Prepared for Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)
For more information on this report, please contact
This public opinion research report presents the methodology for a hybrid online-telephone survey conducted by Ekos Research Associates Inc. on behalf of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from DFO.
For information regarding reproduction rights:
Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Enquête auprès des résidents côtiers de la Colombie-Britannique et de leurs valeurs des ressources océaniques
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, 2024
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) helps to ensure healthy and sustainable aquatic ecosystems through habitat protection and sound science. DFO uses Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as a regulatory tool to achieve long term conservation, to protect habitats, species, ecological integrity, biodiversity, and productivity of the oceans. MPA networks are a collection of individual MPAs that work together to achieve broader conservation goals. Oceans Act Marine Protected Areas, Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs), National Marine Conservation Areas and marine National Wildlife Areas, are examples of MPA, along with area-based conservation measures and provincial and/or territorial protected areas.
DFO has established goals of protecting 25 per cent of Canada’s oceans by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030. DFO works with First Nations, provincial partners, and stakeholders across marine spaces to achieve ecological, economic, cultural and social objectives. The effect of MPAs on ecological, economic, social, and cultural values is critical in the design, establishment, and management of MPAs, along with the achievement of marine conservation goals.
DFO is required to consider economic implications of regulatory changes to designate marine protected areas. This requirement is accomplished through socio-economic analysis and cost-benefit analysis. However, there are multiple values and interests among stakeholders, rightsholders and the general public that are not well captured by economic methods (e.g., Indigenous cultural values, recreational fishing values).
DFO seeks to understand the values and interests among stakeholders, rightsholders and the general public within the Pacific Region. The objectives of the baseline survey on the social and cultural values of the ocean with costal residents in BC are:
Survey results will provide an understanding of the diverse values of the ocean to costal communities and allow for an assessment of the perceived outcomes, benefits, and impacts associated with the implementation of MPA Networks in BC.
A bilingual, national hybrid survey was conducted online and by telephone with 1,601 resident of British Columbia’s 15 coastal districts who are 18 years of age or older. The questionnaire was provided by DFO in English and in French. The survey was collected between March 27 and April 28, 2024. The interview took an average of 12 minutes to be complete online and 19 minutes by telephone. Topics included:
A portion of the sample was drawn from our in-house Probit panel, which is assembled using a random digit dial process for sampling from a blended land-line cellphone/frame and provides full coverage of Canadians with telephone access. The distribution of the recruitment process is meant to mirror the actual population in Canada (as defined by Statistics Canada). As such, our more than 130,000-member panel can be considered representative of the general public in Canada (meaning that the incidence of a given target population within our panel very closely resembles the public at large) and margins of error can be applied.
Because of the restrictive nature of the sample target (coastal British Columbia), a sizable portion of the sample was collected using a random digit dialling (RDD) sample source, using a blend of landline and cell phone sample. The response rate was 13% online, and 4% by telephone. A weight was calculated using crosstabulation software to correct for response bias between the population distribution of the final sample and population estimates for coastal district and age based on the 2021 Census. The sample carries an associated margin of error of +/- 2.5 percent at a 95 per cent confidence level for questions posed to the complete sample. Survey results can be extrapolated to the population of coastal residence in British Columbia.
Appendix A provides the details of the methodology for the survey. The questionnaire can be found in Appendix B.
The value of the contract is $80,436.95 including HST.
I hereby certify as Senior Officer of Ekos Research Associates Inc. that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and the Directive on the Management of Communications. 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 by Susan Galley (Vice President)