Toronto, ON — A new nationwide survey has revealed that almost half of Canadians report having observed evidence of systemic racism within their province, underscoring a growing public awareness of inequities embedded in government, social systems, and laws.
The Leger poll, conducted between August 29 and 31 for the Association for Canadian Studies, surveyed 1,627 people across the country. It found that 49 per cent of respondents said they had observed systemic racism, 37 per cent said they had not, while 14 per cent were unsure or preferred not to answer.
Jack Jedwab, president and CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies, described the result as higher than expected, noting that while systemic racism has long been a concern, many Canadians are only now beginning to identify and understand its impact. “Clearly, 49 per cent, even though it’s an important percentage of Canadians … doesn’t mean there’s a systemic perception of it. If the perception were systemic, it would be higher than 49 per cent,” Jedwab said.
Kanika Samuels-Wortley, Canada Research Chair in systemic racism, technology and criminal justice at Ontario Tech University, welcomed the poll results as a sign of progress. “To know that we are seeing Canadians identifying forms of bias that are having an impact on some of our citizens speaks to the fact that there is a growing consciousness of what it means for those who experience systemic racism in our country,” she said.
The data points to important demographic differences. The poll shows that 56 per cent of women reported observing systemic racism compared to 42 per cent of men. Younger Canadians aged 18 to 34 were more likely to report evidence (57 per cent) compared to 44 per cent of those 55 and older. Regionally, 53 per cent of respondents in Quebec and 52 per cent in Ontario observed systemic racism, compared with 41 per cent in Alberta and 42 per cent in British Columbia.
Among racialized Canadians, 73 per cent of Black respondents reported evidence of systemic racism, compared to 49 per cent of other non-white respondents and 30 per cent of white respondents. Those born outside of Canada (52 per cent) were slightly more likely than Canadian-born respondents (49 per cent) to say they had witnessed systemic racism.
Samuels-Wortley highlighted that Ontario and Quebec, with large Black and Indigenous populations, had the highest recognition rates, though she expressed surprise at lower figures in Alberta and B.C., where Indigenous communities are also large and longstanding.
Advocates say the findings show progress but also highlight the need for stronger education on systemic racism and continued efforts to address inequities in law, governance, and society.