Released in September, On the Pulse: Public Opinion on Fresh Water and Watershed Security describes and analyzes key findings from the 2021 B.C. Watershed Security Survey, which was commissioned and developed by POLIS, the BC Freshwater Legacy Initiative, and the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia, and conducted by McAllister Opinion Research.
The complete survey findings are extensive. This new summary provides an synthesis of key survey insights and points to five trends that stand out from the research that have direct relevance for advancing watershed security priorities in B.C.
“For over a decade, the POLIS team and our partners have conducted regular surveys and polls as part of ongoing efforts to understand public opinions, community priorities, and emerging or changing trends around fresh water and watershed security and governance,” said Oliver M. Brandes, Project Lead at the POLIS Water Sustainability Project.
A Decade of Efforts to Understand Freshwater Opinions and Priorities
The 2021 B.C. Watershed Security Survey builds on ongoing work that began in 2012 to better understand public perspectives and changing attitudes over time on progress, challenges, gaps, and needs around water sustainability and watershed security in B.C.
2013: The State of the Water Movement in British Columbia: A Waterscape Scan & Needs Assessment of B.C. Watershed-Based Groups
2016: Illumination: Insights and Perspectives for Building Effective Watershed Governance in B.C.
2018: 2018 B.C. Freshwater Public Opinion Poll
2020: Changing Attitudes. Changing Waters. 2020 Freshwater Community Survey
“Building on this body of knowledge, the results of the 2021 survey provide new insights into how British Columbians understand and relate to various freshwater issues, and the range of potential policy solutions,” said Sherry Da, Water Leaders and Special Projects Coordinator at the POLIS Water Sustainability Project, who lead the research and writing of this summary.
The trends over the past decade reflect a growing consensus that fresh water cannot be taken for granted. The 2021 results specifically indicate overwhelming concern about climate change, a growing concern around watershed security, and strong public interest in action and commitments to watershed security and better local decision-making.
“Public attitude is that strong connections exist between watershed security and other issues, such as quality of life, health, prosperity, community resilience, and local environmental priorities,” said Oliver M. Brandes. “With regard to planning and management for a sustainable future, water must be moved to the foreground—not at the expense of other issues, but to better bring these other issues into focus.”
British Columbians also strongly support watershed investment and protection. The public wants action, including through government investment, bold policy interventions, and stricter enforcement.
“The findings reveal that British Columbians—across demographics, rural-urban geographies, and the political spectrum—view water as a valuable resource,” said Sherry Da. “The 2021 survey indicates that investment in watershed security, including a provincial Watershed Security Strategy and Fund, is not only a widely supported policy decision, but something British Columbians see as critical to sustaining community health, security, and well-being.”
The broad support for a Watershed Security Fund was emphasized again in the Report on the Budget 2023 Consultation, which recommends that the provincial government “provide $75 million in sustained funding to the B.C. Watershed Security Fund.”
McAllister Opinion Research conducted the online survey of 1,012 English-speaking B.C. residents (aged 18 years or older) from September 17 to 20, 2021. The credibility interval is ±3.1% at a 95% confidence level. McAllister is an accredited member of ESOMAR, the international professional body for public opinion research and market intelligence.
