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Virus approach boosts approval rating for Horgan

VANCOUVER — The provincial government’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis has led to an increase of approval ratings for Premier John Horgan and the B.C. NDP.
Premier updates the media_2.jpg
Premier John Horgan provides an update to the media on July 9, 2020.

VANCOUVER — The provincial government’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis has led to an increase of approval ratings for Premier John Horgan and the B.C. NDP.

Horgan had strong approval before the first signs of the outbreak, but the pandemic response is apparently behind a 17-point jump in the premier’s approval rating, to 68 per cent, according to a new poll from Insights West.

COVID-19 has emerged as the most important issue facing British Columbians, bumping out housing, climate change and the economy. In an online study conducted from June 24 to 28 with a sample of 830 B.C. residents, 32 per cent said COVID-19 was their foremost concern and one that bumped housing prices to second place for the first time in five years. Housing prices are further down the list among those 55 years and older, and those 35 to 54 years old.

This time around, just 13 per cent of British Columbians cite housing prices as a top concern.

It’s all about COVID-19 right now, and respondents strongly approve of the B.C. NDP’s work in managing the coronavirus, from combating its spread (85 per cent) to keeping British Columbians well-informed (84 per cent).

As a result, public opinion of the provincial government is up overall and, if an election were held right now, the B.C. NDP would receive an unprecedented 47 per cent of the popular vote.

“One of the side effects of the pandemic is that British Columbians, and in the same vein, most Canadians, are rallying behind their leaders over the past several months,” the Insights West president, Steve Mossop, said in a news release. “Approval ratings for government actions have been among the highest among hundreds of public initiatives we have covered in our polling over the years.”

The party has had support rise among groups that traditionally don’t vote B.C. NDP, such as seniors and men. The party now receives the same support across all age groups, and support among men has increased from 30 per cent to 43 per cent.

The poll suggests a halo effect as well, as the positivity spreads to the party’s handling of other public priorities, such as health care, education, the economy and transportation, crime and taxes. In these areas, approval ratings rise by 10 points or more. The poll also suggests that 23 per cent of the electorate remains undecided.

These approval ratings could translate into a victory for Horgan, the pollsters note. Voters are scheduled to head to the polls in October 2021.