CANADIAN'S VIEWS ON THE RELIABILITY OF SMOKE DETECTORS

These data are statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional, age and sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population. With a sample of this size, the overall results are within 1772.5 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.

On the heels of a recent CTV W5 report on the reliability of smoke detectors in Canada, an Angus Reid / CTV poll released tonight indicates that only half (51%) of those that have smoke detectors in their dwellings (97%) are `very confident' that in the event of a fire their smoke detector would be reliable in giving them enough warning time to exit their dwelling.

The poll further shows that four in ten (38%) are only `somewhat confident', a further 8 percent are `not very confident' and 3 percent are `not at all confident' that the smoke detector in their dwelling would be reliable in giving them enough warning time so that they could exit in the event of a fire.

In all, 49 percent of those with smoke detectors in their dwelling are only `somewhat' or `not very/ not at all' confident.

These are the findings of an Angus Reid Group poll conducted between, January 12th and January 18th 2000. The poll includes a randomly selected sample of 1,500 Canadian adults and has an associated margin of error of 177 2.5 percentage points 19 times out of 20.

Only half (51%) of those who have smoke detectors (97%) are `very confident' that it would be reliable in giving enough warning time to exit from a fire in their dwelling

• Those with the most confidence in their smoke detector reliability are found in Atlantic Canada (55%), Ontario (54%) and Saskatchewan / Manitoba (54%). Those who are older (55+) have the most confidence (59%) and women (52%) are slightly more confident than men (50%).
• Those provinces whose residents are least confident of the reliability of their smoke detectors include Alberta (54%), Quebec (53%) and British Columbia (51%). Those who are younger aged (18-34) are least confident (53%) followed by those middle aged (35-54) who are split in their confidence (50%). Men (50%) are slightly less confident than women (48%) in the reliability of their smoke detectors.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

John Wright
Senior Vice President
Angus Reid Group
(416) 324-2900