One in four Vancouver Island residents refer to themselves as ‘British Columbians’ over ‘Canadians’

A new poll from Research Co. has revealed that one in four British Columbians (25%) identify as “British Columbians first, Canadians second,” a figure up 4% from last year.

The survey highlights shifting sentiments about identity and sovereignty within the province, particularly among younger residents.

The poll, conducted online between January 10th and 12th, surveyed 800 British Columbians. It found that 28% of respondents believe British Columbia would be better off as its own country—a notable increase of 8% from August 2023. While 60% disagreed with this view, 12% were unsure.

Support for the idea of independence is strongest among younger British Columbians, with 37% of respondents aged 18 to 34 expressing a favourable view of the province becoming its own country. This support declines with age, with 34% of those aged 35 to 54 and only 16% of those aged 55 and older agreeing.

Voters’ political affiliations also influenced their perspectives on sovereignty. Support for independence was highest among BC Conservative and BC Green Party voters (36% and 34%, respectively) compared to just 23% of BC NDP supporters.

The survey also revealed regional variations in how residents identify themselves. Those living in Northern BC were the most likely to prioritize their provincial identity, with 34% identifying as “British Columbians first, Canadians second.” In contrast, this figure was lower in Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island (both at 25%), Southern BC (23%), and the Fraser Valley (18%).

Despite the growing discussions around sovereignty, the majority of British Columbians (62%) still identify as “Canadians first, British Columbians second,” though this number has dropped slightly from the previous year.

The poll highlighted strong pride in the province, with 79% of respondents saying they are “very proud” to live in British Columbia. Additionally, 64% feel their views differ from those of the rest of Canada, and 60% believe British Columbians have more in common with residents of Seattle and Portland than with those in Toronto or Montreal.

When asked to evaluate provincial leadership since 1986, 25% of respondents named former BC Premier John Horgan as the best, followed by Gordon Campbell (11%), Christy Clark (7%), and current Premier David Eby (7%). Clark was also identified as the worst premier by 23%, with Campbell (11%), Eby (9%), Bill Vander Zalm (7%), and Glen Clark (7%) rounding out the list.

While she has since stepped back, the survey also explored potential federal leadership under Christy Clark, with 52% of respondents indicating they would not have liked to see her as the leader of the federal Liberal Party. Among BC NDP voters, this opposition rose to 61%, while 58% of respondents overall said they would not vote for the federal Liberals with Clark as leader.

The survey was conducted before Clark announced she would not pursue the Liberal Party of Canada’s leadership.

The survey, conducted online from January 10th to January 12th, polled 800 adults across the province. Data was statistically weighted to reflect census figures for age, gender, and region, with a margin of error of ±3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.