New poll suggests Doug Ford's PC party has nine-point lead ahead of June election
Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative party appear to have an early lead over the NDP and Liberals with the spring provincial election still months away, a new poll has found.
The Abacus Data poll of 1,210 adult voters across Ontario found that 37 per cent would vote to re-elect the PC government if an election were held today, compared to 28 per cent who would vote for the Liberals and 25 per cent who would vote for the NDP. Five per cent of respondents said that they would vote for the Green party while another five per cent said that they would vote for another party.
The poll comes on the heels of the release of an Angus Reid Institute survey, which suggested that only 29 per cent of Ontarians approve of the job Ford is doing as premier, his lowest approval rating to date.
The Abacus poll, however, paints a more optimistic picture for the Tories when it comes to their electoral chances in June.
“The PCs start 2022 with the advantage but not one that is not insurmountable. There is widespread dissatisfaction with the Ford government and Premier Ford himself, although not to the extent it was prior to the pandemic,” CEO David Coletto said in a posting accompanying the poll results. “If an election was held today, the PCs would likely win thanks to a divided opposition and strength in all parts of the province.”
The Abacus poll found that about one-third of respondents (32 per cent) have a positive impression of Doug Ford while 46 per cent have a negative impression and 20 per cent have a neutral impression.
The percentage of respondents who have a positive impression of Andrea Horwath was the same (32 per cent) but only 30 per cent had a negative impression of the NDP leader.
Meanwhile, only 20 per cent of respondents said that they had a positive impression of Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca. That said the percentage of respondents who had a negative impression of Del Duca was the lowest among the three major party leaders (26 per cent).
The bad news for the Ford government is that when it comes to the top issue for voters – the COVID-19 pandemic – 50 per cent of respondents rated the Tories performance as poor or very poor.
The Tories also scored poorly on housing affordability (65 per cent poor or very poor) and the rising cost of living (67 per cent poor or very poor).
“Housing affordability and inflation are two areas where the provincial government performs worst and they become liabilities for the PCs if they don’t have compelling solutions in the lead up to the election,” Coletto warned.
The Abacus Data survey was conducted over the phone between Jan. 7 and Jan. 12. It is considered accurate to within 2.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Parliamentary report on Emergencies Act decision is 18 months past due — and counting
The erstwhile group of senators and MPs studying the federal government's invocation of the Emergencies Act over the "Freedom Convoy" was supposed to present its findings in December. December of 2022, that is.
Drone footage shows Ukrainian village battered to ruins as residents flee Russian advance
The Ukrainian village of Ocheretyne has been battered by fighting, drone footage obtained by The Associated Press shows. The village has been a target for Russian forces in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Egypt media cite progress in truce talks as Israel downplays chances of end to war with Hamas
A delegation of the Palestinian militant group Hamas was in Cairo on Saturday as Egyptian state media reported "noticeable progress" in ongoing cease-fire talks with Israel while an Israeli official downplayed the prospects for a full end to the war.
Bystander livestreams during Charlotte standoff show an ever-growing appetite for social media video
Saing Chhoeun was locked out of his Charlotte, N.C., home on Monday as law enforcement with high-powered rifles descended into his yard and garage, using a car as a shield as they were met with a shower of gunfire from the direction of his neighbor's house.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.