(Toronto, ON) – A new Liaison Strategies poll for the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (NEPMCC) finds Kitchener mayor Berry Vrbanovic notching a 70% approval rating with housing the top issue of Kitchener voters.

Conducted from October 22-23, 2025, using interactive voice response technology, the poll surveyed 800 Kitchener voters. The margin of error for the poll is +/- 3.46%, 19 times out of 20.

Liaison Strategies is one of the most accurate polling firms in Canada. It ranked #1 in accuracy in the 2025 Ontario election and #2 nationally in the 2025 federal election. Liaison is a member of the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC).

David Valentin, Principal at Liaison Strategies, said the following:

If an election were held today Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic would easily win re-election with 75% if he faced his opponents from 2022, Val Neemak (15%) and Manikantan Nair (6%). These results more or less match the 79% he received in the 2022 municipal election when considering the survey's margin of error.

Vrbanovic is very popular compared to his colleagues leading large Ontario cities. His 70% approval rating, and 21% disapproval works out to a net approval of +49. Only Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti was found to have a higher net rating.

Kitchener voters, like their southwestern Ontario neighbours in London, say housing is their top issue with crime behind at 19%, followed by transit at 15%.

Meanwhile, the federal Liberals are in a statistical dead heat with the federal Conservatives, with the Liberals at 41% and the Tories at 42%. The NDP are tied with the Greens at 7% within the city of Kitchener.

All signs point to Kitchener being a battleground in the next election.

It's important to note this survey tested generic party support and not local candidates names, but either way these numbers point to competitive races.