Majorities of residents, although at a lower rate than in late 2022, are paying more for groceries, transportation and housing.
Vancouver, BC [March 13, 2024] – While the proportion of British Columbians who report higher prices for certain items has dropped since late 2022, almost half of the province’s residents continue to say it is hard to “make ends meet”, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, 48% of British Columbians say it is currently “very difficult” or “moderately difficult” to pay for necessities, unchanged since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in December 2022.
“More than three-in-five residents of Southern BC (63%) say it is hard to make ends meet right now,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are lower in Metro Vancouver (47%), the Fraser Valley (47%), Vancouver Island (46%) and Northern BC (43%).”
Almost two thirds of British Columbians (65%, -6) say it is hard at this point to save money for retirement or for a “rainy day”.
British Columbians aged 18-to-34 (73%) and aged 35-to-54 (74%) are more likely to find it difficult to save money than their counterparts aged 55 and over (51%).
Almost three-in-five British Columbians (59%, -7) say it is hard right now to have money for leisure, such as dining out and entertainment—a proportion that reaches 74% among those in the lowest household income bracket.
The proportion of British Columbians who think their household’s financial situation is worse now than before the COVID-19 pandemic fell from 45% in December 2022 to 40% this month.
A third of British Columbians (33%, =) say their financial situation is about the same as it was before the pandemic, while 23% (+2) believe it is better now than before COVID-19.
Sizeable majorities of British Columbians believe their household expenses on three categories are higher now than before the pandemic: groceries (78%, -5), transportation (67%, -6) and housing (57%, +8). Practically half of the province’s residents (49%, -1) think electronic entertainment is now more expensive than in 2019.
Fewer British Columbians believe prices are higher now than before COVID-18 for books (27%, +6), newspapers and magazines (25%, +9) and board games (18%, +5).
Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted on March 4 to March 6, 2024, among 800 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 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