A majority of British Columbians support the NDP government’s deal with unions for building publicly funded infrastructure, according to a new poll.

The Research Co. survey was commissioned by the BC Building Trades Council, an umbrella union group.

The Horgan government announced the new Community Benefits Agreements (CBA) in July, with the first agreement being signed in connection with the $1.4-billion Pattullo Bridge replacement.

Under the deal, local, Indigenous, female and apprentice workers will get priority on provincial projects.

It also requires all workers on the project to be unionized, and locks in union wages.

That provision doesn’t appear to have ruffled too many feathers.

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According to the poll, seven in 10 respondents either “strongly” (26 per cent) or “moderately” (44 per cent) support the use of CBAs for publicly funded projects.

Sixteen per cent said they were opposed, while a further 13 per cent were undecided.

Two-thirds of respondents also said they either strongly or moderately supported CBA requirements to take on at least a quarter of workers as apprentices, while 14 per cent were opposed and 18 per cent undecided.

Support was highest among women (75 per cent) and people in southern B.C., where the Pattullo and the second announced CBA — for work on Highway 1 — are located.

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