CANADA

Life satisfaction survey: Which provinces scored highest? – CTV News

on June 13, 2022
By Harry Miller

Newfoundland and Labrador topped Canada’s provinces as having the highest life satisfaction in the country, according to Statistics Canada’s survey data from earlier this year.

Drawn from the Canadian Social Survey — which collects data every three months from people 15 and older on health, well-being, the impacts of COVID-19, activities, use of time and emergency preparedness — the figures show that 61.7 per cent of people in Newfoundland and Labrador reported a high life satisfaction, above the Canadian average of 51.7 per cent.

This is followed by Prince Edward Island (59.7 per cent), Quebec (58.7), New Brunswick (56.8) Manitoba (56.1), Alberta (52.2) and Saskatchewan (51.2).

Provinces where a smaller proportion of residents reported high life satisfaction include Nova Scotia (49.9), Ontario (48.4) and British Columbia (46.5).

Life satisfaction is measured on a scale from zero to 10, with zero being “very dissatisfied” and 10 being “very satisfied.”

The ratings are then broken down into three categories: between zero and five, six to seven, and eight to 10.

The latest figures reflect Canadians’ attitudes during the first quarter of 2022 and, overall, more people reported greater life satisfaction compared to the previous year.

In the second quarter of 2021, for example, 42 per cent of Canadians reported a high life satisfaction.



But since March 2022, although provinces and territories have lifted most of their pandemic restrictions, inflation in Canada has continued to climb with the price of gas reaching record highs just this past weekend.

The Bank of Canada also raised its key interest rate in mid-April to one per cent and again by 50 basis points to 1.5 per cent in June.

Another recent survey from StatCan found most Canadians are adjusting their spending habits and are concerned about whether they can afford housing or rent.

The survey data also breaks down life satisfaction by gender.

In the first three months of 2022, 52.6 per cent of men reported a high life satisfaction, compared to 44.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2021.

Meanwhile, 50.8 per cent of women in Canada reported a high life satisfaction in the first quarter of 2022, compared to 39.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2021.

With files from CTV News and The Canadian Press