Three out of four Ontarians believe it’s “time for a change” at Queen’s Park because of the unpopular 13 per cent harmonized sales tax and lingering economic fears, a new poll suggests.

The Toronto Star-Angus Reid survey indicates Premier Dalton McGuinty’s Liberals, who mark their seventh anniversary in power on Saturday, face major challenges as they head toward the Oct. 6, 2011 election.

With 76 per cent of respondents saying they would like to see another party in power and 71 per cent warning the province “is on the wrong track,” the poll signals change may be on the horizon.

The global recession might officially be over, but the new HST and rising hydro bills have left 86 per cent of Ontarians claiming “it is harder now than it was two years ago to make ends meet.”

Among decided voters, 41 per cent back Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak with 29 per cent for McGuinty’s Liberals, 22 per cent for NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, and 8 per cent for Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner.

But 26 per cent of voters remain undecided and, when they are factored in, the Tories sit at 29 per cent, the Liberals 20 per cent, the New Democrats 14 per cent, and the Greens 4 per cent.

McGuinty said introducing the HST and cutting corporate and personal income tax rates was essential to boosting Ontario’s economy so improvements in health care and education could continue to be funded.

“Polls come and polls go, there’s only one that counts at the end of the day and I think that one of the things that people assess in the final poll is your commitment to those things that are of fundamental importance to them,” the premier told the Star Monday.

“There is a certain kind of rhythm that takes place, a tide, of public uppermost priorities, but again those things that are really important to families never change,” he said, stressing his administration would continue to focus on “good schools, good health care and a strong economy.”

Jodi Shanoff, senior vice president of Angus Reid Public Opinion, said Ontarians appear to be parking their vote with Hudak, who became Tory leader in June 2009.

“They don’t know him, they don’t have much of an opinion of him yet,” said Shanoff.

“This is a clear reflection that at this time Ontarians are not happy with the last few months with this provincial government and they’re seriously contemplating an alternative.”

Indeed, 65 per cent said the Liberals have done a poor job managing the economy over the past six months with 35 per cent lauding the government’s performance.

The online survey of 805 people, conducted last Tuesday and Wednesday, is considered accurate to within 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Shanoff noted the visceral reaction toward the HST, which melded the 8 per cent provincial sales tax with the 5 per cent federal GST on July 1 after a deal between McGuinty and Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

According to the poll, 81 per cent of Ontarians felt harmonization was the “wrong thing to do” with only 19 per cent supporting the streamlined, business-friendly tax that has been hailed by Bay St.

The opposition to eco fees for recycling consumer products was almost as strong — even though the Liberals aborted the scheme weeks after levies ranging from a penny to $6.66 appeared on thousands of household items the same day the HST was launched.

As the Liberals design a replacement recycling program, expected by Oct. 18, 73 per cent said the old eco fees were “the wrong thing to do” with 27 per cent approving.

In the Legislature on Monday, Hudak said “families are looking for change.”

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But the poll suggests 56 per cent of people suspect the rookie PC leader would raise taxes and 75 per cent say he would cut public services.

For her part, Horwath said the rising cost of electricity — now subject to the 13 per cent HST up from the 5 per cent GST — has “left families afraid, literally afraid, to open their hydro bills.”

The survey indicates 66 per cent of voters believe she will raise taxes and that 66 per cent also believe she will enhance public services.

Both Hudak and Horwath have pointedly refused to say whether they would eliminate the HST if elected next year.

There are flickers of hope for the Liberals in the findings.

Almost two-thirds of respondents (62 per cent) feel Ontario “still leads the way when it comes to important policies and issues like health care and the economy.”

As well, 66 per cent of Ontarians like all-day kindergarten, which McGuinty began phasing in this month at schools across the province.

Efforts by the government to change the channel during the summer with headline-grabbing policies seem to have been met with mixed results.

Some 71 per cent oppose the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. getting into the online gambling business while 52 per cent believed legalized mixed martial arts to allow Ultimate Fighting Championship bouts was a good idea.

There is also growing support for one of former Liberal premier David Peterson’s key pledges from the 1985 provincial election: selling beer and wine in corner stores.

Some 63 per cent of Ontarians favour allowing it while 36 per cent oppose such liberalization of alcohol sales.

At the same time, 59 per cent are against the sale of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario booze monopoly or other Crown assets compared to 40 per cent in support of privatization.

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