Mainstreet surveyed a random sample of 2,459 Canadians by Smart IVR on August 24, 2015.

A
mixture of landlines and cell phones were surveyed. Margins of error: +/-1.98% 19 times out of 20.
Results were weighed by language, age and gender based on the 2011 Canadian Census.

A2
"Exclusive Mainstreet/Postmedia polls are protected by copyright.
The information and/or data may only be rebroadcast or republished
with full and proper credit and attribution to Mainstreet/Postmedia.

80% of Canadians Say They Have Never Cheated; But 1/5 Have Thought Seriously About It
August 27, 2015 (Toronto, ON) A new Mainstreet/Postmedia poll finds most Canadians saying they have
never cheated on their partners but one out of five say they have seriously considered it. With 2,459
respondents the Mainstreet Research poll conducted for Postmedia has a margin of error of +/- 1.98%,
19/20.
Canadians agree, on the most part, on what constitutes cheating said Quito Maggi, President of
Mainstreet Research. But there are some things Canadians disagree on, and when they do, the difference
falls mainly among gender lines. 17% of Canadian women, for instance, believe watching pornography
constitutes cheating compared to 9% of Canadian men who think the same.
Most Canadians say they have not cheated, though many have thought about it. Again, we see a gender
divide with 13% of Canadian men saying they have cheated compared to just 8% of Canadian women. The
numbers are more or less equal however when we look at those who have seriously considered cheating
on their partner. 20% of Canadian women and 23% of Canadian men say its more than crossed their mind.
Most believe signing up for a dating website or service, like Plenty of Fish or OKCupid qualifies as cheating
(77%), though Canadians are split on flirting and 72% say going to a strip club doesnt count.
Highlights
- 10% of Canadians say they have cheated on their spouse or partner (80% no, 10% refused to answer)
-22% say they have seriously considered it (65% said no, 13% refused to answer)
- 13% say watching pornography counts as infidelity; Males 9%; Females 17%
- 40% say flirting counts as infidelity while 43% say it does not
- 86% agree that hiring a prostitute counts as infidelity
About Mainstreet Research
Mainstreet is a national public research firm. With 20 years of political experience at all three levels of
government, President and CEO Quito Maggi is a respected commentator on Canadian public affairs.
Differentiated by its large sample sizes, Mainstreet has provided accurate snapshots of public opinion,
having predicted a majority NDP government in Alberta (2015), a majority Liberal government in British
Columbia, and a majority Liberal government in Ontario.
-30Available for phone interview: David Valentin, (613) 698-5524 - david@mainstreetresearch.ca

A3

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
A.) Watching Pornography

70
60
50
40
30
20

Male
Yes

YES: 13%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

18%

65%

17%

16%

75%

9%

10

Female
No

NO: 70%

Not Sure

NOT SURE: 17%

18-34
11%
73%
15%
302

35-49
12%
70%
18%
403

50-64
14%
70%
16%
878

65+
16%
65%
19%
876

Male Female
9%
17%
75%
65%
16%
18%
1157 1302

A4

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
A.) Watching Pornography

13%

17%

70%

Yes

YES: 13%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

No

NO: 70%

Not Sure

NOT SURE: 17%

BC
13%
73%
14%
269

AB Prairies ON QC Atlantic
10% 15%
12% 15%
18%
72% 68% 70% 69%
67%
18% 17%
18% 16%
15%
338 301
653 607
291

A5

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
B.) Visiting a Strip Club

70
60
50
40
30
20

Male
Yes

YES: 18%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

10%

71%

19%

15%

68%

17%

10

Female
No

Not Sure

NO: 72%

NOT SURE: 12%

18-34
22%
69%
9%
302

35-49
15%
74%
11%
403

50-64
16%
76%
9%
878

65+
21%
57%
22%
876

Male Female
17%
19%
68%
71%
15%
10%
1157 1302

A6

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
B.) Visiting a Strip Club

12%

18%

72%

Yes

YES: 18%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

No

NO: 72%

Not Sure

NOT SURE: 12%

BC
20%
70%
11%
269

AB Prairies
20% 15%
66% 72%
14% 13%
338 301

ON
17%
72%
11%
653

QC Atlantic
18%
21%
68%
69%
14%
10%
607
291

A7

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
C.) Kissing Someone Other Than Your Partner/Spouse

65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10

Male
Yes

YES: 64%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

13%

20%

66%

20%

19%

62%

Female
No

Not Sure

NO: 19%

NOT SURE: 17%

18-34
79%
12%
8%
302

35-49
71%
17%
13%
403

50-64
60%
20%
20%
878

65+
39%
32%
29%
876

Male Female
62%
66%
19%
20%
20%
13%
1157 1302

A8

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
C.) Kissing Someone Other Than Your Partner/Spouse

17%

19%

64%

Yes

YES: 64%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

No

NO: 19%

Not Sure

NOT SURE: 17%

BC
67%
17%
16%
269

AB Prairies
70% 62%
16% 20%
14% 18%
338 301

ON
61%
21%
18%
653

QC Atlantic
65%
64%
19%
18%
16%
18%
607
291

A9

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
D.) Signing Up To A Dating Website or Dating Service

80
70
60
50
40
30
20

Male
Yes

YES: 77%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

8%

12%

80%

14%

12%

74%

10

Female
No

Not Sure

NO: 12%

NOT SURE: 11%

18-34
59%
15%
25%
302

35-49
82%
11%
7%
403

50-64
80%
14%
6%
878

65+
83%
8%
10%
876

Male Female
74% 80%
12%
12%
14%
8%
1157 1302

A10

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
D.) Signing Up To A Dating Website or Dating Service

11%

12%

77%

Yes

YES: 77%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

No

NO: 12%

Not Sure

NOT SURE: 11%

BC
77%
11%
11%
269

AB Prairies
80% 76%
8%
14%
11% 10%
338 301

ON
75%
13%
12%
653

QC Atlantic
79%
77%
10%
13%
11%
10%
607
291

A11

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
E.) Flirting with Someone Other Than Your Partner/Spouse

40
35
30
25
20
15
10

Male
Yes

YES: 40%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

15%

43%

42%

20%

43%

37%

Female
No

NO: 43%
18-34
47%
39%
14%
302

Not Sure

NOT SURE: 18%

35-49
36%
44%
19%
403

50-64
41%
45%
14%
878

65+ Male Female

34% 37%
42%
42% 43% 43%
25% 20%
15%
876 1157 1302

A12

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
E.) Flirting with Someone Other Than Your Partner/Spouse

18%

40%

43%

Yes

YES: 40%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

No

NO: 43%

Not Sure

NOT SURE: 18%

BC
41%
43%
16%
269

AB Prairies
46% 40%
37% 41%
17% 19%
338 301

ON
38%
43%
19%
653

QC Atlantic
39%
40%
45%
43%
16%
18%
607
291

A13

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
F.) Sending a sext, a sexually explicit message to someone other than your partner

70
60
50
40
30
20

Male
Yes

YES: 79%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

5%

16%

79%

6%

15%

79%

10

Female
No

Not Sure

NO: 16%
18-34
83%
8%
9%
302

NOT SURE: 6%
35-49
84%
15%
1%
403

50-64
77%
17%
7%
878

65+ Male Female

69% 79%
79%
25% 15%
16%
6%
6%
5%
876 1157 1302

A14

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
F.) Sending a sext, a sexually explicit message to someone other than your partner

6%

16%

79%

Yes

YES: 79%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

No

NO: 16%

Not Sure

NOT SURE: 6%
BC
81%
14%
5%
269

AB Prairies ON QC Atlantic
82% 75% 76% 80%
81%
13% 19%
17% 14%
16%
5%
6%
6% 6%
3%
338 301
653 607
291

A15

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
G.) Paying for Sex with a Prostitute

80
70
60
50
40
30
20

Male
Yes

YES: 86%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

5%

7%

88%

8%

8%

84%

10

Female
No

Not Sure

NO: 8%

NOT SURE: 7%

18-34
89%
2%
9%
302

35-49
86%
10%
4%
403

50-64
88%
8%
4%
878

65+
77%
12%
11%
876

Male Female
84%
88%
8%
7%
8%
5%
1157 1302

A16

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
G.) Paying for Sex with a Prostitute

7%
8%

86%

Yes

YES: 86%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

No

NO: 8%

Not Sure

NOT SURE: 7%
BC
87%
7%
7%
269

AB Prairies ON QC Atlantic
87% 84% 87% 84%
87%
6% 10%
8% 8%
9%
6%
5%
6% 9%
5%
338 301
653 607
291

A17

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
H.) Regularly Having Sex with Someone Other Than Your Partner/Spouse

80
70
60
50
40
30
20

Male
Yes

YES: 88%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

5%

7%

88%

6%

6%

88%

10

Female
No

Not Sure

NO: 6%

NOT SURE: 5%

18-34
86%
6%
8%
302

35-49
92%
4%
4%
403

50-64
91%
5%
4%
878

65+ Male Female

84% 88%
88%
10%
6%
7%
6%
6%
5%
876 1157 1302

A18

Would you
classify the
following
as infidelity?
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
H.) Regularly Having Sex with Someone Other Than Your Partner/Spouse

5%
6%

88%

Yes

YES: 88%
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

No

NO: 6%

Not Sure

NOT SURE: 5%
BC
88%
5%
7%
269

AB Prairies
90% 85%
6%
8%
4%
7%
338 301

ON
89%
7%
5%
653

QC Atlantic
88%
88%
6%
7%
6%
5%
607
291

A19

LEANING
DECIDED
Have you ever
cheatedAND
on your
spouse or partner?

80
70
60
50
40
30
20

Male
Yes

YES: 10%
YES
NO
REFUSED
SAMPLE

6%

86%

8%

13%

74%

13%

10

Female
No

Refused

NO: 80%
18-34
4%
85%
11%
302

REFUSED: 10%
35-49
14%
75%
10%
403

50-64
15%
81%
4%
878

65+
9%
77%
15%
876

Male Female
13%
8%
74%
86%
13%
6%
1157 1302

A20

LEANING
DECIDED
Have you ever
cheatedAND
on your
spouse or partner?

10%

10%

80%

Yes

YES: 10%
YES
NO
REFUSED
SAMPLE

No

NO: 80%

Refused

REFUSED: 10%
BC
10%
80%
10%
269

AB Prairies ON QC Atlantic
10% 12%
10% 11%
11%
83% 78% 79% 80%
81%
7%
10%
11% 9%
8%
338 301
653 607
291

A21

LEANING
AND
DECIDED
Have you ever seriously
considered
cheating
on your spouse or partner?

60

50

40

30

20

Male
Yes

YES: 22%
YES
NO
REFUSED
SAMPLE

11%

69%

20%

16%

61%

23%

10

Female
No

Refused

NO: 65%
18-34
18%
65%
17%
302

REFUSED: 13%
35-49
22%
58%
19%
403

50-64
27%
67%
6%
878

65+
19%
71%
11%
876

Male Female
23%
20%
61%
69%
16%
11%
1157 1302

A22

AND
DECIDED
Have you ever seriouslyLEANING
considered
cheating
on your spouse or partner?

13%
22%

65%

Yes

YES: 22%
YES
NO
REFUSED
SAMPLE

No

NO: 65%

Refused

REFUSED: 13%
BC
26%
60%
13%
269

AB Prairies
22% 20%
66% 70%
12% 10%
338 301

ON
19%
65%
16%
653

QC Atlantic
23%
24%
65%
65%
12%
10%
607
291