Mainstreet surveyed a random sample of 4,610 Ontarians by Smart IVR on September 21, 2015.

A
mixture of landlines and cell phones were surveyed. Regional margins of error: North: +/-3.54%; East:
+/-3.56%; Southwest: +/-3.52%; South Central: +/- 3.52%; GTA +/-3.5%; Toronto (416): +/-3.56% 19
times out of 20. Results were weighed by age and gender based on the 2011 Canadian Census.

B2
"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.

September 22, 2015 (Toronto, ON) A new Mainstreet/Postmedia poll finds support for sales of
12 packs and 24s at grocery stores and supermarkets and high disapproval unchanged for the sale
of Hydro One. The Mainstreet/Postmedia poll has a margin of error of +/- 1.5%, 19 times out of 20.
Ontarians are surer than ever before that they disapprove of the sale of Hydro One, said Quito
Maggi, President of Mainstreet Research. Approval is up 1% since our last poll on this issue while
disapproval has climbed 5%.
Ontarians are divided on beer sale reforms, a third say the reforms for sales don't go far enough
while just under 30% say they have gone far enough while 17% believe they have gone too far. It
is counter intuitive as 58% approve of selling beer in grocery stores and supermarkets in sizes
larger than six packs. 55% of Ontarians disapprove of the plan to impose quotas on beer sales in
grocery stores - even if they can continue sales by paying a fine.
It may be that Ontarians are just happy to see any sort of progress on the liberalization of beer
sales.
The sale of Hydro One continues to be a controversial issue for Ontario voters with almost two
thirds opposed to the sale. This is impacting federal Liberal fortunes as Conservatives use fears of
rising rates as a wedge issue across Ontario to make political gains. Whether Kathleen Wynne and
Ontario Liberals rethink the sale at least until after the federal election, may be a key decision in
determining a number of seats across the province as the federal election continue, finished
Maggi.
About Mainstreet Research
Mainstreet is a national public research firm. With 20 years of political experience at all three
levels of government, President and CEO Quito Maggi is a respected commentator on Canadian
public affairs.
Differentiated by its large sample sizes, Mainstreet has provided accurate snapshots of public
opinion, having predicted a majority NDP government in Alberta (2015), a majority Liberal
government in British Columbia, and a majority Liberal government in Ontario. Most recently,
Mainstreet was the most accurate pollster of Novembers Toronto mayoral election.
-30Available for Interview from Toronto: Quito Maggi, quito@mainstreetresearch.ca
For more information: David Valentin, (613) 698-5524 - david@mainstreetresearch.ca

B3

As part of the Ontario budget, theLEANING

province AND
is planning
to sell 60% of the ownership in Hydro
DECIDED
One to fund the construction of new transit projects. Do you approve or disapprove of the plan
to sell 60% of Hydro One to fund new transit projects?
10%
25%

66%

TOTAL APPROVAL: 25% (+1%)

STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE
STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

TOTAL DISAPPROVAL: 66% (+5%)

18-34
9%
18%
23%
38%
12%
558
North
10%
16%
18%
47%
9%
765

NOT SURE: 10% (-6%)

35-49
9%
12%
16%
51%
12%
1044

50-64
10%
13%
18%
51%
8%
1503

East
10%
17%
17%
45%
10%
756

SW
9%
13%
21%
50%
8%
773

65+ Male Female

11%
12%
8%
16% 14%
15%
17% 16%
21%
51% 52%
43%
5%
6%
13%
1505 2150 2460
SC
9%
14%
17%
48%
13%
776

GTA
10%
14%
19%
46%
11%
782

416
11%
16%
18%
48%
8%
758

B4

The Government of Ontario is planning

to sell
60%DECIDED
of its stake in Hydro One, is that too much,
LEANING
AND
not enough or just right?

18%

11%

71%

TOO MUCH: 71% (-4%)

TOO MUCH
NOT ENOUGH
JUST RIGHT
SAMPLE
TOO MUCH
NOT ENOUGH
JUST RIGHT
SAMPLE

NOT ENOUGH: 11% (-4%)

18-34
73%
6%
21%
558

JUST RIGHT: 18% (+8%)

35-49 50-64 65+ Male Female

75%
70%
62% 72%
70%
9%
13%
19%
9%
13%
16%
17%
19% 19%
18%
1044
1503 1505 2150 2460
North East SW SC GTA 416
70% 71% 71% 74% 72% 69%
12% 10% 12% 9% 9% 12%
18% 19% 17% 17% 19% 19%
765 756 773 776 782 758

B5

Grocery stores and supermarkets will

only be
allowed
to sell 6 packs. In your opinion should
LEANING
AND
DECIDED
grocery stores and supermarkets be allowed to sell beer in larger sizes like 12 packs or 24s?

10%

32%
58%

YES: 58%

YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE
YES
NO
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

NO: 32%
18-34
59%
27%
14%
558

NOT SURE: 10%

35-49 50-64 65+ Male Female
59%
58%
51% 67%
49%
34%
34%
36% 26%
38%
7%
8%
13%
7%
13%
1044
1503 1505 2150 2460
North East SW SC GTA 416
55% 63% 54% 60% 58% 57%
35% 28% 34% 30% 33% 33%
10% 9% 12% 10% 10% 10%
765 756 773 776 782 758

B6

The government has suggested a plan

that will
seeDECIDED
a limit on how many 6-packs can be sold by
LEANING
AND
grocery stores and supermarkets per year. Stores that want to sell more than the limit will need
to pay a fine to continue sales. Do you approve or disapprove of restricting how much beer a
supermarket or grocery store can sell per year?
10%

34%

55%

TOTAL APPROVAL: 34%

STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE
STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

TOTAL DISAPPROVAL: 55%

18-34
20%
17%
12%
44%
7%
558
North
26%
12%
16%
34%
12%
765

NOT SURE: 10%

35-49
20%
11%
19%
41%
9%
1044

50-64
22%
12%
19%
36%
11%
1503

East
19%
12%
17%
41%
11%
756

SW
24%
14%
17%
35%
10%
773

65+ Male Female

25% 20%
23%
14% 12%
15%
20% 16%
19%
28% 45%
32%
13%
7%
12%
1505 2150 2460
SC
17%
13%
17%
43%
11%
776

GTA
22%
14%
17%
38%
9%
782

416
21%
14%
19%
39%
8%
758

B7

And, thinking about the reforms toLEANING

the sale of
beer
in Ontario, in your view do the reforms go
AND
DECIDED
too far, are they about right or do they not go far enough?

17%

22%

28%

33%

TOO FAR: 17%

ABOUT RIGHT: 28%

REFORMS GO TOO FAR

REFORMS ARE ABOUT RIGHT
REFORMS DO NOT GO FAR ENOUGH
NOT SURE
SAMPLE
REFORMS GO TOO FAR
REFORMS ARE ABOUT RIGHT
REFORMS DO NOT GO FAR ENOUGH
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

NOT FAR ENOUGH: 33%

18-34
16%
26%
37%
21%
558
North
16%
27%
34%
22%
765

35-49
19%
24%
34%
23%
1044

50-64
18%
29%
32%
21%
1503

East
15%
26%
35%
24%
756

SW
19%
28%
30%
22%
773

NOT SURE: 22%

65+ Male Female
16% 18%
17%
35% 25%
31%
26% 41%
25%
23% 16%
27%
1505 2150 2460
SC
16%
27%
35%
23%
776

GTA
16%
29%
34%
21%
782

416
19%
28%
32%
22%
758

B8

SCRIPT
As part of the Ontario budget, the province is planning to sell 60% of the ownership in Hydro One to
fund the construction of new transit projects. Do you approve or disapprove of the plan to sell 60% of
Hydro One to fund new transit projects?
Strongly approve
Somewhat approve
Somewhat disapprove
Strongly disapprove
Not sure
The Government of Ontario is planning to sell 60% of its stake in Hydro One, is that too much, not
enough or just right?
Too much
Not enough
Just right
Recently the government of Ontario announced plans to allow grocery stores and supermarkets to sell
Beer. Grocery stores and supermarkets will only be allowed to sell 6 packs. In your opinion should
grocery stores and supermarkets be allowed to sell beer in larger sizes like 12 packs or 24s?
Yes
No
Not sure
The government has suggested a plan that will see a limit on how many 6-packs can be sold by grocery
stores and supermarkets per year. Stores that want to sell more than the limit will need to pay a fine to
continue sales. Do you approve or disapprove of restricting how much beer a supermarket or grocery
store can sell per year?
Strongly approve
Somewhat approve
Somewhat disapprove
Strongly disapprove
Not sure
And, thinking about the reforms to the sale of beer in Ontario, in your view do the reforms go too far,
are they about right or do they not go far enough?
Reforms go too far
Reforms are about right
Reforms do not go far enough
Not sure

B9

RIDING & REGION BREAKDOWN

GTA
Ajax
AuroraOak RidgesRichmond Hill
Brampton Centre
Brampton East
Brampton North
Brampton South
Brampton West
Durham
KingVaughan
MarkhamStouffville
MarkhamThornhill
MarkhamUnionville
Mississauga Centre
Mississauga EastCooksville
MississaugaErin Mills
MississaugaLakeshore
MississaugaMalton
MississaugaStreetsville
Oshawa
PickeringUxbridge
Richmond Hill
Thornhill
VaughanWoodbridge
Whitby
BarrieInnisfil
BarrieSpringwaterOro-Medonte
DufferinCaledon
NewmarketAurora
Simcoe North
YorkSimcoe

NORTH
AlgomaManitoulinKapuskasing
HuronBruce
Kenora
Nickel Belt
NipissingTimiskaming
Parry SoundMuskoka
Sault Ste. Marie
Sudbury
Thunder BayRainy River
Thunder BaySuperior North
TimminsJames Bay

EAST
Bay of Quinte
Carleton
GlengarryPrescottRussell
HaliburtonKawartha LakesBrock
HastingsLennox and Addington
KanataCarleton
Kingston and the Islands
LanarkFrontenacKingston
LeedsGrenvilleThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes
Nepean
NorthumberlandPeterborough South
Orlans
Ottawa Centre
Ottawa South
Ottawa WestNepean
OttawaVanier
PeterboroughKawartha
RenfrewNipissingPembroke
StormontDundasSouth Glengarry
SOUTH-CENTRAL
BrantfordBrant
Burlington
FlamboroughGlanbrook
HaldimandNorfolk
Hamilton Centre
Hamilton EastStoney Creek
Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton WestAncasterDundas
Milton
Niagara Centre
Niagara Falls
Niagara West
Oakville
Oakville NorthBurlington
SimcoeGrey
St. Catharines

B10

RIDING & REGION BREAKDOWN

SOUTH-WEST
BruceGreyOwen Sound
Cambridge
Chatham-KentLeamington
ElginMiddlesexLondon
Essex
Guelph
Kitchener Centre
Kitchener SouthHespeler
KitchenerConestoga
LambtonKentMiddlesex
London North Centre
London West
LondonFanshawe
Oxford
PerthWellington
SarniaLambton
Waterloo
WellingtonHalton Hills
Windsor West
WindsorTecumseh

TORONTO (416)
BeachesEast York
Davenport
Don Valley East
Don Valley North
Don Valley West
EglintonLawrence
Etobicoke Centre
Etobicoke North
EtobicokeLakeshore
Humber RiverBlack Creek
ParkdaleHigh Park
Scarborough Centre
Scarborough North
Scarborough Southwest
ScarboroughAgincourt
ScarboroughGuildwood
ScarboroughRouge Park
SpadinaFort York
Toronto Centre
TorontoDanforth
TorontoSt. Paul's
UniversityRosedale
Willowdale
York Centre
York SouthWeston

Mainstreet is a national public research firm. With 20 years of political experience at all
three levels of government, President and CEO Quito Maggi is a respected commentator
on Canadian public affairs.
Differentiated by its large sample sizes, Mainstreet has provided accurate snapshots of
public opinion, having predicted a majority NDP government in Alberta (2015), a majority
Liberal government in British Columbia, and a majority Liberal government in Ontario.
Most recently, Mainstreet was the most accurate pollster of Novembers Toronto mayoral
election.