Education & History Polls

Six in Ten (62%) Canadian Parents Say They’d Like to Spend More Time Helping Their Child Learn at Home

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Toronto, ON – Six in ten (62%) parents ‘agree’ (15% strongly/46% somewhat) that they ‘don’t have as much time as I would like to spend’ helping their child learn, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of ABC Life Literacy. In fact, most (63%) ‘disagree’ (24% strongly/39% somewhat) that ‘the primary place for a child to learn is at school, not at home’, while four in ten (37%) ‘agree’ (11% strongly/27% somewhat). But while seven in ten (70%) ‘agree’ (22% strongly/48% somewhat) that they are their child’s best teacher – a feeling even stronger among those with young children – many Canadian parents appear to missing teachable moments with their children.     


Post-Secondary Education in BC

Monday, September 05, 2011

Vancouver, BC – This report presents the findings of an Ipsos Reid online poll conducted on behalf of The Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC (FPSE).     


‘How America Pays for College’ Study Reveals Shifts in Reasons for Attending College: From Aspirational to Practical

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Newark, DE — Students attend college with increasingly practical reasons in mind: better jobs and earning more money, says Sallie Mae’s “How America Pays for College,” a national study of 1,600 college students and parents conducted by Ipsos. Ninety percent of students strongly agreed that college is an investment in the future, an increase from 84 percent in 2010. In addition, 70 percent of students and parents strongly agreed that a college education is necessary for their desired occupation and that college is required to earn more, up from 63 and 59 percent, respectively, in 2010.     


Canadians Prepare for Canada Day by Writing a Book

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Toronto, ON – In preparation for Canada Day, Canadians were asked to write a book about this country, and the stories they tell are as diverse as the country itself, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Historic Dominion Institute. On an open-ended basis, Canadians could set the story wherever they wanted, starring whoever they wanted, set whenever they wanted, and write whatever kind of book they wanted, and the results tell a multitude of stories about this great country.     


Ipsos Global @dvisory: Is Religion A Force For Good In The World? Combined Population of 23 Major Nations Evenly Divided in Advance of Blair, Hitchens Debate.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Toronto, ON – A new Ipsos poll commissioned for the November 26th Munk Debates on Religion in Toronto Canada featuring Tony Blair and Christopher Hitchens has found that the world is evenly divided on one of history’s most vexing questions: is religion a force for good in the world?     


Parents Consider School Health and Physical Education Classes Important, Seek Improvements to Current Offering

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Toronto, ON – Parents of public elementary school children in Ontario generally recognize the importance of Health and Physical Education classes in school, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Ophea reveals.     


Kiss Me Kate: Majority (55%, + 12) of Canadians Think Nuptials Between Prince William and Kate Middleton Should Put William, Not Charles on the Royal Throne

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Toronto, ON – Canadians have given their blessing to the pending nuptials between Prince William and Kate Middleton in a very profound way, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted exclusively for Postmedia News and Global Television. On the heels of the announcement of the royal wedding, which will be held on April 29 at Westminster Abbey, a majority (55%) of Canadians now believe that ‘Prince Charles should skip his place in line for the throne as King and instead pass the reign of King on to his son Prince William’, a significant increase of 12 points over one year ago prior to the visit of Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, to Canada.     


Knowledge of First and Second World War Lowest Among Young Canadians

Monday, November 08, 2010

Toronto, ON – As Canadians prepare to mark Remembrance Day on November 11th, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of The Historica-Dominion Institute has revealed that knowledge about the First and Second World Wars is much lower among younger Canadians than it is among middle-aged and older Canadians, but younger Canadians are leading the way on knowledge about Afghanistan.     


Le niveau de connaissance de la Première et de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale est le plus faible parmi les jeunes Canadiens

Monday, November 08, 2010

Toronto, ON – Alors que les Canadiens se préparent à observer le jour du Souvenir, les résultats d’un nouveau sondage Ipsos-Reid, mené pour le compte de l’Institut Historica-Dominion, révèlent que le niveau de connaissance de la Première et de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale est plus faible parmi les jeunes Canadiens que parmi les Canadiens d'âge moyen ou d'âge mûr. Par contre, les jeunes Canadiens sont plus sensibilisés sur la question de l’Afghanistan.     


Nine in Ten Hispanics See a Good Education as Necessary for Immigrants to Improve their Standard of Living

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

New York, NY – No one can argue the value of a good education and its impact in our society; with this in mind, the latest Ipsos Telemundo Poll, explores the perceptions of Hispanics about education. The study conducted among Hispanic adults living in the United States shows that this increasingly growing demographic group considers education to be very important. Among the 434 Hispanic adults interviewed, nine in ten (89%) subscribe to the belief that a good education is necessary for Hispanic immigrants in the United States to improve their standard of living – including 73% who completely agree. In comparison, just eight percent disagree.     


Nueve de Cada Diez Hispanos Consideran que una Buena Educación es Necesaria para que los Inmigrantes Mejoren su Nivel de Vida

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

New York, NY – Nadie puede discutir el valor de una buena educación y su impacto en nuestra sociedad, con esto en mente, el más reciente sondeo Ipsos-Telemundo, explora las percepciones de los Hispanos acerca de la educación. El estudio realizado entre adultos Hispanos que viven en los Estados Unidos muestra que este creciente grupo demográfico considera que la educación es muy importante. Entre los 434 adultos Hispanos entrevistados, nueve de cada diez (89%) tienen la creencia que una buena educación es necesaria para que los inmigrantes Hispanos en los Estados Unidos mejoren su nivel de vida – incluyendo 73% que están completamente de acuerdo. En comparación, sólo el ocho por ciento está en desacuerdo.     


Eight in Ten (84%) Canadian Parents Believe Companies Should Donate To and Sponsor Public School Libraries

Monday, September 13, 2010

Toronto, ON – Eight in ten (84%) Canadian parents of children aged 4 to 18, inclusive, ‘agree’ (36% strongly/48% somewhat) that ‘private companies should donate funds and sponsor public-school libraries’, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Indigo. Conversely, fewer than two in ten (16%) ‘disagree’ (6% strongly/10% somewhat) with the notion of businesses sponsoring public-school libraries.     


Nine in Ten (90%) Canadians ‘Agree’ that Improving Literacy Levels in Canada is Key to Improving the Country’s Economy

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Toronto, ON – As Canada’s economy slowly emerges from the recession and high levels of unemployment, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of ABC Life Literacy Canada finds that nine in ten (90%) ‘agree’ (50% strongly/40% somewhat) that ‘improving the literacy levels of Canadians is key to improving the country’s economy’. Perhaps underscoring the relationship between literacy and the economy, most (93%) also ‘agree’ (60% strongly/34% somewhat) that ‘governments need to support improving the literacy levels of Canadians’.     


Majority (57%) of Post-Secondary Students Plan to Work During the School Year

Monday, August 16, 2010

Toronto, ON – A majority (57%) of post-secondary students plan to help support themselves by working throughout the school year, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of RBC. However, most (77%) students believe that working while in school would impact (33% a lot/44% a bit) their grades. And if the prospect of having to work through the school year isn’t adding enough stress as it is, two in three (66%) believe that worrying about money will impact their grades (28% a lot/38% a bit).     


The Ultimate Canada Day BBQ: Terry Fox (38%), Wayne Gretzky (36%) and Céline Dion (33%) Would Top Canadians’ Guest List

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Toronto, ON – As Canada prepares to celebrate its 143rd birthday on July 1st, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of The Historica-Dominion Institute finds that if Canadians were organizing the ultimate Canada Day BBQ and they could invite 5 famous Canadians past or present to join their friends and family, Terry Fox, Wayne Gretzky and Céline Dion would be on the invite list most often.     


Ipsos and Georgian College: ‘Partners for the Future of Research’

Monday, June 28, 2010

Toronto, ON – A 16-year relationship has been recognized with a special honour. Georgian College has named Ipsos as a Distinguished Partner – the first and only market research firm to receive this distinction. Part of the college’s Board of Governor’s Awards of Distinction program, the award recognizes partners in the community who have “made an exemplary contribution in support of student access and success, as well as the mission and goals of the college”.     


Canadian Youth Science Monitor

Monday, June 07, 2010

Ottawa, ON – The Canada Foundation for Innovation commissioned Ipsos Reid to conduct the Canadian Youth Science Monitor, the first nationwide survey on the views of Canadian youth (aged 12 to 18) towards the sciences. It was inspired by the 2009 Wellcome Trust Monitor, a study of youth in the United Kingdom. Both studies were designed to accomplish similar objectives: understanding how young people relate to the sciences, both in terms of how interested they are in the study of science and how interested they are in pursuing scientific careers.     


Three quarters (77%) of Canadians believe that the men and women who served in the Second World War deserve to be called “the Greatest Generation”

Thursday, May 06, 2010

Toronto, ON – On the 65th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, known as V-E Day, a new Ipsos Reid poll commissioned by The Historica-Dominion Institute reveals a deep admiration for veterans.     


The Canadian-Content Conundrum:

Friday, April 09, 2010

Toronto, ON – Canadians are split on the ‘Cancon’—Canadian Content—conundrum, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Canadian Journalism Foundation. Canadian television stations are required to broadcast a certain proportion of Canadian Content (60% overall) in order to acquire and maintain their license to operate, and Canadians are split over whether this practice should continue or not.     


Canada at the Games: History in the Making

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Toronto, ON – The Vancouver Olympics are shaping up to be a defining moment in Canada’s national history, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Historica-Dominion Institute.     


One Half (47%) of Canadians ‘Agree’ The Montreal Canadiens are ‘The Greatest Hockey Team in History’

Monday, November 30, 2009

Toronto, ON – In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Montreal Canadiens hockey franchise, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Historica-Dominion Institute has revealed that one half (47%) of Canadians ‘agree’ (17% strongly/30% somewhat) that the ‘Montreal Canadiens are the greatest hockey team in history’. In comparison, less than half as many Canadians, just two in ten (20%), ‘agree’ (3% strongly/16% somewhat) that ‘the Toronto Maple Leafs are the greatest hockey team in history’.     


Canada’s North Poll: One in Three (31%) Canadians Score a ‘D’ (18%) or Fail (13%) a simple True or False Quiz About Canada’s Arctic

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Toronto, ON – Canada is well-known around the world for its vast arctic, often characterized as “the True North Strong and Free”, but a new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami suggests that various aspects about Canada’s arctic are not well-known among Canadians themselves.     


Canadian Post Secondary Education (2)

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Vancouver, BC – An Ipsos Reid online poll of 1,493 adult Canadians reveals that Canadians hold quite strong views on the future importance of having a post-secondary credential if one wants to succeed or get ahead in life. And, a good number of them are considering taking on further studies in the near future.     


Canadian Post-Secondary Education (1)

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Vancouver, BC – An Ipsos Reid online poll of 1,493 adult Canadians reveals that Canadians hold generally favourable views of the quality of education provided by the country’s universities, colleges, and institutes. However, there’s no real consensus on the progress these institutions have made in sustaining the quality of education they offer students. Indeed, Canadians are almost as likely to see an improvement in quality, as a decline, or no change over the past 10 years.     


Two in ten (20%) Canadians say they will attend an official Remembrance Day service on November 11th this year – Up from 16% in 2008

Monday, November 09, 2009

Toronto, ON – In the lead-up to Remembrance Day, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of The Historica-Dominion Institute examines Canadians’ attitudes towards remembrance and their personal connection to veterans and the Canadian Forces.     


Teens Welcome Parents’ Increasing Openness about Their Past Experiences with Alcohol or Drugs

Thursday, October 08, 2009

New York, NY – Two thirds of boys and girls aged 15 to 18 (67%) say that their parents have told them about their own experiences with alcohol and drugs when they were young, and these teens nearly unanimously (95%) look at it as a good thing, according to a new study conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Hazelden.     


Four in Ten (38%) Postsecondary Students Say Spending Money Won’t Last Past Christmas

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Toronto, ON – University and college students are concerned about whether they’ll have enough money to get through the school year according to a new Ipsos Reid poll concerning student finances, conducted on behalf of RBC. The survey found that 43% of new college and university students and 35% of returning students think that they’ll only be able to stretch their spending money as far as the Christmas break, with 50% of all post secondary students expecting it to run out before the school year ends.     


Parents of Above Average Students Are More Likely to Use Praise to Motivate their Children Academically

Friday, July 03, 2009

Toronto, ON – Nearly nine in ten parents of a child performing at an above average level (86%) say that they tend to use praise rather than tangible rewards to motivate their child to do their homework, according to an Ipsos-Reid survey conducted on behalf of Kumon Math and Reading Centres. Parents say that the benefits of using praise as a motivator include instilling a sense of responsibility, a feeling of accomplishment, and homework getting done more quickly.     


Parents See Beneficial Link Between Volunteering and Education

Friday, July 03, 2009

Toronto, ON – Many parents see a link between education in the classroom and volunteerism in their communities, according to an Ipsos-Reid survey conducted on behalf of Kumon Math and Reading Centres. Parents see the benefits as being two-fold: volunteerism enhances education while education encourages volunteerism.     


Dominion Institute’s new Canadian Icons Survey Reveals Some Not-So-Familiar Faces

Monday, June 29, 2009

Toronto, ON — As Canada celebrates its 142nd birthday on July 1st, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Dominion Institute has revealed that many Canadians cannot identify the names of ten iconic Canadians, both past and present, from a picture provided to them.     


Three quarters (72%) of Working Canadians Believe that Current Levels of Adult Literacy in Canada are a Problem

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Toronto, ON – Three quarters (72%) of working Canadians believe that the current level of adult literacy – that is reading, writing and mathematics skills among adults for whom English or French is their first language – is a ‘problem’ (15% major/58% moderate). Further, an additional 26% believe it is a ‘minor problem’, while just 2% believe there is no problem at all.     


Most Fathers Today Take an Active Role in their Child’s Academics, Both During the School Year and the Summer

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

New York, NY — Many fathers today play an active role in their child’s activities, from homework help to volunteering, according to a new survey of parents of a child ages 5 to 15 conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Kumon Math and Reading Centers. Nearly all fathers (98%) say that they personally help their child with their homework when they have a problem, most commonly by observing and proactively helping their child when they are struggling (39%).     


Albertans on Environmental Education

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Calgary, AB – A recent Ipsos Reid study commissioned by the Alberta Council for Environmental Education (ACEE) shows that the majority of Albertans (75%) agree that schools in Alberta should give top priority to providing students with opportunities to do environmental action projects. Support varies by type of action project, with 90% of Albertans saying they would support Kindergarten to Grade 12 students being involved in neighbourhood clean-up, 78% would support students educating others about local environmental issues, and 67% would support students presenting to politicians on an environmental issue.     


As Christians Mark the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ this Easter Weekend, New Poll Finds Fewer Canadians Believe in God

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Toronto, ON – As Christians mark the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ this coming weekend, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Canwest News Service and Global National has revealed that six in ten (58%) Canadians ‘definitely believe in God’, down from 64% who said the same in 2003. Further, 13% of Canadians indicate that ‘sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t’ believe in God, statistically unchanged (down 1 point) from six years ago.     


As Nunavut Celebrates its 10th Anniversary, A Survey Gauges Southern Canadians’ Views on the North For the First Time

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Toronto, ON – A new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship and the Dominion Institute has revealed that three quarters (74%) ‘agree’ (24% strongly/50% somewhat) that ‘Canadian politicians should focus more attention on Canada’s North and less on our Southern neighbour, the USA’.     


If They Had the Chance to Carry the Olympic Torch, Nearly One Half (44%) Would Choose to Pass the Torch to Terry Fox, Topping the List of Iconic Canadians

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Toronto, ON – If they had a chance to be an Olympic Torchbearer and could choose any Canadian (living or deceased) to pass the torch to, nearly one half (44%) of Canadians would choose to relay the torch to Terry Fox, the heroic Canadian who was unable to complete his cross-Canada Marathon of Hope in 1980. Terry Fox topped the list across the country, among all age categories, and for both men and women. Receiving the next-most votes is hockey-legend Wayne Gretzky (14%), followed by former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (12%), pop-star Celine Dion (7%), hockey-legend Gordie Howe (5%), and jazz-pianist Oscar Peterson (3%).     


Majority (54%) ‘Strongly Agrees’ Educational Institutions Should Work More Closely With Business to Produce Highly-Skilled People Needed to Sustain and Improve Canada’s Economy

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Toronto, ON – As the federal government continues its consultations on the budget, a majority (54%) of Canadians ‘strongly agree’ (95% total) that ‘educational institutions need to work more closely with business to produce the highly-skilled people needed to sustain and improve Canada’s economy’. Furthermore, most (91%) ‘agree’ (44% strongly/47% somewhat) that ‘practical skills training is more important in getting laid-off workers back on the job than theoretical education’.     


In the Lead-up to the 90th Anniversary of the End of the First World War, a Dominion Institute-Ipsos Reid national poll gauges Canadians knowledge of The Great War

Friday, November 07, 2008

Toronto, ON – In the lead-up to the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War, a recent Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Dominion Institute reveals that Canadians—in particular young Canadians—lack of basic knowledge about The Great War and are forgetting this important chapter in our country’s history.     


National Poll Gauges Canadians' Opinions on the Importance of Remembrance and the Impact of American Entertainment

Friday, October 17, 2008

Toronto, ON – A new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Dominion Institute has revealed that, despite the prevalence of American culture, history and politics in Canadian society, three quarters (76%) of Canadians ‘disagree’ (32% strongly/44% somewhat) that ‘American history is more exciting than Canadian history’.     


As Quebec City Celebrates 400th Anniversary, Majority (63%) Of Quebecers Believe French Language Needs More Protection In Canada Compared With Only One In Ten (11%) In The Rest Of Canada

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Toronto, ON – As the country gathers to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Quebec City, a new Ipsos Reid poll finds that Quebecers and those living in the rest of Canada (“ROC”) have differing opinions on the significance of the event, the protection of the French language, and on other key points relating to Quebec’s place in Canada.     


Defining Canada: A Nation Chooses The 101 Things That Best Define Their Country

Monday, June 30, 2008

Toronto, ON– The definitive survey of the people, places, events, accomplishments and symbols that Canadians think define their country, conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of the Dominion Institute and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, has revealed what Canadians believe are the most defining features of Canada overall.     


Ipsos Reid / Dominion Institute Poll Reveals Order Of Canada Recipients Have A Different Idea Of What Defines Canada

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Toronto, ON – The definitive survey of the people, places, events, accomplishments and symbols that Canadians think define their country, conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of the Dominion Institute and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, has found that while the general public, immigrants and educators alike label the Maple Leaf as Canada’s most defining entity, members of the Order of Canada say that title belongs to Frederick Banting and the discovery of insulin.     


Canadians Choose The People, Places, Events, Accomplishments And Symbols That Define Canada

Friday, June 27, 2008

Toronto, ON– The definitive survey of the people, places, events, accomplishments and symbols that Canadians think define their country, conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of the Dominion Institute and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, has found that Canadians have a different idea of what defines their country, depending on where they live. In short, placing at the top of the list in each of their respective categories are:     


Can’t Touch This!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Toronto, ON – It appears that the top of the Egyptian pyramids have piqued (or peaked) the interest of Canadians, according to a new LG Electronics Canada / Ipsos Reid poll. Given the opportunity, and a list of options, nearly half (45%) of all Canadians would most like to touch the very top of the ancient wonder. Perhaps reflective of Canadian heritage, two in ten want to touch the Stanley Cup, and an equal number (18%) would most like to touch the Holy Grail. One in ten (11%) would like to touch the Hope Diamond, while 3% would like to touch Dorothy’s shoes from ‘The Wizard of Oz’. Surprisingly, only 4% would like to touch an Academy Award.