Most Montrealers don’t support Bill 21

A study on Islamophobia by the Angus Reid Institute has found that 57% of Quebecers support Bill 21, including a minority of people in Montreal (46%). 69% of those in the rest of Quebec support the bill.

Bill 21, introduced in 2019 by the Legault government, prohibits the wearing of religious symbols like hijabs, yarmulkes, turbans and crosses by public servants in Quebec.

“Passed in 2019, recent research has shown that Bill 21 has, in fact, increased feelings of alienation and discomfort among Muslims in Quebec. The law continues to be supported by more than half in the province (57%). Overall, outside of Quebec the concept of Bill 21 is unpopular (25%).

Supporters of Bill 21 in Montreal are in the minority

Support for Bill 21 in Quebec increases with age. 41% of Quebecers aged 18-34 support the bill, compared to 54% among those aged 35-54 and 67% among 55+. Opposition to Bill 21 also increases the more educated one is. (For the complete table of results, please see the complete report here.)

The study also found that Montrealers (46%) were less likely to have negative views of Islam than those in the rest of Quebec (66%). A majority of Montrealers also support the wearing of the hijab in public spaces.

“In Greater Montreal, support for the wearing of the hijab in public spaces rises to 63%; it drops to 46% in the rest of Quebec.

“The number of Quebecers holding a Very Negative view of Islam is twice as high (30%) as it is in the rest of the country (16%). Views are most negative outside of Montreal.”

Canadians were also asked their comfort level regarding co-workers wearing religious symbols in the workplace.

“Quebecers push back on the acceptability of the turban and hijab most, with two-thirds voicing comfort for each, and show a unique aversion to the Jewish kippa not noted elsewhere in the country.”

“Politically, there are two groups that are vastly more likely to hold negative views of Islam. In Quebec, half of the Very Negative group is comprised of past Bloc Québécois voters. In the rest of Canada, 3 in 5 of the Negative and Very Negative supported the Conservative Party in 2021.”

The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from Feb. 8 – 10, 2023 among a representative randomized sample of 1,623 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum.

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