A new poll by Forum Research shows a virtual tie between the two leading candidates vying to take Jim Flaherty’s former Whitby-Oshawa riding in Monday’s federal byelection.

The poll, conducted Nov. 11, shows ex-Whitby mayor and Conservative candidate Pat Perkins with 44 per cent support, compared to the 40 per cent support for entrepreneur and researcher Celina Caesar-Chavannes — a statistical tie given the sample size, according to Forum.

NDP candidate Trish McCauliffe has 12 per cent support, for third place.

The results show Caesar-Chavannes has closed the gap on Perkins, given that an Oct. 27 Forum poll had Perkins in front with 41 per cent support, to Caesar-Chavannes’ 32 per cent. McAuliffe was at 15 per cent.

Caesar-Chavannes appears to have succeeded in boosting the public’s awareness of her candidacy, which usually leads to improved approval ratings, says Forum president Lorne Bozinoff.

Forum’s random voice-response telephone survey polled 811 voters in the riding, and is considered accurate plus or minus 4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Whitby-Oshawa became vacant when Flaherty, the former finance minister, died April 10.

Meanwhile, the race in Monday’s other byelection — Yellowhead Alta. — shows the Liberals and NDP a distant second and third place, respectively, behind the Conservative frontrunner.

Conservative Rob Merrifield stepped down as MP for the riding in September to become that province’s envoy to the U.S.

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