B.C. Conservatives’ highest level of support from 18-to-34-year-olds: poll

A recent survey with a “fascinating” result shows the BC Conservatives polling ahead of the governing BC NDP among young voters.

According to a poll by Research Co.. 49 per cent of voters aged 18 to 34 support the Conservatives, while the NDP remains popular among the voters in the age group 55 and over.

53 per cent of those voters would give the NDP their vote, according to the most recent poll by Research Co.

The change “is fascinating to watch,” explained Conseco Mario Canseco, President of Research Co.

He tells 1130 NewsRadio that housing is a major factor.

Eby’s popularity up, Rustad’s down

“It is not necessarily an embrace of conservative values or anything related to culture wars or ‘wokeness,’” he said. “But more about the fact that there is a desperation to have something done with the housing file.”

He sees the results of the poll as an indication that young people are not happy with how the NDP and Premier David Eby has managed the housing issue.

However, the issue around soaring housing prices has not damaged Eby’s popularity among voters.

As the survey reveals, the premier’s approval rating is almost 20 per cent higher than that of the leader of the opposition, John Rustad.

Fifty-six per cent of respondents approve of Eby’s performance as premier, which is up by one percent from the previous survey in March.

Meanwhile, Rustad’s approval among voters is down by 3 per cent, with currently 37 per cent approving of his performance as opposition leader.

Rustad faces competition from the political right

“You have voters who maybe don’t like the NDP […} but aren’t convinced that John Rustad is the best vehicle for change when it comes to the premier’s office,” Canseco explained.

Additionally, Rustad now faces competition from two recently founded parties on the political right.

Both parties, Centre BC and One BC, including former Conservatives Dallas Brodie, Jordan Kealy and Tara Armstrong, “could be attracting the same voters that he [Rustad] wants to court,” Canseco said.

Canseco also says that the competition among the parties on the right could create an opportunity for the BC Conservatives.

“It’s an opportunity for Rustad to try to reconnect and to paint the BC Conservatives as the party that can actually affect some sort of change.”