News Employee Vacation
Canadian workers want time off, not pay raises: Survey

Given a choice between a pay increase or more paid vacation days, the majority of Canadians (57 per cent) would opt for time off, according to a recent survey of 1,000 people.

More than one-quarter (26 per cent) of workers plan to take at least four weeks of vacation time in 2020, according to the survey by Rakuten.ca.

“Not only are Canadians prioritizing time off over salary increases — 57 per cent don’t consider it a vacation unless they travel somewhere” says Claire Sweeney, vice-president of marketing and shopping  at Rakuten.ca.

How Canadians vacation

Road trips top the list for time off (35 per cent), following by beach vacations (32 per cent) and all-inclusive resorts (24 per cent.)

More than one-third of respondents (34 per cent) under 35 are leaning towards so-called “adventure vacations.” Staycations are most likely for workers in British Columbia (24 per cent) and least likely for Albertans (11 per cent.)

About the survey

The Rakuten Canada survey was conducted online by Ignite Lab, a Toronto-based survey consultancy specializing in retail, travel and technology segments, in January 2020 with a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Canadians. A sample of this size is accurate to within +/-3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.