New poll has Chow with 11-point lead over Bradford among decided voters in Toronto

In a new Liaison Strategies poll, Olivia Chow leads the upcoming Toronto mayoral election among decided and leaning voters by an 11-point margin, with 49 percent of potential voters backing her, compared to Brad Bradford's 38 percent. The poll also shows Chris Alexander with 11 percent support and a third-party candidate garnering three percent.

Among all voters, Chow leads with 39 percent support, Bradford follows with 30 percent, Alexander has nine percent, and 19 percent of voters are still undecided. Valentin, the Principal at Liaison Strategies, notes that Chow's lead has grown since their previous poll on August 7, while Bradford's support has decreased by two points.

The undecided category adds an element of uncertainty to Chow's lead, as it could still impact the election's outcome. Comparatively, Bradford holds a narrow lead among male voters (47 percent to 39 percent) and in Etobicoke (56 percent to 34 percent), while Chow maintains larger leads among women (58 percent to 29 percent), downtown (59 percent to 27 percent), North York (51 percent to 35 percent), and Scarborough (46 percent to 37 percent).

Bike lanes and the relationship with Ontario Premier Doug Ford are key concerns for Torontonians, with 65 percent of respondents stating that a candidate's stance on bike lanes would influence their vote. However, opinions on this issue are diverse, with 35 percent wanting more bike lanes, 34 percent preferring the current number, and 26 percent wanting some removed.

The geographic distribution of preferences for bike lane policies is significant, with downtown voters favoring more lanes and Etobicoke voters more inclined to reduce them. Regarding the relationship between the next mayor and Premier Ford, the poll reveals that voters desire a balanced approach. Forty-eight percent of respondents believe the mayoral candidate should strike a balance between collaboration and confrontation, compared to 25 percent who favor direct confrontation and 19 percent who favor collaboration.

Chow's handling of her relationship with Ford receives a "decent grade," with 50 percent approving of her actions and 40 percent disapproving. Additionally, the poll indicates that voter approval of the city's direction has shifted, with 48 percent now approving of the direction, compared to 45 percent who disapprove, two weeks ago, the two groups were tied at 46 percent each. The Toronto mayoral election is scheduled for October 26.