Environment Emerging As Key Issue As Election Nears

Now tied with Economy for most important issue

Toronto, July 4th —In a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 1812 Canadians 18 years of age or older, the environment has become a leading issue in the upcoming Federal election, with one-quarter (26%) saying it is the most important issue to them in the coming campaign.

That is an increase of 11 points since we began tracking key issues in February, 2019.

% Feb 27 - 28, 2019 April 3 - 6, 2019 June 28 - 30, 2019 Sample 1301 1634 1812 Environment 15 21 26 Economy 26 28 25 Healthcare 17 13 16 Taxes 12 12 8 Immigration 10 5 8 Education 8 7 6 Housing 4 5 5 Public Safety 3 3 2 Something else 6 6 5

The economy (25%) remains a concern of one-quarter of Canadians, which is consistent with results from the past six months.

Healthcare (16%) is the most important issue to about one-sixth and is the clear third choice, right now.

Taxes (8%) have dipped slightly, down 4 points over the results of the past six months.

Clustered behind are education (6%), housing (5%), and something else (5%).

Public safety (2%) is least on the minds of Canadians right now.

Respondents most likely to say the environment is their top issue includes those aged 18-34 (29%), 35-44 (26%), or 65+ (27%), females (29%), earning $40,000-$60,000 (28%) or the most wealthy (30%), the most educated (33%), and living in BC (33%).

Respondents most likely to say the economy is their top issue includes males (32%), the most wealthy (35%), and living in Alberta (44%).

Healthcare and the economy second-most important



About one-fifth (17%) say the economy is the second most important issue to them, tied with healthcare (17%).

The environment (13%), taxes (13%), and education (12%) are all clustered behind.

Education and taxes are more popular as second issues than they are as top issues (Taxes: first 8%/second: 13%; education: first 6%/second: 12%.)

A few say their second issue is immigration (7%), housing (6%), or public safety (4%).

1 in 10 (10%) say they have no second issue, and few (3%) say it’s something else.





“The environment is beginning to heat up as an election issue for Canadian voters,” said Dr. Lorne Bozinoff, President of Forum Research. “It’s now tied with the economy for the top issue, as more and more Canadians say the environment is their main issue in the upcoming campaign.”

Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.