WIND POWER

EMBARGOED UNTIL: 8 AM EST, JUNE 8, 2016

PRINT EXCLUSIVE: POSTMEDIA NETWORK
Mainstreet surveyed a random sample of 2,537 Ontarians by Smart IVR from May 18, 2016. A mixture of landlines and cell phones
were surveyed. Margin of error: +/- 1.95%, 19 times out of 20. Results were weighed by geography, age and gender based on the
2011 Canadian Census.

A2

"Exclusive Mainstreet/Postmedia polls are protected

by copyright. The information and/or data may only
be rebroadcast or republished with full and proper
credit and attribution to Mainstreet/Postmedia.

ONTARIANS SPLIT ON WIND POWER

June 8, 2016 (Ottawa, ON) A new Mainstreet/Postmedia poll nds Ontarians split on wind power
with 43% having a positive opinion of wind power and an equal 43% having a negative opinion.
The Mainstreet/Postmedia Poll has a margin of error of +/- 1.95%, 19 times out of 20.
While Ontarians are split on wind power, a closer look at the breakdown shows that negative
opinions of wind power are stronger. 28% of Ontarians have a very negative opinion with another
15% having a somewhat negative opinion, compared to the 18% of Ontarians who have a very
positive opinion and 25% who have a somewhat positive opinion, said Quito Maggi, President of
Mainstreet Research.
61% of Ontarians believe that wind power has led to an increase in their hydro bills and 59%
expect their hydro bill will go up in the next 12 months.
Ontarios energy plans have come under scrutiny the last few months as the auditor general has
looked at the impact of sourcing green energy on hydro bills and the provincial treasury. On top
of that there is ongoing litigation between the province and former energy producers. These
headlines are very likely feeding into the negative perception of wind power in Ontario. In many
communities that were directly aected by wind farms there were political consequences for the
provincial liberals, well be watching to see if this becomes a greater albatross in the next provincial
campaign, nished Maggi.
About Mainstreet Research
Mainstreet is a national public research rm. With 20 years of political experience at all three levels
of government, President and CEO Quito Maggi is a respected commentator on Canadian public
aairs.
Dierentiated by its large sample sizes, Mainstreet Research has provided accurate snapshots of
public opinion, having predicted a majority NDP government in Alberta, a majority Liberal
government in British Columbia and a majority Liberal government in Ontario. Mainstreet has been
the most accurate polling rm in several by elections and the most recent Toronto mayoral
election. Most recently, Mainstreet was the only polling rm to correctly predict a Liberal majority
government in the 2015 federal election.
-30Available for Interview from Toronto: Quito Maggi, quito@mainstreetresearch.ca
For more information: David Valentin, (514) 913-5524 - david@mainstreetresearch.ca

A3

Do you have a positive or negative

opinion of Wind Power in Ontario?

14%

18%

28%
25%

15%

Very Positive

Somewhat Positive
Very Negative

Somewhat Negative
Not Sure

A4

Do you have a positive or negative

opinion of Wind Power in Ontario?

18-34

35-49

50-64

65+

Male

Female

Very Positive

25%

13%

16%

18%

13%

23%

Somewhat Positive

21%

34%

24%

18%

24%

25%

Somewhat Negative

13%

11%

15%

24%

13%

17%

Very Negative

26%

28%

30%

28%

36%

20%

Not Sure

15%

13%

15%

11%

13%

15%

ON

SW

SC

416

905

North

East

V Positive

18%

9%

22%

27%

17%

17%

18%

SW Positive

25%

40%

22%

20%

23%

24%

17%

SW Negative

15%

8%

18%

14%

17%

14%

20%

V Negative

28%

30%

21%

25%

30%

26%

30%

Not Sure

14%

13%

18%

13%

13%

19%

15%

A5

In your opinion, has Wind Power contributed to

more expensive electricity bills in Ontario, less
expensive electricity bills, or has it had no eect?

5%

23%

61%
11%

More Expensive

Less Expensive

No Eect

Not Sure

A6

In your opinion, has Wind Power contributed to

more expensive electricity bills in Ontario, less
expensive electricity bills, or has it had no eect?

ON 61%

11%

23%

5%

Male 61%

11%

23%

6%

Female 62%

11%

18-34 58%

23%

12%

35-49 66%

24%
11%

50-64 56%

12%

6%
18%

7%

7% 25%

SW 73%

9%
13%

416 49%

15%

13%

5%

9%

19%

4%

6% 23%

East 53%

11%
20

30

40

50

60

6%

32%
70

5%
8%

30%

North 64%

10

3%

26%

905 69%

4%

25%

65+ 65%

SC 53%

5%

4%

80

90

100

A7

Do you expect your households electricity bill to

increase, decrease or stay the same over the
next 12 months?

9%

21%

59%

11%

Increase

Decrease

Stay the Same

Not Sure

A8

Do you expect your households electricity bill to

increase, decrease or stay the same over the
next 12 months?

ON 59%

11%

Male 66%

21%
10%

Female 53%

12%

18-34 45%

14%

11%
10%

50-64 66%

10%
9%

SW 60%
8%

416 51%

12%

15%

7%
13%

26%

North 64%

9%

11%
21%
13%

15%
30

40

50

60

9%
7%

26%

11%

20

9%

23%

905 63%

East 67%

13%

29%
9%

SC 53%

10

7%

30%
9%

17%

25%

35-49 68%

65+ 55%

9%

70

6%
14%
10%

80

90

9%
100

A9

SCRIPT

And do you have a positive or negative opinion of Wind Power in Ontario?

Very Positive
Somewhat Positive
Somewhat Negative
Very Negative
Not Sure
And in your opinion, has Wind Power contributed to more expensive electricity bills in Ontario, less
expensive electricity bills, or has it had no eect?
More Expensive
Less Expensive
No Eect
Not Sure
And do you expect your households electricity bill to increase, decrease or stay the same over the next
12 months?
Increase
Decrease
Stay the Same
Not Sure

CALGARY GREENWAY

WHITBY

Most Accurate Pollster of the Calgary

Greenway by election.

Most Accurate Pollster of the

Whitby by election.

SASKATCHEWAN

MANITOBA

Most Active Pollster of Saskatchewans

general election, top results within MoE.

Most Active Pollster of Manitobas general

election, top results within MoE.

Mainstreet is a national public research rm. With 20 years of political experience at all three
levels of government, President and CEO Quito Maggi is a respected commentator on Canadian
public aairs.
Dierentiated by its large sample sizes, Mainstreet Research has provided accurate snapshots of
public opinion, having predicted a majority NDP government in Alberta, a majority Liberal
government in British Columbia and a majority Liberal government in Ontario. Mainstreet has
been the most accurate polling rm in several by elections and the most recent Toronto mayoral
election. Most recently, Mainstreet was the only polling rm to correctly predict a Liberal majority
government in the 2015 federal election.

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