In an indication that TransLink’s attempt to increase public confidence by removing CEO Ian Jarvis may have backfired, support for the No side in the upcoming transit referendum appears to be gaining ground at an increasing rate.
More than half of all respondents – 53% – in an Insights West poll released February 20 say they are likely to vote No in the upcoming Transportation and Transit Plebiscite; this is up 11 percentage points since January and 14 percentage points since December.
“Our December and January surveys showed that the Yes side was inching ahead due to soft voters,” says Insights West vice-president, public affairs Mario Canseco.
“This month, we see a double-digit increase for the No side, with the bulk of this support coming from drivers, middle-income earners and residents of the municipalities located south of the Fraser River, such as Surrey.”
The survey found that even among those who plan to vote Yes, only 10% expressed confidence in TransLink’s ability to implement the transit improvements as planned, and 70% of Yes supporters say they are unsatisfied with TransLink’s performance.
Among No voters, 82% say they lack confidence in TransLink, and 74% say there are better ways to fund the proposed transit projects.
The poll also found that 47% of No voters do not trust the mayors to make the right transit-funding decisions.
Support for the Yes side has slipped significantly among those who take public transit to work. The poll found that 52% of these voters say they will vote yes – down from 61% last month.
Among those who cycle or walk, 54% say they will vote Yes. Most drivers (57%) say they will vote No.
The survey found that more residents have become aware of the upcoming vote. In January, 61% of those polled said they knew of the plebiscite. In the latest poll, this has grown to 74%.
@EmmaHampelBIV
