Canadians largely dissatisfied with government handling of COVID-19, economic recovery

Canadians are becoming more critical of their governments’ handling of the pandemic, with only one-in-three saying their leaders have done a good job of managing health care in their provinces.

New numbers from the Angus Reid Institute show dissatisfaction is up across the board as the fourth wave of COVID-19 exacerbates stressed health-care systems.

Criticism is highest in Alberta and Manitoba.

A majority of Canadians across each age and gender group are critical of their provincial government’s health-care performance, according to a new Angus Reid survey. (CREDIT: Angus Reid)

Nearly 40 per cent of Canadians say their provincial governments are handling economic recovery well, but another 50 per cent says leaders are doing a poor job.

The drop-off in economic satisfaction is biggest in Ontario, where less than a third of people say the Ford government is doing a good job of navigating pandemic economic recovery, down by almost half from this time last year.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, 56 per cent of Quebecers and half of Saskachewanians say their leaders are doing a good job with the economy.

Only Quebec (56%) and Saskatchewan (50%) residents offer their provincial government majority praise on the economy, says Angus Reid. (CREDIT: Angus Reid)

In Alberta, Angus Reid says dissatisfaction–which is highest of all the provinces–is driving a desire for change.

One-in-five Albertans say Premier Jason Kenney and his United Conservatives are doing a good job of navigating COVID-19 and all its challenges, but a staggering 78 per cent say the United Conservatives are lacking.

Kenney now trails the Official Opposition, Rachel Notley’s NDP, by 12 points in voter intention.