VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – British Columbians sound more confident about the economy according to a new poll, but we also expect to pay more for groceries and gas in the next six months. In fact, nearly double the amount of us expect to pay more at the pump this year.

Pollster Mario Canseco with Insights West says economic confidence is up from this time in 2016. “Back then only two-in-five BC residents felt that the economy was in good shape, now it’s all the way back to the 60s, so good news for the government in that sense. There seems to be a lot of people who are satisfied with the way the economy of BC has been going.”

On the other hand, one in five of us (22 per cent) think the economy will decline in the next six months.

Four-in-five are expecting to pay more for a week’s worth of groceries and gasoline. While more than half are also envisioning higher prices for real estate, and 44 per cent expect to pay more for a new car. “Last year, gas prices were not a big worry for British Columbians,” explains Canseco. “The proportion of British Columbians who expect to pay more for fuel has doubled in a year.”

The poll also found two-thirds of people describe their own household’s finances as either “very good” or “good”, while three-in-10 feel they are “poor” or “very poor” and three-in-five don’t think their financial status will change over the next six months. However, one-in-four believe they will get a raise by the middle of the year.