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The Ontario Liberals’ new spendthrift budget appears to have worked. According to a new poll from Forum Research, the party has closed the lead of the Progressive Conservatives.

The Liberals now have 29 per cent support to the Tories’ 36. According to Forum projections, if an election were held tomorrow, Doug Ford would not be able to win enough seats for a majority.

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“The increase in support for the Liberals is as drastic as it is sudden,” Forum Research president Lorne Bozinoff said in a statement.

Although 44 per cent of the 768 surveyed said they disapprove of the budget, specific elements seemed to have just enough appeal to swing the difference for the Liberals. Free daycare received a thumbs up from 53 per cent, while 74 per cent backed added spending to reduce overcrowding at hospitals.

The rise in Liberal fortunes appears to be due in part to the party sapping support from the NDP. Thursday’s poll showed that the popularity of the party of Andrea Horwath had diminished slightly to 26 per cent.