Young adults most affected by Quebec curfew: poll
Twenty-six per cent of Quebecers say the 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. stay-at-home order is affecting their lives
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More than one-quarter of Quebecers say the province’s three-week-old curfew has changed their daily lives, while three-quarters don’t notice much of an impact, according to a survey by Léger for the Association of Canadian Studies.
Young adults are most affected by the 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, with almost half of people age 18 to 34 saying their daily lives have changed.
People living on lower incomes are significantly more likely to be affected, the poll shows. One-third of people with annual incomes under $40,000 say the curfew has changed their lives, versus only 18 per cent of those with incomes of $100,000 or more.
“People with higher incomes have much more space. It’s easier for them to make adjustments,” said Jack Jedwab, president of the ACS.
People suffering from mental health problems because of the COVID-19 pandemic are also more likely to feel the impacts of the curfew. About three people out of 10 who rate their mental health as poor since the pandemic started say the curfew has changed their lives, while only 15 per cent don’t see much of a change.
Non-francophones in Quebec appear to be experiencing a higher rate of mental health issues during the pandemic than francophones, the poll suggests, with 23 per cent of non-francophones reporting poor mental health compared with 17 per cent of francophones. Jedwab said the disparity could be partly because of the fact that most non-francophones live in Montreal, where the pandemic has had a greater impact on daily life.
Nationally, 21 per cent of Canadians rate their mental health during the pandemic as bad, 45 per cent rate it as good, and 33 per cent rate it as excellent to very good.
The findings are based on an online poll of 1,516 Canadians conducted between Jan. 15 and 17. While the accuracy of an online poll cannot be measured, an equivalent telephone poll would have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
Has Quebec’s curfew had an impact on your daily life?
- Significantly: 7%
- Somewhat: 19%
- Not much: 29%
- Not at all: 45%
Yes, by age
- 18-24: 46%
- 25-34: 45%
- 55-64: 12%
- 65+: 9%
Yes, by income
- Under $20,000: 33%
- $20,000-$39,999: 32%
- $40,000-$59,999: 27%
- $60,000-$79,000: 23%
- $80,000-$99,999: 23%
- $100,000+: 18%
Yes, by language
- Francophones: 25%
- Non-francophones: 30%
How would you rate your mental health since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis?
- Excellent: 12%
- Very good: 21%
- Good: 45%
- Bad: 16%
- Very bad: 5%
- No answer: 2%
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