Relatively Little Enthusiasm For PPPs

| Filed under: Ontario

Relatively Little Enthusiasm For PPPs

Private sector seen to benefit more than public sector

TORONTO November 23rd – In a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 1184 Ontario voters, the slim plurality (39%) approves of Public-Private Partnerships, or PPPs or P3s, while as many as one quarter disapprove (24%). A large proportion, however, don’t have an opinion on the subject (37%). Favouring PPPs is characteristic of mid aged groups (45 to 54 - 46%), males (44%) rather than females (36%), the very wealthiest ($100K to $250K - 54%), in Toronto (46%), among PCs (46%) and Liberals (44%) and the best educated (post grad - 48%).

Most see private sector benefitting from PPPs

Close to one half of Ontario voters think the private sector gets the greatest benefit from PPPs (46%), whereas fewer than one quarter this proportion thinks the public sector benefits most (10%). Just one fifth think they both benefit equally (21%) and one quarter have no idea in the matter (23%). Those who think the private sector benefits most are especially likely to be the youngest (52%), the wealthy ($80K to $100K - 61%) and New Democrats (54%).

“The lure of P3s is seductive, and more voters approve of them than disapprove, but the awareness that the public sector very rarely profits from them is widespread,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.