- Context
- Summary of Findings
- Methodology
Authors
Sam Andrey
Partners
Supported in part by the Government of Canada through the Digital Citizen Initiative
Canadian Support for a K-12 Cellphone Ban - Survey Brief
May 2024
Context
As evidence mounts about the potentially harmful effects of cell phones on student learning and well-being, schools across the country are putting bans in place and more rigorous policies with respect to cell phone use in schools. Ontario is placing new restrictions on cell phone use in classrooms for the 2024-25 school year, after a similar attempt in 2019 proved to be unevenly implemented. Québec followed suit last year, and BC is requiring school districts to have policies in place by September to restrict student cell phone use. Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are all consulting on potential new policies.
This brief presents the findings of a national representative survey conducted by the Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University from April 11-22, 2024, before Ontario announced its new restrictions, to gauge Canadian attitudes with respect to cell phone bans in classrooms.
In our survey we asked, “There have been calls to ban cell phones in K-12 classrooms due to negative impacts on mental health and learning. What is your view about a ban?”
The results below show that a strong majority of Canadians seek a ban, but that younger Canadians are an important outlier from the rest of the population.
In the coming months, we look forward to unpacking and analyzing this fresh data further, and working with policymakers, educators and families on this critical issue.
Summary of Findings
- Nearly eight in ten Canadian residents support a cell phone ban in K-12 classrooms, with less than one in ten opposed.
- Support is consistent across the country, though it is highest in Québec (86 percent).
- Younger Canadians are much less supportive of a ban, with 37 percent of those aged 16-19 opposed to a ban compared to just four percent of those aged 45 and older.
- Parents of children under 18 are somewhat less supportive than those without, and their opposition is twice as high (15 percent vs. 7 percent).
Overall, 78 percent of respondents support a cell phone ban in K-12 classrooms, with only 9 percent opposed (Figure 1).
n=2501, April 11-22, 2024“There have been calls to ban cell phones in K-12 classrooms due to negative impacts on mental health and learning. What is your view about a ban?”
Support is consistent across the country, with no province below 70 percent supporting a cell phone ban (Table 1). However, Québec stands out with significantly higher support at 86 percent.
Table 1: Support for Cell Phone Bans by Province
| Strongly Support | Somewhat Support | Neutral | Somewhat Oppose | Strongly Oppose | Don’t Know | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BC n=347 | 47% | 31% | 10% | 7% | 3% | 2% |
| Alberta n=279 | 44% | 28% | 13% | 8% | 4% | 3% |
| Manitoba/Saskatchewan n=161 | 48% | 31% | 10% | 4% | 4% | 3% |
| Ontario n=969 | 48% | 27% | 12% | 5% | 4% | 4% |
| Québec n=576 | 63% | 23% | 6% | 4% | 2% | 2% |
| Atlantic n=168 | 45% | 30% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 4% |
Support is much less consistent across age groups, with support increasing significantly by age (Figure 2). Only half (50 percent) of Canadians aged 16-19 support a cell phone ban in classrooms, while 37 percent oppose it. In comparison, more than 80 percent of those aged 45 and up support a ban, with only four percent opposed.
n=2501, April 11-22, 2024“There have been calls to ban cell phones in K-12 classrooms due to negative impacts on mental health and learning. What is your view about a ban?”
Table 2: Support for Cell Phone Bans by Age
| Strongly Support | Somewhat Support | Neutral | Somewhat Oppose | Strongly Oppose | Don’t Know | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 16-19 n=167 | 25% | 25% | 11% | 23% | 14% | 2% |
| Age 20-29 n=342 | 29% | 33% | 17% | 11% | 8% | 3% |
| Age 30-44 n=607 | 50% | 27% | 12% | 5% | 2% | 4% |
| Age 45-59 n=599 | 55% | 26% | 11% | 3% | 2% | 3% |
| Age 60+ n=786 | 64% | 25% | 5% | 3% | 1% | 2% |
Support is consistent by gender (79 percent women, 77 percent men). Support is also consistent across the political spectrum, though those who identify on the right (7-9 on a 1-9 scale) are more supportive: 84 percent, compared to 76 percent of those who identify on the centre or the left.
While support is higher among older Canadians, parents of children under 18 are somewhat less supportive than those without, and their opposition is twice as high (15 percent vs. 7 percent) (Table 3). However, this is largely driven by the demographics of who parents are — they tend to both be younger and more left leaning politically. Once both factors are accounted for, there is no difference in support between parents with children under 18 and other Canadians.
Table 3: Support for Cell Phone Bans by Parental Status
| Strongly Support | Somewhat Support | Neutral | Somewhat Oppose | Strongly Oppose | Don’t Know | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parents with Children Under 18 n=647 | 46% | 27% | 10% | 9% | 6% | 2% |
| No Children Under 18 n=1821 | 53% | 27% | 10% | 4% | 3% | 3% |