POLL: BC Conservatives lead NDP by 11 points despite voters knowing little about new leader

The BC Conservatives have opened an 11-point lead among decided voters over the governing BC NDP despite most British Columbians knowing little or nothing about the party’s new leader, according to a new Angus Reid Institute poll.The survey found widespread dissatisfaction with the direction of the province, with 60% of British Columbians saying B.C. is on the wrong track compared to just 19% who believe it is headed in the right direction.Among decided voters, the BC Conservatives hold a significant advantage over the NDP, suggesting voter frustration with the government may be outweighing concerns about the relative anonymity of newly elected Conservative leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay.The poll found 89% of respondents know little or nothing about Findlay, who recently took over leadership of the opposition party.The findings suggest the NDP’s political challenges extend beyond the identity of its opponent. The provincial government received net negative ratings on every major issue measured in the survey.The harshest criticism was directed at the government's handling of health care, housing affordability, cost of living, street crime, addictions and homelessness.Just one-in-10 respondents said the government is doing a good job managing homelessness and poverty, while a similar number approved of its handling of drug use, addictions and the opioid crisis. More than 80% said both issues are being handled poorly..While current vote intention favours the Conservatives, the poll indicates the political landscape could remain competitive as voters become more familiar with Findlay.When asked which party they would consider supporting in the next provincial election, 42% selected the Conservatives compared to 38% for the NDP. The BC Greens were considered an option by 26% of respondents.The survey also found strong loyalty among Conservative supporters. Nearly all past Conservative voters, 94%, said they would support the party again if an election were held tomorrow.Among previous NDP voters, 76% said they would vote for the governing party again.The poll highlights the challenge facing Premier David Eby’s government as concerns over affordability, public safety and health care continue to dominate public opinion.The Angus Reid Institute conducted the survey online among a representative sample of British Columbians. Full results are available at angusreid.org.

POLL: BC Conservatives lead NDP by 11 points despite voters knowing little about new leader

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