Canada's Ontario to hold election next month as voters grapple with inflation

Abacus Mining & Exploration

03/05/2022 21:46

By Steve Scherer
    OTTAWA, May 3 (Reuters) - Canada's most populous province,
Ontario, will hold an election next month with incumbent
Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford favored in polls and
the campaign expected to focus on fighting inflation.
    The provincial legislature has been dissolved and the
election will be held on June 2, Ford's office said in a
statement on Tuesday.
    Ford, 57, swept to power in 2018, ending 15 years of Liberal
rule in Ontario - home to nearly 40% of Canada's 38 million
people. Ontario, which includes Toronto and capital city Ottawa,
is Canada's manufacturing heartland and an economic engine. 
    All polls show Ford leading Liberal and New Democrat
challengers by enough to win a majority of seats in the vote.
    Inflation is at its highest level in 31 years, and the
campaign "is going to be like an arms race to see who can make
life more affordable," said David Coletto, chief executive of
Abacus Data polling company.
    An Abacus poll from last month showed Ford would win 36% of
the vote compared with 32% for Liberal Steven Del Duca and 23%
for New Democrat Andrea Horwath.
    Ford, whose older brother Rob admitted to smoking crack
cocaine while mayor of Toronto and died of cancer in 2016,
dipped in popularity when he bickered with teachers over cuts to
school funding and later during the pandemic, when critics said
he failed to heed the advice of doctors. 
    He has recovered this year, in part by eliminating an
unpopular license plate renewal fee. He also broadened and
boosted a foreign buyer tax on Ontario homes, an effort to limit
house price gains. Last week he promised major investments in
roads and highways, and a tax break for low earners if he is
re-elected. 
    Ontarian voters now do not appear to want a change in
government as they did four years ago, said Shachi Kurl,
president of the Angus Reid Institute polling company.
    "Right now we don't see either Ms. Horwath and Mr. Del Duca
emerging as the dominant leader on the left," Kurl said.
    If Ford cannot achieve a majority, the two left-leaning
leaders could keep him out of office by joining forces. Federal
Liberals now are being supported by the New Democrats, a deal
made to keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in power until 2025.
    Liberal Del Duca has promised to fight inflation by reducing
public transit fares across the province to C$1 ($0.78) and to
cut a portion of sales tax for food purchases under C$20,
funding this with a surtax on companies with annual profits
exceeding C$1 billion. 
    New Democrat Horwath also said she would tackle housing
prices by creating an annual speculation and vacancy tax on
residential property. 
    

($1 = 1.2838 Canadian dollars)

 (Reporting by Steve Scherer; Editing by David Gregorio)
 ((steve.scherer@thomsonreuters.com; +1-647-480-7889;))