Ten months into 2021, less than half of B.C. residents are in favour of Vancouver launching a bid to host the next Olympic Games, a new survey has found.
In a Research Co. poll, only 43 per cent of British Columbians said they supported a bid for the Winter Olympics in 2030 — a decrease of 17 points from a similar poll conducted in January last year.
Interest in the 2036 Summer Olympics slid even further, dropping from 62 per cent in January 2020 to 38 per cent, according to the Vancouver-based public opinion research firm.
“The events of the past couple of years, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent experience of Tokyo as a host city, appear to have made British Columbians more skeptical about a new Olympic bid,” said Mario Canseco, Research Co. president, in a news release.
“Our survey shows that 17% of the province’s residents went from supporters to opponents when asked if Vancouver should host the Winter Olympics again.”
The survey of 800 adult B.C. residents was conducted between Oct. 18 and 20.
In January 2020 — before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic — 67 per cent of B.C. residents between 18 and 34, and 59 per cent between 35 and 54, favoured a new Winter Olympic bid from Vancouver.
More than half of British Columbians — 53 per cent — now believe it’s impossible for the city to host the 2030 Winter Olympics without public or government funds, said the release.
The province is also divided on whether the International Olympic Committee erred in green-lighting the Summer Games in Tokyo this year.
Forty-five per cent of survey respondents agreed with their decision, and 43 per cent disagreed.
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