New Poll: Half of Canadians Support Mandatory Booster Shots at Work

Men and Seniors Most Likely to Favour Requiring Boosters


TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Another contentious issue is on the horizon for businesses and governments in Canada as COVID-19 cases rise and initial COVID-19 vaccine shot efficacy begins to wane—whether to make COVID-19 booster shots a mandatory condition of employment.

With almost 70% of eligible Canadians fully vaccinated and close to 75% partially vaccinated, half (48%) of Canadians responded yes to the question “Should employers require their employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot?,” according to a new survey from The Harris Poll, commissioned by Express Employment Professionals.

Another 34% replied no, but that employers should recommend the booster to their workers.

Only 18% said no, that employers should not take a stance on whether employees receive a COVID-19 booster shot.

Males (53%), Canadians ages 55 and older (60%), unemployed Canadians (55%) and those who have an income of $75,000 or more (53%) were the most likely to agree that employers should mandate COVID-19 booster shots. Regionally, residents of Quebec (54%), Ontario and British Columbia (both 50%) were the most supportive.

Although initial COVID-19 vaccines are currently required by some employers, and mask mandates, social distancing and hand sanitizing are commonplace, worsening labour shortages are causing many employers to be wary of adding more requirements on current employees and potential job recruits.

But with some provincial governments already rolling out booster shots for seniors and other high-risk groups, and the United States set to offer wide scale booster shots, it will be an issue Canadian companies are forced to confront.

Survey Methodology
The survey was conducted online within Canada by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Sept. 2 – Sept. 6, 2021, among 1,012 Canadian adults ages 18+ in Canada. Data was weighted where necessary bring it into line with actual proportions in the population.

If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Ana Curic at (613) 858-2622 or email ana@mapleleafstrategies.com.

About Bill Stoller
William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing company has more than 830 franchises in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Since inception, Express has put more than 9 million people to work worldwide. 

About Express Employment Professionals
At Express Employment Professionals, we’re in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 526,000 people globally in 2020. For more information, visit www.ExpressPros.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/880add53-22fd-4e47-897f-f171fb748bb5

Vaccine Booster Employer Mandate