ontario government

People are losing faith in the Government of Ontario and public services

If you feel like Ontario is falling apart, you're certainly not alone, as a new survey indicates that residents are growing more furious with — and concerned about — where the province is heading.

A poll conducted by the Angus Reid Institute asked citizens across the country how they feel their provincial leaders are doing, and compared the results to a similar study conducted in 2019.

And, unsurprisingly, far fewer people seem to think their premier and team are doing a good job when it comes to the state of healthcare, education, housing, the cost of living and more.

On a national scale, there was a 15 point drop in satisfaction with provincial governments over the last five years, with the most substantial drops in approval ratings found in Saskatchewan, B.C., Quebec, New Brunswick, and Ontario.

As noted by the non-profit, Saskatchewan led the way with the highest positive score of 42, "a mark that would have put it sixth in the country five years ago."

The results, the experts say, are driven by "a perceived lack of progress – and indeed, outright decline – by provinces on persistent issues headlined by healthcare, a provincial issue of high importance according to respondents both five years ago and today."

"A majority in every province in the country believe their provincial government is performing poorly on health are as premiers and health ministers struggle to address the myriad problems facing Canada's health systems," they continue.

ontario government

How confidence in Ontario's leadership has dwindled over the last few years. Graph from the Angus Reid Institute.

This is definitely true in Ontario, where the public has long feared what seems to be a growing trend towards privatization of the sector, among others.

Understaffed, under-funded hospitals across the province have been ringing alarm bells for months, with many having to shutter their emergency departments temporarily or permanently. The shocking family doctor shortage is also only getting worse, with millions now going without a primary care physician.

We have also almost lost portions of the protected Greenbelt to wealthy developers, have had to accept the conversion of valuable Ontario Place greenspace into a private spa, and face a number of other sketchy moves by Premier Doug Ford, from rumours of privatization of the LCBO to the seemingly random relocation of the Ontario Science Centre.

If you add in things like the Manulife-Shoppers Drug Mart insurance controversy, the ServiceOntario-Staples debacle, his ongoing ties to Loblaw and Galen Weston, his suspicious use of Minister's Zoning Orders and sole selection processes, and his over-riding of environmental assessment processes for certain projects, there is just too much to count.

Lead photo by

Elena Berd/Shutterstock


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