A recently released study is suggesting that B.C. Premier John Horgan is the most popular provincial leader across the entire country.
According to the Angus Reid Institute, the results of a recent survey show that Premier Horgan leads the way with a 69 per cent approval rating.
Coming in directly behind Horgan is Ontario Premier Doug Ford with a 66 per cent approval rating and Quebec Premier François Legault with a 65 per cent rating.
Horgan has seen a big rise in popularity over the course of the pandemic in large part due to how his party has responded to COVID-19, according to Angus Reid.
Despite British Columbia’s numbers rising in recent weeks, the institute points to figures like low hospitalization rates as reasons for ongoing heightened approval from residents.
The issues that have emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic has consistently superseded all others in terms of importance, proving to be a key metric by which Canadians rate their political leaders in 2020.
For Horgan, another recent action amid COVID-19 that Angus Reid highlights in their survey report was how he recently reached out to B.C-born celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Seth Rogen in an effort to help send a message to younger people – a big cause of the recent spike in cases. Both Reynolds and Rogen replied to Horgan (and British Columbians) with unique, humourous approaches.
Angus Reid is suggesting that the popularity of the Premier has led to speculation that a fall election may be called.
Over the course of Horgan’s time in office prior to the pandemic, his approval rating hovered around the 50 per cent mark, based on Angus Reid’s previous polls.
In May of 2020, his approval rating vaulted to 71 per cent – up from 46 per cent in February. Although he has dropped down to 69 per cent in the most recent survey, he jumped the rest of the country’s provincial leaders to boast the highest approval rating across the board.
Other premiers, including Legault, had a higher approval rating than Horgan back in May, but have seen their own ratings fall more dramatically over the last three months.
Bringing up the rear in Canada is Newfoundland and Labrador’s Premier, Liberal leader Andrew Furey with 34 per cent approval. He entered as Premier this quarter, succeeding Dwight Ball, and the Angus Reid Institute reports that residents remain relatively unaware of his performance thus far, with 55 per cent responding that they are unsure at this point how they feel.
The poll was conducted between Aug. 26 and 30 among a randomized sample of 4,703 Canadian members of the Angus Reid Forum.
Graham Cox
