Ontario Progressive Conservatives lead in new provincial poll

A new poll by Liaison Strategies shows the Ontario Progressive Conservatives maintaining a lead in provincial support with 40 per cent, ahead of the Ontario Liberals at 34 per cent and the NDP at 21 per cent. While the governing PCs have held onto gains made in August, a significant majority of respondents—70 per cent—believe the province is heading in the wrong direction.

Premier Doug Ford’s personal approval rating has seen a modest recovery, rising to 38 per cent from 24 per cent in July, while his disapproval rating decreased to 59 per cent.

Simultaneously, the Ontario Liberal leadership race faces challenges regarding candidate visibility. Despite being considered a frontrunner, former federal cabinet minister Navdeep Bains is unrecognized by 52 per cent of respondents. Other contenders, including Stephanie Bowman, Lee Fairclough, Eric Lombardi, and Dylan Marando, face even higher levels of unfamiliarity, with up to 85 per cent of voters not recognizing them. Analysts suggest this low name recognition may allow the Progressive Conservatives to define the candidates before they can establish their own messages.