1999 National Survey on Canadian Attitudes Towards Nudity

1999 National Survey on Canadian Attitudes Towards Nudity

Survey by:

Background

A frequently asked question is, "How many naturists/nudists are there in Canada?" It is a difficult question to answer, since naturism is a state of mind and many people are not interested in the label. The thousands of naturists who belong to Canada's approximately 50 clubs are easy enough to count. However, what about those who visit clothing-optional beaches? For example, Wreck Beach in Vancouver has had up to 15,000 visitors in one day. What about those who like to be nude at their cottage, in their backyard or in a secluded spot? What about those who take vacations to naturist resorts or beaches around the world?

To answer these questions, the Federation of Canadian Naturists commissioned Market Facts of Canada, Ltd. to survey the Canadian population so that we could determine how many Canadians had the "naturist mindset."

The survey was conducted from January to February 1999 through the Market Facts' Consumer Mail Panel omnibus survey. Representative samples were drawn by computer random selection within precise census-defined strata: by province and within province by age, household income, population density, home tenure and by language within Quebec. To ensure that the return sample was also representative, returns were weighted to the same set of criteria. The gross mailout sample was 2,300 with 1,172 having responded to the questions.