Toronto: Chow 50%, Bradford 37%; Traffic Frustration Dominates City Mood
May 14, 2026 (Toronto, ON) – A new Liaison Strategies survey shows Mayor Olivia Chow holding a 13-point lead over Councillor Brad Bradford among decided voters, while Torontonians express overwhelming frustration with traffic congestion and road construction coordination.
If a mayoral election were held today among decided voters, Olivia Chow would receive 50% support, followed by Brad Bradford at 37% and another candidate at 13%. Among all voters, Chow stands at 38%, Bradford at 28%, another candidate at 9%, while 24% are undecided.
The survey also finds traffic congestion has become one of the clearest pressure points in the city. Fully 71% of Torontonians say traffic congestion has gotten worse over the past year, and 88% say congestion is a serious problem in their part of Toronto.
Liaison surveyed a random sample of 1,000 Torontonians from May 10 to 11, 2026, using Interactive Voice Recording (IVR) technology. To ensure a representative sample, participants were reached through random digit dialling (RDD) across both landline and cellular phone networks. For the total sample, the margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Liaison Strategies is one of the most accurate polling firms in Canada. It ranked #1 in accuracy in the 2025 Ontario election and #2 nationally in the 2025 federal election. Liaison is a member of the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC).
David Valentin, Principal at Liaison Strategies said:
“Mayor Chow continues to hold a strong lead and this survey finds a third of Torontonians are either unfamiliar with or have no firm opinion of challenger Brad Bradford. The mayor has a positive approval rating (+13) and despite being much less known than the mayor Bradford has a positive favourability rating (+10). That being said, Chow leads by double digits though it is still very early. Bradford understandably does better with voters who know him (as opposed to those who don't) so it will be interesting to see how numbers shift as he becomes better known."
"Our poll also finds just how sour Torontonians are on traffic. Seventy-one percent say congestion has gotten worse, nearly nine in ten say it is a serious problem where they live, and 72% say the City is doing a poor job coordinating road work to reduce disruption.”
“People are not just saying there are too many cars. They are saying the system is badly managed. When asked what would do the most to improve traffic, the top answer is faster road construction and fewer lane closures, followed by better transit and better timing of traffic lights.”
Traffic and City Management
71% say traffic congestion in Toronto has gotten worse over the past year.
88% say traffic congestion is a serious problem in their part of the city, including 57% who call it very serious.
72% say the City is doing a poor job coordinating road work to reduce traffic disruption.
47% say Toronto should focus on safer and more balanced streets, even if that slows car traffic somewhat; 35% say the city should focus on moving car traffic more quickly.
“Traffic is usually talked about as a car issue, but the poll suggests Torontonians see it as a performance issue. They want the basics managed better: fewer lane closures, faster construction, better signal timing, and transit that gives people a real alternative to driving.”
Trust in Police
The survey also finds mixed but generally positive views of the Toronto Police Service. Sixty-three percent say they have at least some trust in TPS, while 59% approve of the job the service is doing overall.
However, views are more divided on fairness and responsiveness. Half of Torontonians say TPS generally treats people fairly, while 31% disagree. Forty-six percent say TPS is responsive when serious crime and safety issues arise, while 36% say it is not responsive enough.
“On policing, Torontonians are not choosing a single lane. Thirty percent want a more visible police presence, 29% want reform and accountability more than a larger police presence, and another 30% say both are needed equally. The public wants safety, but they also want legitimacy.”
Detailed Poll Report:
About Liaison Strategies
Liaison Strategies is a national public opinion research firm. With 12 years of experience in Canadian polling, David Valentin, principal, has fielded hundreds of projects at the municipal, provincial and federal levels and appeared across Canadian media to discuss insights. Liaison is a member of the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC), Canada’s voice of the research, analytics, and insights profession both domestically and globally.