MEDIA RELEASE
ANGUS REID POLL SHOWS MAJORITY SUPPORT LRT AND WOULD VOTE FOR PRO-LRT CANDIDATES IN NEXT ELECTION
Kitchener, ON—(May 27, 2011) Poll results released today show Waterloo Region residents agree that the community needs an updated public transit system to address population growth (73 percent), and 58 percent believe it would be better for Waterloo Region to pursue a transit option that includes LRT.
Moreover, 64 per cent of residents are more likely to support a candidate who favours a LRT plan for Waterloo Region, when it comes time to cast their ballots in the next municipal election.
“Candidates who support plans to build the LRT should feel secure that residents will support their leadership come the next election,” said Alison De Muy, spokesperson for Machteld Faas Xander (MFX), the local creative design agency that commissioned the poll.
“We wanted to more fully understand the familiarity and attitudes towards the proposal to build a rapid transit system between Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge,” said Ms. De Muy of its decision to commission the poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion.
Perceptions of LRT are optimistic – 72 percent of residents believe that the impact of LRT would be positive for the Region. Half of residents believe that the LRT would help to ease traffic congestion, 58 percent believe the LRT is better for the environment than the current system and half of residents report that their ridership would increase if the LRT is built.
Although respondents believe that the cost of LRT is significant, a slight majority (53 percent) believe the cost to taxpayers is acceptable in exchange for the development of the rapid transit infrastructure.
About the Poll:
Methodology: From May 23 to May 25, 2011, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 456 Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 4.6%, nineteen times out of twenty. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current age, gender and region Census data to ensure sample is representative of the adult population of this region. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
About Machteld Faas Xander:
Machteld Faas Xander (MFX) is a creative design agency that works with businesses, governments and organizations to improve how they approach strategic questions; brand and design their marketing needs. The 30 year old Waterloo Region based company helps people think better. We care about communities and use design thinking principles to work towards their continued success.