Only six per cent of residents are in favour of hunting animals for sport.
Vancouver, BC – Two weeks after a ban on hunting grizzly bears in British Columbia came into full effect, a sizeable majority of the province’s residents are satisfied with this decision, a new poll by Research Co. has found.
In the online survey of a representative sample of British Columbians, 82% of respondents say they agree with the ban on hunting grizzly bears in British Columbia that began on April 1.
The level of support for the ban is high among both genders (87% for women and 79% for men), all age groups (87% for those aged 18-to-34, 82% for those aged 35-to-54 and 80% for those aged 55 and over) and all regions of the province (84% in both the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, and 76% in the rest of the province).
“Most British Columbians have embraced the ban on grizzly bear hunting,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The survey also shows that the feelings of residents on issues like trophy hunting and furring are clearly defined, while others, such as the use of animals in rodeos, are more contentious.”
When asked directly about their views on trophy hunting, 92% of British Columbians say they are against this activity (80% strongly, 12% moderately).
Killing animals for their fur is also particularly unpopular, with 79% of British Columbians saying they are against this activity (55% strongly, 24% moderately). This includes 84% of women and 87% of those aged 18-to- 34.
More than half of British Columbians (55%) are against the use of animals in rodeos, but there are some stark differences among specific demographics.
Women (64%) are more likely to be opposed to using animals in rodeos than men (47%). British Columbians aged 18-to-34 are more likely to oppose this activity (73%) than those aged 35-to-54 (52%) and those aged 55 and over (47%).
British Columbians who voted for the BC Liberals in the 2017 provincial election are more likely to voice support for using animals in rodeos (53%) than those who voted for the BC Green Party (44%) and the BC New Democratic Party (NDP) (29%).
Three-in-four British Columbians (76%) are in favour of hunting animals for meat, and four-in-five (82%) feel the same way about eating animals.
British Columbians aged 18-to-34 are more likely to oppose eating animals (21%) than all other groups.
Methodology:
Results are based on an online study conducted from April 14 to April 16, 2018, among 801 adults in British Columbia. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in British Columbia. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.5 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty. Find our full data set here and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca