British Columbians are feeling the pinch due to rising costs, and the vast majority have been forced to cut spending, according to a new poll.

The Canada Pulse Insights poll, conducted exclusively for Rogers OMNI TV, surveyed residents in three major areas in the province: the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and the Okanagan Valley.

Around eight in 10 respondents said they have cut their personal spending as a result of cost pressures.

The most common cutbacks are in entertainment, groceries and food, travel, and gifts, the results show.

Eighty per cent of Metro Vancouver and Okanagan Valley respondents say they have been forced to reduce their budgets within the last 12 months. On Vancouver Island, 76 per cent of those surveyed say the same thing.

The most widely reported pressure in all three regions was in the area of groceries, with 69 per cent in Metro Vancouver, 70 per cent on Vancouver Island, and 76 per cent in the Okanagan Valley saying this is among their top three cost concerns.

Utilities come in second (Metro Vancouver: 36 per cent; Vancouver Island and Okanagan Valley: both 43 per cent).

According to the survey, younger adults and lower-income households have had to cut back the most. Among those between 18 and 34, between 86 and 92 per cent have had to reduce spending. For households making less than $50,000, between 88 and 91 per cent have had to cut back.

In terms of a grade, around a third of all residents rate their ability and opportunity to get ahead financially either a ‘D’ or ‘F.’

A summary of findings, broken down by area, follows:

• Metro Vancouver: 80 per cent have cut spending, including 50 per cent who have cut groceries and food.
• Inside Metro Vancouver: 83 per cent in Surrey and 81 per cent in the rest of the region have cut back. The number dips slightly to 76 per cent in the City of Vancouver.
• Vancouver Island: 76 per cent have cut spending, and groceries are a financial pressure for 70 per cent.
• Okanagan Valley: 80 per cent have cut spending, and utilities (43 per cent) are listed as a top financial pressure.
• Personal financial outlook: Between 39 and 47 per cent of residents aged 18 to 34 rate their opportunity to get ahead financially a ‘D’ or an ‘F.’

The poll was conducted between Sept. 28 and Oct. 14 and surveyed 1,374 residents in Metro Vancouver, 511 on Vancouver Island, and 498 in the Okanagan Valley.

The margin of error is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points for Metro Vancouver, plus or minus 4.3 for Vancouver Island and plus or minus 4.4 for the Okanagan Valley, 19 times out of 20.