Blogs, Surveys

Is Air Conditioning a Luxury?

FACTORS DRIVING THE AIR CONDITIONING BOOM

The heat wave season has arrived! Some were expecting it… others, not so much. We remember when air conditioners sold out last summer. In fact, the demand for this appliance was so strong that some residents even stood in line at stores to get one.

Stable and affordable electricity prices in Canada are factors driving the air conditioning boom in homes, as is the affordable price of basic air conditioners. Despite these affordable prices, cooling your home can be costly (especially if your home or windows are poorly insulated). Rising household incomes must also be taken into consideration- although air conditioning can be expensive, people have more money to spend than before.

DO YOU HAVE AIR CONDITIONING AT HOME?

So, we wondered what percentage of Canadians have air conditioning. Our most recent survey indicates that two-thirds of Canadians (67%) have air conditioning at home, higher than in 2010, when Statistics Canada published a study in which we learned that half of Canadian households had an air conditioner. According to the 2010 Statistics Canada study, 41% of Québec households had air conditioning, and today, according to our results, this percentage has reached 66%. Our recent survey also reveals that Ontario (85%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (84%) have the highest proportions of Canadians keeping cool in the summer using air conditioners. Yet, in a 2011 study released by the Government of Canada, Saskatchewan and Manitoba ranked behind Québec. Ontario, on the other hand, maintains its lead.

Do the results surprise you?

This Leger poll was conducted from May 26 to May 28, 2019, with a representative sample of 1,522 Canadians. The margin of error is 2.5%. *For comparison purposes, for a probability sample.

Sources

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/722026/climatisation-donnees-graphiques-statistiques-tableaux

https://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/49e6-dee0-51bcdfe4-a951-0945ac1c606d__7C___0.html

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2018/07/02/penurie-de-climatiseurs-a-montreal

https://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/organisme/statistiques/bnce/apd/menus/evolution/tableaux_complets/liste.cfm