Ten years after Canada stopped making its 1-cent coin, support is increasing for eliminating its 5-cent coin.

Though 49% of the survey respondents support retaining the smallest denomination in circulation, 40% of responding Canadians support taking the 5-cent coin out of circulation, up four points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in November 2019.

There is a substantial gender gap when Canadians think about the 5-cent coin. While 47% of men support its abolition, the proportion drops to 33% among women.

Younger respondents are more inclined to eliminate the coin, according to survey results.

Among residents aged 18 to 34, responders supporting elimination comprised 43%, compared with 38% among people aged 35 to 54 and 37% for those aged 55 and older.

“More than half of residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (58%), British Columbia (52%) and Atlantic Canada (also 52%) support keeping the nickel,” says Mario Canseco, president of Research Co. “The proportion of five-cent coin fans is lower in Quebec (49%), Ontario (47%) and Alberta (46%).”

More than seven in ten Canadians (71%) agree with the federal government’s decision to take the cent out of circulation in February 2013.

Since 2000, Canada’s 5-cent coin has been composed of multi-ply plated steel, which layers nickel, copper, then nickel, over a steel core. These coins circulate alongside copper-nickel examples issued from 1982 to 1999, and pure nickel examples from 1981 and earlier (with few exceptions).

The standard 5-cent coin design shows a beaver on the reverse, though special designs have been issued as recently as 2017 for Canada’s sesquicentennial of Confederation.

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