Opinion Split on Tolls for Gardiner, DVP
Mayor Tory’s approval down
TORONTO November 25th – In
a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 730 Toronto
voters the evening after Mayor John Tory announced his support for tolling the
Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway to pay for transit projects,
there is an exactly even split in opinion on the idea. Just fewer than a half
approve (46%) and the same proportion disapprove (45%). One tenth don’t have an
opinion (9%).
Approval of tolls is characteristic
of the oldest (59%), the very wealthiest ($100K to $250K - 57%), the best
educated (post grad - 52%), those who commute by public transit (50%), those
who approve of John Tory (58%) and who voted for him or Olivia Chow (56% each).
Disapproval is common to the mid aged
(45 to 54 - 52%), the least wealthy (50%), mothers with children under 18
(50%), private vehicle commuters (60%), those who disapprove of John Tory (67%)
and those who voted for Doug Ford in 2014 (61%).
Of those who approve of the mayor,
3-in10 oppose the tolls (31%), as do 4-in-10 of those who voted for him (38%).
More than half would use these highways
less or not at all
In total, more than half (54%) would
use these two highways less (31%) or not at all (23%) if they were tolled. The
plurality, close to 4-in-10, claim their usage would not change (38%)..
4-in-10 less likely to vote Tory in 2018
if tolling occurs
Just less than 4-in-10 voters are
less likely now to vote for John Tory for mayor in the municipal elections of
2018 if the tolling occurs (38%), while about one fifth are more likely to vote
for him (21%). The plurality, one third, are no more nor less likely to vote
for the mayor than they were before the tolling was brought up (36%). In other
words, more than one half won’t change their vote or will change it to Tory
(57%).
Being more favourable to the mayor is
typical of the oldest (31%), males (25%) rather than females (18%), the
wealthiest (28%), the best educated (post grad - 29%), those who already
approve of the mayor (29%) and those who voted for him (30%).
Saying one is less likely to vote John
Tory if the tolling occurs is characteristic of mid aged voters (35 to 54 -
46%), lower income groups ($20K to $40K - 46%), those with the least education
(46%), private vehicle commuters (49%), those who disapprove of the mayor (62%)
and Doug Ford voters (62%).
Mayor’s approval down
The mayor now has the approval of
just more than 6-in-10 Toronto voters (61%), compared to more than two thirds
approval just ten days ago (November 16 - 68%). Approval is common to the
oldest (69%), the wealthiest ($100K to $250K - 69%), mothers of children under
18 (61%), those with college or university degrees (65%) and those who voted
for him (77%). Among these Tory voters, just more than one quarter now
disapprove of his performance (23%).
“This is good news for the mayor. For
a perennially unpopular idea like road tolls to receive approval from almost
half the voters, and to be tied with those who disapprove is unheard of. And
while the mayor has seen some of the shine come off his lofty approval ratings
with this announcement, he really doesn’t risk losing that much of his past
vote in the coming election, and he still manages more than half the
electorate’s support. It may be that Torontonians have finally come to realize
this city has to start paying for itself,” 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.
