ThinkHQ/Metro News Poll
A recent ThinkHQ/Metro News Poll finds that a majority of Albertans disapprove of the Provincial Government’s management of the provincial economy, and feel the NDP government has had a negative impact on their lives.
- Over six-in-ten (62%) Albertans disapprove of the Notley Government’s management of the provincial economy, with almost one-half (46%) offering strong negative ratings. In comparison, only one-third (33%) of Alberta voters approve of how the provincial government is managing the economy
- Edmonton residents offer the most positive evaluation of GOA’s economic stewardship (44% approve), but even here one-half (50%) offer a “thumb’s down” to their economic plan
- Evaluations are highly partisan, with past Wildrose and PC voters offering the most harsh evaluation, and future NDP voters the most favourable. Fully one-third (33%) of NDP voters from 2015 disapprove of the Government’s handling of economic matters today
- Over one-half (52%) of Albertans feel the NDP government has had a negative impact on their lives since taking office in May 2015, compared to just under one-quarter (23%) who feel they have had a positive influence, and 25% saying they’ve had no real influence at all
- Partisan and regional evaluations tend to follow the same pattern. Edmontonians are most likely to say the NDP government has had a positive impact on their lives, but even in the capital region, a plurality say the government’s influence has been negative
- Wildrose and PC voters overwhelmingly say the NDP have been a negative influence on their lives. Meanwhile three-quarters (77%) of future NDP voters say they are personally better off due to the government. One-fifth (21%) of those who voted NDP in 2015 now say the government they voted for has done them more harm than good
“Albertans don’t blame the current government for the price of oil and some of the other underlying causes of Alberta’s economic troubles, but a majority certainly don’t approve of how the Notley Government has managed the economy in difficult times, “ says Marc Henry, President of ThinkHQ Public Affairs, Inc.
“Whether it’s the size of provincial debts and deficits, minimum wage changes, carbon tax, and so on, these actions are adding up in terms of voters’ evaluation of the government’s economic stewardship. More troubling for the government at this stage in their mandate is the finding that over one-half of Albertans feel the NDP have had a negative impact on their lives personally. That’s a ballot question – are you better off than before? At the very least, typically for a government to be successful at the polls they need to be seen to ‘do no harm’.”
Click the link to view detailed findings and methodology: Metro Poll July 2017 – Provincial Government Approval