TransLink referendum: No side gaining momentum says survey

The Noside appears to be gaining momentum with just three weeks to go until transit plebiscite ballots are mailed out.

"Now we have just over one third of residents who say they would vote Yes, which is down by more than 15 points when we started asking this back in December," saidMario Canseco with Insights West, which conducted the survey.

"So definitely there's a lot ofmovementin the numbers when we look back over the last three months."

The results of the latest poll from Insights West are a reversal from December when 52per cent of those surveyed said they'd vote Yes.The latest poll shows 53 per cent would likely vote No.

• Insights West surveyshows No side gaining speed in transit referendum

The poll was conducted between February 12 and 14, among 653 adult residents in Metro Vancouver. Results have a margin of error of +/- 4.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Cansecosays people are losing confidence in TransLink.

"The feelings [respondents] had aboutTransLinkare even harsher,especially for the No voters," he said. "We have fourof fivesaying they're nothappywith the way things are going,"

Last week, TransLink CEO Ian Jarvis resigned and board chair Marcella Szel said at the time that changes were needed to restore public confidence in the organization.

One advertising expert says the Yes side simply needs to take a cue from its opponent.

"In the end people vote with their hearts, and Ithink the Yes side could be dialing up the emotion," saidRob Tarry, with ReThink Creative Agency.

Tarry says pushing more emotional buttons the way the No side has with its campaign against TransLinkcould help sway votes.

"The Yes side should be a little more emotional, Who wants to be stuck in traffic? Who wants more gridlock? Who wants more pollution?"

The referendumseeks to gain approval for a 0,5 per cent sales tax increase for Metro Vancouver that would provide an estimated $250 million in annual revenue.

Ballots for Metro Vancouver's transit and transportation referendumwill be mailed out by mid-March.

The region's mayors want it to fund a $8 billion 10-year transit plan.