Ontario would be led by a Progressive Conservative minority government if a provincial election were held today, a new Forum Research Inc. poll suggests.

PC Leader Tim Hudak would hold 47 seats compared to 44 for Premier Kathleen Wynne and the Ontario Liberals, creating a “hung legislature,” the poll says.

Andrea Horwath’s New Democrat Party would retain 16 seats, the poll projects.

Forum Research president Lorne Bozinoff said negative developments in the province, including the $1-billion gas plant cancellation controversy and the well-publicized departure of significant businesses, have eroded support for the Wynne government.

“The drip, drip, drip of gas plant committee hearings, the Heinz plant closure, the Stelco departure, all these things appear to be slowly chipping away at the well-composed front the premier has been able to keep up since she was elected leader,” Bozinoff said in a statement.

Conservative support is up four percentage points since October to 38%, while the Liberals are at 32% compared to 31% the previous month.

The NDP saw a drop in support to 23% from 27%.

On key leadership questions, Wynne holds steady with 35% of those polled approving of the job she’s doing.

Horwath is polling well ahead of her party with 44% giving her performance the thumbs up, while Hudak is trailing his party with an approval rating of 25%.

Of the three political leaders, Hudak has the most detractors with a “truly abysmal” negative 24% net rating, the poll says.

Things pick up for the Hudak when potential voters are asked who would make the best premier.

Forum found 24% give the nod to Wynne, 23% to Hudak and 20% to Horwath.

About one in five Ontarians polled think none of these three leaders is up to the job.

The pollster found that just over half of Ontarians — 54% — do not want an early election, but 42% would rather head to the polls now.

About one-third of those polled expect a spring election but 48% would be surprised if that came to pass.

Forum Research surveyed 1,126 Ontario adults between Nov. 25-26 with a 3% margin of error.