Toronto is often an outlier in terms of public opinion across the province on various topics, such as immigration and climate change, a survey has found.

Research conducted on behalf of the Mowat Centre, a think tank at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs, found that otherwise, there are not many general differences of opinion across the regions.

Experiences shaping the 416 'somewhat unique'

But a main finding of the research is that Toronto seems to be different than other regions.

"Toronto in many ways is a region unto itself in terms of public opinion in Ontario — that is to say, it is frequently somewhat of an outlier," the authors of a report write.

"The frequency with which opinions in Toronto stand somewhat apart from those in the other regions of the province suggests that the factors and experiences that shape these opinions in the inner metropolitan 416 area are somewhat unique."

Those factors include age, education, ethnicity, the concentration in the city of service industries relating to government, the broader public sector and the financial sectors, and a greater reliance on certain public services, such as public transit.