As discussions of “vaccine passports” circulate in public policy circles, new data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds Canadians largely accepting of the concept in various forms, particularly when it comes to travel. However, the survey also found that half of respondents believe that the international border should stay closed until at least September.

The online poll of more than 1,600 Canadians, conducted May 14-17, reported that three-quarters say that they would support mandatory vaccination proof for both travel to the United States (76%) and for international travel outside Canada’s southern border (79%), though in each case one-in-five disagree.

However, there is also a clear preference to reduce reliance on proof of vaccinations in domestic life when compared with international travel. While a slim majority (55%) agree that vaccine passports could be used at public places in their communities, like restaurants, donut shops, malls, and movie theatres, two-in-five (41%) oppose the idea – suggesting much more difficult implementation. For work, 55% support requiring vaccine passports, 37% oppose.

More broadly, Canadians continue to voice meagre support for opening up international travel, with one significant exception: Those who travelled regularly before the pandemic are far more likely to say that the Canada-US border should have been opened after the May long weekend (37%) compared to those who did not take any international trips from 2018 to 2020 (16%).

Overall, 48% would keep the border closed until at least September, though the more they travelled pre-pandemic, the more likely Canadians are to say that it should be opened sooner. Overall, 23% say the border should be open now.

More key findings:

• Half (51%) of Canadians say that international travel should be prohibited in Canada, unchanged from April. That said, just 40% of frequent pre-pandemic travellers agree, while 60% would not enforce travel restrictions. One-in-three (34%) would strongly discourage international travel (which is what the federal government has been doing) but not ban it.

• Four-in-five Canadians (80%), including those with different levels of travel frequency, agree that quarantine restrictions are a necessary precaution for those entering Canada. However, only half (52%) feel it should be required (for three days) at a government-selected hotel, with the rest preferring 14 days at home.

• Notably, however, the report suggests that “the picture changes considerably” when vaccines are considered, with the percentage of respondents supporting home or hotel quarantines dropping considerably (48 and 31% respectively).

Anxiety

Both the Reid poll, and another survey by Leger, agree that Canadians remain anxious about the pandemic, with the latter offering a somewhat surprising perspective.

The Leger study, done in collaboration with the Association for Canadian Studies, reports that more than half of Canadians feel somewhat anxious about going back to the way life was before it was turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Based on a web survey of 1,647 Canadians conducted from May 21 to 23, respondents were asked whether returning to what life was like before the novel coronavirus was a source of anxiety for them, given how governments are announcing plans to reopen after more than a year of telling people to stay home.

The results show 52% of those who responded reported feeling some level of anxiety, with those aged 18 to 24 showing the highest levels of unease at 68%.

“Maybe some of it is related to work, maybe some of it is related to, ‘When we actually go back to normal, will it be safe? Will I feel comfortable around somebody not wearing a mask anymore?” said Leger executive VP Christian Bourque.

For others, he said, it could come down to thinking like, “Oh God, I have to invite the in-laws again.”

“There’s something about this new life during the pandemic that people actually sort of grew into, and potentially, sort of, maybe like,” Bourque surmised.

The findings come as vaccines that protect against COVID-19 go into the arms of more Canadians, thanks to a steadier flow of federal shipments arriving than seen early in the year.

With more inoculations comes planning from provinces and federal advice about when daily activities, like playing sports outside and eating at a restaurant, can be allowed again, along with kids going back to the classroom.

But Bourque suggests that Leger’s research shows those in power would be wise to take a slower approach to reopening society, even as a post-COVID Canada seems to grow closer on the horizon.

“I would be extremely careful as to not sound over-joyous because that’s not the sentiment right now among Canadians,” he warns.