	May 27^th, 2020
Number of completed questionnaires	34
Average length during pre-test	15.04 min
Wave 5
Date of the pre-test	June 23^rd, 2020
Number of completed questionnaires	30
Average length during pre-test	18.32 min
Wave 6
Date of the pre-test	July 17^th, 2020
Number of completed questionnaires	55
Average length during pre-test	18.02
Wave 7
Date of the pre-test	August 13^th,2020
Number of completed questionnaires	36
Average length during pre-test	16.17 min.
Wave 8
Date of the pre-test	September 10^th,2020
Number of completed questionnaires	53
Average length during pre-test	20.42 min

2.2 Data collection

Data collection for this project began in April 2020 and was carried out over several waves until September 2020. Each wave lasted between four and six days in field. A minimum target of 2,000 respondents for each wave was established. Following the first wave, Léger conducted recontacts to maximize the number of respondents who participated in previous waves and replaced respondents who ceased to participate in subsequent waves following the gender, age and regional quotas. The first days of data collection were aimed at recontacting previous respondents, while the last days of data collection were aimed at replacing the non-returning respondents, due to attrition. The following table details the collection dates and the number of respondents and recontacts for each wave.

Table 2. Data collection details for waves 1 through 8

Wave 1
Start of data collection	April 10^th, 2020
End of data collection	April 14^th, 2020
Invitations sent	19,123
Number of completed interviews	2,023
Survey Length (Average)	26 minutes
Survey Length (Median)	22 minutes
Wave 2
Start of data collection	April 21^st, 2020
End of data collection	April 25^th, 2020
Invitations sent	16,514
Recontact	1,703
New respondents	14,811
Number of completed interviews	2,098
Recontact	1,489
New respondents	609
Survey Length (Average)	23 minutes
Survey Length (Median)	20 minutes
Wave 3
Start of data collection	May 5^th, 2020
End of data collection	May 10^th, 2020
Invitations sent	8,012
Recontact	2,002
New respondents	6,010
Number of completed interviews	2,000
Recontact	1,733
New respondents	267
Survey Length (Average)	23 minutes
Survey Length (Median)	20 minutes
Wave 4
Start of data collection	May 27^th, 2020
End of data collection	June 1^st,2020
Invitations sent	12,380
Recontact	1,987
New respondents	10,393
Number of completed interviews	2,152
Recontact	1,702
New respondents	450
Survey Length (Average)	25 minutes
Survey Length (Median)	21 minutes
Wave 5
Start of data collection	June 23^rd, 2020
End of data collection	June 28^th,2020
Invitations sent	15,880
Recontact	2,128
New respondents	13,752
Number of completed interviews	2,169
Recontact	1,847
New respondents	322
Survey Length (Average)	23 minutes
Survey Length (Median)	20 minutes
Wave 6
Start of data collection	July 17^th, 2020
End of data collection	July 22^nd, 2020
Invitations sent	7,408
Recontact	2,169
New respondents	5,239
Number of completed interviews	2,141
Recontact	1,885
New respondents	256
Survey Length (Average)	23 minutes
Survey Length (Median)	20 minutes
Wave 7
Start of data collection	August 13^th,2020
End of data collection	August 17^th,2020
Invitations sent	9,857
Recontact	2,141
New respondents	7,716
Number of completed interviews	2,129
Recontact	1,776
New respondents	353
Survey Length (Average)	24 minutes
Survey Length (Median)	21 minutes
Wave 8
Start of data collection	September 10^th,2020
End of data collection	September 16^th,2020
Invitations sent	9,442
Recontact	2,129
New respondents	7,313
Number of completed interviews	2,117
Recontact	1,822
New respondents	295
Survey Length (Average)	29 minutes
Survey Length (Median)	24 minutes

2.3. Participation rate

Below is the calculation of the participation rate to the web survey for all eight waves. The participation rate is calculated using the following formula: Participation rate / response rate = R ÷ (U + IS + R). The table below provides details of the calculation. For all waves, the participation rate ranges between 11,4% and 30%.

Table 3. Participation rate for wave 1

Base Sample	19,123
Invalid cases	0
Invitations mistakenly sent to people who did not qualify for the study	0
Incomplete or missing email addresses	0
Unresolved (U)	16,255
Email invitations bounce back	0
Email invitations unanswered	16,255
EFFECTIVE SAMPLE*	2,319
In-scope non-responding units (IS)	211
Non-response from eligible respondents	0
Respondent refusals	0
Language problem	0
Selected respondent not available (illness; leave of absence; vacation; other)	0
Early break-offs	221
Responding units (R)	2,108
Completed surveys disqualified – quota filled	0
Completed surveys disqualified for other reasons	85
COMPLETED INTERVIEWS	2,023
Participation rate	11.4%

Table 4. Participation rate for wave 2

Base Sample	16,514
Invalid cases	0
Invitations mistakenly sent to people who did not qualify for the study	0
Incomplete or missing email addresses	0
Unresolved (U)	13,907
Email invitations bounce back	0
Email invitations unanswered	13,907
EFFECTIVE SAMPLE*	2,221
In-scope non-responding units (IS)	78
Non-response from eligible respondents	0
Respondent refusals	0
Language problem	0
Selected respondent not available (illness; leave of absence; vacation; other)	0
Early break-offs	78
Responding units (R)	2,143
Completed surveys disqualified – quota filled	0
Completed surveys disqualified for other reasons	45
COMPLETED INTERVIEWS	2,098
Participation rate	13.3%

Table 5. Participation rate for wave 3

Base Sample	8,012
Invalid cases	0
Invitations mistakenly sent to people who did not qualify for the study	0
Incomplete or missing email addresses	0
Unresolved (U)	5,551
Email invitations bounce back	0
Email invitations unanswered	5,551
EFFECTIVE SAMPLE*	2,087
In-scope non-responding units (IS)	57
Non-response from eligible respondents	0
Respondent refusals	0
Language problem	0
Selected respondent not available (illness; leave of absence; vacation; other)	0
Early break-offs	57
Responding units (R)	2,030
Completed surveys disqualified – quota filled	0
Completed surveys disqualified for other reasons	30
COMPLETED INTERVIEWS	2,000
Participation rate	21%

Table 6. Participation rate for wave 4

Base Sample	12,380
Invalid cases	0
Invitations mistakenly sent to people who did not qualify for the study	0
Incomplete or missing email addresses	0
Unresolved (U)	9,580
Email invitations bounce back	0
Email invitations unanswered	9,580
EFFECTIVE SAMPLE*	2,317
In-scope non-responding units (IS)	127
Non-response from eligible respondents	0
Respondent refusals	0
Language problem	0
Selected respondent not available (illness; leave of absence; vacation; other)	0
Early break-offs	127
Responding units (R)	2,190
Completed surveys disqualified – quota filled	0
Completed surveys disqualified for other reasons	38
COMPLETED INTERVIEWS	2,152
Participation rate	18.4%

Table 7. Participation rate for wave 5

Base Sample	15,880
Invalid cases	0
Invitations mistakenly sent to people who did not qualify for the study	0
Incomplete or missing email addresses	0
Unresolved (U)	12,409
Email invitations bounce back	0
Email invitations unanswered	12,409
EFFECTIVE SAMPLE*	2,324
In-scope non-responding units (IS)	130
Non-response from eligible respondents	0
Respondent refusals	0
Language problem	0
Selected respondent not available (illness; leave of absence; vacation; other)	0
Early break-offs	130
Responding units (R)	2,194
Completed surveys disqualified – quota filled	0
Completed surveys disqualified for other reasons	25
COMPLETED INTERVIEWS	2,169
Participation rate	15%

Table 8. Participation rate for wave 6

Base Sample	7,408
Invalid cases	0
Invitations mistakenly sent to people who did not qualify for the study	0
Incomplete or missing email addresses	0
Unresolved (U)	4,983
Email invitations bounce back	0
Email invitations unanswered	4,983
EFFECTIVE SAMPLE*	1,314
In-scope non-responding units (IS)	113
Non-response from eligible respondents	0
Respondent refusals	0
Language problem	0
Selected respondent not available (illness; leave of absence; vacation; other)	0
Early break-offs	113
Responding units (R)	2,201
Completed surveys disqualified – quota filled	0
Completed surveys disqualified for other reasons	60
COMPLETED INTERVIEWS	2,141
Participation rate	30%

Table 9. Participation rate for wave 7

Base Sample	9,857
Invalid cases	0
Invitations mistakenly sent to people who did not qualify for the study	0
Incomplete or missing email addresses	0
Unresolved (U)	7,309
Email invitations bounce back	0
Email invitations unanswered	7,309
EFFECTIVE SAMPLE*	2,328
In-scope non-responding units (IS)	165
Non-response from eligible respondents	0
Respondent refusals	0
Language problem	0
Selected respondent not available (illness; leave of absence; vacation; other)	0
Early break-offs	165
Responding units (R)	2,163
Completed surveys disqualified – quota filled	0
Completed surveys disqualified for other reasons	34
COMPLETED INTERVIEWS	2,129
Participation rate	22%

Table 10. Participation rate for wave 8

Base Sample	9,442
Invalid cases	0
Invitations mistakenly sent to people who did not qualify for the study	0
Incomplete or missing email addresses	0
Unresolved (U)	7,007
Email invitations bounce back	0
Email invitations unanswered	7,007
EFFECTIVE SAMPLE*	2,365
In-scope non-responding units (IS)	2,252
Non-response from eligible respondents	0
Respondent refusals	0
Language problem	0
Selected respondent not available (illness; leave of absence; vacation; other)	0
Early break-offs	113
Responding units (R)	2,139
Completed surveys disqualified – quota filled	0
Completed surveys disqualified for other reasons	22
COMPLETED INTERVIEWS	2,117
Participation rate	19%

APPENDIX A - Detailed Research Methodology

A.2 Quantitative Methodology

A.2.1 Methods

Quantitative research was conducted through online surveys, using Computer Aided Web Interviewing (CAWI) technology. Leger adheres to the most stringent guidelines for quantitative research. The survey instrument was compliant with the Standards of Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research. Respondents were assured of the voluntary, confidential, and anonymous nature of this research. As with all research conducted by Leger, all information that could allow for the identification of participants was removed from the data, in accordance with the Privacy Act.

Computer Aided Web Interviewing (CAWI)

A panel-based Internet survey with a sample of Canadian adults from the general population (with different regional and age quotas and a 50%-50% men and women ratio within those quotas). Participant selection was made randomly from Leo’s online panel.

Leger owns and operates an Internet panel of more than 400,000 Canadians from coast to coast. An Internet panel is made up of web users profiled on different sociodemographic variables. The majority of Leger’s panel members (61%) have been recruited randomly over the phone over the past decade, making it highly similar to the actual Canadian population on many demographic characteristics.

The questionnaire for this project was provided by the Privy Council Office (PCO). The data collection has been conducted in accordance with the Standards for the Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research—Series A—Fieldwork and Data Tabulation for Online Surveys.

A.2.3 Unweighted and Weighted Samples

The tables below present the geographic distribution of respondents, their gender age and level of education before and after weighting for each wave.

We can see that for all eight waves, the weighting adjusted some differences in geographic regions, notably for Prairies/Nunavut (over-represented) and Ontario (under-represented). The quotas placed on the different regions contributed to the need for regional adjustment. Also, for all the waves, the weighting corrected the weight of Canadians with a university degree who were over-represented in the sample. Since Internet panels tend to over-represent people with higher levels of education, it is normal that the most significant statistical adjustment is found with respect to the respondents' level of education. Adjustments for gender and age groups are minimal, as the samples were quite well balanced.

Table 11. Unweighted and Weighted Samples for wave 1

Label	Unweighted	Weighted
	Region
British Colombia and Yukon	284	277
Alberta and Northwest Territories	268	229
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nunavut	236	131
Ontario	622	775
Quebec	407	473
Atlantic	206	138
Gender
Men	1,007	974
Women	1,008	1,040
Age
Between 18 and 34	553	552
Between 35 and 55	744	690
55 years old and over	726	782
Level of education
Highschool or less	378	490
Trade/college	763	982
University	882	551

Table 12. Unweighted and Weighted Samples for wave 2

Label	Unweighted	Weighted
	Region
British Colombia and Yukon	288	287
Alberta and Northwest Territories	281	238
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nunavut	244	136
Ontario	653	803
Quebec	413	491
Atlantic	219	143
Gender
Men	1,052	1,008
Women	1,037	1,079
Age
Between 18 and 34	583	572
Between 35 and 55	774	715
55 years old and over	741	810
Level of education
Highschool or less	345	462
Trade/college	800	1,065
University	953	571

Table 13. Unweighted and Weighted Samples for wave 3

Label	Unweighted	Weighted
	Region
British Colombia and Yukon	278	274
Alberta and Northwest Territories	263	226
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nunavut	243	130
Ontario	590	766
Quebec	402	468
Atlantic	224	136
Gender
Men	979	961
Women	1,013	1,029
Age
Between 18 and 34	527	546
Between 35 and 55	740	682
55 years old and over	733	773
Level of education
Highschool or less	325	443
Trade/college	774	1,012
University	931	544

Table 14. Unweighted and Weighted Samples for wave 4

Label	Unweighted	Weighted
	Region
British Colombia and Yukon	290	294
Alberta and Northwest Territories	271	243
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nunavut	264	140
Ontario	639	824
Quebec	426	504
Atlantic	262	147
Gender
Men	1,056	1,035
Women	1,089	1,107
Age
Between 18 and 34	570	587
Between 35 and 55	799	734
55 years old and over	783	831
Level of education
Highschool or less	338	448
Trade/college	824	1,119
University	990	585

Table 15. Unweighted and Weighted Samples for wave 5

Label	Unweighted	Weighted
	Region
British Colombia and Yukon	297	296
Alberta and Northwest Territories	275	245
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nunavut	266	141
Ontario	635	830
Quebec	424	508
Atlantic	272	148
Gender
Men	1,061	1,046
Women	1,104	1,115
Age
Between 18 and 34	574	592
Between 35 and 55	805	739
55 years old and over	790	838
Level of education
Highschool or less	332	468
Trade/college	790	1,111
University	1,047	590

Table 16. Unweighted and Weighted Samples for wave 6

Label	Unweighted	Weighted
	Region
British Colombia and Yukon	293	293
Alberta and Northwest Territories	277	242
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nunavut	258	140
Ontario	632	820
Quebec	421	501
Atlantic	260	146
Gender
Men	1,058	1,032
Women	1,079	1,101
Age
Between 18 and 34	572	584
Between 35 and 55	788	730
55 years old and over	781	827
Level of education
Highschool or less	329	468
Trade/college	757	1,091
University	1,055	582

Table 17. Unweighted and Weighted Samples for wave 7

Label	Unweighted	Weighted
	Region
British Colombia and Yukon	292	291
Alberta and Northwest Territories	271	241
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nunavut	261	139
Ontario	634	815
Quebec	410	498
Atlantic	261	145
Gender
Men	1,042	1,030
Women	1,085	1,095
Age
Between 18 and 34	561	581
Between 35 and 55	787	726
55 years old and over	781	822
Level of education
Highschool or less	325	462
Trade/college	761	1,087
University	1,043	579

Table 18. Unweighted and Weighted Samples for wave 8

Label	Unweighted	Weighted
	Region
British Colombia and Yukon	297	289
Alberta and Northwest Territories	268	240
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nunavut	253	138
Ontario	635	810
Quebec	416	495
Atlantic	248	144
Gender
Men	1,037	1,027
Women	1,079	1,089
Age
Between 18 and 34	556	577
Between 35 and 55	778	772
55 years old and over	783	818
Level of education
Highschool or less	320	447
Trade/college	759	1,094
University	1,038	576

There is no evidence from the data that having achieved a different age or gender distribution prior to weighting would have significantly changed the results for this study. The relatively small weight sizes and differences in responses between various subgroups suggest that data quality was not affected. The weight that was applied corrected the initial imbalance and no further manipulations were necessary.

A.2.4 Weighting Factors

Some subgroups are sometimes under- or overrepresented in a sample compared to the general population. The weighting of a sample makes it possible to correct those differences. The weighting factors are therefore the weight given to each respondent corresponding to a subgroup of the sample.

Results were weighted by region, gender, age, presence of children in the household, and education. The same weighting was applied for all eight waves.

Table 19. Weight by region*Gender* Age*

Label	Weight
British Columbia, Yukon AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 18 and 24	0.0072
British Columbia, Yukon AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 25 and 34	0.0109
British Columbia, Yukon AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 35 and 44	0.0102
British Columbia, Yukon AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 45 and 54	0.0117
British Columbia, Yukon AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 55 and 64	0.0117
British Columbia, Yukon AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 65 and 74,75 or older	0.0141
British Columbia, Yukon AND Female AND Between 18 and 24	0.0068
British Columbia, Yukon AND Female AND Between 25 and 34	0.0111
British Columbia, Yukon AND Female AND Between 35 and 44	0.0108
British Columbia, Yukon AND Female AND Between 45 and 54	0.0125
British Columbia, Yukon AND Female AND Between 55 and 64	0.0125
British Columbia, Yukon AND Female AND Between 65 and 74,75 or older	0.0162
Alberta, Northwest Territories AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 18 and 24	0.0065
Alberta, Northwest Territories AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 25 and 34	0.0116
Alberta, Northwest Territories AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 35 and 44	0.0106
Alberta, Northwest Territories AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 45 and 54	0.0099
Alberta, Northwest Territories AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 55 and 64	0.009
Alberta, Northwest Territories AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 65 and 74,75 or older	0.0083
Alberta, Northwest Territories AND Female AND Between 18 and 24	0.0062
Alberta, Northwest Territories AND Female AND Between 25 and 34	0.0114
Alberta, Northwest Territories AND Female AND Between 35 and 44	0.0104
Alberta, Northwest Territories AND Female AND Between 45 and 54	0.0098
Alberta, Northwest Territories AND Female AND Between 55 and 64	0.0089
Alberta, Northwest Territories AND Female AND Between 65 and 74,75 or older	0.0096
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 18 and 24	0.004
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 25 and 34	0.0058
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 35 and 44	0.0053
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 45 and 54	0.0055
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 55 and 64	0.0055
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 65 and 74,75 or older	0.0059
Manitoba ,Saskatchewan, Nunavut AND Female AND Between 18 and 24	0.0038
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut AND Female AND Between 25 and 34	0.0058
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut AND Female AND Between 35 and 44	0.0053
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut AND Female AND Between 45 and 54	0.0055
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut AND Female AND Between 55 and 64	0.0056
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut AND Female AND Between 65 and 74,75 or older	0.0072
Ontario AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 18 and 24	0.0223
Ontario AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 25 and 34	0.0306
Ontario AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 35 and 44	0.0292
Ontario AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 45 and 54	0.0346
Ontario AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 55 and 64	0.0316
Ontario AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 65 and 74,75 or older	0.0363
Ontario AND Female AND Between 18 and 24	0.0212
Ontario AND Female AND Between 25 and 34	0.0315
Ontario AND Female AND Between 35 and 44	0.0319
Ontario AND Female AND Between 45 and 54	0.0365
Ontario AND Female AND Between 55 and 64	0.0338
Ontario AND Female AND Between 65 and 74,75 or older	0.0441
Quebec AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 18 and 24	0.0121
Quebec AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 25 and 34	0.018
Quebec AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 35 and 44	0.0189
Quebec AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 45 and 54	0.0203
Quebec AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 55 and 64	0.0211
Quebec AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 65 and 74,75 or older	0.0239
Quebec AND Female AND Between 18 and 24	0.0118
Quebec AND Female AND Between 25 and 34	0.0181
Quebec AND Female AND Between 35 and 44	0.0189
Quebec AND Female AND Between 45 and 54	0.0203
Quebec AND Female AND Between 55 and 64	0.0217
Quebec AND Female AND Between 65 and 74,75 or older	0.0295
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 18 and 24	0.0034
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 25 and 34	0.0046
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 35 and 44	0.0049
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 45 and 54	0.0061
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 55 and 64	0.0065
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island AND Male, Gender diverse AND Between 65 and 74,75 or older	0.0076
Total	1.000

Table 20. Weight by Region

Label	Weight
British Columbia	0.135321
Alberta	0.111797
Saskatchewan	0.029936
Manitoba	0.035029
Ontario	0.38285
Québec	0.234007
New Brunswick	0.021775
Nova Scotia	0.027016
Prince Edward Island	0.004092
Newfoundland and Labrador	0.015257
Territories	0.00292
Total	1.000

Table 21. Weight by presence of children

Label	Weight
Yes Children	0.2767
No Children	0.7233
Total	1.000

Table 22. Weight by Education Level

Label	Weight
Not University	0.728
University	0.272
Total	1.000

3. Survey instrument

The questionnaire was provided by PCO and was subject to change at each wave in order to adapt to the changing situation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The complete questionnaire, including all the questions from all the waves can be found in Appendix B. The table below presents the questions included in the questionnaire for the first wave as well as the added and removed questions for each of the following waves.

Wave 1
S1	In what year were you born?
S1A	In which of the following age categories do you belong?
S2	What is your gender?
S3	What is the highest level of formal education that you have completed?
S4	Are you a health care provider (i.e., nurse, medical doctor, paramedic, first responder, nurse practitioner, pharmacist etc.)?
S5	Do you have a serious, long-term illness, like diabetes, emphysema, or high blood pressure?
S6	What is the size of the community you live in?
S7	In which province or territory do you live?
S8	Do you have or live with children under 18 years of age in your home?
S9	Which of the following categories best describes your employment status prior to the COVID-19 pandemic? Please select one only.
S10	Which of the following best describes the impact that COVID-19 has had on your employment?
S11	What was your occupation?
S12	Are you currently working from home?
S13	Why do you not, or sometimes not, work from home?
A1	Do you think…
A2	Again, without looking it up, how many days do you think it has been since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO)
A3	Are you or have you been infected with COVID-19?
A4	Do you know people in your immediate social network (i.e., friends or close family members) who are or have been infected with COVID-19?
A5	How would you rate your level of knowledge on COVID-19?
A6	How would you rate your level of knowledge on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
A7	Which groups are at risk for severe outcomes related to COVID-19?
A8	Which of the following can be symptoms of COVID-19?
A9	Which of the following statements about COVID-19 are true?
A10	Which of the following statements is likely true about the spread of COVID-19?
A11	Which of the following statements are true about the spread of COVID-19?
A12	How many days after someone gets COVID-19 can it take for them to get sick (i.e., the time from exposure to developing symptoms of illness)?
A13	Which of the following statements about the cause of COVID-19 is true?
A14	I consider myself to be at high risk of contracting the COVID-19.
A15	I believe that if I get sick with COVID-19, I am at risk for poor health outcomes (e.g. requiring hospitalization)
A16	I’m worried about the idea of transmitting the coronavirus (COVID-19) to people around me.
B1	I know how to protect myself from getting sick with COVID-19
B2	For me, avoiding getting sick with COVID-19 in the current situation is…
B3	I follow the recommendations from Federal authorities to prevent spread of COVID-19
B4	I follow the recommendations from provincial/territorial authorities to prevent spread of COVID-19
B5	I follow the recommendations from municipal authorities to prevent spread of COVID-19
B6	Which of the following work to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
B7	How often have you used the following measures to keep from getting sick with COVID-19?
B8	Please indicate how much you disagree or agree with the following statements
B9	Please choose one option per row
C1	How much do you trust the following sources of information in their reporting about COVID-19?
C2	How often do you use the following sources of information to stay informed about COVID-19?
C3	The type of information I need the most is:
C4	How often do you seek information about COVID-19?
D1	How much confidence do you have in the individuals and organizations below that they can handle COVID-19 well?
D2	Please rank: Which of the organizations below should be primarily responsible for managing the outbreak situation?
E1	Please give your opinion on the following statements
E2	I think that….
E3	Next, we would like to know if you have implemented or plan to implement the following in order to prepare for COVID-19
E4	Crises often involve fears and worries. At the moment, how much do you worry about…
F1	Have you come across information about COVID-19 that you were not sure if it was true or false?
F2	What did you do when you found information about COVID-19 that you were not sure if it was true or false? (Select all that apply)
Wave 2
# of the question	Added question
S4A	Are you a frontline worker (i.e., gas station attendant, grocery store clerk, etc.)?
S14A	Where were you born?
S14B	In what year did you first move to Canada?
S10A	Do you expect to be rehired after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted?
A14A	Why do you consider yourself to be at high risk?
B10	How do you feel about your life as a whole right now?
B11	In the past 30 days, have you……
C5	People can have different reasons for choosing what information they need the most. At this point in time, please describe why particular types of information about COVID-19 are most important to you.
E7	Many of the measures that the government took due to COVID-19 are supposed to end in the next 30 days. In your opinion, these measures:
E5	Once restriction measures begin to lift, how easy will it be for you to maintain the following behaviours over the long term (i.e. until 2021)?
E6	People can respond to fear and worry during a crisis in many different ways. Please describe how you have helped yourself to cope with fear and worry about COVID-19.
# of the question	Question removed
S4	Are you a health care provider (i.e., nurse, medical doctor, paramedic, first responder, nurse practitioner, pharmacist etc.)?
S5	Do you have a serious, long-term illness, like diabetes, emphysema, or high blood pressure?
S6	What is the size of the community you live in?
S11	What was your occupation?
A8	Which of the following can be symptoms of COVID-19? Please evaluate all symptoms listed below.
A10	Which of the following statements is likely true about the spread of COVID-19? Select only one answer
A11	Which of the following statements are true about the spread of COVID-19? Please select all that apply
A12	How many days after someone gets COVID-19 can it take for them to get sick (i.e., the time from exposure to developing symptoms of illness)?
A13	Which of the following statements about the recovery from COVID-19 is true?
B3	I follow the recommendations from Federal authorities to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
B4	I follow the recommendations from provincial/territorial authorities to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
B5	I follow the recommendations from municipal authorities to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
B8	Please indicate how much you disagree or agree with the following statements.
D2	Please rank: Which of the organizations below should be primarily responsible for managing the outbreak situation? If you cannot or do not want to create a ranking, select No.
E2	I think that….
Wave 3
# of the question	Added question
S15	Of what country are you a citizen?
S16	You may belong to one or more racial or cultural groups on the following list. Are you…?
S17	Which of the following categories best describes your total household income? That is, the total income of all persons in your household combined, before taxes?
S18	How many people live at your address, including yourself?
S19	Have you applied for any of the federal government’s financial relief measures for individuals, e.g. Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) (e.g., CERB)?
S20	Have you applied for any of the federal government’s financial relief measures for employers, Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) or Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA)?
S21	What is your sexual orientation?
A4A	Do you know anyone who has died of COVID-19?
C6	Have you been watching/reading the news…
C7	What is your main source of information about COVID-19 guidance?
E8	Within the next year, how likely do you think it will be that you would...
E9	In the past two weeks, how often have you…..
E10	Please indicate below what days/times you believe are peak shopping hours at grocery stores In other words, when are they busiest? Please select all that apply.
E11	To what extent has the COVID-19 pandemic changed how or when you shop for groceries?
E12	Please explain how (in what ways) your grocery shopping has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
E13	When grocery shopping, how much time (in minutes) do you typically spend in a store, on average?
# of the question	Question removed
A7	Which groups are at risk for severe outcomes related to COVID-19?
A9	Which of the following statements about COVID-19 are true?
A15	I believe that if I get sick with COVID-19, I am at risk for poor health outcomes (e.g. requiring hospitalization)
B1	I know how to protect myself from getting sick with COVID-19
C5	People can have different reasons for choosing what information they need the most. At this point in time, please describe why particular types of information about COVID-19 are most important to you.
E6	People can respond to fear and worry during a crisis in many different ways. Please describe how you have helped yourself to cope with fear and worry about COVID-19.
F1	Have you come across information about COVID-19 that you were not sure if it was true or false?
F2	What did you do when you found information about COVID-19 that you were not sure if it was true or false? (Select all that apply)
Wave 4
# of the question	Added question
S2A	What best describes your gender?
S8A	How many children under 18 years of age live in your home?
S8B	What are the ages of the children living in your home? Select all that apply
S13A	Once restrictions lift and it is possible to return to your physical workplace, would you want to continue working from home?
S20A	Do you currently own or operate a small (1-99 employees) or medium (100-499 employees) sized business?
S22	How often did you use public transportation prior to the COVID-19 outbreak?
B3A	I follow public health recommendations to prevent the spread of COVID-19
E14	Which of the following changes have you noticed while grocery shopping since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic?
E15	To what extent do you think these changes are effective at keeping you safe while grocery shopping?
# of the question	Question removed
A14A	Why do you consider yourself to be at high risk?
B6	Which of the following work to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
D1	How much confidence do you have in the individuals and organizations below that they can handle COVID-19 well?
E3	In response to COVID-19, we would like to know if you have implemented or plan to implement the following, Next, we would like to know if you have implemented or plan to implement the following in order to prepare for COVID-19.
Wave 5
# of the question	Added question
S22A	How often have you used public transportation during the COVID-19 outbreak?
E1A	What are your reasons for hesitating or not wanting to get a safe and/or effective COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available and is recommended?
E7	Some of the measures that the government took due to COVID-19 are ending or have already ended. Do you think this measure
E7A	Do you think this measure…?
E16	Thinking back to last year (2019), did you travel to the United States?
E16A	How did you travel? Select all that apply.
E17	As you may know, the Canada-U.S. border is currently closed to non-essential traffic. Which of the following approaches should Canada take to opening the border?
E18	Suppose the Canada-U.S. border opened for non-essential travel as soon as late July. Would you travel to the United States for a day trip or longer? As a reminder, there is currently a 14-day quarantine requirement upon return to Canada.
E19	How would you travel? Select all that apply.
E20	If travelling to the U.S. was made less restrictive, what would be your primary purpose for travelling in the next year?
E21	As you may know, Canada’s borders are closed to non-essential international travel. Which of the following approaches, if any, should Canada take to opening its international borders (not including the U.S.) within the next year?
E22	If travelling to the other international countries (not including the U.S.) was made less restrictive, what would be your primary purpose for travelling in the next year?
# of the question	Question removed
S19	Have you applied for any of the federal government’s financial relief measures for individuals, e.g. Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)?
S20	Have you applied for any of the federal government’s financial relief measures for employers, e.g., Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) or Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA)?
A2	Again, without looking it up, how many days do you think it has been since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO)
A5	How would you rate your level of knowledge on COVID-19?
A6	How would you rate your level of knowledge on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
B3A	I follow public health recommendations to prevent the spread of COVID-19
C3	The type of information I need the most is:
C4	How often do you seek information about COVID-19?
C6	Have you been watching/reading the news…
C7	Have you been watching/reading the news…
E14	Which of the following changes have you noticed while grocery shopping since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic?
E15	To what extent do you think these changes are effective at keeping you safe while grocery shopping?
E10	Please indicate below what days/times you believe are peak shopping hours at grocery stores In other words, when are they busiest? Please select all that apply.
E11	To what extent has the COVID-19 pandemic changed how or when you shop for groceries?
E12	Please explain how (in what ways) your grocery shopping has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wave 6
# of the question	Added question
S8C	Based on what you know now about your child(ren)’s school(s)’ reopening plans, which of the following scenarios would you be comfortable with?
S10B	Which of the following describes the work you expect to be doing when you are rehired:
C9	If a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is developed but there is not enough for everyone when it first becomes available, do you think members of specific groups should get it first?
C10	Which specific group(s) should get it first?
E1B	What is your top/main reason for not wanting to get a safe and/or effective COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available and recommended?
E18A	Suppose the Canada-U.S. border opened for non-essential travel as soon as late August. Would you travel to the United States for a day trip or longer? As a reminder, there is currently a 14-day quarantine requirement upon return to Canada.
E23	Please indicate whether COVID-19 has impacted your living situation in the following ways:
E24	How much of a threat, if any, is the COVID-19 outbreak for...
# of the question	Question removed
E1A	What are your reasons for hesitating or not wanting to get a safe and/or effective COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available and is recommended?
E5	Once restriction measures begin to lift, how easy will it be for you to maintain the following behaviours over the long term (i.e. until 2021)?
E16	Thinking back to last year (2019), did you travel to the United States?
E16A	How did you travel? Select all that apply.
E18	Suppose the Canada-U.S. border opened for non-essential travel as soon as late July. Would you travel to the United States for a day trip or longer? As a reminder, there is currently a 14-day quarantine requirement upon return to Canada.
E20	If travelling to the U.S. was made less restrictive, what would be your primary purpose for travelling in the next year?
E21	As you may know, Canada’s borders are closed to non-essential international travel. Which of the following approaches, if any, should Canada take to opening its international borders (not including the U.S.) within the next year?
E22	If travelling to the other international countries (not including the U.S.) was made less restrictive, what would be your primary purpose for travelling in the next year?
Wave 7
# of the question	Added question
S23	In your region, is it currently mandatory to wear face masks while inside enclosed public spaces?
C11	Out of the following groups, which do you feel should be prioritized to receive a COVID-19 vaccine before the others (assuming it is safe and effective for all groups)? Please rank in order from 1 to 6, with 1 being the highest priority group and 6 being the lowest priority group.
C12	If a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is developed but there is not enough for everyone when it first becomes available, which of the following strategies should be taken to determine which groups should receive it first?
E25	In the past 30 days, how often did you have a drink containing alcohol?
E26	Compared to February, before COVID-19 restrictions were put in place, has the number of days you drink alcohol in a typical week changed?
E27	Compared to February, before COVID-19 restrictions were put in place, has the number of days you drink alcohol 4 (female)/5 (male) or more drinks on a single occasion changed?
E28	Why has your alcohol consumption increased? Select all that apply
E29	Why has your alcohol consumption decreased? Select all that apply
# of the question	Question removed
S8C	Based on what you know now about your child(ren)’s school(s)’ reopening plans, which of the following scenarios would you be comfortable with?
S22	How often did you use public transportation prior to the COVID-19 outbreak?
S22A	How often have you used public transportation during the COVID-19 outbreak?
C10	Which specific group(s) should get it first?
E17	As you may know, the Canada-U.S. border is currently closed to non-essential traffic. Which of the following approaches should Canada take to opening the border?
E19	How would you travel? Select all that apply.
E24	How much of a threat, if any, is the COVID-19 outbreak for...
Wave 8
# of the question	Added question
C8	Please evaluate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements
E30	Please give your opinion on the following statements.
E31	Please indicate whether the following drinks are less than, equivalent to, or more than one standard drink
E32	Based on your current level of knowledge, please indicate the extent to which you think drinking alcohol increases your risk of experiencing the following:
E33	If you were looking for information on the health and social impacts associated with alcohol consumption, which resources would you use? Select all that apply.
# of the question	Question removed
A14	I consider myself to be at high risk of contracting COVID-19.
E18A	Suppose the Canada-U.S. border opened for non-essential travel as soon as late August. Would you travel to the United States for a day trip or longer? As a reminder, there is currently a 14-day quarantine requirement upon return to Canada.
E25	In the past 30 days, how often did you have a drink containing alcohol?
E26	Compared to February, before COVID-19 restrictions were put in place, has the number of days you drink alcohol in a typical week changed?
E27	Compared to February, before COVID-19 restrictions were put in place, has the number of days you drink alcohol 4 (female)/5 (male) or more drinks on a single occasion changed?
E28	Why has your alcohol consumption increased? Select all that apply
E29	Why has your alcohol consumption decreased? Select all that apply

APPENDIX B – SURVEY

Dear Participant,

The Government of Canada, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), is conducting a research study on the new coronavirus (COVID-19). Leger Marketing has been hired to administer this survey. The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete and is voluntary and completely confidential.

Your responses will be identified by a subject number and the researchers will not know your identity or your personal information.

To view Leger Marketing’s privacy policy, click here.

The health and safety of Canadians is very important to us. The purpose of this study is to improve actions taken in response to the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. Your answers will be used for research purposes and to help improve the COVID-19 outbreak response.

We ask that you find the time to complete the survey in one sitting. Please close any other programs that you may have open (e.g. chat or e-mail) to avoid distractions.

Further information about this study:

1. This study asks participants to complete a survey every three weeks, in order to track opinions and behaviours about COVID-19 as they evolve over time.

2. The data will be published for possible use later by other scientists. Conclusions about you or other persons are not possible, as all responses will be considered anonymous.

3. Your data will be treated in accordance with the provisions of the Government of Canada Privacy Policy.

4. Your participation in the study is voluntary and your responses will be kept entirely confidential. You may terminate the survey at any time and without giving reasons.

5. Your participation in the research does not expose you to any risk.

If you have any questions about this survey, please use the contact information provided below.

Contact name: Amanda Desnoyers

Contact details: amanda.desnoyers@pco-bcp.gc.ca