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One year out from Election 2017, a new poll suggests Edmonton residents are willing to trust their young mayor to guide the city through possible rocky economic times.

Mayor Don Iveson’s approval rating is at 52 per cent, with 31 per cent saying they strongly approve of the way he’s doing his job compared to 11 per cent who strongly disapprove.

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It’s those polarized reactions that are the ones to watch at this stage of the game, said Quito Maggi, president of Mainstreet Research, who ran the survey of 803 residents for Postmedia. Residents were contacted by land line and cellphone Oct. 11 and 12.

“These are very strong numbers,” Maggi said. As for the 52 per cent approval rating, “most politicians can expect in the high 40s.”

So far, Edmonton’s economy has been a relatively clear spot amid the storms rocking Alberta’s economy. But Jim Taylor, head of the Downtown Business Association, recently warned council members the downtown construction boom has created an “artificial good economy” they can only count on for another couple years.