The degree to which Canadians can make personal and economic choices has increased since hitting a two-decade low in 2020 amid COVID-19 restrictions, but remains below pre-pandemic levels, a new study suggests.
The findings are part of a global trend observed since the pandemic, with nearly 90 percent of people in 165 countries losing freedom between 2019 and 2022, according to the 2024 edition of the Human Freedom Index released by the Fraser Institute and U.S.-based Cato Institute on Dec. 17.
While human freedom increased in most countries in 2022, it remains “well below its pre-pandemic level,” the report said.
“During the COVID pandemic, governments enacted extremely restrictive measures as a means to fight the spread of the disease and these measures clearly reduced most peoples’ freedom, which is a critical ingredient for a better life,” said Matthew D. Mitchell, Fraser Institute senior fellow and co-author of the report, in a press release….