A new public opinion poll reveals a stark division among Metro Vancouver residents regarding the creation of a single, amalgamated megacity for the region, with support and opposition locked in a dead heat.
Regional Divide on Amalgamation
The survey, conducted by Research Co. from November 14 to 16, found that 42 per cent of residents believe merging the region's 21 municipalities, one electoral area, and one treaty First Nation is a good idea. An identical 42 per cent consider it a bad idea, while 16 per cent remain unsure.
Mario Canseco, President of Research Co., stated that the results indicate a deeply contentious proposal. "The creation of a megacity encompassing all of Metro Vancouver’s existing municipalities is a contentious proposal," Canseco said.
Demographic and Geographic Splits
Support for the megacity concept is not uniform across the region. The highest level of backing comes from the City of Vancouver, where 46 per cent of residents are in favour.
In contrast, the lowest support was recorded in Burnaby, New Westminster, and the Tri-Cities, where only 32 per cent support the idea. Richmond and Delta showed a slightly higher, but still below-average, support level of 39 per cent.
A significant generational gap was also uncovered. Nearly half (47 per cent) of respondents aged 18 to 54 support amalgamation. Conversely, the proposal is heavily opposed by older residents, with 66 per cent of those aged 55 and over against it.
Strong Backing for Smaller Mergers
While the megacity idea splits the population, the poll shows much stronger consensus on smaller-scale municipal mergers.
The most popular proposal is the amalgamation of the Township of Langley with the City of Langley, which garners overwhelming support from 70 per cent of Metro Vancouverites.
More than half of residents (54 per cent) also view the merger of the City of Surrey and the City of White Rock positively.
A proposal to combine the City of North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, the District of West Vancouver, the Village of Lions Bay, and Bowen Island Municipality into one municipality is seen as a good idea by 57 per cent of respondents.
Canseco noted that the survey was prompted in part by ongoing debates over municipal cost-sharing for Metro Vancouver's $4 billion wastewater treatment plant project. He also cited the potential for an amalgamation referendum in the 2026 municipal election in Greater Victoria as a reason to gauge opinion in Metro Vancouver.
The poll surveyed 1,501 adults across the Metro Vancouver region.
