Things are looking bleak for Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek and City Council, according to a new poll by ThinkHQ.
Gondek’s performance ratings have not changed since November, clocking in at 36%.
When asked to rate her performance, a majority of Calgarians (55%) said they disapprove of Gondek’s leadership. Of those, 40% said they strongly opposed the mayor.
Meanwhile, only 10% of Calgarians expressed a favourable opinion of Gondek.
The poll also found that councillors had a slightly higher approval rating of 42% up three points from November.
According to Marc Henry, president of ThinkHQ, Gondek’s handling of housing, her climate emergency declaration and various scandals have contributed to the mayor’s unpopularity.
“This a not a report card you would put on the fridge,” Henry told Postmedia.
“We’re nearing the mid-point of this council’s term, and their numbers remain chronically weak.”
Henry said that a second term for Gondek is not looking like a sure bet with the way things are currently headed.
“She does need to focus on connecting with voters better,” said Henry.
“And then that means getting some wins on the issues that matter most to them.”
In April, Gondek walked away from questions concerning her past endorsement of the Defund the Police movement as Calgary struggled to deal with a surge of violent crime.
While still the Ward 3 Councillor in 2021, Gondek and eight other councillors voted to defund the Calgary Police Service by $20 million.
