Survey on ocean values of B.C. coastal residents
Current status: Closed
This survey ran from March 18, 2024 to April 26, 2024.
We are conducting a survey on different values coastal residents in British Columbia have about the ocean.
The information collected through this survey will be used to better understand perceptions of how marine spaces can contribute to people’s well-being and perceptions about marine protected areas.
Join in: How to participate
Participants will be randomly selected and contacted by EKOS Research Associates Inc. Participants will either receive an email with a link to access the survey or a phone call with the option to respond to the survey questions on the phone or online.
Privacy notice
We have hired EKOS Research Associates Inc., an independent consulting company, to contact participants by email or phone call and conduct this online or phone survey on our behalf. Individuals’ name and contact information will not be provided to us. EKOS Research Associates Inc. has extensive experience designing and conducting online and telephone surveys.
Responses will remain strictly confidential and will be protected in accordance with the provisions of the federal Privacy Act. Information security is provided by EKOS Research Associates Inc., which has its own rigorous security measures in place. Information will be stored in a format and on a secured network that allows individuals' identities to remain anonymous. It will not be stored on a web server, but in a secured database located in Canada and protected by the Government of Canada's Privacy Act.
Who is the focus of this survey
The focus population for this research is coastal residents living in British Columbia with a minimum age of 18 years. This includes people living within 100 kilometres from the coastline in any of the coastal regional districts of British Columbia.
Residents of coastal regional districts will be sampled to ensure sufficient response in each region for broad geographic representation. The survey is not designed to gather information on Indigenous values. However, considering that some sampled participants may have an indigenous background, the survey includes response options that may reflect the values of participants with an indigenous background.
What is the focus of this survey
Survey participants will be asked about:
- their frequency in visiting or carrying out activities in ocean or coastal spaces
- why the ocean is important to them
- their level of dependance on the ocean (e.g., jobs, social and cultural activities, recreations)
- concerns they may have about environmental issues affecting the ocean or coastal areas
- their perceptions on the potential outcomes associated with Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
- their main sources of information on marine and oceans issues and regulations
- their demographics, keeping in mind the survey is completely confidential
We will use the information we gather from this survey to identify B.C. coastal residents’ diverse values of the ocean and to build a snapshot of how they view the ocean contributing to their well-being. We will also use this information to examine B.C. coastal residents’ perceptions on MPAs and their potential outcomes.
Once analyzed, the information we receive from this survey will be published in a report hosted on the Library and Archives of Canada website. Information from survey participants will only be presented in aggregate form, ensuring that no individual information can be identified.
Contact us
Email: iSEA@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
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