As Torontonians vote in advance polls, an opinion survey suggests former chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat is failing to gain ground on frontrunner Mayor John Tory.The Forum Research poll of 987 Torontonians conducted Oct. 3 to 5 gave Tory the support of more than half of respondents, 56 per cent, and Keesmaat less than one-third at 29 per cent.Fifteen per cent of people expressed support for one of the 33 other mayoral candidates while the rest were undecided.The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points 19 times out of 20.A previous Forum interactive voice response telephone survey, conducted Sept. 29, gave Tory the same level of support and 28 per cent support for Keesmaat.“Things are not looking positive for the Keesmaat campaign right now,” Forum President Lorne Bozinoff said in a news release. Read more: Toronto mayoral candidates trade shots and set their sights on ToryAdvance polls for Toronto’s election open Wednesday. Here’s what you need to knowTory and Keesmaat disagree about the Gardiner Expressway. Here’s a close look at their claims“Tory looks to have a double-digit lead, and, with only 2 weeks to go before election day, it’s a lead that may be very difficult to erase…,” Bozinoff said, adding that “at this point, a Keesmaat victory would almost certainly require a Tory collapse.”Keesmaat, 48, made a surprise jump into the mayoral race July 27 as nominations were about to close, jolting a Tory re-election campaign that appeared set to cruise toward the election without a prominent challenger. She has positioned herself as a progressive alternative to the conservative, suburban-minded mayor with platform planks that include replacing the elevated east Gardiner Expressway with a ground-level boulevard, and putting bike lanes on a stretch of north Yonge St. as part of a city staff-proposed street remake.Keesmaat has also said she would fight Premier Doug Ford&# ...
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