(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

More than half of B.C. residents say they are financially worse off than they were a year ago.

Fifty-one per cent of British Columbians say they are in a worse financial situation than 12 months ago, according to the results of an Angus Reid poll released today, March 20. The number is slightly higher than the national average where 47 per cent say they are worse off.

In B.C., a third of residents say they are in the same position as last year, while 14 per cent are better off.

"The outlook for 2023 is pessimistic among economists. There have been many predictions from economists of a recession for Canada in 2023, whether mild or more dire," the release says.

The poll found that Canadians in a poor financial position say the top issue facing the country is inflation.

For Canadians who say that their finances worsened in the last 12 months, 69 per cent say they expect them to continue to decline and that the cost of living is a top concern – which outstrips healthcare at 39 per cent and the environment at 11 per cent.

Those whose finances are in better shape say healthcare is the most pressing issue in the country.

When it comes to political allegiance, Tory voters are the most pessimistic about the future.

Forty-two per cent of those who vote for the Conservative Party think they'll be financially worse off in a year's time. That number drops for Liberal voters with only 21 per cent believing they'll be worse off in a year. For NDP voters 24 per cent say they'll be in a poorer position in 12 months.

The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from March 6 to March 13, among a representative randomized sample of 4,889 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum.

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