Extensive new survey data suggests Canadians have more trust in their institutions and their neighbours since the COVID-19 pandemic.

But York University sociologist Cary Wu says that trust is highly correlated with how much money people make.

Wu and his colleagues surveyed the same group of Canadians seven times between the fall of 2019 and winter 2021 on their trust in their neighbours and social institutions.

He found that trust grew slightly for about two-thirds of the people he surveyed.

But about 20 per cent of respondents -- mostly those with lower incomes -- reported a sharp drop in trust.

Wu says that around the world, surveys find that people with less money have less trust in their society.

He says the data suggests that one way to build a more cohesive society is to reduce inequality.