British Columbians divided on use of biometrics to make purchases: poll

A recent public opinion poll asked how Canadians how they feel about the use of biometrics for payments and more than half said welcome the move, while in BC those numbers were lower.

The survey, conducted by Research Co., found 44% of Canadians surveyed would “definitely” or “probably” like to see the use of biometrics to make purchases which is a four-point increase from a similar poll in 2022, according to a media release issued today, Sept. 6.

Biometrics such as fingerprints, palm recognition and iris scans, are physical identifiers used for security purposes.

“More than half of Canadians aged 18-to-34 would welcome a world where payments can be made through biometrics,” Research Co. president Mario Canseco said in the release. “Their counterparts aged 35-to-54 and aged 55 and over aren't as certain.”

The survey results from British Columbia found 19% would “definitely” like this and 25% would “probably” like it.

Roughly 51% of British Columbians would “definitely” or “probably” not like to see the use of biometrics enter their purchasing process while 5% remain undecided.

The survey further questioned participants as to when they would expect the use of biometrics for purchase to be put in place in the future.

In BC, 55% of respondents believe this will occur within the next five (27%) or 10 years (28%). While 24% believe this will be in the next 25 years, 11% in the next 50 years and 11% never, while no one believes it to be in the next 100 years.

The sample also showed what type of payment methods are most commonly used among British Columbians: 42% use their credit cards, 21% use cash and 25% debit cards, while 10% use their phones or e-transfers.

A majority of British Columbians (57%) had to use their credit cards in the past month for purchases under $10 for lack of paper money.

Results are based on an online study conducted from Aug. 17 to Aug. 19, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error, which measures sample variability, is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Gabrielle Adams  or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here.