Investors Group Inc.’s first ever RRSP exit poll shows 42% of eligible Canadians made an RRSP contribution for the 2006 tax year, despite the market turbulence last week.

Conducted immediately following the 2006 contribution deadline, the RRSP exit poll offers a first glance at Canadians’ RRSP decisions this year.

The results also show that working with a financial advisor has a positive influence on retirement savings: 55% of those who made an RRSP contribution consulted a financial advisor, and 24% of those individuals decided to contribute more money to their RRSP after speaking with an advisor.

Regionally, Albertans were the most likely to have contributed to an RRSP with 53% having invested compared to 42% nationally.

Boomers were also enthusiastic RRSP contributors, with 51% of eligible Canadians aged 45-64 making an RRSP contribution. The average RRSP contribution among Boomers willing to disclose their contributed amount was $6,006.

RRSP contributors are also more likely to have vacation plans this winter: while 18% of working Canadians have plans to travel to a warmer climate this winter, 24% of RRSP contributors have made vacation plans.

The Decima data were gathered during March 1-4 through Decima teleVox. Results are based on a sample of 1,026 Canadians and the corresponding margin of error is 3.1%, 19 times out of 20.