Toronto, July 27: A new online poll conducted by INsauga suggests that a majority of participating readers would not support Ontario Premier Doug Ford if a provincial election were held today, as his government continues to face scrutiny over recent controversy involving taxpayer-funded hotel expense claims by several Progressive Conservative MPPs.
The poll, which attracted 3,231 responses, asked readers a single question: “Would you vote for Doug Ford if the Ontario election was today?”
The results showed:
- No: 61.6% (1,991 votes)
- Yes: 38.4% (1,240 votes)
While the results indicate that nearly six in ten respondents would not currently support the Premier, the poll is not a scientific survey and reflects only the views of INsauga readers who chose to participate. It should not be interpreted as representative of public opinion across Ontario.
The survey was conducted during a period of heightened political attention surrounding hotel expense claims made by several government MPPs.
The controversy intensified after expense records revealed that a number of Progressive Conservative members claimed taxpayer-funded hotel accommodations in downtown Toronto despite representing constituencies located in or near the Greater Toronto Area.
The issue led to the resignation of Tourism, Culture and Gaming Minister Stan Cho, who stepped down from cabinet after acknowledging approximately $16,000 in hotel expense claims while serving as the MPP for Willowdale.
Cho accepted responsibility for the claims, repaid the funds and continues to serve as a Member of Provincial Parliament.
Premier Ford accepted Cho’s resignation and has since stated that other MPPs who submitted similar expense claims would also be required to reimburse taxpayers.
The controversy has also drawn attention to expense claims involving several MPPs from Brampton, Mississauga and other Greater Toronto Area communities, prompting renewed debate over the province’s expense reimbursement rules and accountability measures.
Beyond the hotel expense issue, Ford’s government has faced criticism over a range of policy matters in recent years, including the Greenbelt land development controversy, housing affordability, pressures on Ontario’s health-care system and broader questions surrounding government transparency.
At the same time, the Progressive Conservative government continues to highlight major investments in manufacturing, public transit expansion, highway construction, skilled trades training and job creation as key accomplishments since taking office.
The INsauga poll reflects these differing perspectives, with nearly four out of every ten respondents indicating they would still support Ford if an election were held today.
As with all voluntary online polls, participation is self-selected and the results are not based on a randomized sample. Consequently, the findings should be viewed as a snapshot of opinions among participating readers rather than a measure of province-wide voter intentions.
Nevertheless, the poll suggests that the recent hotel expense controversy has become another significant political issue for the Ford government at a time when public attention remains focused on accountability and the use of taxpayer funds.