NDP support sliding across Alberta, including in Edmonton Metro region: poll

A new report suggests support for the NDP government has declined across Alberta, including in the region where it’s been most popular.

The ThinkHQ/Metro News polls shows the NDP would garner 30 per cent of the decided vote and the new United Conservative Party (UCP) would receive 54 per cent if an election were held today. That’s a steep decline for the provincial government, which received 41 per cent support in the last election.

“The challenge they have is on the key ballot question, which is whether or not this government’s had a positive or negative impact on your life. You’ve got over half Albertans saying that this government has had a negative impact on their life,” ThinkHQ president Mark Henry said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The challenge they have is on the key ballot question, which is whether or not this government's had a positive or negative impact on your life. You've got over half Albertans saying that this government has had a negative impact on their life," ThinkHQ president Mark Henry said.

READ MORE: Poll suggests whoever wins Alberta UCP leadership contest likely on ‘path to premier’s office’

Meanwhile, the report showed the Alberta Party with nine per cent of the vote, the Liberals received five per cent and 18 per cent of respondents were undecided in the survey.

What may be most surprising is support for the NDP has dropped in the Edmonton region, according to the study, which has been a stronghold for the party. The study suggests the NDP is tied with the UCP at 42 per cent of the decided vote, which would be the first time the NDP doesn’t have a lead in the region since it was elected in 2015.

READ MORE: Poll shows Alberta Premier Rachel Notley popular nationally, not so much at home

The report suggests NDP support has dropped by four percentage points in Edmonton Metro since August, while UCP support increased by six percentage points.

The government still has a substantial lead of 13 percentage points inside Edmonton city limits, the ThinkHQ poll suggests. But that would mean the party is trailing the UCP in neighbouring communities like St. Albert, Leduc and Sherwood Park.

“The NDP, their path to victory in the next election includes capturing all the Edmonton seats,” Henry said. “For them, it’s absolutely essential they get these seats.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The NDP, their path to victory in the next election includes capturing all the Edmonton seats," Henry said. "For them, it's absolutely essential they get these seats."

READ MORE: Survey suggests most Albertans unhappy with NDP government’s handling of economy

With the next election about a year and a half away, Henry said there’s still plenty of time for the NDP to turn the tide.

WATCH: With a provincial election still 18 months away, Premier Rachel Notley said Friday she is not concerned about a new poll showing NDP support among decided voters sliding across Alberta. Gary Bobrovitz has more.

1:38 Premier Notley shrugs off dismal poll numbers for the NDP government

The study was done from Nov. 9 to Nov. 13 by an online research panel, and 1,314 people across the province were surveyed.

The study has a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points.