Hydro woes continue to drag Kathleen Wynne’s popularity down
Posted March 24, 2017 12:12 pm.
Last Updated March 24, 2017 1:11 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Kathleen Wynne’s popularity as premier is the lowest among Canadian provincial leaders, according to the latest quarterly poll from the Angus Reid Institute.
Echoing results of similar polls over the past few months, Wynne’s approval rating within Ontario has slipped to 12 per cent, a four point drop since the last survey was taken.
The Hydro One sale continues to be the albatross around the Liberal premier’s neck. More than eight in 10 Ontarian’s say they are opposed to the sale of Hydro One with 49 per cent of those saying they are “strongly” opposed to privatization. Another 76 per cent of those polled say they expect the sale to lead to even higher hydro rates.
As well, three quarters of Ontarians describe their household energy bills as “unreasonable”.
More than three in four say the electricity-related issues will be important factors when it comes to deciding who to vote for in the next provincial election.
While Wynne’s approval continues to tumble, it was not the most dramatic fall among the other 10 premiers. Brad Wall of Saskatchewan saw his popularity slip six per cent, however, he remains the most popular of the provincial leaders at 52 per cent.
Only Quebec’s Philippe Couillard saw his popularity increase, up five per cent, thanks in large part to his handling of a multiple shooting at an Islamic Cultural Centre that left six dead.
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The online poll was conducted from March 6 to 13 and surveyed 804 Ontarians from a representative randomized sample of 5,404 Canadian adults who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
