Poll Position: Support for Rob Ford Drops Across Toronto

By Hamutal Dotan

The mayor’s job approval rating:

Etobicoke-York: 50% (down 8% from June 1)

Scarborough: 49% (↓ 10%)

North York: 43% (↓ 26%)

Toronto East-York: 30% (↓ 14%)

TORONTO OVERALL: 42% (↓ 15%)

Poll taken: Monday September 12
Sample size: 1,046
Margin of Error: +/-3%, 19 times out of 20
Conducted by: Forum Research

NOTES: In the first major poll released since the administration started its detailed budget review process, Ford’s support has weakened in every part of Toronto, including his home base of Etobicoke. Most striking is the steep drop in approval in North York—this despite Ford’s vehement defence of a Sheppard subway line that will, he believes, be a great boon to that part of the city (though so far nobody has signed up to fund or build it). The poll was taken immediately after a long list of budget cut proposals were announced on Monday, and the sharpness of the decline indicates that Torontonians are not as excited about the prospect of these “savings opportunities” as the administration’s cheerleading would have us believe. Lorne Bozinoff, head of Forum Research, had glum words for Ford: “This drop in support has come without any cutbacks actually coming into effect, we’re only at the idea stage. This is a ceiling—I think it’s going to get a lot worse for him before it gets better.”