FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 26, 2022

OTTAWA – “Even as fewer Canadians identify as religious, 65% of us still report a religious affiliation. That’s 23.6 million Canadians. We also know from survey work by Cardus and the Angus Reid Institute that about 16% of Canadians remain religiously committed—devout in their beliefs and practices. Another 19% of Canadians are privately religious—giving them a religiously informed outlook on life.

Importantly, the rise in non-religious Canadians isn’t necessarily benign or neutral. Cardus-Angus Reid Institute survey work suggests that those with no religious affiliation have strongly negative attitudes toward many religious groups, especially Christians and Muslims. They also express barely positive attitudes toward Judaism, Sikhism, and Hinduism. The census numbers suggest we’ll all have to work extra hard to defend and increase respect for Canadians who are religious.”

• Rev. Dr. Andrew Bennett, Faith Communities Program Director at think tank Cardus

More information:
Cardus research with the Angus Reid Institute