PCs face challenge in York South-Weston without Ford name on ballot, poll shows

NDP just four points behind in riding that never elected a PC until the Ford family name was put on the ballot.

The west-end Toronto riding of York South-Weston, where Doug Ford’s nephew is not running again, is a battleground, says a new EKOS Research poll in partnership with Impact Strategies.

The PCs narrowly won the riding in 2022, with 37 per cent support. Today’s poll shows the PCs hold 36 per cent support in York South-Weston. The NDP is four points back at 32, and the Liberals nine points behind at 27.

The poll was completed Wednesday February 5, with 309 respondents, commissioned by the Ontario Federation of Labour.

Affordability is the top issue for 37 per cent in York South-Weston, with 25 per cent most concerned about health care. Housing is the top priority for 15 per cent.

Census data shows York South-Weston’s average household income was $88,700 in 2020, considerably below the Toronto average of $121,200.

Over eight elections, no PC win until Ford name on ballot

Since the riding’s creation in 1999, the PC candidate has run third in six of eight votes. Over the eight votes, including three in which the PCs won majority governments, York-South Weston never elected a PC until Michael Ford.

On September 20, Michael Ford announced he was on a “leave of absence” from his job as representative for York South-Weston “to prioritize my health and well-being over the next couple of months.”

One week before Doug Ford called the provincial election, Michael Ford said he would not be running again.

Now, with no Ford family name on the ballot, and the loss of central support it may imply, the NDP could retake it and seem to have the head start in consolidating anti-Ford voters, the polls shows.

Faisal Hassan, MPP from 2018 until 2022, is the NDP candidate again. Mohamed Firin is the PC candidate and Daniel Di Giorgio is the Liberal candidate.