A poll recently conducted by Research Co. has found that nearly a third of British Columbians believe the province would be better off as a separate country.
The vast majority, however, rejected that view and expressed a desire to remain part of Canada.
According to the poll, 28% of British Columbians said they thought BC could hold its own as a sovereign nation, up eight points from a similar poll conducted in August 2023.
Younger British Columbians were far more likely than their elders to support that position, with 37% of those aged 18 to 34 and 34% of those aged 35-54 responding in favour.
Respondents' political affiliation also appeared to be a deciding factor. Those who voted for the BC Conservatives or BC Greens were most likely to say the province should split, at 36% and 34%, respectively. Only 23% of BC NDP voters said the same.
The poll also found that 60% of British Columbians felt they had more in common with people from Seattle and Portland than their fellow countrymen in Toronto and Montreal, and 64% believed that their views were "different from those in the rest of Canada."
Nonetheless, 62% said they consider themselves Canadian first, and British Columbian second, with 79% adding that they're "very proud of the province they live in."
Over the past few years, the number of British Columbians fleeing the province for various reasons — mostly the high cost of living — has gone up. The survey found, however, that 71% said they would stay in the province "for the rest of their lives." That number was lower among the 18 to 34 cohort, at 60%.
The poll was conducted between January 10-12, 2025 among a representative sample of 800 adults.