Poll split on national park

Photo: Parks Canada

Mount Kobau

South Okanagan residents are very divided on a national park proposed for the region and would like to see a referendum occur, according to a new poll released Friday.

The South Okanagan Similkameen Preservation Society, a group opposed to the park, commissioned a telephone poll last month that contacted 300 residents in Oliver, Osoyoos, Keremeos and Cawston.

The poll conducted by the Innovative Research Group found that 45 per cent of respondents are opposed to the park, compared to 41 per cent in favour.

That difference, however, is within the poll’s margin of error of 5.72 per cent.

The poll was more conclusive on the desire for a local referendum on the park, with 76 per cent strongly or somewhat in support of holding a vote.

Just 24 per cent of respondents felt the federal government has done a good job on public consultation so far.

The region is split on the park’s impact on tourism, with 49 per cent believing it would be a net positive. Forty-three per cent believe it would create too much stress on infrastructure.

A plurality of 47 per cent believe the park will result in higher protection to the area despite the increase in visitors while 41 per cent think existing protections are good enough and new visitors would do harm.

The poll was conducted between Dec. 12-19, 2018 on both landlines and cellular phones. Nearly half (146) of respondents lived in Oliver, with 111 Osoyoos and 46 residents Similkameen included.

Parks Canada is currently running public consultation on the proposed park through to the end of next month. An online survey to provide feedback can be found here. 

SOSPS National Park Reserve Survey Report by Colin Dacre on Scribd