Poll: BC Conservatives gaining momentum, Eby still favoured as premier
A new Leger poll suggests the BC Conservatives are now in pole position.
The survey was taken from Sept. 27 through 30 and found the BC Conservatives with 46 per cent of the vote, compared to 43 per cent for the NDP. The Greens sit at 10 per cent.
- Full coverage: B.C. Election 2024
Steven Mossop with Leger says the Conservatives have seen a steady rise in polling over the past month.
“Right now, it’s all in the hands of the Conservatives,” said Mossop. “The last four waves we’ve seen an increase of about seven points in the intention of the Conservative vote.”
The survey showed the BC Conservatives unexpectedly gaining with young people and women voters.
“Typically, parties that are considered to be right-wing parties don’t do well in those categories,” said Mossop.
With housing affordability as a key election issue, one political scientist believes young people are seeking change in the status quo.
“Young people are feeling increasingly of the view that they won’t be able to afford a house, ever,” said Hamish Telford, a political science professor.
“That’s got them quite concerned.”
While the Conservative wave appears to be rising, there’s uncertainty about party leader John Rustad. The poll finds Rustad (38%) trailing NDP Leader David Eby (45%) as the "perceived best fit as premier." Green Leader Sonia Furstenau polled at 16 per cent.
“We have an instance where the party seems to be more popular than the leader, which you don’t often see in election tracking,” said Mossop.
“From the polls, it’s still not absolutely clear that British Columbians know who Rustad is,” said Telford.
Telford says he believes the BC Conservatives continue to benefit from the popularity of federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Despite the Conservatives appearing to have the slight edge, the poll also found the number of undecided voters could sway the election.
“With nine points undecided, it depends on where those people go. That will determine the outcome on election day,” said Mossop. “We could see a swing either way depending on where those voters end up.”
The Leger poll was conducted online among 1,002 B.C.-based respondents ages 18 and older. The participants were "randomly recruited" from Leger's online panel.
For comparison purposes, a probability sample of 1,002 respondents would have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Robert Pickton's handwritten book seized after his death in hopes of uncovering new evidence
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel's most wanted man.
Indian government employee charged in foiled murder-for-hire plot in New York City
The U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges Thursday against an Indian government employee in connection with a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.