60% say Toronto needs a major change in direction at City Hall, while 55% say it moves too slowly.

TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2026 /CNW/ -- Six days before Toronto votes, a new Build Canada survey finds a city that wants its next government to move faster and take more risks. 67 percent of Torontonians say the next mayor and council should try new ideas, even if some fail. Only 23 percent prefer caution. 60 percent say Toronto needs a major change in direction at City Hall.

The appetite for boldness comes from hard realities. 81 percent say a young person starting out today cannot afford to build a good life in Toronto. 54 percent have seriously considered leaving in the past year, most often because of housing costs (39 percent), ahead of safety (18 percent).

"Torontonians are not asking for caution. They are asking for results," said Lucy Hargreaves, CEO and Co-Founder of Build Canada. "Two-thirds would rather City Hall try something and fail than keep moving at the current pace. Whoever wins on Monday has a mandate to be bold."

Key findings

• A bolder City Hall. 67 percent want the next mayor and council to try new ideas, even if some fail. 23 percent prefer caution.
• Off course and slow. 60 percent say Toronto needs a major change in direction at City Hall. 64 percent say City Hall is not focused on the problems that affect their everyday lives.
• A city that feels worse. 61 percent of long-term residents say Toronto is a worse place to live than four years ago. 56 percent say their own quality of life has gotten worse.
• Half have thought about leaving. 54 percent have seriously considered moving out of Toronto in the past 12 months, rising to 63 percent among 45- to 54-year-olds.
• The next generation. 81 percent say a young person starting out cannot afford to build a good life in Toronto.
• What matters most. The cost of housing tops the list at 25 percent, followed by crime and safety (15), traffic (11), property taxes and fees (10) and how the city manages its money (10).
• A race too close to call. Among decided and leaning voters, 48 percent back Brad Bradford and 44 percent Olivia Chow, a gap within the margin of error. 8 percent are undecided. Views split by vote: 94 percent of Bradford voters want a major change at City Hall; 14 percent of Chow voters do.

Methodology

Build Canada conducted a survey of 991 Toronto adults from October 11 to 16, 2026. Participants were randomly selected by cellphone random digit dialing and invited by SMS to an online questionnaire.

Results were weighted to 2021 Census benchmarks for the City of Toronto by age, gender, education and Community Council Area. The margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, or ±4.4 points adjusted for the design effect of weighting. Precision is lower for sub-samples.

The survey was commissioned, funded and conducted by Build Canada, a CRIC member. Research Verification Service code 20261010-BU948. Full methodology, questionnaire and crosstabs: buildcanada.com/polls/toronto-election-2026

About Build Canada

Build Canada is a non-partisan civic movement that connects and equips Canadians working to make Canada the world's most prosperous country. It uses polling, technology and a nationwide network to support public participation. buildcanada.com

SOURCE Build Canada