December 21, 1999 For Immediate Release

The University of Northern British Columbia's Institute for Social Research and Evaluation (ISRE) has completed a unique survey capturing the opinions of British Columbians on the eve of the new millennium.

• Nearly 1500 households participated in the survey (969 from north of 100 Mile House and 499 from south of 100 Mile House), which measured expectations and attitudes around possible events in the next century. Some results:
• Respondents found it only slightly more likely that Quebec will separate from Canada (29% north, 27% south) than that Canada will merge with the United States (24% north, 25% south).
• A majority of respondents (65% north, 52% south) believe there will be a BC populations shift to the North and more southerners (61%) than northerners (45%) believe the North will get the attention it deserves. More southerners (38% south, 26% north) also believe there will be tax breaks for northern residents.
• Most respondents (61% in the north and south) believe their own quality of life will improve in the next five years, but a majority (66% north, 62% south) believe it will be more difficult to maintain their standard of living. In fact, a majority (80% north, 72% south) believe they will have to work harder for lower pay.
• Regarding BC industries, a minority (35% north, 40% south) believe the mining industry will disappear; a majority (73% north, 74% south) believe all natural resource industries will specialize in value-added products; and 74% of northerners (67% south) believe there will be oil and gas wells off the BC coast.
• A majority (76% north, 81% south) say it will be good if all aboriginal land claims are settled, but a minority (39% north, 34% south) believe it will actually happen.
• On federal issues, a large majority (93% north, 92% south) say it will be good if the national debt is paid off, but a minority (19% north, 22% south) think it will happen. Fewer than a third (28% north, 34% south) believe there will be two political parties: a united left and a united right. Fewer than half (42% north, 36% south) believe capital punishment will be reinstated, but a majority (70% north, 60% south) say it would be good if it was reinstated.
• A large majority (89% north, 87% south) believes global warming will increase, yet a minority (45% north, 40% south) believes that the polar ice caps will melt and flood many seaports. 45% of northerners and 36% of southerners believe an earthquake will destroy Vancouver and the surrounding area.
• Most respondents find it as likely that there will be a cure for AIDS (73% north, 77% south) as there will be a catastrophic nuclear disaster somewhere in the world (75% north, 73% south).
• 21% of northerners and 16% of southerners believe the world will witness the second coming for Jesus Christ and 72% of northerners (65% south) believe it would be a good thing if that happened.

In addition to measuring the probability of various events, the survey also gauged quality of life expectations. In assessing different aspects relating to the quality of people's lives, there was little difference between northerners and southerners. People were most satisfied with their living partners, family relations, and their homes and neighborhoods. The highest levels of dissatisfaction were reported for provincial government officials.

• For both northerners and southerners, if they could change anything to improve the quality of their lives, they would improve their financial and employment situations first, then their health.
• 44% of northerners and 40% of southerners intend to further their education in the next five years.

The Millennium Survey is believed to be the first of its kind in the province, and the margins of error are +/- 3.2% (north) and +/-4.5% (south), 19 times out of 20.

The UNBC Institute for Social Research and Evaluation was created to provide statistical information to various community agencies such as the City of Prince George, the regional health board, the regional district, United Way, and HRDC. Over the past two years, it has conducted surveys on quality of life, crime, health care, recreation, and senior's issues. The Millennium. Survey was conducted in partnership with the Prince George Citizen newspaper.