Ipsos Quick Poll On The Downtown Eastside

Methodology

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Global BC. The poll was fielded February 22nd to February 27th, 2007 with a random sample of 441 adult residents of Greater Vancouver. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 4.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population of BC 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 Greater Vancouver population according to 2001 Census data.

The polling was conducted using Ipsos Reid's "Voice of the West Interactive Forum" - an online panel of more than 1,300 British Columbians who have been randomly recruited to match the overall characteristics of the adult BC population.

RESULTS

Today versus Three Years Ago
Q1. Compared to three years ago, do you think conditions in the Downtown Eastside today have generally improved, worsened or stayed about the same?

Comments: Very few (5%) residents think conditions in the Downtown Eastside have improved over the last three years. Most residents think conditions have either worsened (44%) or stayed about the same (37%).

Women are more likely than men to think conditions have worsened over the last three years (50% vs. 38%).

Expectations for Next Three Years
Q2. Over the next three years, do you think conditions in the Downtown Eastside will improve, worsen or stay about the same?

Comments: Expectations of what's in store for the Downtown Eastside over the next three years are not overly optimistic. One-quarter (26%) of residents think conditions will improve in the area. A much larger number of residents believe that conditions will worsen (38%) or stay about the same (26%).

Women are more likely than men to think conditions will worsen over the next three years (43% vs. 32%).

Safety Walking in Neighbourhood
Q3. Today, would you feel safe walking through the Downtown Eastside during the daytime?

Comments: Roughly half (49%) of Greater Vancouver residents say they would feel safe walking through the Downtown Eastside during the daytime.

Men are more likely than women to say they would feel safe (55% vs. 44%).

Support for Four Pillar Approach
Q4. As you may know, the City of Vancouver has a four pillar approach to dealing with the drug problem in the Downtown Eastside. The four pillars are prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement. Overall, do you support or oppose the four pillar approach to dealing with the drug problem in the Downtown Eastside?

Comments: Three-quarters (74%) of Greater Vancouver residents say they support the four pillar approach to dealing with the drug problem in the Downtown Eastside.

Support for the four pillar approach is higher among women (79%) than men (68%).

Pillars Needing More Attention
Q5. Would you like to see more attention given to any of these four pillars? [SELECT ALL THAT APPLY]

Comments: Residents seem to support more attention being given to all four pillars. Three-quarters (75%) say they would like to see more attention paid to Treatment. Two-thirds would like to see more attention given to Enforcement (66%) and Prevention (65%). Six-in-ten (58%) would like more attention given to Harm Reduction.

Pillars Needing Less Attention
Q6. Would you like to see less attention given to any of these four pillars? [SELECT ALL THAT APPLY]

Comments: Very few residents say they would like to see less attention paid to any of the four pillars

Views on Supervised Injection Site
Q7. As you may know, a supervised injection site has operated in the Downtown Eastside since September 2003. Do you personally support or oppose the operation of this supervised injection site in the Downtown Eastside?

Comments: Six-in-ten (61%) residents say they support the operation of the supervised injection site in the Downtown Eastside.

Who's to Blame
Q8. Overall, who do you think is more to blame for the conditions in the Downtown Eastside? Is it more the people who live and spend time there, OR is it more our broader society that has failed to improve these conditions?

Comments: Greater Vancouver residents are more likely to blame the broader society (62%) than the people of the Downtown Eastside (33%) for the conditions in the community.

For more information on this press release, please contact:
Kyle Braid
Vice President
Ipsos Public Affairs
(604) 893-1605
[email protected]

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