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News

New Poll Finds Majority of Ontarians Reject Doug Ford’s Reason For Calling an Early Election

Over six-in-ten Ontarians say Doug Ford’s Ontario PCs failed to accomplish goals from last election and “do not deserve to be re-elected”

As Doug Ford rolls the dice and takes a gamble on an early election, new polling suggests most Ontarians are not buying his excuse for calling an unnecessary election midway through his term.

According to new polling data from Abacus Data obtained by PressProgress, a majority of Ontarians feel Ford’s government already has “all the power they need” to deal with Donald Trump and that an early election call would only be “self-serving.”

61% of respondents agreed “Doug Ford and his PC Party already have all the power they need” and an “early provincial election would be self-serving for them” – “Premier Ford should just get to work passing legislation if he’s serious about addressing any threats posed by Trump.”

Only 39% of respondents agreed with Ford’s position that Trump’s presidency and “threats of large tariffs being applied to goods and services exported from Canada to the US means we need a provincial election in Ontario as soon as possible.”

Source: Abacus Data / CUPE Ontario

The poll surveyed 996 Ontario residents between January 22 to January 26, 2025, only days before Ford called a snap election on January 28, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%. The poll was commissioned by CUPE Ontario, the political wing of the Canadian Union of Public Employees. Abacus Data is an accredited polling agency with the Canadian Research Insights Council.

Ford’s own pollster, Nick Kouvalis, has also been quietly polling Ontarians over the last year testing the waters about whether Ontarians would be okay with an early election. One of Kouvalis’ most recent rounds of polling floats the idea that the province’s economy will suffer heavy job losses and higher prices in 2025.

Abacus Data’s results suggest skepticism about Ford’s rationale for calling an early election is widely felt and transcends party lines.

58% of past Ontario PC voters agree Ford’s early election call is self-serving, as do 59% of past voters for the federal Conservatives. By contrast, 69% of past voters for the official opposition Ontario NDP also said the early election call is self-serving.

Regionally, voters in Southwestern Ontario were most likely to say Ford’s early election call is self-serving (69%) while older voting groups, including those 60 and older (72%) and 45 to 59 (66%), said they would rather see Ford get back to work rather than hold an early election.

And although Ford ran in 2022 under the slogan “Get It Done,” the poll finds most Ontarians think Ford has failed to get things done and does not deserve to be re-elected.

Over six-in-ten Ontarians (63%) agreed Doug Ford’s Ontario PC government has “not gotten it done,” breaking their promises to fix healthcare and make housing available and affordable. “They do not deserve to be re-elected and it’s time for someone else to govern Ontario.”

Only, 37% of Ontarians agreed Ford’s government has “gotten it done” and “deserve to be re-elected to a third term governing Ontario.”

Source: Abacus Data / CUPE Ontario

Over one-third of Ford’s own past supporters (38%) and past federal Conservative voters (39%) agree Ford’s Ontario PC government did not “get it done” and believe they do not deserve re-election.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of voters in Southwestern Ontario similarly agree Ford did not meet his goals as well as two-thirds of voters 60 and over (66%).

Source: CUPE Ontario

CUPE Ontario also launched an ad campaign ahead of Ford’s early election drop this week called “Fire The Boss” which seeks to draw attention to Doug Ford’s “bribe and blame” game, using tactics to “blame” others to distract for his record in office and “bribe” Ontarians with their own money.

“The campaign highlights Ford’s pattern of blaming others – workers, immigrants, and the federal government – for problems he’s made worse, while distracting Ontarians with ‘bribes’ like empty promises and flashy payouts,” CUPE Ontario said in a release.

 

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Luke LeBrun
Editor
Luke LeBrun is the Editor of PressProgress. His reporting focuses on the federal political scene, right-wing politics as well as issues in technology, media and culture.

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