{"id":713,"date":"2026-07-24T08:20:21","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T12:20:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/currentmaple.com\/?p=713"},"modified":"2026-07-24T08:28:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T12:28:42","slug":"ontario-liberals-poll-lead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/currentmaple.com\/?p=713","title":{"rendered":"Ontario Liberals Poll Lead Widens Amid Ford&#8217;s Falling Popularity"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"713\" class=\"elementor elementor-713\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-185b7468 e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-185b7468-cc435f1 \" data-id=\"185b7468\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"185b7468\">\n    \t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2e43c8d6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2e43c8d6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"933\" src=\"https:\/\/currentmaple.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/32d74b03b05318e1e5816507f61abc2df80977e3bbb680dbe9b5d8541eb4aa9c.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-715\" alt=\"Doug Ford press conference amid Ontario Liberals poll lead coverage\" srcset=\"https:\/\/currentmaple.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/32d74b03b05318e1e5816507f61abc2df80977e3bbb680dbe9b5d8541eb4aa9c.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/currentmaple.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/32d74b03b05318e1e5816507f61abc2df80977e3bbb680dbe9b5d8541eb4aa9c-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/currentmaple.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/32d74b03b05318e1e5816507f61abc2df80977e3bbb680dbe9b5d8541eb4aa9c-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/currentmaple.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/32d74b03b05318e1e5816507f61abc2df80977e3bbb680dbe9b5d8541eb4aa9c-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Doug Ford press conference amid Ontario Liberals poll lead coverage<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-50619471 e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-50619471-1aa7967 \" data-id=\"50619471\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"50619471\">\n    \t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-42fde2f9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"42fde2f9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f17df9 e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-5f17df9-d97217e \" data-id=\"5f17df9\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"5f17df9\">\n    \t\t\t<h2 data-interaction-id=\"2db2d8e7\" class=\"e-2db2d8e7-cfecd32 e-heading-base\">Ontario Liberals Poll Lead Widens Amid Ford's Falling Popularity<\/h2>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1548b9a1 e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-1548b9a1-be356d6 \" data-id=\"1548b9a1\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"1548b9a1\">\n    \t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e16c55c elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"3e16c55c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-75fbf97b e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-75fbf97b-f08c17f \" data-id=\"75fbf97b\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"75fbf97b\">\n    \t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-52369b03 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"52369b03\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">A fresh survey confirms the <strong>Ontario Liberals poll lead<\/strong> over the Progressive Conservatives, even as Premier Doug Ford&#8217;s personal approval continues to crumble. The numbers arrive while his government battles a growing scandal tied to MPP hotel expenses. As a result, Ford now faces one of the toughest political stretches of his premiership.<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">Liaison Strategies conducted its latest <em>Ontario Political Tracker<\/em> poll on July 20 and July 21, 2026. Among decided and leaning voters, the Liberals sit at 38 per cent, ahead of the PCs at 33 per cent. The NDP trails behind at 24 per cent. When undecided voters are included, the Liberals hold 33 per cent, the PCs stand at 29 per cent, and the NDP sits at 21 per cent.<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>Meanwhile<\/em>, the premier&#8217;s own numbers tell an even sharper story. Ford&#8217;s approval rating has fallen dramatically, and the trend line is not encouraging for his party heading into the next stretch of his term.<\/p><hr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\" \/><h3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\" dir=\"ltr\">Ford&#8217;s Approval Rating Hits a New Low<\/h3><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">The <strong>Ontario Liberals poll lead<\/strong> is notable, but Ford&#8217;s personal numbers stand out even more. According to the survey, <em>72 per cent<\/em> of respondents disapprove of his performance as premier. Only 24 per cent approve, which marks the weakest showing recorded for Ford in this tracker so far.<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">Liaison principal David Valentin says the pattern is impossible to ignore. He explained the shift plainly:<\/p><blockquote class=\"ml-2 border-l-4 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.1)] pl-4 text-text-300\"><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">&#8220;Ford&#8217;s personal numbers are the bigger problem\u2026 Just 24 per cent approve of the job he is doing as Premier. That is the lowest approval and highest disapproval we have measured for Ford in this tracker.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">The poll lands as Ford&#8217;s government works through backlash over thousands of dollars in hotel claims filed by PC MPPs. Several of those members live within commuting distance of Queen&#8217;s Park, which has fueled public frustration. Ford has since apologized and confirmed the expenses will be repaid.<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>However<\/em>, Valentin cautions against assuming the scandal alone caused the drop in support. Instead, he argues it reinforces an already damaging narrative around the premier. In his words:<\/p><blockquote class=\"ml-2 border-l-4 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.1)] pl-4 text-text-300\"><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">&#8220;When an incumbent premier is already at 24 per cent approval, stories about MPPs billing taxpayers for Toronto hotel rooms are exactly the kind of thing that reinforces a bad frame.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>In addition<\/em>, broader sentiment about Ontario&#8217;s direction looks equally grim for the government. Only 26 per cent of respondents believe the province is headed the right way. Meanwhile, 71 per cent say Ontario is on the wrong track altogether.<\/p><hr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\" \/><h3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\" dir=\"ltr\">Regional Divide Shapes the Ontario Political Landscape<\/h3><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">The <strong>Ontario Liberals poll lead<\/strong> is not uniform across the province. <em>Instead<\/em>, the race looks fractured depending on the region, and each party draws strength from different pockets of Ontario.<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">In Toronto, the Liberals lead clearly with 46 per cent support. The 905 region, however, tells a tighter story, with Liberals and PCs tied at 40 per cent each. Consequently, suburban voters remain firmly up for grabs heading into future contests.<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">Eastern Ontario leans differently, with the PCs holding a lead at 42 per cent. <em>Meanwhile<\/em>, the NDP performs strongest in Northern Ontario and South Central Ontario, where neither of the two front-runners dominates. Together, these regional splits suggest no single party has secured a commanding province-wide advantage yet.<\/p><hr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\" \/><h3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\" dir=\"ltr\">Data Centres Emerge as a Key Affordability Issue<\/h3><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">Beyond the horse-race numbers, the poll also examined public attitudes toward large data-centre development across Ontario. This issue is becoming an increasingly prominent policy debate, <em>particularly<\/em> as electricity costs remain top of mind for voters.<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">The findings show a genuinely split public. About 44 per cent support allowing more large data centres in the province, while 42 per cent oppose the idea. Despite this even split, concern over electricity costs runs high: 73 per cent of respondents believe data centres would raise household electricity bills.<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>Furthermore<\/em>, the public appears clear on who should bear the financial burden. A strong 81 per cent say data-centre companies should pay for any required electricity infrastructure themselves. Similarly, 60 per cent say they would back a data centre more readily if it kept Canadian data stored within Canada.<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">The single biggest condition for public support remains simple. Respondents most frequently cited &#8220;no increase to household electricity bills&#8221; as their top requirement, at 33 per cent. This suggests affordability, rather than technology itself, drives most of the hesitation.<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">Valentin connects this affordability concern directly to the broader mood shaping Ontario politics right now. He noted:<\/p><blockquote class=\"ml-2 border-l-4 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.1)] pl-4 text-text-300\"><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">&#8220;If voters think a project will raise their hydro bill, they want the company \u2014 not the household \u2014 to pay. That same fairness instinct applies to the expense scandal.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>Therefore<\/em>, both stories \u2014 the data-centre debate and the MPP expense controversy \u2014 appear to tap into the same underlying voter instinct. People want fairness in who pays, whether the topic is electricity infrastructure or taxpayer-funded hotel stays.<\/p><hr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\" \/><h3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\" dir=\"ltr\">Methodology and What Comes Next<\/h3><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">Liaison Strategies surveyed 1,000 Ontarians using IVR technology for this tracker. Results were then weighted to match 2021 Census targets, ensuring a representative sample across the province.<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">Given the current numbers, the <strong>Ontario Liberals poll lead<\/strong> appears stable for now, though not overwhelming. Ford&#8217;s sliding approval, combined with public unease over the expense scandal, creates real pressure on his government. <em>As a result<\/em>, upcoming polls will likely be watched closely to see whether this trend continues or whether the PCs can stabilize support.<\/p><hr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\" \/><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Categories:<\/strong> Analysis, Cities, Data &amp; Insights, Energy, Provinces<\/p><p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Suggested words to link externally:<\/strong> &#8220;MPP hotel expenses,&#8221; &#8220;Stan Cho,&#8221; &#8220;data centres&#8221;<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Doug Ford press conference amid Ontario Liberals poll lead coverage Ontario Liberals Poll Lead Widens Amid Ford&#8217;s Falling Popularity A fresh survey confirms the Ontario Liberals poll lead over the Progressive Conservatives, even as Premier Doug Ford&#8217;s personal approval continues to crumble. The numbers arrive while his government battles a growing scandal tied to MPP hotel expenses. As a result, Ford now faces one of the toughest political stretches of his premiership. Liaison Strategies conducted its latest Ontario Political Tracker poll on July 20 and July 21, 2026. Among decided and leaning voters, the Liberals sit at 38 per cent, ahead of the PCs at 33 per cent. The NDP trails behind at 24 per cent. When undecided voters are included, the Liberals hold 33 per cent, the PCs stand at 29 per cent, and the NDP sits at 21 per cent. Meanwhile, the premier&#8217;s own numbers tell an even sharper story. Ford&#8217;s approval rating has fallen dramatically, and the trend line is not encouraging for his party heading into the next stretch of his term. Ford&#8217;s Approval Rating Hits a New Low The Ontario Liberals poll lead is notable, but Ford&#8217;s personal numbers stand out even more. According to the survey, 72 per cent of respondents disapprove of his performance as premier. Only 24 per cent approve, which marks the weakest showing recorded for Ford in this tracker so far. Liaison principal David Valentin says the pattern is impossible to ignore. He explained the shift plainly: &#8220;Ford&#8217;s personal numbers are the bigger problem\u2026 Just 24 per cent approve of the job he is doing as Premier. That is the lowest approval and highest disapproval we have measured for Ford in this tracker.&#8221; The poll lands as Ford&#8217;s government works through backlash over thousands of dollars in hotel claims filed by PC MPPs. Several of those members live within commuting distance of Queen&#8217;s Park, which has fueled public frustration. Ford has since apologized and confirmed the expenses will be repaid. However, Valentin cautions against assuming the scandal alone caused the drop in support. Instead, he argues it reinforces an already damaging narrative around the premier. In his words: &#8220;When an incumbent premier is already at 24 per cent approval, stories about MPPs billing taxpayers for Toronto hotel rooms are exactly the kind of thing that reinforces a bad frame.&#8221; In addition, broader sentiment about Ontario&#8217;s direction looks equally grim for the government. Only 26 per cent of respondents believe the province is headed the right way. Meanwhile, 71 per cent say Ontario is on the wrong track altogether. Regional Divide Shapes the Ontario Political Landscape The Ontario Liberals poll lead is not uniform across the province. Instead, the race looks fractured depending on the region, and each party draws strength from different pockets of Ontario. In Toronto, the Liberals lead clearly with 46 per cent support. The 905 region, however, tells a tighter story, with Liberals and PCs tied at 40 per cent each. Consequently, suburban voters remain firmly up for grabs heading into future contests. Eastern Ontario leans differently, with the PCs holding a lead at 42 per cent. Meanwhile, the NDP performs strongest in Northern Ontario and South Central Ontario, where neither of the two front-runners dominates. Together, these regional splits suggest no single party has secured a commanding province-wide advantage yet. Data Centres Emerge as a Key Affordability Issue Beyond the horse-race numbers, the poll also examined public attitudes toward large data-centre development across Ontario. This issue is becoming an increasingly prominent policy debate, particularly as electricity costs remain top of mind for voters. The findings show a genuinely split public. About 44 per cent support allowing more large data centres in the province, while 42 per cent oppose the idea. Despite this even split, concern over electricity costs runs high: 73 per cent of respondents believe data centres would raise household electricity bills. Furthermore, the public appears clear on who should bear the financial burden. A strong 81 per cent say data-centre companies should pay for any required electricity infrastructure themselves. Similarly, 60 per cent say they would back a data centre more readily if it kept Canadian data stored within Canada. The single biggest condition for public support remains simple. Respondents most frequently cited &#8220;no increase to household electricity bills&#8221; as their top requirement, at 33 per cent. This suggests affordability, rather than technology itself, drives most of the hesitation. Valentin connects this affordability concern directly to the broader mood shaping Ontario politics right now. He noted: &#8220;If voters think a project will raise their hydro bill, they want the company \u2014 not the household \u2014 to pay. That same fairness instinct applies to the expense scandal.&#8221; Therefore, both stories \u2014 the data-centre debate and the MPP expense controversy \u2014 appear to tap into the same underlying voter instinct. People want fairness in who pays, whether the topic is electricity infrastructure or taxpayer-funded hotel stays. Methodology and What Comes Next Liaison Strategies surveyed 1,000 Ontarians using IVR technology for this tracker. Results were then weighted to match 2021 Census targets, ensuring a representative sample across the province. Given the current numbers, the Ontario Liberals poll lead appears stable for now, though not overwhelming. Ford&#8217;s sliding approval, combined with public unease over the expense scandal, creates real pressure on his government. As a result, upcoming polls will likely be watched closely to see whether this trend continues or whether the PCs can stabilize support. Categories: Analysis, Cities, Data &amp; Insights, Energy, Provinces Suggested words to link externally: &#8220;MPP hotel expenses,&#8221; &#8220;Stan Cho,&#8221; &#8220;data centres&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":715,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,5,15,34,22,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-analysis","category-canada","category-cities","category-data-insights","category-energy","category-provinces"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Ontario Liberals Poll Lead Holds as Ford Hits Record Low<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ontario Liberals poll lead holds steady as Doug Ford&#039;s approval sinks to a record low amid 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