POLL: Early front-runner identified in race to be next Mississauga mayor

Published January 16, 2024 at 1:48 pm

Mississauga has not yet officially declared the mayor’s seat vacant in the wake of Bonnie Crombie’s departure, but the first poll looking at those who’ve so far declared an interest in succeeding her is already out there for discussion.

Created by Toronto-based public opinion research firm Liaison Strategies and released this week, the poll shows veteran politician and current Ward 5 Coun. Carolyn Parrish to be out in front in the early part of the race.

Parrish leads Ward 7 Coun. Dipika Damerla by six points among all voters and by 11 points among decided voters, according to the poll, which was conducted Jan. 10-11 for the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada.

Significantly, the poll also found that 49 per cent of Mississauga voters are currently undecided when it comes to choosing Crombie’s successor.

City council will officially declare the mayor’s seat vacant at its meeting on Wednesday morning. Under the Municipal Elections Act, council then has 60 days to pass a bylaw requiring a byelection for the vacant seat.

A mayoral byelection will then be held on a yet-to-be-determined date at some point in the next several months.

David Valentin, principal of Liaison Strategies, noted in a news release this week that “for now, Parrish is leading, but almost half of Mississaugans are undecided.”

Following are the poll results among all voters:

Ward 5 Coun. Carolyn Parrish – 18 per cent
Ward 7 Coun. Dipika Damerla – 12
Ward 2 Coun. Alvin Tedjo – 8
George Tavares – 5
Christine Simundson – 3
Ward 1 Coun. Stephen Dasko – 3
David Shaw – 2

Following are the poll results among decided voters:

Ward 5 Coun. Carolyn Parrish – 35 per cent
Ward 7 Coun. Dipika Damerla – 24
Ward 2 Coun. Alvin Tedjo – 16
George Tavares – 10
Christine Simundson – 6
Ward 1 Coun. Stephen Dasko – 6
David Shaw – 4

According to Liaison Strategies, the poll was conducted using interactive voice response technology and surveyed 983 Mississauga voters. Margin of error for the poll is plus/minus 3.06 per cent, 19 times out of 20, the firm said.

Valentin said the poll also asked residents of Canada’s seventh-largest city if they thought Mississauga, Ontario and the country were headed in the right direction.

“Sixty-three per cent said Mississauga is moving in the right direction, but only 36 per cent would say the same of Ontario and even fewer, 29 per cent, would say the same about Canada,” he noted. “That would seem to point to a lack of appetite for change at city hall, but it is coming regardless and it will be interesting to see how candidates position themselves in the race.”

In the meantime, Ward 4 Coun. John Kovac will serve as acting mayor for the remainder of January as councillors fill the mayor’s seat on a rotating basis.

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