With the public’s attention largely devoted to the ongoing pandemic, the recently announced merger between Rogers and Shaw has not yet captured the public’s attention. Most Canadians, including many Rogers and Shaw customers, are showing limited interest with only 9% of Canadians saying they are following the news very closely. Shaw customers are paying to most attention, but still only a slim majority of them are following the issue at least somewhat closely.
Among all Canadians there is more opposition than support. Just 16% support the deal, 32% are opposed, 13% don’t like it but think it is necessary and 39% don’t know. This is particularly true in the West (42% oppose) and among Shaw customers (52% oppose).
A third (33%) oppose the govt approving the deal, 22% support government approval with 28% saying neither and 17% don’t know. In nearly every segment, more there is more opposition than support. Support only outweighs opposition in Quebec and among Canadians who are already customers of both Rogers and Shaw.
One key reason behind that opposition is that people think the merger will result in higher prices. Just under half (46%) think the merger will mean paying more while 8% say less and 23% say no difference. A quarter (24%) are not sure. Support for the merger is low among those who think they’ll end paying more, or even the same amount, but is above 50% among those who expect to pay less after the merger.
While attention to this issue remains low, if vaccinations cause COVID to start to fade from the public’s attention, price concerns have the potential to make the merger a bigger political problem.
For more information and to read the full report, click here.
