A new poll finds Albertans may be souring on the United Conservative Party.
The Angus Reid Institute surveyed adults in the province between Aug. 26 and Sept. 1 and found 38 per cent of respondents would support the UCP if an election were held tomorrow.
The same percentage said they would support the Official Opposition New Democrats.
According to the Angus Reid Institute, the problems for Premier Jason Kenney and his party are twofold: the first is that three-in-ten of their voters from last year are now parking their vote intent elsewhere. Many of these votes are going to the centre-right Alberta Party and the secessionist Alberta Independence Party.
The second problem, according to the Angus Reid Institute, is a widespread dissatisfaction with this government’s handling of several core provincial issues. Three-in-five Albertans say the government has done a poor job in handling health care in the province.
Just-one-in-three residents said the government has done a good job in handling government spending and said deficit, as well as the economy more broadly. The survey shows they are similarly unimpressed with the government’s record on jobs and unemployment, which is higher in Alberta than most other provinces, and public education, following much angst among parents around returning to school during a pandemic.