BCers say they have more in common with Seattle than Toronto: survey

A new study found most British Columbians see themselves as fundamentally different and believe they don’t really have much in common with the rest of Canada. Instead, locals feel some Americans are more similar to them.

Research Co. conducted an online survey and found 57% of people in BC believed their views are different from Canadians in other provinces.

Meanwhile, one in five of the people surveyed went so far as to say they even think the province would be better off as its own country. Twenty-one per cent said they’d consider themselves “British Columbians first and Canadians second.” However, the majority disagreed with that order.

According to Research Co., 58% (three-in-five British Columbians) felt they had more in common with the people of Seattle and Portland than with those in Toronto or Montreal.

“There is no generation gap in the affinity of British Columbians towards Cascadia,” Mario Canseco, president of Research Co., said. “Majorities of residents aged 18 to 34 (57%), aged 35 to 54 (58%) and aged 55 and over (59%) feel the same way about their counterparts in Washington State and Oregon.”

The survey also found most British Columbians would say they are proud to live in BC, and most residents will even stay in the province for the rest of their lives.

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