Scott Moe’s approval jumps seven points after re-election: Angus Reid poll

After securing another majority government in October’s provincial election, Premier Scott Moe’s approval has rebounded, jumping by seven points.

That’s according to the latest premier approval ratings, published on Wednesday by the Angus Reid Institute. The poll showed Moe’s popularity sitting at 52 per cent, up from 45 per cent in September. Moe was the fourth most popular premier in the country, trailing Manitoba’s Wab Kinew (67 per cent), Nova Scotia’s Tim Houston (55 per cent) and New Brunswick’s Susan Holt (54 per cent).

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According to Angus Reid, 21 per cent “strongly approve” of Moe’s performance, while 30 per cent “strongly disapprove” of the Saskatchewan premier’s performance.

“In Saskatchewan, Premier Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan Party were dealt October election results that have been the more common experience for incumbents in recent times,” the poll read.

“While still securing a majority, the Saskatchewan Party won 14 fewer seats than it did in 2020 and will face a strengthened NDP opposition that saw its seat count nearly double from the dissolution of legislature.”

The latest legislative session in Saskatchewan was largely centred on affordability measures brought forward by Moe’s government, which may have contributed to the headway he made in the latest approval polling.

Moe’s approval has been up and down since he took over as leader of the Saskatchewan Party in 2018, with his highest approval ratings (65 per cent) coming in June of 2020 and June of 2019. The lowest his approval rating has fallen was 43 per cent late in 2021.

“On election night, Moe conceded his government ‘must do better in health and education’ as it faces a starkly divided province with all but one Saskatchewan Party MLAs coming from outside of the now NDP-dominated cities of Saskatoon and Regina,” the institute’s poll read.

Trailing Moe in the poll, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Andrew Furey and British Columbia’s David Eby both came in at 46 per cent approval. In Alberta, Danielle Smith’s approval rating was 45 per cent, and bringing up the rear were Quebec’s François Legault (36 per cent) and Ontario’s Doug Ford (34 per cent).