Do Canadian college and university students feel comfortable discussing controversial issues with peers? Do they feel free to disagree with their instructors during class discussions of political issues? To find out this and more, Heterodox Academy partnered with College Pulse to administer our Campus Expression Survey to 1,548 undergraduate students across Canada.

Canadian students are reluctant to engage in discussions about sensitive issues. Over 54% reported reluctance to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while 51% shy away from transgender issues, and 45% avoid political conversations altogether.

Our results suggest that there is a culture of fear about speaking up: 63% of respondents reported fearing at least one formal consequence if they expressed their honest thoughts and opinions in class. But, at the same time, a majority said they were in favor of limits on free expression as a means to protecting people.

The results from the 2024 Canadian Campus Expression Survey raise important questions about how the climate of higher education institutions can foster environments that promote open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement for all students across Canada.

Download our report to learn more.