FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 14, 2026 (Mississauga, ON) - A new Liaison Strategies Mississauga survey shows Mayor Carolyn Parrish and former mayor Bonnie Crombie tied among decided and leaning voters, while the city's overall mood has turned negative.

If a mayoral election were held today, Parrish and Crombie would each receive 35% among decided and leaning voters, followed by Dipika Damerla at 18% and Alvin Tedjo at 12%.

Among all voters, Parrish and Crombie are tied at 26% each, followed by Damerla at 13% and Tedjo at 9%. Twenty-six per cent are undecided.

The survey also finds that 46% of Mississauga residents say the city is moving in the wrong direction, compared to 32% who say it is moving in the right direction and 22% who are not sure. Parrish's job approval is slightly underwater: 38% approve of the job she is doing as mayor, 42% disapprove, and 20% are not sure.

Liaison surveyed a random sample of 1,000 Mississauga residents from August 11 to August 12, 2026, using Interactive Voice Recording (IVR) technology. Participants were reached through random digit dialling (RDD) across both landline and cellular phone networks. The resulting data was weighted to match targets based on the 2021 Census. For the total sample, the margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The margin is higher for sub-samples. Totals may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

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.

David Valentin, Principal at Liaison Strategies, said:

"This is now a tied race at the top. Among decided and leaning voters, Carolyn Parrish and Bonnie Crombie are both at 35%. Dipika Damerla is at 18%, while Alvin Tedjo is at 12%."

"The more important number may be undecided. Among all voters, Parrish and Crombie are both at 26%, Damerla is at 13%, Tedjo is at 9%, and 26% are undecided. That is a very large movable electorate in a municipal race and Undecided, if it were a candidate, would be tied with Crombie and Parrish."

"Compared with our October Mississauga poll, the race has moved in an important way. Then, Crombie led Parrish 38% to 33%, Tedjo was at 12%, and Damerla was at 7%. So the story is not simply that the statistical tie between Crombie and Parrish continues. The bigger change is that Damerla has become a more serious presence on the ballot, moving from single digits in October to nearly one-in-five decided and leaning voters now."

"The city mood is a real problem for City Hall. Forty-six per cent say Mississauga is moving in the wrong direction, compared to 32% who say it is moving in the right direction. That gives any challenger room to argue that the city needs a change."

"Parrish's approval also points to a vulnerable incumbent. Thirty-eight per cent approve of the job she is doing as mayor, while 42% disapprove. In October, Parrish was at 45% approve and 40% disapprove. Her approval is down seven points, her disapproval is up two points, and her net approval has moved from plus five to minus four."

"The issue mix has also changed since October. Crime was the top issue then at 29%. This time, affordability is narrowly first at 19%, taxes are at 17%, housing is at 16%, and crime and traffic are both at 13%. Mississauga voters are not focused on one issue; they are looking at the cost of living, property taxes, housing, congestion, and public safety all at once."

"Doug Ford is not an obvious asset in this mayoral race. Only 15% say his support would make them more likely to vote for a candidate, while 39% say it would make them less likely. That is a negative endorsement environment."

"The Peel Regional Police numbers are complicated. Residents clearly prioritize public safety: violent crime and property crime are the top two priorities for Peel police. But when a budget increase is framed as requiring higher property taxes or less spending elsewhere, support drops to just 25%, while 49% oppose it."

"That is the political trap. Mississauga voters want safety addressed, and 45% say the city is less safe than it was one year ago. But they are also very sensitive to the tax side of the police budget, with 57% saying police budget increases have been either a major or moderate factor in recent property tax increases."

"Overall, this is a race with a vulnerable incumbent, a familiar former mayor, and a lot of undecided voters. Parrish is not out of contention, but the numbers show she has work to do. Crombie remains competitive, Damerla has meaningful support (though it is half of the leaders), and the city's negative mood makes the next phase of the race much less predictable."

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Detailed Poll Report:

Detailed Tables:

About Liaison Strategies
Liaison Strategies is a national public opinion research firm. With 13 years of experience in Canadian polling, David Valentin, principal, has fielded hundreds of projects at the municipal, provincial and federal levels and appeared across Canadian media to discuss insights. Liaison is a member of the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC), Canada's voice of the research, analytics, and insights profession both domestically and globally.