Call it populism or call it independence of spirit, Vancouverites don’t trust authority.

A new survey shows Vancouver residents trust figures and high-profile brands far less than their counterparts in Toronto, revealing a West Coast skepticism that has deepened in recent years.

“There is a significant difference in the levels of trust between Toronto and Vancouver,” said Rob Dawson, vice-president at Concerto Marketing Group, which conducted the study. “You particularly see that in the levels of trust in the larger public institutions. I think it might just point to what ... the mindset of the people is within the two cities.

“Maybe it’s our West Coast independent spirit,” he said.

The comparative lack of faith extends to politicians and police, whom Vancouver residents hold in lower esteem than Torontonians, according to the 2013 report.

Just over a third of Vancouverites this year said they trusted Prime Minister Stephen Harper, compared with nearly half in 2011. Conversely, more Toronto residents — virtually half — claimed confidence in the Conservative leader in 2013 than in 2011.

Trust in both NDP opposition leader Thomas Mulcair and top Liberal leadership candidate Justin Trudeau was significantly lower in Vancouver than Toronto. One third of Vancouverites had confidence in Mulcair and four out of 10 trusted Trudeau— making him the poll’s most trusted politician in both cities.

“Vancouver is one of the last bailiwicks for the federal Liberals, whereas Toronto moved more toward Harper. So in part that reflects part of what we saw in the past federal election,” said Norman Ruff, professor emeritus in political science at the University of Victoria. He also pointed to deeper political sentiments with roots as far back as Confederation.

“A classic interpretation of B.C. political culture is that it’s still deeply penetrated by populism, populism in the sense of an emphasis on the good sense of ordinary people and distrust of big government and big business. And that still remains a theme running through B.C. politics.”

On the provincial level, trust in Premier Christy Clark slid among Vancouver voters from 41 per cent in 2011 to just 33 per cent in 2013, with an election looming in May. But NDP leader Adrian Dix’s trust rating was even lower — 31 per cent.

“Overall, I really don’t think she gets it,” Peter Endisch, a 38-year-old Coquitlam resident, said of Clark. “Her motto is for the families, but apart from Family Day, which is a good idea, I don’t see how she’s doing anything to help families. We still have a housing crisis, and I don’t see us advancing much on climate change.”

Levels of trust in the mayors of both cities hovered just above a third over the last two years, which may nonetheless speak to Vancouverites’ deep-seated skepticism. While Mayor Gregor Robertson has not been subjected to the kind of public criticism that has plagued Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, trust levels in the two politicians remain virtually identical.

Vancouver citizens also have a collective chip on their shoulders when it comes to legal authority, according to the survey. Less than two-thirds said they trusted the RCMP, a stark contrast with the four of five Toronto residents who endorsed the Mounties. Roughly the same ratios held true for the city police forces.