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Albertans somewhat split on daylight saving, equalization, poll shows

Last Updated Oct 14, 2021 at 12:35 pm MDT

File image of an alarm clock. (CREDIT: iStock user yipengge)

EDMONTON – Albertans are split a week before they are set to vote on two referendum questions, a new poll suggests.

New research from Leger, done on behalf of Postmedia, shows a little less than half of Albertans say they want to move to daylight saving time permanently.

Forty-eight per cent of Calgarians and 27 per cent of Edmontonians told the pollster they plan to vote in favour of making the change in the referendum next week.

Forty-four per cent of Calgarians and 42 per cent of Edmontonians said the opposite, and the remainder said they still don’t know how they’ll vote.


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When it comes to whether or not equalization payments should be removed from the Constitution, half of Calgarians and a third of Edmontonians believe the money transfers should be eliminated.

A third of Calgarians and 40 per cent of Edmontonians believe that the payments can stay as is. A quarter of Edmontonians and 16 per cent of Calgarians polled say they aren’t quite sure about equalization payments.

While older Albertans are most likely to vote in favour of doing away with equalization, the poll has found younger Calgarians are more likely to vote in favour of moving permanently to daylight saving time.

Municipal elections: Farkas, Gondek tied in Calgary, Sohi pulls ahead in Edmonton

In addition to polling Albertans on referendum questions, the survey has two former Calgary councillors tied in their pursuits for the city’s job as mayor.

Leger has Jyoti Gondek a little ahead of Jeromy Farkas, but the pollster says statistically, they’re tied.

Gondek is polling at 27 per cent, with Farkas at 24 per cent.

Earlier this week, Angus Reid had the two in a similar heat, with Farkas ahead by only one percentage point.


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Gondek is the top choice among people who previously voted for Naheed Nenshi.

Jeff Davison, also a former Calgary councillor, is a distant third place, with 11 per cent of people saying they plan to vote for him.

In Edmonton, Amarjeet Sohi has a healthy lead in the race for mayor, with 34 per cent saying they’ll be voting for him on Monday. Second-place Mike Nickel is sitting at 16 per cent.

Support for Sohi decreases with age, Leger says, but he leads Nickel in every age group. Those who previously voted for outgoing mayor Don Iveson are more likely to lean toward voting for Sohi (47 per cent).

For some voters, the deciding factor might be how obviously the candidates opposed Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and his party.

About half (54 per cent) claim that they will vote for a mayor who disagrees with the UCP’s policies. This is particularly true for younger voters.

Calgarians pro-fluoride ahead of plebiscite

Over half of Calgarians say they are in favour of adding fluoride back into the city’s water supply.

Fifty-four per cent say they’ll be voting to bring back fluoride, less than a third will be voting against adding the substance, and 14 per cent are still undecided.

A previous poll also showed that Calgarians were largely in favour of fluoridation.

The survey from ThinkHQ, shared at the end of September, showed 68 per cent of people polled planned to vote to reintroduce the substance in October’s plebiscite.

Twenty-one per cent said they’d be voting against adding fluoride, with 11 per cent of people polled still undecided on the matter.


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On a decided vote basis, the results are 76 per cent in favour of reintroducing fluoride to the water and 24 per cent opposed.

Alberta Health Services has come out in support of adding fluoride into the water and launched an education campaign in Calgary in August in anticipation of the plebiscite.

The University of Calgary released a study comparing the dental health of kids in Calgary, where there’s no fluoride in the water, and Edmonton, which as it added. It found that dental health in kids was better in Edmonton.

For more on the municipal election, referendums, and plebiscite, visit our special coverage page.