According to a new poll from Research Co, a majority (55%) of British Columbians oppose the teaching of creationism in schools.
Teaching creationism in public school science classrooms was effectively banned in 1996 following debates in the Abbotsford School District; however, a number of private Christian schools that receive public funding continue to mix Biblical literalism with science.
Ian Bushfield, Executive Director of the BC Humanist Association:
Previous polling has shown that British Columbians don't support public money going to private schools and now we see they also don't support BC schools teaching myths.
The online survey included a representative sample of 1001 Canadian adults and was conducted from August 27 and 30, 2018. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is ±3.1%, nineteen times out of twenty.
The poll found 66% of Canadians said that human beings definitely or probably "evolved from less advanced life forms over millions of years." In BC, 62% of people supported evolution, with 22% saying God probably or definitely "created human beings in their present form within the last 10,000 years." 15% of British Columbians were not sure how human beings developed.
Mario Canseco, President of Research Co:
Age appears to play a role in shaping the perceptions of Canadians on the origin of life. While half of those aged 18-to-34 (50%) definitely concur with evolution, the proportion drops among those aged 35-to-54 (45%) and those aged 55 and over (26%).
The BC Humanist Association is calling for the Government of BC to phase out public funding to independent schools.