Blog: Your Opinion in Action: Unvaccinated Health Surcharge
January 18, 2022 | Browse more articles -->What happens after you submit your survey responses? Where do your answers go? How is your opinion used? We want to answer these questions by sharing past examples of how your responses and opinions have made an impact.
The results of a national survey finds that a majority (60%) of Canadians support some type of fine that could amount to a healthcare surcharge for those who choose to remain unvaccinated. The release of the results arrive as Quebec Premier François Legault announced that the province would be imposing a health tax on Quebecers who refuse to get their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks.
Open discussion about making vaccinations mandatory for those who choose to remain unvaccinated have recently surfaced not only in Canada but in other parts of the world. In Europe, for example, at least one country is examining the application of a fine to be levelled on unvaccinated citizens of $144.00 per month while another is looking at a similar type of penalty of up to $5,000.00 per quarter.
As a test of the concept, it would appear that a majority (60%) of Canadians would support an initiative where those who choose to remain unvaccinated would be dealt a fine that would be administered as a surcharge on their taxes, with the money used to financially support the healthcare system and its hospitals and their intensive care units (ICUs). No specific financial amount was used to sound out Canadians—just the concept.
Those most likely to agree with the proposition are from both British Columbia (64%) and Québec (63%), followed by those living in Manitoba/Saskatchewan (61%), Ontario (58%), Atlantic Canada (57%), and Alberta (54%).
With respect to demographics, a majority of both men (59%) and women (60%) are aligned with this view, along with older Canadians (55+ 69%), those who are middle-aged (aged 35-54, 56%), and those who are the youngest (aged 18-34, 52%).
The minority (40%) who disagree with such a measure are most likely to be found in Alberta (46%), followed by those living in Atlantic Canada (43%), Ontario (42%), Manitoba/Saskatchewan (39%), Québec (37%), and British Columbia (36%). Those who are least supportive of the imposition of some form of fine are the youngest Canadians (aged 18-34, 48%), those with the lowest level of income (less than $50,000 per annum, 44%), and those with post-secondary college education or less (42%).
For more detailed results and information on methodology, please see here.
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