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Canadians and science literacy

Photo credit: istock photos

Photo credit: istock photos

More than half of all Canadians lack an understanding of basic scientific concepts needed to make sense of major public debates on scientific issues. Yet, they’re among the most science literate people in the world.

We’re not sure which is more surprising.

Science literacy by the numbers

The science literacy of Canadians was assessed by the Canadian Council of Academies (CCA) and published in a 2014 report. The CCA is an independent, not-for-profit organization. It supports expert, independent and evidence-based assessments that inform public policy development in Canada.

According to the report, 93% of Canadians are very or moderately interested in scientific discoveries and technological developments.

That’s great news!

A September 2017 Leger survey commissioned by the Ontario Science Centre confirmed this result. Of those polled, 82% of respondents said they ‘would like to know more about science and how it affects our world.’

Closing the gap

You want to know what’s happening in the science field. You want to learn. And that's a start closing the gap between science literacy and understanding scientific concepts.

And you know where to look for information.

For example, in a Google search of ‘vaccinations,’ the search engine returns over 16 million results. Knowing which sources of information to trust is part of science literacy. Fortunately, Canadians seem to be pretty good at finding legitimate sources.

The Leger survey found that Canadians are smart about where they get their information. You know where to find reliable scientific information. Here's who you trust:

  • museums and science centres (89%)
  • scientists (88%)
  • educational institutions (87%)
  • journalists (57%)
  • government (43%)

When you're looking for information, look to the experts first.

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