Examining Canadians’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours related to public health emergencies

Public health emergencies like pandemics and wildfires can significantly affect health and well-being; however, national data on how Canadians understand and respond to these events is limited. To address this gap, Wave 4 of the Health, Attitudes & Behavioural Insights Tracker (HABIT) Survey—co-led by Impact Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada's Behavioural Science Office—examined Canadians’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours related to public health emergencies, including viral outbreaks and extreme weather events like wildfires.

A representative sample of 2,498 Canadian adults were surveyed in October 2024. Overall, results revealed that many respondents had some familiarity with viruses such as mpox (88%) and avian flu (73%), but far fewer were confident in their understanding of these illnesses and very few (14%) were concerned about the risks they pose. We also found that most respondents supported the reintroduction of public health measures if another pandemic were to occur, particularly for international travel restrictions (72%) and masking (70%), with less support for closing businesses/workplaces (34%). For extreme weather events, we found that half of respondents (51%) had experienced wildfire smoke in the past two years, of whom 79% reported health issues such as breathing problems and headaches. Fewer than half (42%) had sought information about wildfire preparedness, including actions to improve air quality and understand local risks. These findings highlight gaps in awareness and point to areas where public health efforts could better support Canadians in understanding and responding to potential public health emergencies.

For further information on our research contact iiu-uii@pco-bcp.gc.ca.