Majority
favour new Honest Ed’s retail and housing development
All-rental, no-condo model appeals to wealthy
TORONTO, March
15th, 2015 - In
a random sampling of public opinion taken by The Forum Poll™ among 520 Toronto
voters, the majority approve of the retail and housing development proposed for
the Honest Ed’s site at Bloor and Bathurst (57%). Just one quarter disapprove
(25%) and fewer than one fifth do not have an opinion (18%).
Approval highest among the wealthy
Higher
approval is evident among the wealthier voters ($80K to $100K - 71%), as well
as the oldest (63%), John Tory voters (65%), provincial PC voters (63%) and
those who have flown in or out of Toronto airports in the past year (67%).
Disapproval is characteristic of mid income groups ($60K to $80K - 33%), Doug
Ford voters (32%) and those who disapprove of John Tory as mayor (32%).
"The Honest Ed’s development
is characteristic of the new urbanism, with its focus on family sized units and
a rental only model. It strikes a blow at condo culture, and those who are at
the higher end of the income scale, and have moved beyond or never lived in
condos, are most interested. This maybe the evidence of the downsizing into the
core movement we hear about," 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.
