Majority disagree with cancelling Brampton LRT
Two thirds agree city needs an LRT
TORONTO November 23rd - In a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 728 Brampton voters, the majority disagree with council’s decision to cancel the LRT along Hurontario Street (52%), while just more than a quarter agree with the controversial decision (27%). One fifth don’t have an opinion (21%).
Disagreeing with council’s decision is characteristic of the youngest (59%), males (57%), higher income groups ($80K to $100K - 70%), Mayor Jeffrey voters (58%), provincial PC (59%) and NDP voters (64%), in the northeast quadrant of the city (as defined by Queen Street and Hurontario - 59%).
Two thirds say Brampton needs an LRT
Two thirds agree Brampton needs an LRT (64%), even more than are disappointed by council’s decision, and those most likely to favour an LRT for the city are the mid aged (45 to 54 - 70%), those in the highest income brackets ($80K to $100K - 82%, $100K to $250K - 80%), Jeffrey voters (75%), provincial PC voters (71%) and those in the southeast quadrant of the city.
Two thirds disapprove of council’s 7% raise
Two thirds of Brampton voters disapprove of council voting themselves a 7% raise (69%), and this is especially the case among the oldest (80%), the wealthiest (79%), Jeffrey (82%) and Sanderson voters (81%), provincial Liberals and property owners (77%) in the southeast quadrant of the city (79%).
Mayor Jeffrey’s approvals still high
Mayor Jeffrey has the approval of 6-in-10 voters (59%), which is very positive, but not quite as high as when we last polled in January (January 15 - 66%). The Mayor is especially popular among the mid aged (45 to 54 - 68%), in mid income groups ($60K to $80K - 66%), among provincial PCs (67%) in the northeast quadrant of the city (65%) who are renters (65%). Her net favourable score (approve minus disapprove) is a positive +18, down from a very positive +32 in January.
Two thirds are happy with outcome of mayoral election
Two thirds of Brampton voters are happy with the mayoral election’s outcome (64%), while just more were happy about this back in January (70%).
Two thirds rate Jeffrey better mayor than Fennell
Two thirds of the voters in Brampton say Linda Jeffrey is a better mayor than Susan Fennell (67%), and as many as 4-in-10 say Jeffrey is a “much better mayor” (41%). Fewer than one in twenty says Fennell was a “much better mayor" than Jeffrey (4%).
Very few think Brampton City Council is excellent
Fewer than one fifth give a positive performance rating to Brampton City Council (excellent - 3%, good - 15%), and as many as 3-in-10 say the council does a “poor” job (31%). Thinking this is common to males (39%), the very wealthiest ($100K to $250K - 39%), Sanderson voters (35%), provincial Liberals (35%), and property owners in the northeast quadrant of Brampton.
“It’s clear cancelling the LRT is seen as a mistake, and it appears to have reflected negatively on a mayor who had enjoyed vary favourable ratings from her constituents. The overall poor rating given to city council for the job is doing, however, has to be a matter of grave concern to the city,” 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.
