Parks Canada Awareness Tracking Study 2018-2019

Executive Summary

Registration Number: POR 003-18
Supplier name: EKOS Research Associates
Contract number: EP363–140002/004/CY
Contract value: $135,571.75
Award date: April 20, 2018
Delivery date: March 28, 2019

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

For more information on this report, please contact Parks Canada Agency at:
information@pc.gc.ca or 1-888-773-8888.

Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français

Executive Summary

Prepared for Parks Canada Agency
Supplier name: EKOS Research Associates
March 2019

This public opinion research report presents the results of a telephone survey conducted by EKOS Research Associates on behalf of Parks Canada Agency. The research study was conducted with 8,061 adult Canadians between May 30, 2018 and March 16, 2019 (roughly 2,000 cases per month once per quarter).

Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Enquête de suivi sur la notoriété de Parcs Canada 2018-2019.

This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from Parks Canada Agency. For more information, please contact Parks Canada Agency at information@pc.gc.ca or at:

1-888-773-8888
Parks Canada Agency
30 Victoria Street, 2nd Floor
Gatineau, QC J8X 0B3

Catalogue Number:
R62-557/2019E-PDF

International Standard Book Number (ISBN):
978-0-660-30317-8

Related publications (registration number: POR 003-18):
Catalogue Number ISBN R62-557/2019F-PDF
978-0-660-30318-5

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Parks
Canada Agency, 2019

EKOS RESEARCH ASSOCIATES

Contact: Susan Galley

Ottawa Office
359 Kent Street, Suite 300
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R6
Tel: (613) 235 7215
Fax: (613) 235 8498
E-mail: pobox@ekos.com

www.ekos.com

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Parks Canada Agency (PCA) protects and presents nationally significant examples of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage, and fosters public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment to ensure the ecological and commemorative integrity of these places for present and future generations. Canada’s National Parks, National Historic Sites, and National Marine Conservation Areas attract over 20 million Canadians and international visitors annually.

PCA employs the Awareness Tracking Survey to measure and track, on an on-going basis, to understand the short term success of its proactive communications efforts on Canadians’ awareness and understanding of the Agency and the places it administers.

The survey instrument used in 2019 is consistent with previous iterations of the survey. The bilingual telephone survey involved a randomly-selected sample of Canadians 18 years of age and older. The sample included all provinces and territories, with oversamples in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. Each survey wave has an associated margin of error of up to plus or minus 2.2 %, 19 times out of 20. The overall sample includes 8,061 completed interviews. Following are sample details for each wave of the survey:

• Wave 1 – May 30–June 22, 2018 – 2,036 completed interviews, including 1,608 reached on a landline and 428 reached on a cell phone;
• Wave 2 – September 6-24, 2018 – 2,007 completed interviews, including 1,657 reached on a landline and 350 reached on a cell phone;
• Wave 3 – November 27–December 13, 2018 – 2,011 completed interviews, including 1,628 reached on a landline and 383 reached on a cell phone.
• Wave 4 – March 1-16, 2019 – 2,007 completed interviews, including 1,670 reached on a landline and 337 reached on a cell phone.

Findings

Awareness of Parks Canada

Awareness of Parks Canada is strong in 2018-2019, and has increased sharply from 2017-18.

• 33% recalled Parks Canada (unaided) as the organization that operates officially designated national parks and historic sites in Canada; ranging from 30% in June and December to a peak of 35% in September. This represents a considerable increase from 24% in 2017-2018.
  • Unaided recall is highest in Alberta and Atlantic Canada (40% and 37%, respectively), and lowest in Ontario (27%).
• With prompting, overall awareness of Parks Canada is quite ubiquitous at 86%, with only 14% who cannot name or recognize it. Overall awareness also seems to have climbed, in this case somewhat, from 2017-2018 when it was 82%. Results are also consistent across the year.
  • Overall awareness is highest in Alberta at 94%, although British Columbia and Atlantic Canada are close behind at 91%.
• Recall of the Parks Canada logo (recognizing the beaver as the symbol used) is roughly on par with unaided recall at 33%.
  • Recognition is higher in Atlantic Canada (49%) and Alberta (44%), and lowest in Ontario (25%).

Recall of Messaging

• In terms of recalling hearing, reading or seeing anything about “Parks Canada”, and/or “National Parks of Canada”, recall also ranges between 29% to 31%; from as high as 36% for “Parks Canada” in September, to as low as 23% in March 2019. Content for “National Historic Sites of Canada” is similarly recalled by 29%, and is roughly consistent across the year.
  • As with awareness, recall of specific news stories is highest in Alberta and the Atlantic, and generally lower in Ontario.
• Television ranks as the most successful medium for reaching Canadians with information about Parks Canada, with 22% for programs or documentaries (highest in December 2018 and March 2019 at 25%), and 20% for commercials (highest in June 2018 at 23%).
  • Social media is also reported as a significant source (12%), although marginally less so in the winter.
  • These rates are in line with previous measures taken earlier in 2018, which had dropped from 2017.
• Popular themes recalled in Parks Canada content relate to:
  • park attractions and features (11%; more often in June at 16%)
  • travel and tourism (9%; more often in June 2018 at 13%);
  • historical sites (9%); and,
  • nature and wildlife information (8%).

Support for Parks Canada’s Mandate

Canadians are strong supporters of Parks Canada’s mandate.

• 88% of Canadians support or completely support, which is remarkably consistent throughout the year. Support seems to have risen, fairly significantly, however, from 81% in 2017-2018.
  • Support is also largely consistent across regions, ranging from 84% in Alberta in June through the 80’s and low 90’s, but peaking at 93% in Atlantic Canada in September.

Specific Themes

• Parks Canada congers a wide variety of positive images for Canadians including images of nature and wilderness (19%), beautiful and scenic landscapes (14%), as well as camping/RVs, conservation and protection of the environment, and organized, well-kept spaces (8% in each case).
• Sizable proportions of Canadians feel they are familiar with specific Parks Canada conservation activities, including efforts to protect species at risk (according to 54% of respondents), followed by long term tracking of the health of plants and animals in national parks (47%), and use of controlled fires to rejuvenate forests (44%).
  • Familiarity with scientific research on environment in national parks, actions to protect water and land, collaborations with Indigenous peoples, public engagement and monitoring of impacts of climate change also range between 35% and 39%.
  • Familiarity is generally higher in Alberta and Atlantic Canada, and lowest in Quebec.
• Results also suggest there is a strong public appetite for learning more about the agency, with 56% interested in learning more about science and conservation activities Parks Canada does.
  • Interest is fairly consistent across Canada.

The contract value for the POR project is $135,571.75 (including HST).