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New polling from Narrative Research shows that governing parties in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are holding onto the largest share of decided voter support, while the Green Party continues to gain steam as a third party.

READ MORE: New research suggests Liberal, Green support trending up, Conservative, NDP down in Atlantic Canada

Although the polls show that if an election was called in either province the Nova Scotia Liberal Party and the New Brunswick PC Party, both currently in power in their respective provinces, would retain office, major inroads have been made over the past year by the Greens on either side of the border.

“We have seen in our last federal election poll numbers that the Green Party has actually clearly positioned itself in the Maritimes as that third party choice,” explained Narrative Research CEO Margaret Brigley. “It creates a more competitive landscape for sure.”

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From August 2018 to August 2019, the Nova Scotia Green Party has gone from four per cent of decided voter support to 15, putting them just a single point behind the NDP.

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In New Brunswick, the Greens garnered 18 per cent this time around as compared to only seven in 2018.

Perhaps even more interestingly though is that New Brunswick Green Party Leader David Coon has seen a massive rise in his popularity. Last year he was the preferred choice for premier of just eight per cent of voters.

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But this time around he’s climbed to 21 per cent, making him the second choice of the electorate just behind Premier Blaine Higgs who sit at 29 per cent for the third quarter in a row.

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“In New Brunswick we’ve got a Green candidate who is an individual who has been well received publicly,” Brigley said. “And that’s going to make a difference.”

READ MORE: Some Nova Scotia political leaders ready to campaign in federal election

Brigley indicated their polls are a snapshot of how voters are feeling at the time they’re questioned and that it’s always possible to see some movement in the coming polls.

The survey was conducted ahead of the start of the federal election campaign.

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