While some saw only an exacerbated polarization, many Quebecers took advantage of the pandemic to redefine their relationship with others, whether with their friends, their family or at work. A survey conducted by the firm CROP reveals that three out of five people want to develop new relationships in order to mitigate the consequences of the constraints that have existed for more than a year.
The probe was conducted for the Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM) in view of the publication of The State of Quebec 2022, which arrives in bookstores on Tuesday. The duty has obtained a copy, as well as the analysis of the results, which sets the framework for this edition devoted to communities in all their forms.
The survey looked at the different needs for “human connections that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light”, writes Alain Giguère, president of CROP. “Isolation has exacerbated our need for connections, such as the absence of a coveted ‘object’ that makes it even more desirable,” he continues.
When asked “has your feeling of belonging increased, stayed the same or decreased”, Quebeckers expressed a greater liking for their family: 28% believe that this belonging has increased towards family members, while on the contrary, 24% saw this feeling decrease towards their work.
Working away from colleagues may have negatively impacted this aspect, pollsters note. The Internet has also played a role for most of the respondents by allowing them to maintain contact with relatives. The data collected also suggests a predictable gap between the generations. 12% of young people aged 18-34 rarely use the Internet to maintain or develop relationships, while this proportion represents 47% of adults aged 55 and over.
For nearly one in five respondents, relations with the neighborhood have also improved, according to their answers to a question on this subject.
This reinforcement of the bonds of belonging was not moreover observed only towards the immediate entourage. Quebecers are also more interested in current events, science, politics, the issue of racism and, unsurprisingly, public health.
However, these different forms of interest in others do not necessarily translate into a commitment to building communities. 28% of people surveyed say they take an active part in the development of their community. Here again, young people under 35 stand out as being more active. Volunteering remains the most popular form of engagement among all age groups, with a most pronounced trend among those 55 and over. On the other hand, only 10% say they take part in political life to make their commitment a reality.
Regardless of the form of this commitment, it is the lack of time (36%) that is mentioned as the first reason for not taking more part in the community.
Archetypes to understand
Based on cross-referencing of these results, Alain Giguère sketches a typology of individuals in relation to their vision of their relationships and their expectations of others. At the end of the spectrum, the “gregarious” who has a deep need for others to flourish and who has done everything to develop his relationship with others during the pandemic. He is very close to the “enthusiastic neighbor” (11%) who has seen his neighborhood relations improved since the start of the pandemic, but “he does not participate in the development of his community for all that,” says Mr. Giguère.
Next come the two largest categories, that is, “sensitive” (40%) and then “self-sufficient” (35%). The latter “did not miss anyone”, even if his feeling of belonging to his family has “significantly increased”, he notes. Retired people and people aged 65 and over are over-represented in this segment.
Finally, the last type of citizen is the “disconnected” who has been isolated from all social life. Even though his sense of belonging to his family, his group of friends and his workplace was already lower than that of the general population, he still declined sharply. This type of citizen (4%) is usually a man between the ages of 35 and 54 who lives alone and earns one of the lowest incomes in society.
The last part of this survey, which focused on purchases, shows that buying from Quebec is not a priority. Or, at least, that aspect is no more important than finding the right products at a low price. In-store purchases remain a preference, despite a craze for online sales.
Will Quebecers be able to maintain the achievements of social cohesion in the longer term? “Our society will emerge transformed from this social and health crisis. It remains to be seen which direction it will take, ”concludes the president of CROP.
The survey was conducted online with 1,000 people between June 16 and 23, 2021 through a web panel.
Our society will emerge transformed from this social and health crisis. It remains to be seen which direction it will take.