Most of the province’s residents agree with Vancouver being a host city during the FIFA (Soccer) 2026 Men’s World Cup.
Vancouver, BC [July 5, 2022] – Public support for a new opportunity to host the Winter Olympics has improved in British Columbia, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, 54% of British Columbians think Vancouver should launch a bid to host the Winter Olympics in 2030, up 11 points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in October 2021.
Support for the 2030 Winter Games bid is highest among British Columbians aged 18-to-34 (61%). The proportions are lower among those aged 35-to-54 (56%) and those aged 55 and over (48%).
On a regional basis, public backing for the 2030 bid is highest in the Fraser Valley (58%), followed by Northern BC (57%), Metro Vancouver (56%), Southern BC (52%) and Vancouver Island (46%).
Vancouver hosted the XXI Olympic Winter Games, from February 12 to February 28, 2010. A Winter Olympics bid in 2030 is being explored by Four Host First Nations—Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Lilwat—and the municipal governments of Vancouver and Whistler.
Almost one-in-four British Columbians (23%) say they are more likely to support the 2030 bid because of the Indigenous partnership, while 44% say it has no effect on their views and 18% are less likely to back the project.
“Practically a third of British Columbians aged 18-to-34 (32%) are more inclined to support the 2030 Winter Olympic bid because of the Indigenous partnership,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Conversely, just over one-in-four British Columbians aged 55 and over (26%) are less likely to back the bid because of this reason.”
A significant majority of British Columbians (58%, +5) believe it is impossible for Vancouver to host the 2030 Winter Olympics without any public or government funds.
Just under half of British Columbians (48%, +10) think Vancouver should launch a bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2036, a proportion that rises to 58% among residents aged 18-to-34.
The views of British Columbians on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) did not go through significant changes since 2021. Almost half (47%, -1) have positive views of the IOC, while more than a third (33%, -3) hold negative opinions.
Vancouver was selected as one of the 16 host cities for the FIFA (Soccer) 2026 Men’s World Cup. More than half of British Columbians (55%) agree with this decision, including 58% of those aged 35-to-54.
Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from June 24 to June 26, 2022, among 800 adults in British Columbia. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Find our data tables 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