Federal election race, date closes in: poll

A recent poll shows the Conservative Party closing in on the Liberal Party’s lead with less than a week until Election Day.

According to Research Co., the Liberals are leading by just 5 per cent ahead of the Conservatives. Liberals are down one point to 44 per cent since Research Co.’s last national survey at the beginning of the month, and the Conservatives have caught up by two points to 38 per cent.

The survey also found that four in five decided voters in Canada are supporting either of the two main parties.

That means that the smaller parties trail in the polls. The NDP and the Bloc Québécois are currently trailing in the one-digit numbers with eight and six per cent, respectively.

Mario Canseco, president of Research Co. says the numbers are unlikely to change before Election Day.

“More than four-in-five decided voters across Canada (82 per cent) say they will not change their mind before election day,” Canseco said.

“This proportion rises to 86 per cent among those aged 55 and over.”

Compared to the NDP, the two major parties are doing a good job of rallying their supporters behind them, with 88 per cent of voters who cast their ballot for the Conservatives in 2021 and 80 per cent who supported the Liberals intending to stay with their respective choices.

The NDP can only say that about 39 per cent of its supporters.

As for leadership, Mark Carney now leads with 45 per cent support, while Pierre Poilievre follows at 35 per cent.

Canada-U.S. relations remain the most important issue to respondents, with 28 per cent of all likely voters saying it’s their reason to go out and cast their ballot. While 20 per cent of voters identify housing as the second most pressing issue, 19 per cent see the state of the economy as the most important issue facing the country.

Election Day in Canada is Monday, April 28.