Ontario voters want to see lower income tax to help manage high living costs: survey

A shopper reaches for groceries in a new "small format" No Frills grocery store in Toronto, Thursday, May 30, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

When it comes to dealing with the affordability crisis, a plurality of Ontario voters think the best way the government can help is by lowering their income tax, a new survey suggests.

“Lowering income taxes emerges as the most preferred approach to help with the rising cost of living in Ontario, with 36 per cent overall support,” said Nik Nanos, Chief Data Scientist at Nanos Research. “Meanwhile, increasing the minimum wage (28 per cent) and reducing sales taxes (24 per cent) are also favoured solutions, each supported by about a quarter of Ontarians.”

Nanos made the comments in a statement accompanying a survey conducted for CTV News and CP24.

It asked 925 random Ontario voters to rate the best idea to help with the rising cost of living in Ontario.

The survey was conducted Feb. 12-14 by phone and online. The margin of error for such a sample size would be plus or minus 3.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Some 2.4 per cent of respondents said removing fees on toll-highways would be the best way to make life more affordable, while 2.3 per cent said tax rebate cheques would help most.

Another 7.2 per cent of respondents said they weren’t sure.

However in Toronto, where living costs are among the highest in the country, respondents were more divided, with 36.9 per cent saying raising the minimum wage is the best idea. That was followed closely by 35 per cent who felt cutting income taxes is the best idea.

All of the ideas have been floated by the parties in the provincial election.

Managing class sizes is top education issue

In the same, survey, voters were asked what the top priority should be when it comes to Ontario’s education system.

Some 40 per cent of respondents said that managing class sizes should be the top priority. That was followed by 23 per cent who said that boosting students’ scores on standardized math and English tests should be the top priority.

A further 12 per cent said investments in school buildings were the most important, while the same number said that promoting the use of technology in the classroom to enhance learning should be the top priority.

Around seven per cent of respondents said managing unions should be the top priority while six per cent said they were unsure.

NDP most trusted on affordable housing

When it comes to building more affordable housing, the survey suggests that the NDP is the party voters trust the most (28 per cent) when it comes to creating an environment where more affordable housing will be built.

They were followed by the PC party at 23 per cent, the Liberals at 19 per cent, and the Green Party at five per cent. Some 20 per cent of respondents were unsure, while five per cent said none of the parties could be trusted on the issue.

Voters are set to head to the polls on Thursday, February 27.

You can view our Promise Tracker to compare some of the major promises being made by all of the major parties.