It's going to be a long haul and the reality of the pandemic is settling in for many Canadians, but a fair few remain optimistic that life will get back to normal sooner rather than later.

A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute found that 43 per cent of the 4,240 Canadian surveyed expect life return to normal in up to six months.

"As the coronavirus has spread in Canada, the percentage of Canadians saying that it will last less than a couple of months has dropped," reads the survey. 

"That view is now held by just 16 per cent of Canadians, half of what it was in mid-March, while equal numbers now feel it will be three to six months (41%) or longer (43%)." 

The survey results are divided into different demographics, including age, gender and political affiliation.

"Those most likely to say the timeline will be shorter than longer are past Conservative Party voters," it notes.

"One-quarter of this group say a month or two will be enough to get things back to normal. Generationally, those 55 years of age and over are most likely to foresee a timeline longer than six months."

On the other hand, the survey found that younger people generally anticipate that the pandemic will come to an end much quicker than older Canadians.

The federal government said last week that some degree of social distancing will have to last until a vaccine is ready, which could be anywhere from 12 to 18 months.

Premier Justin Trudeau also noted that while the first wave of coronavirus will likely be ongoing until summer, we are likely to see small, localized outbreaks throughout the course of the year until a vaccine is ready.

The economy, however, isn't necessarily included in whatever is meant by "back to normal," as it's estimated that it could take up to a year or more to get back on track as well.