Montreal mayor's popularity dips, but still favoured over rival: Poll

Despite a spate of scandals plaguing city hall, Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay would win another election if one were held now, a new poll published Monday suggests.

Tremblay would earn as much as 26 per cent of the popular vote — five points more than his main rival at city hall, opposition leader Benoit Labonté, according to the Angus Reid-Stratégies-La Presse poll.

But general confidence in the mayor has dropped among 57 per cent of Montrealers polled.

The mayor has been recently grilled over questionable contracts at the city's housing and development corporation (which police are currently investigating) and allegations of corruption in a water meter contract scandal. About 56 per cent of Montrealers polled said they don't believe Tremblay's explanations.

And 38 per cent of residents polled agreed he should leave politics, instead of seeking a third term in the upcoming municipal election.

The online poll was conducted for Montreal newspaper La Presse on May 6 and 7. A total of 805 registered Montreal voters, francophone and anglophone, were polled. The margin of error is 3.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Councillor dismisses poll findings

Coun. Marvin Rotrand, who is a member of Tremblay's political party, came to his leader's defence and downplayed the poll's results.

"Polls are often used to influence public opinion rather than reflect it," Rotrand told CBC News Monday.

"What I really believe is that Gérald Tremblay is a man of integrity," he added.

The poll is part of a campaign of insinuation launched against Tremblay this spring, Rotrand speculated.

"The way I see it, it's a media-fostered campaign to create the perception of a scandal."