However, there is division as to whether the other parties could handle them better
April 8, 2026 – The performance of Premier Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario on Ontarians’ top issues has long been a source of criticism.
New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds Ford’s government languishing behind its peers on the Weighted Government Performance Index, which accounts for both how many Ontarians believe the government is doing a good job on an issue and how highly that issue is selected as one of importance. Overwhelming majorities say Ontario is performing poorly on the high cost of living (81%), health care (79%) and housing affordability (83%), the three top issues selected by Ontarians.
These criticisms have been a persistent factor of Ford’s time in office but have not impacted the PC’s electoral success. Ontarians are split as to whether Ford and the PCs are best to handle the issues facing the province (44%) or one of the NDP or Liberals would be better suited to deal with the challenges the province faces (41%). Among those who voted PC in last year’s provincial election, two-in-five (40%) say Ford and the PCs are the best choice to deal with Ontarians’ concerns; as many believe the current government may not be the best choice but it’s better than the alternatives (38%).
About ARI
The Angus Reid Institute (ARI) was founded in October 2014 by pollster and sociologist, Dr. Angus Reid. ARI is a national, not-for-profit, non-partisan public opinion research foundation established to advance education by commissioning, conducting and disseminating to the public accessible and impartial statistical data, research and policy analysis on economics, political science, philanthropy, public administration, domestic and international affairs and other socio-economic issues of importance to Canada and its world.
INDEX
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Views of the premier and opposition leader
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Government Performance Index
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Government performance trend
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Top issues
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Performance on top issues
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Economic Outlook
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Right track or wrong track?
Views of the premier and opposition leader
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s personal low approval has not affected his electoral success in the province’s elections, as the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario has secured seat majorities driven by plurality popular vote totals in three straight elections. He benefits from an opposition split between the NDP and the Liberals, who secured only 14 seats in the February 2025 election despite a much higher vote total than the NDP.
The Liberals’ search for a new leader began after Bonnie Crombie’s resignation in January. Ontarians are split on Marit Stiles, who led the Ontario NDP in last year’s election but still faces two-in-five (37%) in the province who are unsure whether they view her favourably or not:
Government Performance Index
Ford’s personal unpopularity in Ontario is paired with heavy criticism of his government’s performance on the top issues. The Weighted Government Performance Index factors in both the percentage of provincial residents who say the province is doing a good job on an issue as well as how highly that issue is selected as important. Ontario’s score of 18 is the worst in the country:
Government performance trend
Ontario has underperformed the Canadian average consistently. Compared to last year, the province’s score has declined by 11 points as Ontarians have become increasingly critical of Ford government’s performance on key provincial concerns:
Top issues
Key concerns remain similar to those seen in March 2024: the high cost of living (63% in 2024; 57% now), health care (57% in 2024; 55% now) and housing affordability (42% in 2024; 32% now). The economy more broadly (26%), education (22%) and street crime (22%) round out the top selected issues by Ontarians.
Over the past two years, housing affordability has improved across the country and specifically in Toronto, the eastern epicentre of Canada’s housing affordability crisis. However, there is still plenty of criticism of the Ford government’s performance on this file.
Performance on top issues
Indeed, just one-in-12 (8%) Ontarians say Ontario is doing a “good job” on housing. It remains to be seen how a new deal between the federal government and the province to cut development charges will improve the situation. These data were collected prior to that announcement.
On the other top issues selected by Ontarians: the economy, education, health care and cost of living, fewer than one-quarter believe the Ford government is handling those files well. Ford’s PCs receive their best mark on the province’s relationship with the federal government, with half (48%) saying Ontario is doing a good job on that front. The relationship between Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney has been described as a “bromance”, which appears to have survived some disagreements, including over Ford’s ads which temporarily derailed U.S.-Canada trade negotiations.
Economic Outlook
A plurality (45%) of Ontarians say they are financially treading water compared to a year ago. More than one-third (36%) report being worse off. The smallest group, one-in-five (18%) say their economic situation has improved compared to a year ago:
Financial pessimism (29%) also narrowly outweighs financial optimism (21%) in Ontario. Two-in-five (39%) expect they’ll be in a similar position economically in 12 months:
The Angus Reid Institute Financial Pressure Index includes the data from the above questions as well as measuring personal assessments on how Canadians believe their household is handling grocery prices, levels of debt, concerns over employment stability and monthly housing payments like rent or mortgage. Index scoring is available here.
This Index sorts Canadians into four groups: those under high, medium, low and very low financial pressure. There are slightly more Ontarians in the high (25%) and medium (20%) financial pressure group than the Canadian average. Although housing affordability has improved in recent years in Ontario, it still remains a challenge evidently. Two-in-five (38%) Ontarians describe their monthly housing payment – either rent or mortgage – as “tough” (28%) or very difficult (11%) to handle, one of the highest marks in the country (see detailed tables).
Right track or wrong track?
Overall, three-in-five (59%) Ontarians say the province is on the wrong track, the highest proportion in the country. Fewer than one-quarter (23%) disagree:
Despite these sentiments, Ford and PCs have had a significant amount of electoral success. Ontarians are split as to whether Ford’s government (44%) or another party (41%) would be best to address the challenges the province faces. Among those who voted for the PCs in last year’s election, there is a split as to whether the party they voted for is the clear-cut best choice (40%) or just the better option compared to opposition (38%):
METHODOLOGY:
The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from March 11-17, 2026, among a randomized sample of 891 Canadian adults who are residents of Ontario. Respondents are drawn from the Angus Reid Forum, a large-scale online panel developed to include Canadian residents in each of the 343 federal ridings in Canada and representative of the Canadian population by age, gender, family income, ethnic status and education. The sample was weighted to be representative of adults nationwide according to region, gender, age, household income, and education, based on the Canadian census. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. The survey was self-commissioned and paid for by ARI.
For detailed results by age, gender, region, education, and other demographics, click here.
For PDF of full release, click here.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Shachi Kurl, President: 604.908.1693 shachi.kurl@angusreid.org @shachikurl
Dave Korzinski, Research Director: 250.899.0821 dave.korzinski@angusreid.org
Jon Roe, Senior Research Associate: 825.437.1147 jon.roe@angusreid.org