Should Halloween night always be on a Saturday, specifically the final one of October? More and more Canadians think it should. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

spooky season

Polls find an increasing call to change Halloween to last Saturday of October

Nov 1, 2022 | 7:12 AM

NANAIMO — While Halloween always falls on the last day of October, a growing portion of Canadians feel the day would be better served permanently on a weekend.

Mario Canseco, a pollster with Research Co., which analyzes public opinion polls, said the number of people who want the spooky date to always be on a weekend keeps increasing.

“The first time we checked back in 2019 the idea was not particularly well received by most Canadians. We continue to see a virality of ‘oh let’s just do it on October 31st every year.’ But now we see a four-point increase in the number of Canadians who would like to celebrate Halloween on the last Saturday.”

Forty-three per cent of Canadians surveyed agreed with the date change, up four points from 2019, the last time they asked this question.

Support for changing Halloween to the last Saturday in October is highest in Atlantic Canada and Ontario, both at 50 per cent in support.

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It seems British Columbians aren’t frighteningly excited about the idea, with only 33 per cent of respondents in the province behind it.

Canseco said there was a variety of reasons people supported the idea.

“Making sure that kids don’t have to go to school the next day of trick-or-treating, making sure you don’t need to show up at the office the next day if you went to a specific party. This is something that has been gathering some steam in the United States.”

While 44 per cent agree with moving the date, 39 per cent disagreed and 17 per cent were undecided.

Other questions on the survey included what Canadians thoughts about what is considered an ‘appropriate’ costume for kids.

Forty three per cent had an issue with costumes representing a culture that was not the child, a five per cent increase from 2019, while those who disagreed with costumes that represented a stereotype like a jailbird and vagabond was at 40 per cent, up seven points from previous polls.

Sixty per cent felt that adult costumes while depicting ethnic stereotypes was inappropriate up one point from 2019, while those who felt costumes that change the colour of the adults skin are inappropriate was also at 60 percent, up seven points.

The survey showed 53 per cent of Canadians surveyed ages 18-34 said they like pumpkin spice-flavoured beverages, while only 43 per cent enjoyed candy corn.

— with files from 97.3 The Eagle.

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