Survey: Four-in-Five Ontarians think gun violence is a serious problem

A large majority of Ontario residents think gun violence in the province is a serious problem, a new Angus Reid Strategies poll reveals.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, 82 per cent of Ontarians view gun violence as a very serious or moderately serious problem. Females (89%), older adults (91%) and those living in households earning more than $100,000 a year (86%) are the most prone to agree with this point of view.

Half of Ontarians (50%) believe a complete provincial ban on firearms would be justified. The proportion reaches 54 per cent in the Greater Toronto area, and falls to 39 per cent in the northern part of the province.

In addition, nine-in-ten respondents (88%) think enforcing mandatory jail terms for crimes committed with these weapons is the most effective approach to reducing gun violence in the province.

With the incidence of handgun violence in Toronto increasingly high recently, Toronto City Council just passed a series of measures with the intent to eradicate gun abuse across the entire province. The new law—which bans handguns within the city limits—is also aimed at new facilities that manufacture, assemble or distribute guns in Toronto.

A further breakdown points to younger adults (54%), university graduates (58%), and those living in households earning $100,000 or more (58%) as more likely to believe that a complete firearm injunction would be warranted. More females than males (55% versus 44%) also feel this way.

Looking at the effectiveness of several measures, a large majority of Ontarians believe violence induced by firearms would be reduced if mandatory jail terms for gun crimes were put into force (87%), if action was taken stop illegal gun smuggling from the United States (86%), and if new outreach programs to steer youth away from gangs were introduced (76%). A smaller number—but still a majority—think enacting a complete ban on handguns would be very effective or moderately effective in reducing gun violence in the province (53%).

The 416 area code houses the greatest proportion of respondents who think a total ban on handguns would effectively reduce gun violence in the province (61%), while the most skeptical respondents reside in the North (41%) and the Hamilton / Niagara area (48%). Ontarians living in the Hamilton / Niagara area are also more likely than respondents in all other regions to view mandatory jail terms (91%), new youth outreach programs (82%) and action to stop illegal gun smuggling from the U.S. (90%) as effective means to curb firearm violence.

The gender breakdown points to more females favouring a ban on handguns (58% versus 47%), stopping illegal gun smuggling (89% versus 82%) and introducing new outreach programs to deter youth away from gangs (79% versus 72%).

Another interesting snippet reveals that while more respondents with a high school diploma or less view mandatory jail terms for handgun crimes as the most effective way to reduce gun violence in Ontario (91%), they are also less supportive of all other measures than those with a college diploma or university degree—especially when it comes to the handgun ban (48% versus 52% for college graduates and 57% for those with a university degree).

Looking at age, nine-in-ten respondents aged 35-54 (91%) and 55+ (91%) believe that enforcing obligatory jail terms for crimes committed with a handgun is the most successful way to reduce firearm abuse in the province. Younger respondents are less certain, with three-in-four (76%) choosing this method as the most effective measure.

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