Nenshi's approval rating slips in new Mainstreet Technologies poll

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi isn't putting much stock in a new poll that shows his approval rating has slipped 14 per cent since last year.

The poll,conducted by MainstreetTechnologies, says 57 per cent of Calgarians approve of the mayor. That's down from 71 per cent in 2014.

Nenshi says it stillmakes him the second most popular politician in Canada after Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall.

"I'll take it," he said.

In the 2013 election, Nenshienjoyed the support of 74 per cent of voters.

Duane Bratt, a politicalscientistat Mount Royal University, says there are several reasons for the decline.

"One is taxes. Taxes have continued to rise and the mayor will be blamed by a minority on that. And the second is just longevity. You know, he's been there for five years and the honeymoon is starting to come off," he said.

Calgarians divided on secondary suites?

When it comes to secondary suites, respondents were evenly divided.

• Secondary suites proposal would permit them in central wards

Mainstreetpresident Quito Maggi says the poll shows Calgarians are not supportive of blanket changes to the current rules.

"There is higher support for specific reforms, such as allowing secondary suites in areas already zoned for them or containing them to the inner city, but there is no consensus on allowing secondary suites in all neighbourhoods of the city."

Maggi adds that there is strong support for a plebiscite on the issue.

Nenshi says he likes data,but this poll found something quite different from a long line of other polls that show Calgarians support secondary suites.

"If you're seeing such a drastic shift in very, very stable public opinion on this issue over a very long period of time, you want to know about that," he said.

MainstreetTechnologies surveyed a random sample of 1,319 Calgary residents. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 per cent, 19 times out of 20.