OTTAWA — A majority of Canadians support the Conservatives’ costly prison expansion plan but think the government should be compelled to provide the estimated price tag for its entire law-and-order agenda, according to the results of a new poll.

Fifty-seven per cent of those surveyed said the prison expansion program, estimated to cost at least $2-billion, is a worthwhile initiative, while 43% said it is unaffordable. Those results will take some wind out of the sails of the opposition parties who argue that Canadians don’t want bigger jails and the government is wasting money at a time when the country has a massive deficit.

But when it comes to calling on the government to disclose all estimated costs for crime-related legislation, Canadians are clearly on the side of the Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois. Eighty-two% said the government should be compelled to release the figures. Eighteen per cent said they should be kept secret if the government says they should be.

The government and opposition parties have been locked in a battle over releasing cost estimates for justice bills, which combined, could reach into the billions of dollars.

The poll of 1,097 Canadians was conducted Feb. 15 to 17 by Ipsos Reid for Postmedia News and Global National. It has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Crime and justice legislation is a high priority for Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government and because some of its legislation will keep convicted criminals in prison longer and add to the prisoner population, the government is investing millions of dollars in expanding penitentiaries.

The opposition parties say the Tories are focused on the wrong priorities and instead, should be investing in health care, education, help for seniors and pension reform.

While the poll results indicate a majority of Canadians support the prison plan, some Canadians are more in favour than others and the demographic trends are interesting to note, says Darrell Bricker, CEOof Ipsos Reid Public Affairs.

“In spite of the rhetoric in the House of Commonsand what people on the opposition side are saying about the government’s justice agenda, you can see why they’re on it,” Mr. Bricker said. “Because the people who are most likely to vote for them — non-university-educated, older, male voters — think this is a dandy idea. So it’s basically speaking to their core constituency in a very effective way.”

Canadians over age 55 were the most likely to agree the prison expenditures are worthwhile and Canadians aged 18 to 34 were the most likely to say they are unaffordable, according to the poll’s results. Sixty-nine per cent of those surveyed who had less than a high school education said they supported the spending, compared to 53% of those with a post-secondary education.

Residents of Alberta, where the Conservative base is concentrated, were the most likely to support the expansions, with 73% in favour of them. Fifty-one per cent of Atlantic Canadians supported them; 55% in Ontario; 51% in Quebec; 61% in Saskatchewan and Manitoba; and 63% in British Columbia.