Chow sees support slipping ahead of budget vote this week: poll

Support for Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow appears to be waning ahead of a final vote on her budget this week, according to a recent poll.

The The latest Liaison Strategies survey Chow estimates his support has fallen to 55 percent since he was elected last June, after hovering between 75 and 71 percent.

“Olivia Chow's honeymoon is over,” says David Valentine, director of Liaison Strategies.

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Olivia Chow is doing as mayor of Toronto?

Chow's approach to crime is a driving factor behind his declining numbers, with only 48 percent of respondents approving of his work in fighting crime in the city.

“Support for cutting funding for Toronto police to fund social services has dropped from 39 per cent to 31 per cent, with 44 per cent now against the measure,” says Valentine.

The mayor still scores highly on a number of issues, including the city's relationship with the federal and provincial governments and affordable housing.

“The numbers tell us that Torontonians largely approve of how things are going now,” says Valentine. “An approval rating in the 70 percent range is always going to be difficult for any politician, especially when tough conversations about the budget and tax rates are in the spotlight.”

The City Council will meet Wednesday to finalize Chow's 2024 spending plan, which includes a 9.5 percent property tax increase for homeowners. According to the survey, almost half of the respondents approve the budget.

“When we asked Torontonians during the election whether the city was moving in the right or wrong direction, most told us it was moving in the wrong direction,” says Valentine, and nearly half (49%) of respondents said the city is currently moving in the right direction.

Do you think the city of Toronto is headed in the right direction or the wrong direction?

According to respondents, affordable housing, transit and crime are the top three issues in the city.

The communications organization surveyed 875 random Torontonians between February 5th and February 6th.