Smith faces 46 per cent approval rating ahead of Alberta's 2023 election

Just months away from a general election, Danielle Smith's approval rating is significantly higher than the rating her predecessor was given almost a year ago.
The data comes from the Angus Reid Institute, which looked at the approvals of all of Canada's premiers through an online survey conducted between March 6 and 13.
Smith's approval rating is at 46 per cent, the non-profit says, which could be good news for the premier as she looks to re-election in May.
"Smith heads into the campaign with a significant benefit in the form of the province’s massive resource revenues, allowing for increased spending alongside a projection of more years of black ink to come, including a $2.4-billion surplus for 2023/24," Angus Reid said in its survey.
Her approval is higher than Jason Kenney's final rating before he resigned as party leader and premier last year. According to a ThinkHQ poll from last April, Kenney only had 30 per cent approval.
While Smith appears to have higher favour among Albertans, she's still facing some headwinds.
"There remains a significant segment of Albertans – 38 per cent – that strongly disapprove of her," Angus Reid said.
The highest-rated premier in the Angus Reid poll was Newfoundland and Labrador's Andrew Furey (62 per cent) while the lowest ratings of 25 per cent were given to New Brunwick's Blaine Higgs and Manitoba's Heather Stefanson.
The low rating may be concerning to Stefanson, Angus Reid says, as she too faces re-election this year.
The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from March 6 to 13 among a representative randomized sample of 4,899 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum.
For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prison service to review decision to transfer killer Bernardo to medium security
The federal prison service says it will have a second look at its decision to move convicted killer Paul Bernardo to a medium-security facility as political leaders of all stripes react to the news with shock and outrage.

Data shows COVID-19 hospitalizations, severe outcomes continue to decline, but we must remain vigilant: experts
Wastewater testing, hospitalization and death data from COVID-19 tell us the virus's spread continue to trend downward in Canada. But we're not at the end, and public health experts say we must heed lessons learned from the pandemic and remain vigilant. Read the analysis on CTVNews.ca.
Poilievre threatens to filibuster budget bill if Liberals don't meet demands
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is threatening to use procedural tools to delay passage of the federal budget in the House of Commons if the Liberals don't meet his demands.
Small-brained ancient human cousins may have buried their dead, according to a surprising study
An ancient human cousin may have buried its dead and carved symbols into cave walls, surprising findings for a creature with a small brain.
Poor air quality, evacuations in multiple provinces due to wildfires
Wildfire smoke prompted warnings about poor air quality for many regions across the country, stretching from northern Alberta to the Atlantic.
Apple unveils sleek 'Vision Pro' goggles. Will it be what VR has been looking for?
Apple on Monday unveiled a long-rumoured headset that will place its users between the virtual and real world, while also testing the technology trendsetter's ability to popularize new-fangled devices after others failed to capture the public's imagination
The Fugees reunite for what may be their last performance
Lauryn Hill brought Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel on stage over the weekend to surprise attendees of the Roots Picnic in Philadelphia and it may be the last time fans see them together.
Experts say Ottawa's 'right to repair' consultation should prioritize consumer rights
Those in favour of creating a federal right to repair law say the government should avoid shaping such legislation according to the wishes of special interest lobbyists as Ottawa gets set to launch consultations on the issue.
Using melatonin for sleep is on the rise, study says, despite potential health harms
More and more adults are taking over-the-counter melatonin to get to sleep, and some may be using it at dangerously high levels, a study has found.