Nearly half of Albertans dissatisfied with Kenney’s COVID-19 response: poll
Posted August 13, 2020 12:16 pm.
Last Updated August 13, 2020 6:41 pm.
CALGARY (660 NEWS) – A new survey shows more Albertans are not happy with the province’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a poll from Angus Reid, Alberta has the highest rate of people saying the current restrictions aren’t enough, at 27 per cent, while 47 per cent believe Premier Jason Kenney isn’t doing a great job.
About 25 per cent of those polled also believe the restrictions and health measures are too strict.
The Angus Reid study also gauged how residents felt their premiers' COVID-19 response. #yeg #yyc #ableg #covid19ab pic.twitter.com/D7jS66q0b0
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) August 13, 2020
In nearly every region, more than half of those surveyed felt their government has done a good job of balancing priorities.
The survey found those in the four Atlantic provinces are most satisfied with the coordinated approach in that region.
“Provinces in this area are more isolated, which allows better governance over travel,” reads the research. Those provinces also created a free-travel “bubble” that bars entry from other parts of the country, with certain exceptions.
By contrast, people in B.C. and Manitoba are most likely to say communities in their province must be subject to tighter restrictions in order to keep the COVID-19 spread down, while Albertans are more likely to advocate for more relaxed restrictions.
The approval rating for Kenney’s response has been the lowest across Canada throughout the pandemic, falling from 67 per cent to 51 per cent between April and August.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault had the highest approval rating in the survey with 75 per cent followed by Ontario Premier Doug Ford and B.C’s John Horgan.
The survey also found several government missteps that people shared led to the low approval ratings for Kenney.
In March, the Alberta government announced the layoffs of thousands of school support staff after classes were cancelled due to the pandemic.
Others polled also referenced the government’s back-to-school plan which has been criticized by the Opposition, parents and doctors, citing a lack of safety precautions.
-With files from John Ackerman, NEWS 1130
