VANCOUVER – Ontarians’ relationship with their provincial government these days is much like the weather – frosty.
The latest data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds Premier Doug Ford’s government criticized heavily on all but one of the issues Ontarians deem most important.
On cost of living, health care, and housing affordability, four-in-five say the government has performed poorly. The only issue for which the government receives more praise than condemnation is its ongoing handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This holiday ill-will extends to Ford himself. Alongside tumbling approval levels, he is also the most likely figure to be blamed for a recent dispute between the government and education workers. More than two-in-five (45%) primarily blame Ford, while 41% say Education Minister Stephen Lecce is most responsible.
One-in-three (32%) say the education union bears most of the blame, while 14% say all parties share it equally. Importantly, those with children between the ages of five and 17 at home are equally likely to blame Ford, Lecce and the union for the whole ordeal.
While criticism of the government is significant, a fractured opposition means a continued comfortable vote intention lead for the governing Progressive Conservatives.
When asked “if an election were held today,” nearly two-in-five (37%) would support Ford’s party, while one-quarter would vote for either the Ontario Liberals (25%) or official opposition NDP (27%).
Three-in-five Ontario residents choose cost of living/inflation (63%) and health care (61%) as their top concerns for the province. Both priorities well outpace housing affordability (34%).
