Nearly two-thirds of Vancouver residents say it is time for a change of mayor, but a fragmented field of challengers could mean another term for incumbent Ken Sim, a new poll suggests.
The Canada Pulse Insights poll, conducted for CityNews OMNI TV, found 62 per cent of residents believe it is time for a new mayor, compared with 38 per cent who say Sim deserves to be re-elected.
However, among decided voters, Green Party candidate Pete Fry holds just a one-point lead over Sim, at 28 per cent to 27 per cent, respectively. In third place is Vancouver Liberals candidate Kareem Allam at 19 per cent.
Colleen Hardwick of TEAM for a Livable Vancouver has 13 per cent support, followed by Rebecca Bligh of Vote Vancouver (seven per cent) and Muhammad Ahmad of Bright Future Vancouver (three per cent).
The poll suggests dissatisfaction with Sim hasn’t meant a consolidated vote for any one of the other challengers.
“Most people believe that the mayor is out of touch with city council or out of touch with Vancouver citizens – and that’s even for a good number of his own supporters,” said Canada Pulse Insights CEO John Wright.
“The issues that he’s landing on are the ones that are going to get that block of his voters to the polls. It is about taxes and meat-and-potatoes on crime.”
On the other hand, for supporters of Fry, Sim’s main competitor, their priorities are more things like the environment, accountability, ethics, and other issues like those, Wright says.
“Whenever you deal with a fractured field, you’re not going to get a call for change executed by one or two people. You’re going to get it distributed amongst a group of others.”
Among those who want a change of mayor, Fry leads with 34 per cent support, followed by Allam and Hardwick (16 per cent each). Twelve per cent remain undecided.
Residents are also divided on Sim’s performance. Half say he is doing a good job as mayor, and the other half see his performance in a negative light. Meanwhile, more than half – 53 per cent – say Vancouver is headed in the wrong direction, compared with 47 per cent, who say it is on the right track.
The survey of 500 Vancouver adults was conducted by Canada Pulse Insights between Sept. 28 and Oct. 6. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
With 10 per cent of voters saying they are still undecided and support divided among challengers, the poll suggests a highly competitive, fractured field.
Vancouverites head to the polls Saturday, Oct. 17.
source: CityNews
