More than half of likely voters would abandon the “at-large system” and move to a “ward system” to elect councillors.
Vancouver, BC [November 20, 2020] – More than half of likely voters in the City of Vancouver are in favour of a proposal to modify zoning laws, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative sample of likely voters in the City of Vancouver, 53% of respondents support changing zoning laws to allow property owners to build up to six strata title units on a standard lot, provided the new building is no taller than an average home.
Support for this modification is highest among women (55%) and likely voters aged 35-to-54 (53%), those who voted for independent candidate Kennedy Stewart in the 2018 mayoral election (56%) and those who voted for Non-Partisan Association (NPA) candidate Ken Sim (also 56%).
Four-in-five likely voters in the City of Vancouver (81%) support extending the Skytrain Millennium Line (currently under construction to Arbutus) to the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus at Point Grey. This includes sizeable majorities of respondents in the West Side (78%), East Side (81%) and Downtown (86%).
When asked about specific issues related to municipal elections in the City of Vancouver, 52% of likely voters think the “at-large system” (where voters select 10 councillors) should be abandoned and replaced by a “ward system” (where councillors can be elected in specific constituencies).
“Majorities of likely voters aged 18-to-34 (60%) and aged 35-to-54 (55%) favour a ward system to elect councillors in the City of Vancouver,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Support drops to 39% among likely voters aged 55 and over.”
Three-in-five likely voters (60%) would like to see candidates running for office in the City of Vancouver presenting the signatures of 100 nominators, instead of the current threshold of 25. In addition, 55% of likely voters think anyone who wants to run for public office in municipal elections should pay a $500 deposit to register, instead of the current one of $100.
Just under half of likely voters (46%) think it would be worthwhile to explore the idea of amalgamating all of the municipalities in Metro Vancouver, like they did in Toronto or Montreal. The notion of reviewing the possibility of amalgamation is more popular among men (49%) and likely voters aged 18-to-34 (48%).
Likely voters are divided on the idea of eliminating the Board of Parks and Recreation and placing public parks and the public recreation system under the jurisdiction of City Council. Across the city, 44% of likely voters agree with this idea, while 48% disagree.
Methodology:
Results are based on an online study conducted from November 9 to November 12, 2020, among 400 municipal likely voters in the City of Vancouver. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in the City of Vancouver. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 4.9 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
Photo Credit: James Wheeler
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca