Vancouver's Vital Signs
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Vancouver's Vital Signs
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Public Opinion on Quality of Life Issues
In July and August 2006, the Vancouver Foundation commissioned Ipsos Reid to conduct a study to determine Vancouverites’ perceptions of the quality of life in the City of Vancouver. The intent of the survey was to augment the findings of Vancouver’s Vital Signs research by gauging residents’ perception of Vancouver’s quality of life.
How good is our quality of life?
How would you rate the overall quality of life in the City of Vancouver today? Would you say it is...
The majority (97%) of residents rate the quality of life in Vancouver as “good” or “very good.” Of those, slightly less than one-half (48%) rate it as “very good.” This is on par with other major Canadian centres.
Has our quality of life changed during the past three years?
Over the last three years do you think that the overall quality of life in Vancouver has...
Residents are evenly split when it comes to whether or not the quality of life in Vancouver has improved or worsened: one quarter (23%) say that the quality of life in Vancouver has “improved” over the last three years while 22% say that the quality of life has “worsened.” In comparison, just over one-half (52%) say the quality of life has “stayed the same.”
Compared to other cities, more residents feel that things have changed in the past three years, whether for the better or the worse.
What contributes most to our quality of life?
In your view, as a resident of Vancouver, what do you think contributes the most to a good overall quality of life in Vancouver?
When it comes to what respondents think contributes most to a good overall quality of life in Vancouver, 14% state “Environment/ natural setting,” while 12% stated “Weather/ mild climate.”
What issues need to be addressed to improve our quality of life?
What is the single most important issue you would like to see addressed to improve the overall quality of life in Vancouver?
When it comes to the most important issue residents would like to see addressed to improve the overall quality of life in Vancouver, slightly less than one in five (17%) responded “Poverty and homelessness.”
Footnotes
This survey was conducted in two “waves.” The first wave (127 respondents) was conducted between July 5 – 9, 2006; the second wave (113 respondents) was conducted from August 8 – 13, 2006.
A survey of this size is considered accurate to plus or minus 6.3 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.