National Survey of Canadians

Executive Summary

Contract Number: 5P004-170342/001/CY
POR Number: 024-17
Contract Award Date: September 15, 2017
Date of Delivery: May 18, 2018
Contract Value: $208,233.13

Prepared for Parks Canada
30 Victoria Street, Gatineau QC, J8X 0B3
information@pc.gc.ca
1-888-773-8888

Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français

Executive Summary

Earnscliffe Strategy Group (Earnscliffe) is pleased to present this report to Parks Canada summarizing the results of the 2018 National Survey of Canadians.

Parks Canada is the federal agency in the Government of Canada responsible for protecting nationally significant examples of Canada’s national and cultural heritage, and fostering opportunities for Canadians to learn about and to enjoy Canada’s national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas in ways that leave them unimpaired for current and future generations.

Parks Canada employs a National Survey of Canadians to gauge the success of its efforts in raising awareness and increasing understanding among Canadians, as well as to understand Canadians’ views and values regarding conservation in a broad sense. The survey is also used to evaluate these topics with specific populations: new Canadians and residents of Canada’s largest census metropolitan areas (CMAs) – Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. The results of this research will be used to evaluate Parks Canada’s performance in the key areas outlined above.

In order to achieve all of the research objectives, Earnscliffe conducted a telephone survey of 3,757 Canadians aged 18 and older. The base sample was 2,500 Canadian adults 18 and older and an additional oversample was conducted among 1,250 Canadians living in four CMAs: Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. The oversample was focused on immigrants, targeting 445 in the CMAs mentioned above, along with 805 general population residents split among the four CMAs. Our chosen fieldwork subcontractor for this assignment was Léger due to their strength in quantitative (telephone) data collection.

Interviews were conducted between January 23 and March 17, 2018. The average length of interview was 10 minutes. The margin of error for a telephone sample of 3,757 Canadians is +/-1.6%, at the 95% confidence level.

Overall Observations

• Total awareness of Parks Canada among Canadians is very high at 86%.
  • Total awareness is stronger in Atlantic Canada, Alberta and the North.
• Almost three quarters of those who are aware of Parks Canada (73%) identify the operation and maintenance of parks as the agency’s main activity.
  • One quarter name protecting parks, while another 20% say protecting the natural environment.
• Support for Parks Canada’s mandate is very strong, with 90% of Canadians supporting the mandate overall.
  • Any variations in support are minimal – Support is only slightly softer among those 18-34 (87% say they support it), as well as in the Prairies (87%).
• Canadians believe that the main reason to create National Parks is to protect natural wildlife areas from human development (57%) and the main reason to create National Historic Sites is to protect historical places, buildings and artifacts from damage and loss (43%).
• Canadians are clearly attached to National Parks. Almost all (99%) agree that they are meant to be enjoyed by future generations as much as people today. Large majorities (96%) agree that knowing National Parks exist is important to them, and that everyone should visit at least once.
• Canadians support National Historic Sites. For example, 91% would miss them if they were gone and almost all agree that National Historic Sites should be enjoyed by future generations as they are by those today (98%).
• Two-thirds (66%) of Canadians claim to have a favourite National Park, while 52% have a favourite National Historic Site.
  • Among those who do name a Parks Canada park, Banff National Park is the most popular.
  • The most popular National Historic Site is the Fortress of Louisbourg.
• Overall, a large majority of Canadians (86%) want to learn more about Parks Canada.
  • Topics of interest include history (16%), wildlife (12%), the location of national parks and historic sites (11%) and recreation opportunities (10%).

The total cost to conduct this research was $208,233.13 including HST.

Political Neutrality Statement

I hereby certify as a Representative of Earnscliffe Strategy Group that the final deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research. Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.

Signed:

Date: May 18, 2018

Doug Anderson
Principal, Earnscliffe