Houston’s approval slightly up but still one of the lowest in the country

While the trade war between Canada and the U.S. aided the approval of some premiers, it was not enough to bring Premier Tim Houston out of the bottom two, even though he did improve.

The latest survey from the Angus Reid Institute released on Wednesday shows approval for Ontario Premier Doug Ford and B.C. Premier David Eby has grown since June helped in large part by their outspoken, direct comments on the incidents with the U.S.

Nova Scotia’s premier sits just above Ford, with 55 per cent disapproving of his job.

“Houston’s personal popularity has not recovered from the spring’s unpopular provincial budget,” researchers explained.

The premier did reverse some budget decisions after intense public backlash and protests. About $54 million to programs for people with disabilities and seniors, and for African Nova Scotian and Indigenous students was restored.

The cuts were aimed at the lowering the province’s $1.2 billion deficit, but the public did not take too kindly to arts and culture cuts, such as the closing museums and libraries in the summer.

In July, while Houston was touring the province a group of “extreme” protestors became violent in Wolfville.

The premier’s office says while leaving the venue, Houston’s vehicle and his staff’s vehicles were swarmed by protesters who prevented them from leaving. It says protesters were pushing law enforcement, climbed onto a vehicle and smashed the windshield while Houston was inside.

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Researchers at Angus Reid also point to Nova Scotia’s plan to explore hydraulic fracturing as an issue, after the government lifted a decade-long moratorium on fracking in 2025.

“Houston made some slight positive headway this quarter,” the report notes, instead of decreasing he did move up slightly by three points this quarter.

Ford and Eby see large increases

“Big bumps in approval” for Ontario’s and B.C.’s premiers — up 10 per cent for both, at 31 per cent for Ford and 41 per cent for Eby.

As the trade war intensified between Canada and the U.S., Ford initially didn’t mince words in his war of words with U.S. President Donald Trump. Ford has since toned down his rhetoric, saying it is better to bring the temperature down between the two countries as the trade war escalates.

However, Ford still has the lowest approval rating compared to others premiers in the country.

“At issue is perhaps the lingering effects of spending scandals by Ford government MPPs. Twenty PC caucus members came under fire for expensing hotels during government sittings despite living nearby. The hotel scandal comes on the heels of a private plane kerfuffle earlier this year,” the poll states.

According to the survey, the escalation of the trade war helped boost his popularity in March 2025 and the continued intensity is “perhaps to Eby’s political benefit.”

“Eby may also benefit by being seen as better option than the alternative, B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay. Barely three months into the job, her caucus has splintered,” the poll states.

However, the survey notes that unlike last year, when a previous poll found rising personal popularity for the majority of the premiers, few appear to be benefiting this time around from the trade tensions between Canada and the U.S.

In the latest poll, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has the highest approval rating at 63 per cent (up one per cent), while Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe both came in second with 48 per cent support (down two per cent).

Elsewhere in the country, support for Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette has been steady at 39 per cent since the previous quarter, while the approval rating for Alberta Danielle Smith is down one per cent to 38 per cent.

“Smith’s status quo comes as the governing UCP sorts through the aftermath of a surprise byelection defeat in a conservative stronghold and just weeks ahead of the Alberta referenda on separation and other issues. Fréchette has evidently built little momentum as the governing Coalition Avenir Québec to fend off the resurgent Parti Québécois in next month’s election,” the survey notes.

Poll methodology: The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from Sept 8-15, 2026, among a randomized sample of 4,310 Canadian adults. The provincial margin of errors range from +/-3% to +/- 7%.

Read the full poll results below: