EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
Forum Research was commissioned to conduct a survey of Canadians covering topics important to the Privy Council Office and the Government of Canada. The survey topics included Canadians’ evolving beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change and environmental protection. Insights garnered from the quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine policies, program implementation, and communication strategies.
This report addresses the methodological details of the study pertaining to the time period between July 31st, 2023 to April 1, 2024. This is the final report.
Research Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide the Privy Council Office Impact and Innovation Unit (PCO- IIU), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) with high quality data and information on Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change. This includes:
support for existing and proposed climate policy and programs;
risk perceptions pertaining to climate change and its impacts;
acceptance of recommended behaviours to combat climate change;
climate change knowledge;
barriers/drivers to pro-environmental behaviours; and
misperceptions about climate change and its causes.
Insights generated from this quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine climate change-focused policies, programs, communications, and regulations to meet the specific needs of Canadians.
Overall Approach
The Privy Council Office provided specific requirements for conducting the survey in its request for proposal. Over the course of six data collection waves, consisting of four Tracking Series and two Emerging Topics Series, Forum Research gathered comprehensive information regarding Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change.
The surveys were conducted using the computer-assisted web interview (CAWI, online survey) methodology and was administered in both official languages to the Canadian population.
Ǫuestionnaire Design
The Privy Council Office provided Forum Research with a draft version of the questionnaires. The questionnaires were modified for each survey wave (upon request of the Privy Council Office) to reflect the dynamic nature of important topics affecting Canadians. Forum Research worked with the Privy Council Office project team to review the questionnaire, with specific attention to question wording, ordering, and the overall flow of the survey. For each survey wave, the survey was
pre-tested before data collection upon request from the Privy Council Office. The pre-tests aimed to achieve 50 completes, with 25 administered in French and 25 administered in English. The pre- test data was shared with the Privy Council Office. A thorough review of the survey flow, logic, and questionnaire design was conducted by both Forum Research and the Privy Council Office.
Sample Design
The sample was sourced using an online panel methodology, which includes a combination of partner panels to achieve the required sample size of n=13,700 unique respondents across the six data collection waves, ensuring that no duplicate respondents will be surveyed.
The sample targets adults living in Canada 18 years of age and older, aiming for appropriate representation of gender, age, and regional split from 2021 Statistics Canada Census. For each survey wave, the sample includes general population respondents (n=2,000 per wave). Additionally, some waves included an oversample of underrepresented populations; details are provided in the following sections for each survey wave.
Weighting
Forum Research, in collaboration with the PCO, applied a weighting strategy (using 2021 Statistics Canada Census data) which is balanced according to:
Age
Gender
Region
Weighting was conducted at the end of each survey wave with the data collected during that survey wave. As the data files were cumulative, data that was previously weighted was not re-weighted.
Generalization of Data
The sample for each survey data collection wave have been weighted to ensure it accurately reflects Canadians’ opinions. Because the surveys were conducted using online samples, the sample cannot be assumed to be truly random. Although traditional margin of error cannot be calculated for online samples, it is helpful to compare what the margin of error would be for a probability sample of the same size as a reference point. As such, a margin of error is calculated for each survey data collection wave.
Research Outcomes
The findings of the research are expected to be used to inform the Government of Canada about Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change. Insights will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine climate change-focused policy, programs, communications, and regulations to meet the specific needs of Canadians.
1.6. Total Contract Value
The total contract value is equal to $179,699.38.
1.10. Political Neutrality Statement
I hereby certify as Senior Officer of Forum Research Inc. that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in 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).
Signature:
Dr. Lorne Bozinoff
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.
President C CEO Forum Research Inc.
Tracking Survey Wave 1 Methodological Report
Introduction
Forum Research was commissioned to conduct a survey of Canadians covering topics important to the Privy Council Office and the Government of Canada. The survey topics included Canadians’ evolving beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change and environmental protection. Insights garnered from the quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine policies, program implementation, and communication strategies.
The Tracking Survey Wave 1 Methodological Report addresses the methodological details of the study pertaining to the time period between July 31st, 2023 to August 21st, 2023. This is the final report.
Research Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide the Privy Council Office Impact and Innovation Unit (PCO- IIU), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) with high quality data and information on Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change. This includes:
support for existing and proposed climate policy and programs;
risk perceptions pertaining to climate change and its impacts;
acceptance of recommended behaviours to combat climate change;
climate change knowledge;
barriers/drivers to pro-environmental behaviours; and
misperceptions about climate change and its causes.
Insights generated from this quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine climate change-focused policies, programs, communications, and regulations to meet the specific needs of Canadians.
Overall Approach
The Privy Council Office provided specific requirements for conducting the survey in its request for proposals., Forum Research gathered comprehensive information regarding Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change.
The survey was conducted using the computer-assisted web interview (CAWI, online survey) methodology and was administered in both official languages to the Canadian population.
Ǫuestionnaire Design
The Privy Council Office provided Forum Research with a draft version of the questionnaire in English and Forum Research translated the questionnaire to French. Forum Research worked with the Privy Council Office project team to review the questionnaire, with specific attention to question wording, ordering, and the overall flow of the survey. The survey was pre-tested before data collection upon request from the Privy Council Office. The pre-tests aimed to achieve 50
completes, with 25 administered in French and 25 administered in English. The pre-test data was shared with the Privy Council Office. A thorough review of the survey flow, logic, and questionnaire design was conducted by both Forum Research and the Privy Council Office.
Sample Design
The sample was sourced using an online panel methodology, which includes a combination of partner panels to achieve the required sample size of n=2,000 general population respondents. The sample targets adults living in Canada 18 years of age and older, aiming for appropriate representation of gender, age, and regional split from 2021 Statistics Canada Census.
Upon completion of fieldwork, Forum Research achieved a total of n=2,105 completed surveys from the Sago panel.
Sample Metrics
The following tables describe the obtained sample metrics broken out by region, age, and gender for this survey wave.
REGIONAL BREAKOUT
Province
Frequency
Percent
Alberta
230
11.4%
British Columbia
270
13.4%
Manitoba
73
3.6%
New Brunswick
42
2.1%
Newfoundland and Labrador
28
1.4%
Northwest Territories
2
0.1%
Nova Scotia
52
2.6%
Nunavut
0
0%
Ontario
771
38.3%
Prince Edward Island
8
0.4%
Ǫuebec
477
23.7%
Saskatchewan
61
3.0%
Yukon
1
<0.1%
TOTAL
2015
100%
AGE BREAKOUT
Age
Frequency
Percent
18-24
66
3.3%
25-34
152
7.5%
35-44
229
11.4%
45-54
252
12.5%
55-64
403
20.0%
65-74
627
31.1%
75+
286
14.2%
TOTAL
2015
100%
GENDER BREAKOUT
Gender
Frequency
Percent
Man
1017
50.5%
Woman
993
49.3%
Non-binary person
3
0.1%
Another gender identity
2
0.1%
TOTAL
2015
100%
Weighting
Forum Research, in collaboration with the PCO, applied a weighting strategy (using 2021 Statistics Canada Census data) which is balanced according to:
Age
Gender
Region
Weighting was conducted at the end of the survey wave with the data collected.
Response Rate
Response rate is calculated by the number of responses to the survey divided by the total number of invitations sent. The response rate for Tracking Series Wave 1 was 3.57%.
2.6. Generalization of Data
The sample for each survey data collection wave have been weighted to ensure it accurately reflects Canadians’ opinions. Because the surveys were conducted using online samples, the sample cannot be assumed to be truly random. Although traditional margin of error cannot be calculated for online samples, it is helpful to compare what the margin of error would be for a probability sample of the same size as a reference point. A sample of n=2015 Canadians results in an overall margin of error of ± 2.18%, 19 times out of 20.
Measures were taken in order to reduce the influence of non-response bias. At the beginning of the survey, respondents were assured that their answers will remain anonymous and confidential.
Reminder emails were also sent to respondents to ensure that individuals who were interested in participating, but were unavailable, would still be able to do so. Furthermore, to reduce item non- response bias, all questions in the online survey were mandatory, meaning respondents were unable to proceed to the next question without providing an answer to the current question.
However, many questions included “prefer not to say” as an answer option for those who did not wish to provide an answer.
Research Outcomes
The findings of the research are expected to be used to inform the Government of Canada about Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change. Insights will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine climate change-focused policy, programs, communications, and regulations to meet the specific needs of Canadians.
Total Contract Value
The total contract value is equal to $179,699.38.
Political Neutrality Statement
I hereby certify as Senior Officer of Forum Research Inc. that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in 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).
Signature:
Dr. Lorne Bozinoff
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.
President C CEO Forum Research Inc.
Tracking Survey Wave 2 Methodological Report
Introduction
Forum Research was commissioned to conduct a survey of Canadians covering topics important to the Privy Council Office and the Government of Canada. The survey topics included Canadians’ evolving beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change and environmental protection. Insights garnered from the quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine policies, program implementation, and communication strategies.
The Tracking Survey Wave 2 Methodological Report addresses the methodological details of the study pertaining to the time period between October 5th, 2023 to October 23rd, 2023. This is the final report.
Research Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide the Privy Council Office Impact and Innovation Unit (PCO- IIU), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) with high quality data and information on Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change. This includes:
support for existing and proposed climate policy and programs;
risk perceptions pertaining to climate change and its impacts;
acceptance of recommended behaviours to combat climate change;
climate change knowledge;
barriers/drivers to pro-environmental behaviours; and
misperceptions about climate change and its causes.
Insights generated from this quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine climate change-focused policies, programs, communications, and regulations to meet the specific needs of Canadians.
Overall Approach
The Privy Council Office provided specific requirements for conducting the survey in its request for proposals., Forum Research gathered comprehensive information regarding Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change.
The survey was conducted using the computer-assisted web interview (CAWI, online survey) methodology and was administered in both official languages to the Canadian population.
Ǫuestionnaire Design
The Privy Council Office provided Forum Research with a draft version of the questionnaire in English and Forum Research translated the questionnaire to French. Forum Research worked with the Privy Council Office project team to review the questionnaire, with specific attention to question wording, ordering, and the overall flow of the survey. The survey was pre-tested before data collection upon request from the Privy Council Office. The pre-tests aimed to achieve 50
completes, with 25 administered in French and 25 administered in English. The pre-test data was shared with the Privy Council Office. A thorough review of the survey flow, logic, and questionnaire design was conducted by both Forum Research and the Privy Council Office.
Sample Design
The sample was sourced using an online panel methodology, which includes a combination of partner panels to achieve the required sample size of n=2,000 general population respondents. The sample targets adults living in Canada 18 years of age and older, aiming for appropriate representation of gender, age, and regional split from 2021 Statistics Canada Census. Additionally, this survey wave included an oversample of respondents living in rural areas.
Upon completion of fieldwork, Forum Research achieved a total of n=2,236 completed surveys. Of those, n=2,019 surveys were part of the general population from the Sago panel and n=217 were part of the oversample of the rural population from the Leger Opinion (LEO) panel.
Sample Metrics
The following tables describe the obtained sample metrics broken out by region, age, and gender for this survey wave.
REGIONAL BREAKOUT
Province
Frequency
Percent
Alberta
252
11.3%
British Columbia
295
13.2%
Manitoba
82
3.7%
New Brunswick
46
2.1%
Newfoundland and Labrador
33
1.5%
Northwest Territories
1
<0.1%
Nova Scotia
59
2.6%
Nunavut
0
0%
Ontario
878
39.3%
Prince Edward Island
10
0.4%
Ǫuebec
514
23.0%
Saskatchewan
64
2.9%
Yukon
2
0.1%
TOTAL
2236
100%
AGE BREAKOUT
Age
Frequency
Percent
18-24
363
16.2%
25-34
245
11.0%
35-44
341
15.3%
45-54
340
15.2%
55-64
410
18.3%
65-74
324
14.5%
75+
213
9.5%
TOTAL
2236
100%
GENDER BREAKOUT
Gender
Frequency
Percent
Man
988
44.2%
Woman
1225
54.8%
Non-binary person
13
0.6%
Another gender identity
2
0.1%
Prefer not to say
8
0.4%
TOTAL
2236
100%
Weighting
Forum Research, in collaboration with the PCO, applied a weighting strategy (using 2021 Statistics Canada Census data) which is balanced according to:
Age
Gender
Region
Weighting was conducted at the end of the survey wave with the data collected.
Response Rate
Response rate is calculated by the number of responses to the survey divided by the total number of invitations sent. The response rate for the general population sample for Tracking Series Wave 2 was 3.86%, and the response rate for the rural population oversample was 12.6%.
3.6. Generalization of Data
The sample for each survey data collection wave have been weighted to ensure it accurately reflects Canadians’ opinions. Because the surveys were conducted using online samples, the sample cannot be assumed to be truly random. Although traditional margin of error cannot be calculated for online samples, it is helpful to compare what the margin of error would be for a
probability sample of the same size as a reference point. A sample of n=2236 Canadians results in an overall margin of error of ± 2.07%, 19 times out of 20.
Measures were taken in order to reduce the influence of non-response bias. At the beginning of the survey, respondents were assured that their answers will remain anonymous and confidential.
Reminder emails were also sent to respondents to ensure that individuals who were interested in participating, but were unavailable, would still be able to do so. Furthermore, to reduce item non- response bias, all questions in the online survey were mandatory, meaning respondents were unable to proceed to the next question without providing an answer to the current question.
However, many questions included “prefer not to say” as an answer option for those who did not wish to provide an answer.
Research Outcomes
The findings of the research are expected to be used to inform the Government of Canada about Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change. Insights will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine climate change-focused policy, programs, communications, and regulations to meet the specific needs of Canadians.
Total Contract Value
The total contract value is equal to $179,699.38.
Political Neutrality Statement
I hereby certify as Senior Officer of Forum Research Inc. that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in 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).
Signature:
Dr. Lorne Bozinoff
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.
President C CEO Forum Research Inc.
Tracking Survey Wave 3 Methodological Report
Introduction
Forum Research was commissioned to conduct a survey of Canadians covering topics important to the Privy Council Office and the Government of Canada. The survey topics included Canadians’ evolving beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change and environmental protection. Insights garnered from the quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine policies, program implementation, and communication strategies.
The Tracking Survey Wave 3 Methodological Report addresses the methodological details of the study pertaining to the time period between December 4th to December 19th, 2023. This is the final report.
Research Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide the Privy Council Office Impact and Innovation Unit (PCO- IIU), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) with high quality data and information on Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change. This includes:
support for existing and proposed climate policy and programs;
risk perceptions pertaining to climate change and its impacts;
acceptance of recommended behaviours to combat climate change;
climate change knowledge;
barriers/drivers to pro-environmental behaviours; and
misperceptions about climate change and its causes.
Insights generated from this quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine climate change-focused policies, programs, communications, and regulations to meet the specific needs of Canadians.
Overall Approach
The Privy Council Office provided specific requirements for conducting the survey in its request for proposals., Forum Research gathered comprehensive information regarding Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change.
The survey was conducted using the computer-assisted web interview (CAWI, online survey) methodology and was administered in both official languages to the Canadian population.
Ǫuestionnaire Design
The Privy Council Office provided Forum Research with a draft version of the questionnaire in English and Forum Research translated the questionnaire to French. Forum Research worked with the Privy Council Office project team to review the questionnaire, with specific attention to question wording, ordering, and the overall flow of the survey. The survey was pre-tested before data collection upon request from the Privy Council Office. The pre-tests aimed to achieve 50
completes, with 25 administered in French and 25 administered in English. The pre-test data was shared with the Privy Council Office. A thorough review of the survey flow, logic, and questionnaire design was conducted by both Forum Research and the Privy Council Office.
Sample Design
The sample was sourced using an online panel methodology, which includes a combination of partner panels to achieve the required sample size of n=2,000 general population respondents. The sample targets adults living in Canada 18 years of age and older, aiming for appropriate representation of gender, age, and regional split from 2021 Statistics Canada Census. Additionally, this survey wave included an oversample of youth respondents aged 18-24, Indigenous respondents, Black respondents, Southeast Asian respondents, and Latin American respondents.
Upon completion of fieldwork, Forum Research achieved a total of n=2,750 completed surveys. Of those, n=2,000 surveys were part of the general population from the Sago panel and n=750 were part of the oversample. The oversample of youths was from the Leger Opinion (LEO) panel and the oversample of Indigenous, Black, Southeast Asian, and Latin American respondents were from Logit Group’s panel.
Sample Metrics
The following tables describe the obtained sample metrics broken out by region, age, and gender for this survey wave.
REGIONAL BREAKOUT
Province
Frequency
Percent
Alberta
334
12.1%
British Columbia
356
12.9%
Manitoba
110
4.0%
New Brunswick
55
2.0%
Newfoundland and Labrador
42
1.5%
Northwest Territories
3
0.1%
Nova Scotia
76
2.8%
Nunavut
4
0.1%
Ontario
1138
41.4%
Prince Edward Island
10
0.4%
Ǫuebec
534
19.3%
Saskatchewan
85
3.1%
Yukon
3
0.1%
TOTAL
2750
100%
AGE BREAKOUT
Age
Frequency
Percent
18-24
475
17.3%
25-34
393
14.3%
35-44
491
17.9%
45-54
364
13.2%
55-64
477
17.3%
65-74
368
13.4%
75+
182
6.6%
TOTAL
2750
100%
GENDER BREAKOUT
Gender
Frequency
Percent
Man
1318
47.9%
Woman
1412
51.3%
Non-binary person
13
0.5%
Another gender identity
4
0.1%
Prefer not to say
3
0.1%
TOTAL
2750
100%
Weighting
Forum Research, in collaboration with the PCO, applied a weighting strategy (using 2021 Statistics Canada Census data) which is balanced according to:
Age
Gender
Region
Weighting was conducted at the end of the survey wave with the data collected.
Response Rate
Response rate is calculated by the number of responses to the survey divided by the total number of invitations sent. The response rate for the general population sample for Tracking Series Wave 3 was 4.1%; the response rate for the youth population oversample was 3.4%; the response rate for the Indigenous and ethnicity populations oversample was 17.8%.
4.6. Generalization of Data
The sample for each survey data collection wave have been weighted to ensure it accurately reflects Canadians’ opinions. Because the surveys were conducted using online samples, the sample cannot be assumed to be truly random. Although traditional margin of error cannot be
calculated for online samples, it is helpful to compare what the margin of error would be for a probability sample of the same size as a reference point. A sample of n=2750 Canadians results in an overall margin of error of ± 1.87%, 19 times out of 20.
Measures were taken in order to reduce the influence of non-response bias. At the beginning of the survey, respondents were assured that their answers will remain anonymous and confidential.
Reminder emails were also sent to respondents to ensure that individuals who were interested in participating, but were unavailable, would still be able to do so. Furthermore, to reduce item non- response bias, all questions in the online survey were mandatory, meaning respondents were unable to proceed to the next question without providing an answer to the current question.
However, many questions included “prefer not to say” as an answer option for those who did not wish to provide an answer.
Research Outcomes
The findings of the research are expected to be used to inform the Government of Canada about Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change. Insights will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine climate change-focused policy, programs, communications, and regulations to meet the specific needs of Canadians.
Total Contract Value
The total contract value is equal to $179,699.38.
Political Neutrality Statement
I hereby certify as Senior Officer of Forum Research Inc. that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in 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).
Signature:
Dr. Lorne Bozinoff
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.
President C CEO Forum Research Inc.
Tracking Survey Wave 4 Methodological Report
Introduction
Forum Research was commissioned to conduct a survey of Canadians covering topics important to the Privy Council Office and the Government of Canada. The survey topics included Canadians’ evolving beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change and environmental protection. Insights garnered from the quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine policies, program implementation, and communication strategies.
The Tracking Survey Wave 4 Methodological Report addresses the methodological details of the study pertaining to the time period between February 20th to March 13th, 2024. This is the final report.
Research Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide the Privy Council Office Impact and Innovation Unit (PCO- IIU), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) with high quality data and information on Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change. This includes:
support for existing and proposed climate policy and programs;
risk perceptions pertaining to climate change and its impacts;
acceptance of recommended behaviours to combat climate change;
climate change knowledge;
barriers/drivers to pro-environmental behaviours; and
misperceptions about climate change and its causes.
Insights generated from this quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine climate change-focused policies, programs, communications, and regulations to meet the specific needs of Canadians.
Overall Approach
The Privy Council Office provided specific requirements for conducting the survey in its request for proposals., Forum Research gathered comprehensive information regarding Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change.
The survey was conducted using the computer-assisted web interview (CAWI, online survey) methodology and was administered in both official languages to the Canadian population.
Ǫuestionnaire Design
The Privy Council Office provided Forum Research with a draft version of the questionnaire in English and Forum Research translated the questionnaire to French. Forum Research worked with the Privy Council Office project team to review the questionnaire, with specific attention to question wording, ordering, and the overall flow of the survey. The survey was pre-tested before data collection upon request from the Privy Council Office. The pre-tests aimed to achieve 50
completes, with 25 administered in French and 25 administered in English. The pre-test data was shared with the Privy Council Office. A thorough review of the survey flow, logic, and questionnaire design was conducted by both Forum Research and the Privy Council Office.
Sample Design
The sample was sourced using an online panel methodology, which includes a combination of partner panels to achieve the required sample size of n=2,000 general population respondents. The sample targets adults living in Canada 18 years of age and older, aiming for appropriate representation of gender, age, and regional split from 2021 Statistics Canada Census. Additionally, this survey wave included an oversample of Northern Canadian respondents.
Upon completion of fieldwork, Forum Research achieved a total of n=2,252 completed surveys. Of those, n=2,000 surveys were part of the general population using the Sago panel and n=252 were part of the oversample using the Leger Opinion (LEO) panel.
Sample Metrics
The following tables describe the obtained sample metrics broken out by region, age, and gender for this survey wave.
REGIONAL BREAKOUT
Province
Frequency
Percent
Alberta
315
14.0%
British Columbia
322
14.3%
Manitoba
82
3.6%
New Brunswick
42
1.9%
Newfoundland and Labrador
29
1.3%
Northwest Territories
3
0.1%
Nova Scotia
52
2.3%
Nunavut
3
0.1%
Ontario
838
37.2%
Prince Edward Island
8
0.4%
Ǫuebec
488
21.7%
Saskatchewan
60
2.7%
Yukon
10
0.4%
TOTAL
2252
100%
AGE BREAKOUT
Age
Frequency
Percent
18-24
227
10.1%
25-34
375
16.7%
35-44
390
17.3%
45-54
335
14.9%
55-64
390
17.3%
65-74
337
15.0%
75+
198
8.8%
TOTAL
2252
100%
GENDER BREAKOUT
Gender
Frequency
Percent
Man
914
40.6%
Woman
1321
58.7%
Non-binary person
9
0.4%
Another gender identity
2
0.1%
Prefer not to say
6
0.3%
TOTAL
2252
100%
Weighting
Forum Research, in collaboration with the PCO, applied a weighting strategy (using 2021 Statistics Canada Census data) which is balanced according to:
Age
Gender
Region
Weighting was conducted at the end of the survey wave with the data collected.
Response Rate
Response rate is calculated by the number of responses to the survey divided by the total number of invitations sent. The response rate for the general population sample for Tracking Series Wave 4 was 4.4% and the response rate for the Northern Canadian population oversample was 20.5%.
5.6. Generalization of Data
The sample for each survey data collection wave have been weighted to ensure it accurately reflects Canadians’ opinions. Because the surveys were conducted using online samples, the sample cannot be assumed to be truly random. Although traditional margin of error cannot be calculated for online samples, it is helpful to compare what the margin of error would be for a
probability sample of the same size as a reference point. A sample of n=2252 Canadians results in an overall margin of error of ± 2.07%, 19 times out of 20.
Measures were taken in order to reduce the influence of non-response bias. At the beginning of the survey, respondents were assured that their answers will remain anonymous and confidential.
Reminder emails were also sent to respondents to ensure that individuals who were interested in participating, but were unavailable, would still be able to do so. Furthermore, to reduce item non- response bias, all questions in the online survey were mandatory, meaning respondents were unable to proceed to the next question without providing an answer to the current question.
However, many questions included “prefer not to say” as an answer option for those who did not wish to provide an answer.
Research Outcomes
The findings of the research are expected to be used to inform the Government of Canada about Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change. Insights will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine climate change-focused policy, programs, communications, and regulations to meet the specific needs of Canadians.
Total Contract Value
The total contract value is equal to $179,699.38.
Political Neutrality Statement
I hereby certify as Senior Officer of Forum Research Inc. that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in 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).
Signature:
Dr. Lorne Bozinoff
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.
President C CEO Forum Research Inc.
Emerging Topics Wave 1 Methodological Report
Introduction
Forum Research was commissioned to conduct a survey of Canadians covering topics important to the Privy Council Office and the Government of Canada. The survey topics included Canadians’ evolving beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change and environmental protection. Insights garnered from the quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine policies, program implementation, and communication strategies.
The Emerging Topics Survey Wave 1 Methodological Report addresses the methodological details of the study pertaining to the time period between January 31st to February 15th, 2024. This is the final report.
Research Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide the Privy Council Office Impact and Innovation Unit (PCO- IIU), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) with high quality data and information on Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change. This includes:
support for existing and proposed climate policy and programs;
risk perceptions pertaining to climate change and its impacts;
acceptance of recommended behaviours to combat climate change;
climate change knowledge;
barriers/drivers to pro-environmental behaviours; and
misperceptions about climate change and its causes.
Insights generated from this quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine climate change-focused policies, programs, communications, and regulations to meet the specific needs of Canadians.
Overall Approach
The Privy Council Office provided specific requirements for conducting the survey in its request for proposals., Forum Research gathered comprehensive information regarding Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change.
The survey was conducted using the computer-assisted web interview (CAWI, online survey) methodology and was administered in both official languages to the Canadian population.
Ǫuestionnaire Design
The Privy Council Office provided Forum Research with a draft version of the questionnaire in English and Forum Research translated the questionnaire to French. Forum Research worked with the Privy Council Office project team to review the questionnaire, with specific attention to question wording, ordering, and the overall flow of the survey. The survey was pre-tested before data collection upon request from the Privy Council Office. The pre-tests aimed to achieve 50
completes, with 25 administered in French and 25 administered in English. The pre-test data was shared with the Privy Council Office. A thorough review of the survey flow, logic, and questionnaire design was conducted by both Forum Research and the Privy Council Office.
Sample Design
The sample was sourced using an online panel methodology, which includes a combination of partner panels to achieve the required sample size of n=2,000 general population respondents. The sample targets adults living in Canada 18 years of age and older, aiming for appropriate representation of gender, age, and regional split from 2021 Statistics Canada Census.
Upon completion of fieldwork, Forum Research achieved a total of n=1,994 completed surveys using the Sago panel.
Sample Metrics
The following tables describe the obtained sample metrics broken out by region, age, and gender for this survey wave.
REGIONAL BREAKOUT
Province
Frequency
Percent
Alberta
240
12.0%
British Columbia
279
14.0%
Manitoba
83
4.2%
New Brunswick
48
2.4%
Newfoundland and Labrador
40
2.0%
Northwest Territories
0
0%
Nova Scotia
62
3.1%
Nunavut
1
0.1%
Ontario
779
39.1%
Prince Edward Island
7
0.4%
Ǫuebec
392
19.7%
Saskatchewan
61
3.1%
Yukon
2
0.1%
TOTAL
1GG4
100%
AGE BREAKOUT
Age
Frequency
Percent
18-24
208
10.4%
25-34
379
19.0%
35-44
363
18.2%
45-54
333
16.7%
55-64
380
19.1%
65-74
255
12.8%
75+
76
3.8%
TOTAL
1GG4
100%
GENDER BREAKOUT
Gender
Frequency
Percent
Man
820
41.1%
Woman
1163
58.3%
Non-binary person
5
0.3%
Another gender identity
2
0.1%
Prefer not to say
4
0.2%
TOTAL
1GG4
100%
Weighting
Forum Research, in collaboration with the PCO, applied a weighting strategy (using 2021 Statistics Canada Census data) which is balanced according to:
Age
Gender
Region
Weighting was conducted at the end of the survey wave with the data collected.
Response Rate
Response rate is calculated by the number of responses to the survey divided by the total number of invitations sent. The response rate for the general population sample for Emerging Topics Wave 1 was 4.4%.
6.6. Generalization of Data
The sample for each survey data collection wave have been weighted to ensure it accurately reflects Canadians’ opinions. Because the surveys were conducted using online samples, the sample cannot be assumed to be truly random. Although traditional margin of error cannot be calculated for online samples, it is helpful to compare what the margin of error would be for a
probability sample of the same size as a reference point. A sample of n=1994 Canadians results in an overall margin of error of ± 2.19%, 19 times out of 20.
Measures were taken in order to reduce the influence of non-response bias. At the beginning of the survey, respondents were assured that their answers will remain anonymous and confidential.
Reminder emails were also sent to respondents to ensure that individuals who were interested in participating, but were unavailable, would still be able to do so. Furthermore, to reduce item non- response bias, all questions in the online survey were mandatory, meaning respondents were unable to proceed to the next question without providing an answer to the current question.
However, many questions included “prefer not to say” as an answer option for those who did not wish to provide an answer.
Research Outcomes
The findings of the research are expected to be used to inform the Government of Canada about Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change. Insights will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine climate change-focused policy, programs, communications, and regulations to meet the specific needs of Canadians.
Total Contract Value
The total contract value is equal to $179,699.38.
Political Neutrality Statement
I hereby certify as Senior Officer of Forum Research Inc. that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in 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).
Signature:
Dr. Lorne Bozinoff
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.
President C CEO Forum Research Inc.
Emerging Topics Wave 2 Methodological Report
Introduction
Forum Research was commissioned to conduct a survey of Canadians covering topics important to the Privy Council Office and the Government of Canada. The survey topics included Canadians’ evolving beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change and environmental protection. Insights garnered from the quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine policies, program implementation, and communication strategies.
The Emerging Topics Survey Wave 2 Methodological Report addresses the methodological details of the study pertaining to the time period between March 19th to April 1st, 2024. This is the final report.
Research Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide the Privy Council Office Impact and Innovation Unit (PCO- IIU), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) with high quality data and information on Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change. This includes:
support for existing and proposed climate policy and programs;
risk perceptions pertaining to climate change and its impacts;
acceptance of recommended behaviours to combat climate change;
climate change knowledge;
barriers/drivers to pro-environmental behaviours; and
misperceptions about climate change and its causes.
Insights generated from this quantitative study will enable the Government of Canada to further develop and refine climate change-focused policies, programs, communications, and regulations to meet the specific needs of Canadians.
Overall Approach
The Privy Council Office provided specific requirements for conducting the survey in its request for proposals., Forum Research gathered comprehensive information regarding Canadians’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours relating to climate change.
The survey was conducted using the computer-assisted web interview (CAWI, online survey) methodology and was administered in both official languages to the Canadian population.
Ǫuestionnaire Design
The Privy Council Office provided Forum Research with a draft version of the questionnaire in English and Forum Research translated the questionnaire to French. Forum Research worked with the Privy Council Office project team to review the questionnaire, with specific attention to question wording, ordering, and the overall flow of the survey. The survey was pre-tested before data collection upon request from the Privy Council Office. The pre-tests aimed to achieve 50 completes, with 25 administered in French and 25 administered in English. The pre-test data was
shared with the Privy Council Office. A thorough review of the survey flow, logic, and questionnaire design was conducted by both Forum Research and the Privy Council Office.
Sample Design
The sample was sourced using an online panel methodology, which includes a combination of partner panels to achieve the required sample size of n=2,000 general population respondents. The sample targets adults living in Canada 18 years of age and older, aiming for appropriate representation of gender, age, and regional split from 2021 Statistics Canada Census. Additionally, this survey wave included an oversample of Atlantic Canadians, Canadians residing in Saskatchewan, Canadians with a disability, and low-income Canadians.
Upon completion of fieldwork, Forum Research achieved a total of n=2,524 completed surveys. Of those, n=2,025 surveys were part of the general population using the Sago panel and n=499 were part of the oversample using the Leger Opinion (LEO) panel.
Sample Metrics
The following tables describe the obtained sample metrics broken out by region, age, and gender for this survey wave.
REGIONAL BREAKOUT
Province
Frequency
Percent
Alberta
246
9.7%
British Columbia
288
11.4%
Manitoba
85
3.4%
New Brunswick
128
5.1%
Newfoundland and Labrador
119
4.7%
Northwest Territories
2
0.1%
Nova Scotia
177
7.0%
Nunavut
1
<0.1%
Ontario
822
32.6%
Prince Edward Island
25
1.0%
Ǫuebec
471
18.7%
Saskatchewan
157
6.2%
Yukon
3
0.1%
TOTAL
2524
100%
AGE BREAKOUT
Age
Frequency
Percent
18-24
251
9.9%
25-34
399
15.8%
35-44
583
23.1%
45-54
320
12.7%
55-64
417
16.5%
65-74
391
15.5%
75+
163
6.5%
TOTAL
2524
100%
GENDER BREAKOUT
Gender
Frequency
Percent
Man
1273
50.4%
Woman
1236
49.0%
Non-binary person
10
0.4%
Another gender identity
1
<0.1%
Prefer not to say
4
0.2%
TOTAL
2524
100%
Weighting
Forum Research, in collaboration with the PCO, applied a weighting strategy (using 2021 Statistics Canada Census data) which is balanced according to:
Age
Gender
Region
Weighting was conducted at the end of the survey wave with the data collected.
Response Rate
