Wide
majority see UPX as too costly to ride
High approval for SmartTrack, but few see benefit to them
TORONTO DECEMBER
18th, 2014 - In
a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 1001 Toronto
voters, close to 7-in-10 say the Union-Pearson Express or UPX is too expensive
at $27 one way or $19 with a Presto Card (69%), while fewer than a quarter see
it as being priced correctly (23%). Those who think the price is right are most
likely Boomers (55 to 64 - 29%), mid income groups ($60K to $80K - 28%), those
who drive rather than take transit (27%) and John Tory voters (29%).
Fewer than one fifth are very likely to use UPX, 1-in-4 in total
Just
fewer than one fifth say there very likely to use UPX to get to the airport at
these fares and with the two planned stops (18%). Those most likely to take UPX
are male (22%), the least wealthy (24%), residents of the downtown (28%),
Olivia Chow voters (23%) and those who live wealthy neighbourhoods (22%) or
those getting more wealthy (27%). In total just more than 4-in-10 say they are
likely to use UPX to get to the airport if that was a trip they had to take
(42%).
High approval for SmartTrack among those aware of it
In
total, two thirds of Torontonians have heard about the SmartTrack transit plan
(67%) and, of these, an identical proportion approve of it (67%). Those most
likely to approve of SmartTrack are the youngest (73%), the oldest (73%), those
in North York (74%) and those who take transit (72%), the best educated (post
grad - 71%), provincial Liberals (73%) and in neighbourhoods wealthier than
others (72%) and those getting wealthier than others (71%).
Majority see no benefit to themselves, neighbourhood from
SmartTrack
Despite
the high approval for the SmartTrack plan, the majority of those aware of it
say it will not benefit themselves or their neighbourhoods (55%), while just
more than a quarter say it will (28%). One fifth have no opinion (17%).
Believing it will benefit oneself and one's neighbourhood is characteristic of
the youngest (49%), males (32%), the least wealthy (32%), mid income groups
($60K to $80K - 31%), in Scarborough (32%), among transit users (33%), renters
(31%), those with some college or university (31%), residents of the downtown
(34%), in neighbourhoods seen to be less wealthy than others (37%) and among
those who approve of SmartTrack (38%). Thus, among those who approve of
SmartTrack, more feel it will be of no benefit to themselves and their
neighbours (41%) than think it will be a benefit (38%).
One quarter cast mayoral ballot to support SmartTrack
In
answer to a question often posed, just more than a quarter of Toronto voters
voted for a mayoral candidate because they themselves wanted to support
SmartTrack (26%). Fully 6-in-10 were not motivated to vote by their support for
SmartTrack (60%), and one tenth have no opinion (13%). Those who cast their
ballot in favour of SmartTrack include the youngest (32%), the least educated
(36%), provincial Liberals (31%), in Etobicoke (30%), in neighbourhoods seen to
be wealthier than others (32%) and among more than a third of those who approve
of SmartTrack (37%). John Tory voters were the most likely to say they had
voted to support SmartTrack (44%). Ford (12%) and Chow voters (13%) didn't cast
their ballots to favour the plan.
"Unfortunately, it appears the
Union-Pearson Express appeals primarily to the wealthy, which was not its
planned role. The SmartTrack plan, on the other hand, has high approval across
the board, and a surprisingly large number of mayoral voters say it was the
reason they cast their ballot the way they did. This bodes well for its future
uptake," said Forum
Research President, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff.
Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum
Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416)
960-9603.
