A majority of British Columbians support banning plastic shopping bags, according to a public opinion poll released Wednesday.

A survey of more than 1,000 Canadians by Angus Reid Public Opinion found that three out of five people in British Columbia are in favour of banning plastic single-use shopping bags.

The level of support in B.C. was just slightly above of the national level of support (58 per cent), but less than Atlantic Canada (63 per cent), Quebec and Alberta (62 per cent).

Ontarians, the poll found, were the Canadians least likely to endorse a ban (54 per cent support). On June 6 – while polling was underway – Toronto’s city council voted to ban plastic bags by 2013.

Young people and women were more likely to be in favour of a ban, the poll found.

The survey was conducted from June 5 to 7 with randomly selected Angus Reid Forum candidates and also looked at the common practice of charging people a fee for each plastic bag used.

In B.C. 60 per cent supported such fees, less than Quebec and Alberta, but well above Ontario, Atlantic Canada and the nation as a whole.