Survey Report Resilience 2025 Day 2
The Key Takeaways from the Surveys on the Second Day of Resilience
Resilience: An International Conference on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)
May 2, 2025
This report summarizes the results of the pre-event and post-event surveys collected from participants who attended Day 2 of the Resilience 2025 conference on May 2, 2025. The surveys were designed to capture the demographic composition, participant motivations, knowledge levels regarding Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), and perspectives on scent-free policies at home and in the workplace.
The pre-event survey received responses from 41 individuals, representing a wide range of organizations, including Breast Cancer Action Quebec, the Environmental Illness Society of Canada, the Chemical Sensitivity Disorders Association, the University of Oldenburg, Public Services and Procurement Canada, Autism Canada, and advocacy groups such as FRESH, MACI, and the Fragrance Free Coalition. Several respondents also identified as private citizens with MCS, and a significant number selected “Other,” indicating affiliations that were personal or informal. Six participants responded to the French version of the survey, bringing the total pre-event group to 41 respondents across both languages.
Professional designations included a diverse mix of roles such as president, director, executive director, researcher, student, professional counsellor, project manager, co-founder, physician, paralegal, and spokesperson. Notably, several respondents identified as individuals living with MCS, either currently or for several decades, often in combination with other roles or conditions.
Participants came from various Canadian provinces, including Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia. International representation was also significant, with participants joining from the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, and France.
Stakeholder affiliation data showed that nearly half of all respondents identified as persons with MCS. Other stakeholder groups included academia, the public and private sectors, environmental health professionals, community and consumer groups, health and legal professionals, and members of the media. Many respondents selected multiple categories, indicating their involvement across several domains.
Participants were asked to rate their understanding of MCS as a disability condition. 44.93 percent gave the highest rating of 5, while just under 45 percent rated their knowledge as a 4. A small number of selected ratings were reported between 1 and 3. When asked about their reasons for attending the event, the most common motivation was to learn about MCS and disability inclusion, selected by 40 percent of respondents. Other popular reasons included advocacy for policy reform, collaboration with the organizing body, and networking with researchers. A notable proportion of respondents selected “Other,” often referring to personal reasons or exploratory interest in the topic.
In terms of the perceived importance of the event, the majority of attendees—78.26 percent—rated the event as very important (5 out of 5). An additional 17.39 percent rated it as necessary (4 out of 5), with very few lower ratings reported.
The post-event survey collected 20 responses, including two in French. Respondents included representatives from the University of Oldenburg, the Ministry of the Environment in Ontario, the Environmental Health Association of Québec, the Fragrance Free Coalition, the NBCPD, SOS MCS, and Collectif SSPP, as well as private citizens and self-identified individuals with MCS. Several respondents indicated no organizational affiliation.
Designations in the post-event responses mirrored those in the pre-event data, with roles such as director, advocate, student, chair, co-founder, and Ph.D. in chemistry. Many participants again identified primarily as people with MCS or related conditions such as hyperacusis and ME/CFS. Some designations were entered in French, including spokesperson and board member.
Geographic distribution remained diverse. The majority of respondents were based in Canada, especially in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Manitoba. A strong international presence continued with responses from the USA, Germany, Australia, Japan, the UK, and France.
Participants were asked to assess their understanding of MCS before and after the event. Before the event, 35.29 percent rated it at 5, and nearly half rated their knowledge at 4. After the event, those who rated their understanding at the highest level increased to 73.53 percent, while those who rated it at level 4 slightly decreased. Only one respondent rated their knowledge at 3 after the event, indicating that most participants experienced a noticeable improvement in their understanding of the condition.
Participants were also asked to assess their understanding of MCS specifically as a disability. Nearly 65 percent gave this aspect the highest rating, while just under 30 percent rated it at level 4. Only a small minority gave it a lower rating of 2, and no respondents selected 1 or 3.
When asked about their understanding of MCS in relation to global prevalence, over half of the participants rated their knowledge at level 5, and around 21 percent selected level 4. The remaining respondents gave more moderate ratings, with very few at the lower end.
The survey also examined attitudes and practices surrounding fragrance-free environments. At home, 94.12 percent of respondents already maintained a fragrance-free or scent-free policy. Among those who did not, 83.33 percent indicated they would be willing to implement one. In workplace settings, 63.64 percent said their organization already had a fragrance-free policy in place. Among those without such policies, 93.75 percent expressed a willingness to implement or follow one, and none rejected the idea outright.
In summary, the Day 2 survey responses show a continued commitment among participants to understanding and addressing MCS. The event attracted a globally diverse group with varying backgrounds in advocacy, health, academia, public service, and lived experience. The results demonstrate that the event contributed to an increased awareness of MCS as a disability and public health issue. Participants showed overwhelming support for fragrance-free environments and an interest in further education, advocacy, and collaboration.
*It is important to note that not all individuals who attended the event had successfully completed the survey. Though the surveys are an adequate representation of the attendees, the raw numbers do not completely cover the total number of people at the event. Over the two days of the conference, 870 participants had attended the conference, yet, only a small number of people had completed them. It is possible that some of the participants were experiencing technical difficulties, which interfered with their involvement in the conference. Furthermore, some attendees were affiliated with the government, and could not take part in the surveys. Overall, the numbers from the report represent only a small portion of the total number of participants.