Presumed consent for organ donation is strongly opposed by 45 per cent of Canadians, a poll suggests. (CBC)

Canada's relatively low rate of organ donation doesn't seem to be due to a lack of public support for the idea, a poll suggests.

Next week's International Transplant Society Congress in Vancouver plans to include a panel discussion on improving blood donation and transplantation rates.

Canadians are strong supporters of both organ and tissue donation, with 95 per cent of respondents approving, according to a poll released Friday by Canadian Blood Services.

But in 2005, Canada's rate of organ donation for deceased donors was 12.8 per million, behind that of other countries such as Spain (35.1 per million) and the U.S. (21.5 per million).

Half of Canadians polled said they have decided to donate their organs at the time of death, 42 per cent are undecided and seven per cent have decided not to.

Two-thirds of respondents, 68 per cent, were unable to provide a response about what organization is responsible for organ and tissue donations in each province.

Presumed consent opposed by many

When asked, those surveyed listed improving access to organs as fourth out of seven health-care priorities, after increasing the number of doctors, improving access to cancer care, and improving access to X-rays, MRIs and other diagnostic equipment.

Canadians differed on potential solutions. Of those polled, 88 per cent said they believed the wishes of a deceased person who has signed a donor card or registered their intent should be followed, regardless of the wishes of next of kin.

Fewer, 54 per cent, said they favoured "presumed consent," in which organs and tissues are considered public good unless one opts out, and 45 per cent were strongly opposed to such a system.

In 2008, provincial and territorial health ministers expanded the mandate of Canadian Blood Services to organ and tissue donation and transplantation.

Quebec has its own provincial agency.

In 2008, there were more than 2,000 organ transplants performed in Canada, while at the same time more than 4,300 Canadians remained on a wait list for transplantation. During that period, 215 died without receiving a transplant that might have saved their lives.

The blood agency commissioned the poll by Ipsos Reid. The national survey of 1,500 Canadian adults was conducted by telephone between March 24 and March 30.

The margin of error for the national survey was plus or minus 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.