Most Canucks fear anti-vax movement will cause unnecessary illness: Poll

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A new Angus Reid poll showed 71% of Canadians feel the anti-vaccine movement in Canada is going to lead to unnecessary illness.

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This came as diseases like measles and polio, long thought to be eliminated in some countries, are breaking out globally amongst growing skepticism about vaccine efficacy in Canada in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among parents with children under 18.

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The study showed opposition to mandatory childhood vaccination has risen from 24% to closer to 38%.

Another 52% of those with children younger than 18 said it should be up to the parents to vaccinate their kids, while 32% of respondents who did not have children under 18 thought similarly.

The study said there was little change in those who said opposing child vaccination is irresponsible compared to 2015, 2019 and 2024 as between 72-75% held this view.

The poll also found 56% of men between the ages of 35 and 54 were either anti-vax or vaccine skeptics, the highest number among all ages and genders, while 22% of women over 54 felt the same.

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The study said a third of men under 55 were unsure or against vaccinating a child.

The poll found Ontario residents were most in favour of a vaccine mandate for children in schools (61%), while those in Alberta (48%) and Quebec (45%) were the least supportive.

Another 29% expressed skepticism about the science of vaccines, while 34% said they worried about the risk of significant side-effects.

Angus Reid conducted an online survey from Feb. 16 to Feb. 19 with 1,626 Canadian adults. A probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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