In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,008 Canadian adults, two-in-five respondents (40%) would like Canada to have an elected head of state, while 28 per cent would prefer to remain a monarchy.

This is the second highest level of support for an elected head of state since Angus Reid Public Opinion began tracking this question in October 2009.

More than half of Quebecers (54%) support the idea of having an elected head of state in Canada, while Alberta has the highest level of support for the monarchy (39%, followed by Ontario and British Columbia with 33% each). Men (54%) are more likely than women (33%) to call for an elected head of state for Canada.

At least seven-in-ten Canadians hold favourable views of Prince William (76%), Kate Middleton (75%) and Queen Elizabeth II (70%). Prince Harry is next of the list of popular members of the Royal Family with 62 per cent, followed by Prince Philip with 51 per cent. The results are decidedly less positive for Prince Charles (39%) and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (23%).

Half of Canadians (49%) support reopening Canada’s constitutional debate to discuss the possibility of replacing the monarch with an elected head of state, while one third (33%) are opposed. Almost half of respondents (47%) would like to see Prince William take over as King after Queen Elizabeth II, while just 18 per cent would prefer to have Prince Charles as monarch.

People who wish to become citizens of Canada recite an “Oath of Citizenship” where they swear, or affirm, to bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Canadians are divided on the oath, with 48 per cent suggesting that it should be changed, and 45 per cent thinking it should remain as it is. While a majority of respondents in Ontario (55%), Atlantic Canada (53%), British Columbia (52%) and Alberta (51%) would keep the current oath, only 21 per cent of Quebecers concur.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology:From April 22 to April 23, 2013, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,008 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

In the online survey of representative national samples, 55 per cent of Canadians (-7 since December 2012) rate the economic conditions in their country as “very good” or “good.” Just over a quarter of Americans (27%, +4) and 12 per cent of Britons (+1) feel the same way about their respective economies.

The largest proportion of Canadians who are content with their country’s economy is in Alberta (80%), while the lowest numbers are observed in Quebec (47%). In the United States, people in the Northeast (31%) and Midwest (also 31%) are more confident. London (19%) provides the highest ranking in Britain, while only seven per cent of respondents in Scotland believe the UK economy is doing well.

Majorities of Canadians (61%, +5) and Americans (52%, +9) rate their own personal finances as “very good” or “good”, compared to only 38 per cent of Britons (unchanged). In fact, three-in-ten respondents in Britain (31%) expect their national economy to decline in the next six months. Only 23 per cent of Americans and 16 per cent of Canadians feel the same way about their respective economies.

The leap in economic confidence observed in the United States is accompanied by a sizeable drop in financial concerns. Only about two-in-five Americans have worried frequently or occasionally about the safety of their savings (42%), unemployment affecting their household (41%) and the value of their investments (40%), and fewer have been concerned with being able to pay their mortgage or rent (33%) or their employer running into serious financial trouble (30%).

The proportion of respondents in Canada and Britain who have worried about any of these five issues is decidedly smaller than in the United States, with less than one-in-five Canadians (18%) expressing concern about their employer running into serious financial trouble.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Full Methodology Details

The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/-2.2% for Great Britain and +/-3.1% for the United States and Canada. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of each country.

In the online survey of representative national samples, 58 per cent of Canadians believe that global warming is a fact and is mostly caused by emissions from vehicles and industrial facilities. The proportion of respondents who feel the same way is considerably lower in the United States (47%) and Britain (45%).

While three-in-five Canadians (60%) support protecting the environment, even at the risk of hampering economic growth, only 49 per cent of respondents in the United States—and 44 per cent in Britain—concur.

There is one area of Canada where significantly less than half of respondents believe in man-made climate change: Alberta (42%). In the United States, most residents of the Northeast (53%) and Midwest (52%) think global warming is caused by emissions, but their counterparts in the West (47%) and the South (42%) appear more skeptical.

In Britain, fewer than half of respondents across the five main regions agree with man-made climate change. London (48%) has the highest numbers, followed by Midlands and Wales (47%), the South of England (46%), Scotland (also 46%) and the North (42%).

Since 2009, most Canadians have sided with the notion of man-made climate change. This year’s numbers show little fluctuation from the survey conducted in Canada in June 2012. In the United States, the proportion of respondents who believe global warming is caused by emissions increased by five points. However, it still below the historic highs recorded in November 2009 and August 2011.

In Britain, no survey conducted in the past five years has yielded a majority of respondents expressing belief in man-made climate change, although the proportion of respondents who claim global warming is an unproven theory has dropped from a high of 27 per cent in April 2010 (during the University of East Anglia’s Independent Climate Change Email Review) to 19 per cent this year.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Full Methodology Details

The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/-2.2% for Canada and Great Britain and +/-3.1% for the United States. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of each country.

The online survey of a representative provincial sample of 803 British Columbian adults was conducted using the “Real Ballot” technique, which allows voters to select their preference using an electronic ballot that mirrors the one they will actually cast on election day. This approach eliminates the possibility of voters supporting parties that did not register a candidate in their constituency, and enables respondents to be aware of all of the contenders who stand to represent them in the Legislative Assembly.

Voting Intention

Across British Columbia, 45 per cent of decided voters and leaners (unchanged since Friday) would cast a ballot for the BC NDP candidate in their riding in the provincial election. The governing BC Liberals are in second place with 36 per cent (=), followed by the BC Green Party with nine per cent (=) and the BC Conservatives with seven per cent (+1). Three per cent of respondents would vote for other parties, independent or unaffiliated candidates in their riding.

The BC NDP holds a seven-point lead over the BC Liberals in Metro Vancouver (45% to 38%) and an 18-point advantage in Vancouver Island (46% to 28%). The two main contending parties are virtually tied in the Southern Interior (BC Liberals 39%, BC NDP 37%).
Among male voters, the race remains tight, with the NDP ahead by just three points (42% to 39%). Women continue to prefer the NDP (47%) with the BC Liberals a distance second (32%).

The New Democrats are ahead with voters aged 18-to-34 (54% to 22%), and hold a four-point lead among middle-aged respondents (41% to 37%). The race is essentially tied with those over the age of 55 (BC NDP 42%, BC Liberals 41%). Half of respondents in the highest household income demographic (50%) would support the BC Liberals, compared to 34 per cent for the BC NDP.

The BC Liberals head to the election with a retention rate of 67 per cent, with 16 per cent of their voters in the last provincial election going to the BC NDP in 2013, and 10 per cent choosing the BC Conservatives. In contrast, the New Democrats have managed to hold on to more than four-in-five voters (83%) who supported the party in 2009.

Approval, Momentum, Best Premier and Issues

Official Opposition and NDP leader Adrian Dix maintained his approval rating of 42 per cent, but Green Party leader Jane Sterk improved by three points and is now tied with Dix (42%). Premier and BC Liberals leader Christy Clark gained a point (34%) and BC Conservative leader John Cummins dropped one (20%).

Sterk continues to post a positive momentum score (+14), while Dix (-13), Cummins (-19) and Clark (-31) remain in negative territory. Almost half of respondents (46%) say their opinion of Clark has worsened, while one third (34%) per cent feel the same way about Dix.

Dix holds a three-point lead over Clark on the Best Premier question (28% to 25%), with Sterk with seven per cent and Cummins with five per cent.

The economy (31%) remains the most important issue facing British Columbia, followed by health care (17%), leadership (13%), the environment (9%), poverty (7%) and education (5%).

Clark remains the most trusted of the four political leaders to handle the economy (30%, with Dix at 26%) and federal/provincial relations (Clark 27%, Dix 23%). The two main party leaders are practically tied on crime (Dix 23%, Clark 21%). Dix maintains sizeable advantages over the incumbent premier on health care (36% to 21%) and education (38% to 22%), while Sterk has extended her lead on the environment (39%).

Across the province, 58 per cent of respondents (+1) believe it is time for a change in British Columbia and for a different provincial party to be elected into power, while 28 per cent (-2) would prefer to re-elect the BC Liberals.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From May 12 to May 13, 2013, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 803 randomly selected British Columbia adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.5%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of British Columbia. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

The online survey of a representative provincial sample of 808 British Columbian adults was conducted using the “Real Ballot” technique, which allows voters to select their preference using an electronic ballot that mirrors the one they will actually cast on election day. This approach eliminates the possibility of voters supporting parties that did not register a candidate in their constituency, and enables respondents to be aware of all of the contenders who stand to represent them in the Legislative Assembly.

Voting Intention

Across British Columbia, 45 per cent of decided voters and leaners (+4 since early May) would cast a ballot for the BC NDP candidate in their riding if the provincial election were held tomorrow.

The governing BC Liberals are in second place with 36 per cent (+2), followed by the BC Green Party with nine per cent (-3) and the BC Conservatives with six per cent (-4). Four per cent of respondents would vote for other parties, independent or unaffiliated candidates in their riding.

The BC NDP has a six-point lead over the BC Liberals in Metro Vancouver (44% to 38%) and a 19-point advantage in Vancouver Island (48% to 29%). The New Democrats have also recovered in the Southern Interior, where they now hold a four-point edge over the BC Liberals (41% to 37%).

Among male voters, the race has tightened, with the NDP ahead by just three points (42% to 39%). Women continue to prefer the NDP (47%, +4) and the BC Liberals have dropped slightly (33%, -2).

The New Democrats keep a large advantage with voters aged 18-to-34 (51% to 25%), while the race is closer among middle-aged respondents (41% to 39%) and those over the age of 55 (44% to 41%). More than half of respondents in the highest household income demographic would support the BC Liberals.

The BC Liberals have a retention rate of 68 per cent, with 15 per cent of their voters in the last provincial election going to the BC NDP in 2013. In contrast, the New Democrats hold on to practically four-in-five voters (79%) who backed the party in 2009 under Carole James.

Approval, Momentum, Best Premier and Issues

Official Opposition and NDP leader Adrian Dix remains the only leader who gets a positive assessment from more than two-in-five respondents (42%) followed by Green Party leader Jane Sterk (39%), Premier and BC Liberals leader Christy Clark (33%) and BC Conservative leader John Cummins (21%).

Sterk once again posted a positive momentum score (+10), while Dix (-13), Cummins (-19) and Clark (-31) remain in negative territory. Almost half of respondents (46%) say their opinion of Clark has worsened, while 35 per cent feel the same way about Dix.

Dix remains ahead on the Best Premier question with 30 per cent (+4), followed by Clark with 25 per cent (+1), Sterk with five per cent (-1), and Cummins also with five per cent (=).

The economy (31%, -2) remains the most important issue facing British Columbia, followed by health care (17%, -1), leadership (13%, +2) and the environment (9%, +2).

Clark remains the most trusted of the four political leaders to handle the economy (32%, with Dix at 26%). The two main party leaders are practically tied on federal/provincial relations (Clark 26%, Dix 24%) and crime (Dix 23%, Clark 21%). Dix maintains large leads over the incumbent premier on health care (38% to 20%) and education (38% to 23%), while Sterk remains ahead of all rivals on the environment (35%).

Across the province, 57 per cent of respondents (+2) believe it is time for a change in British Columbia and for a different provincial party to be elected into power, while 30 per cent (+3) would like to see the BC Liberals re-elected.

Analysis

The New Democrats have recovered some lost ground, keeping a high level of support among women and young voters, and gaining points in the Southern Interior. Adrian Dix remains the top rated leader, and has extended his advantage on the Best Premier question. The opposition party is once again ahead of the level of support it received in the 2009 election, aided by the fact that a majority of British Columbians think it is time for change.

The BC Liberals were unable to add significantly to their numbers. While the governing party can now count on the support of 36 per cent of decided voters—the highest level registered since March 2011—there were no dramatic gains for Christy Clark on approval or Best Premier. The Liberals are doing better with men, but continue to lose 15 per cent of their voters from Gordon Campbell’s last election to the NDP. In addition, they are 10 points below their winning election tally four years ago.

The situation is definitely grimmer for the two minor parties. The Greens are not fielding a candidate in 24 ridings, and the Conservatives will not be present in 29 of them. With this in mind, and with respondents to this survey only being able to select from the candidates who are registered in their constituency, there is a significant fluctuation for the two parties. The Greens have fallen to single digits and the Conservatives, who had their best showing in March 2012 with 23 per cent, have dropped to six per cent.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From May 9 to May 10, 2013, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 808 randomly selected British Columbia adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.5%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of British Columbia. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

The online survey of a representative provincial sample of 808 British Columbian adults also outlines gains for Premier and BC Liberals leader Christy Clark on being the best person to handle the economy.

Voting Intention

Across British Columbia, 41 per cent of decided voters and leaners (-4 since late April) would cast a ballot for the BC NDP candidate in their riding if the provincial election were held tomorrow.

The governing BC Liberals are in second place with 34 per cent (+3), followed by the BC Green Party with 12 per cent (+2) and the BC Conservatives with 10 per cent (-1). Three per cent of respondents would vote for other parties, or an independent candidate in their riding.

The BC NDP remains clearly ahead of the BC Liberals in Metro Vancouver (45% to 35%) and Vancouver Island (44% to 28%). The BC Liberals are now leading the New Democrats in the Southern Interior (42% to 29%).

Among male voters, the NDP holds a seven-point edge (40% to 33%). Women continue to prefer the NDP (43%), but the BC Liberals have reached their best numbers in almost two years with female voters (35%, up 11 points since the start of the campaign).

The race among voters aged 55 and over is now essentially a tie, with the New Democrats at 40 per cent and the BC Liberals at 39 per cent. The opposition party remains ahead among voters aged 35-to-54 (43% to 34%) and among those aged 18-to-34 (40% to 28%). The governing party is first among respondents in the highest household income demographic (44% to 36%).

The New Democrats are keeping three-in-five voters (76%) who backed the party in 2009 under Carole James, and are seeing 11 per cent of them shifting their support to the BC Greens. The BC Liberals now have a retention rate of 66 per cent, with a quarter of their voters in the last provincial election going to either the BC NDP (15%) or the BC Conservatives (11%).

Approval, Momentum, Best Premier and Issues

Official Opposition and NDP leader Adrian Dix maintains the best approval rating in the province, but lost four points in a week (from 45% to 41%). Green Party leader Jane Sterk saw her standing improve by five points to 38 per cent, while Premier and BC Liberals leader Christy Clark continues to gain on this indicator, and has reached 34 per cent, seven points higher than in early April. BC Conservative leader John Cummins has the lowest rating (18%).

Once again, Green Party leader Sterk is the only one to post a positive momentum score (+12), while Dix (-12), Cummins (-19) and Clark (-34) all have negative numbers. While one third of respondents (33%) say their opinion of Dix has worsened recently, 45 per cent feel the same way about Clark.

There is a significant fluctuation on the Best Premier question, with Clark gaining four points to reach 24 per cent, and Dix dropping six points to 26 per cent. Sterk improved to seven per cent on this question, while Cummins fell to six per cent.

The economy (33%, +4) is regarded as the most important issue facing British Columbia, followed by health care (18%), leadership (11%), the environment (7%) and poverty (7%).

Clark is now seen as the best of the four political leaders to handle the economy (31%) and federal/provincial relations (26%). Dix remains the top choice for health care (37%), education (33%) and crime (22%). Sterk has solidified her position as the best leader on the environment (36%).

Across the province, 55 per cent of respondents (-4) say it is time for a change in British Columbia and for a different provincial party to be elected into power, while 27 per cent (+2) would prefer to see the BC Liberals re-elected.

Analysis

With less than two weeks to go before election day, the New Democrats are holding on to a higher retention rate than their main rivals, but this number has fallen to 76 per cent. The opposition party maintains leads in Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, and British Columbians prefer change over the continuation of the BC Liberal government by a 2-to-1 margin. However, the NDP lost ground in the Southern Interior, and saw a noticeable drop in the approval rating for Adrian Dix.

The week was definitely kinder for the BC Liberals, who experienced an improvement on voting intention for the second time since the campaign began, as well as solid gains for Christy Clark on approval, Best Premier and handling of the economy. The governing party has bounced back in the Southern Interior, but remains second to the NDP in other areas of the province.

The BC Greens continue to be a force in Vancouver Island—aided by the high approval rating of party leader Jane Sterk—and remain particularly popular with the youngest voting demographic. The key for the party will be to ensure a good turnout from supporters on May 14, particularly in areas where well known candidates are running.

The BC Conservatives stand at 14 per cent in the Southern Interior and, in stark contrast to the Greens, did not get much positive feedback for their leader. John Cummins is not a factor on most of the issue questions, and his approval rating continues to lag behind all other leaders.

The initial weeks of the campaign have brought a rekindling of the BC Liberal base with the current leader, as evidenced by a retention rate that has improved from 58 per cent in March to 66 per cent with 12 days to go in the campaign. The challenge for the ruling party will be to reduce the proportion of 2009 voters that continue to choose the BC NDP and the BC Conservatives. If this number keeps falling, as it has in the past week, the gap between the two main parties among decided voters will narrow.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From May 1 to May 2, 2013, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 808 randomly selected British Columbia adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.5%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of British Columbia. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample of 807 British Columbian adults, seven-in-ten respondents (70%) support the idea of banning political donations by unions.

More than two thirds of British Columbians (69%) would ban political donations by corporations, and three-in-five (62%) would ban third party political advertising.

Confidence in Leaders

Respondents to this survey were asked about their level of confidence in the two main party leaders to do four things.

Premier and BC Liberals leader Christy Clark had her highest score on handling the economy of the province (37% express “complete confidence” and “some confidence” in her).

However, less than a third of British Columbians trust Clark to tell the truth and be honest (29%), put the interests of people first, and not those of lobbyists, businesses or unions (28%), and keep promises made during an electoral campaign (25%).

Official opposition and New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Adrian Dix received roughly the same marks on handling the province’s finances (36%), but was clearly ahead of the incumbent head of government on the questions related to truth and honesty (35%), keeping election promises (37%) and putting the interests of people first (40%).

Clark gets her best numbers on the four tasks with respondents aged 55 and over, but still ties Dix on economic management and trails the NDP leader on the other three questions with this important demographic.

While at least three-in-five respondents who voted for the NDP in 2009 endorse Dix’s abilities to deliver on the four tasks tested, only 45 per cent of BC Liberal voters in the last provincial election trust Clark to keep campaign promises.

Past Decisions

Respondents to this survey were asked if four ethics and accountability issues, which have been discussed during the electoral campaign, are still important to them.

Two thirds of respondents say that the previous BC Liberal government’s decision to pay $6 million in legal fees for two men who pleaded guilty to providing insider information to interested parties in the sale of BC Rail (67%) matters to them, and a similarly high proportion (66%) feel the same way about the way the previous BC Liberal government implemented the harmonized sales tax (HST).

More than half of respondents (51%) say Dix backdating a memorandum when he was Chief of Staff to Premier Glen Clark in the 1990s is an issue that matters to them, while fewer British Columbians (44%) are concerned about Dix riding public transit without a valid ticket.

The proportion of respondents who say the BC Rail legal fee payout matters to them reaches 83 per cent among NDP voters in 2009, 75 per cent among respondents over the age of 55, and 59 per cent among BC Liberal voters in 2009.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From April 26 to April 27, 2013, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 807 randomly selected British Columbia adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.5%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of British Columbia. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

The online survey of a representative provincial sample of 812 British Columbian adults also shows that BC NDP leader Adrian Dix continues to hold a superior approval rating—as well as more positive mentions in the Best Premier question—than incumbent head of government Christy Clark.

Voting Intention

Across British Columbia, 45 per cent of decided voters and leaners (unchanged since mid-April) would cast a ballot for the BC NDP candidate in their riding if the provincial election were held tomorrow.

The governing BC Liberals are in second place with 31 per cent (+3), followed by the BC Conservatives with 11 per cent (-1) and the BC Greens with 10 per cent (-3). Three per cent of respondents would vote for other parties, or an independent candidate in their riding.

The BC NDP continues to hold double-digit leads over the BC Liberals in Metro Vancouver (46% to 32%) and Vancouver Island (45% to 25%). The governing party is now six points behind the New Democrats in the Southern Interior (41% to 35%).

The past fortnight allowed the BC Liberals to close the gap with women, going from 24 per cent to 29 per cent—although still trailing the BC NDP (48%) by a considerable margin. Among male voters, the New Democrats are ahead by 11 points (42% to 33%).

The NDP leads across all three age demographics, although the race has tightened considerably among British Columbians aged 55 and over (BC NDP 41%, BC Liberals 37%).

The New Democrats are holding on to four-in-five voters (82%) who supported the party in the 2009 provincial election under Carole James. The BC Liberals have a retention rate of 64 per cent, slightly higher than the 60 per cent they kept in mid-April, but still losing three-in-ten of their 2009 voters to the BC NDP (15%) or the BC Conservatives (14%).

Approval, Momentum, Best Premier and Issues

The approval rating for Official Opposition and NDP leader Adrian Dix increased by four points to 45 per cent, while Premier and BC Liberals leader Christy Clark saw a three-point increase in her numbers (30%). BC Green leader Jane Sterk has an approval rating of 32 per cent, while one-in-five British Columbians (20%) hold positive views on BC Conservative leader John Cummins.

Only Green Party leader Sterk posts a positive momentum score this month (+2), while Dix (-9), Cummins (-15) and Clark (-39) are all on negative territory. Almost half of respondents (48%) say their opinion of the current premier has worsened over the past three months.

One third of British Columbians (32%, +4 since mid-April) think Dix would make the best Premier of British Columbia, while 20 per cent (+2) would select Clark. Cummins and Sterk are in single digits.

It is important to note that the proportion of undecided respondents on the Best Premier question has fallen from 24 per cent to 17 per cent since the start of the campaign.

Dix is regarded as the best of the four political leaders to handle education (38%), health care (39%) and crime (24%). The BC NDP leader trails Sterk on the environment by eight points (32% to 24%). On the economy, Dix is virtually tied with Clark (29% to 27%), while the Premier holds a slight edge over the opposition leader on federal/provincial relations (26% to 23%).

Across the province, 59 per cent of respondents (-2) believe it is time for a change in British Columbia and would like to see a different provincial party elected into power, while 25 per cent (+3) would rather have the BC Liberals re-elected.

Analysis

The New Democrats have not experienced any fluctuation in support since the start of the campaign. The opposition party remains at 45 per cent, with the highest rated leader and the best performer when respondents are asked who should lead the government in Victoria. The NDP keeps comfortable leads in Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, and maintains a good retention rate from the last election.

The BC Liberals are showing signs of improvement, gaining three points in two weeks on the voting intention question. Two weeks ago, only 46 per cent of 2009 BC Liberal voters thought it was not time for a change. This number has increased by 10 points. Still, the 14-point gap among decided voters remains significant, particularly with less than three weeks of campaigning left.

Support for the BC Conservatives in the Southern Interior has not improved. The numbers for leader John Cummins are low, particularly on approval and Best Premier. The Conservative leader is connecting slightly better on crime and federal issues, but not enough to become a crucial factor in the race. The electoral success of this party may hinge on the way the campaign progresses in specific ridings.

The BC Greens are still connecting well with young voters, but have dropped slightly in Vancouver Island. Jane Sterk’s approval rating is barely higher than the premier’s, but she continues to have a low level of name recognition. The debate will provide an opportunity for voters to take a broader look at the Greens, and that may define whether their level of support across the province stays in double digits.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From April 24 to April 25, 2013, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 812 randomly selected British Columbia adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.5%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of British Columbia. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample of 803 British Columbian adults, two thirds of respondents (65%) believe there are some good things in health care in BC, but many changes are required. Only 18 per cent think health care in BC works well, and only minor changes are needed to make it work better, while 14 per cent say that health care in BC has so much wrong with it that we need to completely rebuild it.

Seven-in-ten British Columbians (71%) are “very confident” or “moderately confident” that they would have access to all the help from doctors and hospitals that they would need if they were to become sick, while more than a quarter (27%) are “not too confident” or “not confident at all” in the system.

Respondents who express confidence in the system primarily cite their trust in physicians and nurses (50%) and in the notion that they will get all the help they require (43%). Conversely, those who have little faith in the health care system are mainly concerned about long waiting times (77%) and cuts to services (52%).

When asked what is the biggest problem facing the health care system right now, bureaucracy and poor management is the main issue mentioned by respondents (25%), followed closely by long waiting times (23%), a perceived shortage of doctors and nurses (18%) and inadequate resources and facilities (12%). Respondents who voted for the BC Liberals in 2009 are more likely to identify bureaucracy and poor management as the biggest problem in health care than those who supported the BC New Democratic Party (NDP) (31% to 26%).

More than a quarter of respondents (27%) believe the BC NDP has the best policies to deal with issues related to health care, while 16 per cent select the BC Liberals. Less than one-in-twenty British Columbians choose the BC Conservatives (4%) or the BC Greens (2%) on this file, but more than a third (37%) are undecided.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From April 19 to April 20, 2013, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 803 randomly selected British Columbia adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.5%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of British Columbia. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

In the online survey of a representative provincial sample of 803 British Columbian adults, 30 per cent of respondents believe that there has been an increase in the amount of crime in their community over the past five years. These results on perceptions of crime are significantly lower than what was observed last year in similar surveys conducted in Britain (35%), Canada (39%) and the United States (45%).

Across the province, only 27 per cent of respondents express “complete confidence” or “a lot of confidence” in the internal operations and leadership of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). More than a third of British Columbians (35%) say they currently have “not much confidence” or “no confidence at all” in the force.

Respondents to this survey were asked about five different elements of the justice system. Most British Columbians (51%) believe the province’s criminal courts do a good job in determining whether or not an accused person is guilty, but only one third (32%) believe that the justice system treats every person fairly.

Only 27 per cent of respondents think the province’s judges do a good job handing out punishments and sentences to people who commit crimes, and just one-in-five (21%) believe the justice system in British Columbia has enough resources to efficiently process cases. The reviews are particularly dismal for rehabilitation, with only 14 per cent of respondents agreeing with the notion that the prison system does a good job in helping prisoners become law-abiding.

Two-in-five British Columbians (40%) are undecided when asked to pick any of the four major parties as the best one to deal with issues related to law and order. The level of support for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (15%), the BC Liberals (14%) and the BC Conservatives (14%) is practically the same.

In Metro Vancouver, 61 per cent of respondents support creating a single police force that would oversee the entire Lower Mainland.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From April 16 to April 17, 2013, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 803 randomly selected British Columbia adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.5%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of British Columbia. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.