Half (50%) of Canadians `Strongly Agree' that Nature is Important For Their Family's Well-Being

Toronto, ON - With Family Day coming up for many parts of the country, many Canadians might be using it as an opportunity to reconnect with the Great Outdoors, considering the importance of nature to Canadians and their families, according to a new survey conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of Nature Conservancy Canada. Half (50%) of Canadians `strongly agree' that `natural areas are important for my family's well-being', with nearly the rest of Canadians (47%) `somewhat' agreeing.. Only 3% of Canadians `disagree' (1% strongly/3% somewhat) that natural areas are important for their families well-being.

Most Canadians believe that nature is not only just an important element to their family's well-being, it can also be a setting for fun and leisure as well. Nine in ten (90%) Canadians `agree' (43% strongly/47% somewhat ) that `nature and being outdoors is an important element of my family's recreational activities'. Just one in ten (10%) `disagree' (2% strongly/8% somewhat) that it is an import aspect of their family's recreational activities.

With Spring shortly around the corner, this might allow more Canadians and their families to be outside to enjoy the offerings of Mother Nature, and for some this time cannot come soon enough. Interestingly, nine in ten (87%) Canadians `agree' (36% strongly/52% somewhat) that `given the choice, my family and I would prefer to spend our time outdoors, in nature, rather than inside'. Only one in ten (13%) Canadians `disagree' (2% strongly/11% somewhat) that their family would prefer to spend time in nature rather than inside, given the choice.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between October 23rd to 29th, 2012, on behalf of Nature Conservancy Canada. For this survey, a sample of 1,012 Canadian adults from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within +/- 3.5 percentage points had all Canadians adults been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Sean Simpson
Associate Vice President
Ipsos Reid Public Affairs
416.572.4474
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid

Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. In October 2011 Ipsos completed the acquisition of Synovate. The combination forms the world's third largest market research company.

With offices in 84 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across six research specializations: advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, public affairs research, and survey management.

Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe.

Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of e1,363 billion (1.897 billion USD) in 2011.

Visit www.ipsos-na.com to learn more about Ipsos' offerings and capabilities.