(08/28/10) -

Ford Has Six-Point Lead Over Smitherman in Toronto Race

Support for Ford is markedly higher in the inner suburbs, while Smitherman is ahead in Downtown Toronto.

Support for Ford is markedly higher in the inner suburbs, while Smitherman is ahead in Downtown Toronto.

Rob Ford holds the upper hand as voters in the City of Toronto ponder their choices in the mayoral election, a new Toronto Star / Angus Reid poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative sample of 501 adults in the City of Toronto, 42 per cent of decided voters and leaners would vote for Ford in the election.

George Smitherman is second with 36 per cent, followed by Joe Pantalone with 11 per cent. Two other candidates are in single-digits: Sarah Thompson (6%) and Rocco Rossi (5%).

In the downtown area, Smitherman holds a 14-point lead over Ford (45% to 31%). In the inner suburbs, Ford has a 21-point advantage over Smitherman (50% to 29%).

Ford’s Statements

Three-in-five respondents (60%) agree that there are so many problems in Toronto that the City cannot look after its own issues. A majority (56%) also support the notion of getting rid of Toronto’s fair-wage policy, which requires anyone winning a City contract to pay union rates to its workers, in order to save taxpayers money and create jobs. Two- thirds of respondents (67%) reject the notion of not allowing any more immigrants into the City of Toronto.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
+416 712 5498
jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From August 25 to August 26, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 501 randomly selected adults in the City of Toronto who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 4.4%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Toronto. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.