Canadians and Monumental Landmarks

Toronto, ON - When Canadians are asked to name, on an open-ended basis, three of Canada's most monumental landmarks, it's the CN Tower (44%) that tops the list with Niagara Falls (33%), the Canadian Rockies (32%), and the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa (26%) next in line. Others, such as Banff National Park (5%), the Great Lakes (3%), and the Montreal Olympic Stadium (3%) were also cited. (The total is greater than 100% because respondents were asked to give three responses.)

When then asked to choose among a list of five specific Canadian monumental landmarks "that most symbolize Canada", it's the Canadian Rockies (32%) that top the list followed by the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa (28%), Niagara Falls (26%), the CN Tower (9%), and the Calgary Tower (1%).

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid/Diageo Captain Morgan poll conducted between April 8th and 10th 2003. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1000 adult Canadians. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 2001 Census data.

As noted above, Canadians were asked to name, in a non-prompted "open-ended basis" three of Canada's most monumental landmarks--with the CN Tower (44%) topping the list, Niagara Falls (33%), the Canadian Rockies (32%), and the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa (26%) not far behind. A number of other places, such as Banff National Park (5%), the Great Lakes (3%), and the Montreal Olympic Stadium (3%) were also cited. (The total is greater than 100% because respondents were asked to give three responses.)

• Residents of Ontario are most apt to believe the CN Tower (58%) and Niagara Falls (44%) are Canada's most monumental landmarks. Residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba (46%), British Columbia (42%), and Alberta (41%) are most likely to think the Canadian Rockies is Canada's most monumental landmark. Atlantic Canadians are most apt to believe the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa (41%) is Canada's most monumental landmark.

• Men (53%) are more likely than women (35%) to think the CN Tower is Canada's most monumental landmark.

• Canadians under the age of 55 (50%) are more likely than those 55 or older (32%) to think the CN Tower is Canada's most monumental landmark.

• Canadians with at least some university education are more likely than others to think the CN Tower (46% vs. 38%), Niagara Falls (36% vs. 26%), the Canadian Rockies (36% vs. 22%), and/or the Parliament Buildings (28% vs. 20%) are Canada's most monumental landmarks.

• Canadians from upper income households are more likely than those from lower income households to think the CN Tower (55% vs. 37%), Niagara Falls (43% vs. 23%), the Canadian Rockies (38% vs. 22%), and/or the Parliament Buildings (29% vs. 22%) are Canada's most monumental landmarks.

When then asked to choose among a specific list of five monumental Canadian landmarks, the Canadian Rockies (32%) top the list as the monumental landmark that "most symbolizes Canada," followed by the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa (28%), Niagara Falls, the CN Tower (9%), and the Calgary Tower (1%).

• Residents of Alberta (60%) and British Columbia (58%) are most likely to choose the Canadian Rockies is the monumental landmark that "most symbolizes Canada," whereas residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba (32%), Ontario (31%), and Quebec (30%) are most likely to choose the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. Residents of Ontario (33%) and Quebec (31%) are most apt to choose Niagara Falls, while Atlantic Canadians are most likely to choose the CN Tower.

• Canadians under the age of 55 (11%) are more likely than those 55 or older (5%) to choose the CN Tower is the monumental landmark that "most symbolizes Canada."

• Canadians with at least some university education (36%) are more likely than others (25%) to choose the Canadian Rockies is the monumental landmark that "most symbolizes Canada," while those with a high school diploma or less (34%) are more likely than others (23%) to choose Niagara Falls is the monumental landmark that "most symbolizes Canada."

Asked which "local" landmark or monument deserves recognition (respondents' monument province of origin noted only):

• Residents of British Columbia: the Rockies (4%).

• Residents of Alberta: the Calgary Tower (13%) and the Rockies (11%).

• Residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba: the Golden Boy in Winnipeg/Manitoba Legislature (13%).

• Residents of Ontario: the CN tower (13%), Niagara Falls (5%), the Parliament buildings in Ottawa (3%) and the Big Nickel in Sudbury (2%).

• Residents of Quebec: the Montreal Olympic Stadium (6%) and the Bonhomme Carnival in Quebec City (1%).

• Residents of Atlantic Canada: Signal Hill in St. John's (11%).

• 51% of all other Canadians indicated "other" local landmarks (none of which exceeded 1%) and 27% say they "don't know" which local landmark or monument deserves recognition.

Respondents were then provided with a list of monumental landmarks and asked where they are located in Canada. In aggregate:

• The World's Largest Inukshuk: 1% specifically answered Vancouver, 2% correctly said British Columbia.

• The Pysanka Easter Egg: 8% specifically answered Vegreville, 6% correctly said Alberta.

• The World's Largest Oil Can: 1% specifically answered Rocanville, 2% correctly said Saskatchewan.

• The World's Largest Easel: 0% specifically answered Altona, 2% correctly said Manitoba.

• The Big Nickel: 38% specifically answered Sudbury, 9% correctly said Ontario.

• The Bonhomme Carnival: 45% specifically answered Quebec City, 25% correctly said Quebec.

• The Giant Squid: 0% specifically answered Glovers Harbour, 16% correctly said Newfoundland.

• The World's Largest Axe: 0% specifically answered Nackawic, 3% correctly said New Brunswick.

• The Giant Fiddle: 0% specifically answered Cavendish, 4% correctly said Prince Edward Island.

• The Giant Anchor: 8% specifically answered Halifax, 12% correctly said Nova Scotia.

To view the factum and detailed tables, please open the attached PDF documents.

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For more information on this news release, please contact:
John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Ipsos-Reid Public Affairs
(416) 324-2900