More Canadians are planning on spending less on summer travel or putting their vacation plans on hold completely compared to previous years, according to a new survey conducted by Nanos Research.
This year, 38 per cent of Canadians say they are more likely to spend less on their summer travel plans, an increase from 31 per cent reported in 2015. Additionally, 57 per cent of Canadians say they have no interest in travelling internationally this year.
The poll, commissioned by CTV News, surveyed 1,055 Canadians over the ages of 18 through phone calls — both land and cell lines — and online between June 29 and June 30.
COST IMPACTING TRAVEL PLANNING, MOSTLY FOR YOUNGER CANADIANS
According to the survey, 51 per cent of Canadians say cost is the most important factor when they make summer plans, trumping climate concerns, time off from work, and destination distance. The least important factor Canadians were concerned about when planning a trip was their carbon emissions, according to the survey.
Across Canada, 51.1 per cent of residents in the Atlantic provinces said they will be spending less on their summer vacation plans than they usually would, followed by Quebec with 43.2 per cent, the Prairies with 40.6 per cent, B.C. with 35.3 per cent and Ontario with 33.6 per cent.
Women across Canada said they would be spending less on their vacation, with 41.7 per cent saying they will be decreasing their budget in comparison to 35.3 per cent of men. Younger Canadians were also more likely to say they will be spending less as 42.7 per cent between the ages of 18 and 34 said they would; while 35.3 per cent of those 55 and older agreed.
There was also a decrease in the number of Canadians who said they won’t be changing their spending habits as 41 per cent said they wouldn’t, down from 51 per cent reported in 2015.
PLANS CANCELLED BUT HOPE REMAINS
While nearly one in five Canadians say their international travel plans remain unchanged, about 60 per cent say they have no interest in travelling internationally during the summer.
Women, again, were more likely than men to lack a desire to travel internationally with 63.7 per cent saying they wouldn’t while 51 per cent of men agreed. However, age demographics were shifted in this category compared to the affordability of travel, as 63.4 per cent of older Canadians aged 55 and over said they had no interest, while 52.6 per cent of those 18 to 34 agreed.
However, there was a slight increase in Canada’s desire to travel despite not making solid plans, according to the survey. An increase of one per cent was reported this year as 16 per cent said they would like to travel this summer but haven’t made any plans.
A separate report from Kayak found despite a surge in flight prices this year, searches for international and domestic flights, hotels and car rentals were up 77 per cent in comparison to last summer.
METHODOLOGY
Nanos conducted this survey both online and through land and cell lines over the phone among 1,055 Canadians over the ages of 18 between June 29th and 30th, 2023. Participants were randomly recruited by telephone using live agents and administered a survey online. The sample included both land- and cell-lines across Canada. The results were statistically checked and weighted by age and gender using the latest Census information and the sample is geographically stratified to be representative of Canada. Individuals randomly called using random digit dialling with a maximum of five call backs. The margin of error for this survey is ±3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. This study was commissioned by CTV News and the research was conducted by Nanos Research.
OTTAWA – The parliamentary budget officer says the federal government likely failed to keep its deficit below its promised $40 billion cap in the last fiscal year.
However the PBO also projects in its latest economic and fiscal outlook today that weak economic growth this year will begin to rebound in 2025.
The budget watchdog estimates in its report that the federal government posted a $46.8 billion deficit for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland pledged a year ago to keep the deficit capped at $40 billion and in her spring budget said the deficit for 2023-24 stayed in line with that promise.
The final tally of the last year’s deficit will be confirmed when the government publishes its annual public accounts report this fall.
The PBO says economic growth will remain tepid this year but will rebound in 2025 as the Bank of Canada’s interest rate cuts stimulate spending and business investment.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.
OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says the level of food insecurity increased in 2022 as inflation hit peak levels.
In a report using data from the Canadian community health survey, the agency says 15.6 per cent of households experienced some level of food insecurity in 2022 after being relatively stable from 2017 to 2021.
The reading was up from 9.6 per cent in 2017 and 11.6 per cent in 2018.
Statistics Canada says the prevalence of household food insecurity was slightly lower and stable during the pandemic years as it fell to 8.5 per cent in the fall of 2020 and 9.1 per cent in 2021.
In addition to an increase in the prevalence of food insecurity in 2022, the agency says there was an increase in the severity as more households reported moderate or severe food insecurity.
It also noted an increase in the number of Canadians living in moderately or severely food insecure households was also seen in the Canadian income survey data collected in the first half of 2023.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct 16, 2024.
OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales in August fell to their lowest level since January 2022 as sales in the primary metal and petroleum and coal product subsectors fell.
The agency says manufacturing sales fell 1.3 per cent to $69.4 billion in August, after rising 1.1 per cent in July.
The drop came as sales in the primary metal subsector dropped 6.4 per cent to $5.3 billion in August, on lower prices and lower volumes.
Sales in the petroleum and coal product subsector fell 3.7 per cent to $7.8 billion in August on lower prices.
Meanwhile, sales of aerospace products and parts rose 7.3 per cent to $2.7 billion in August and wood product sales increased 3.8 per cent to $3.1 billion.
Overall manufacturing sales in constant dollars fell 0.8 per cent in August.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.
