Winnipeg – Canada’s first-ever crowdfunded public opinion survey shows that Judy Wasylycia-Leis continues to enjoy a decisive advantage over her rivals in the 2014 Winnipeg mayoral race.

The Manitoba Forward-United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg 2014 Winnipeg Mayoral Survey, which was conducted by Probe Research Inc., shows that Ms. Wasylycia-Leis has the support of nearly four-in-ten (39%) decided voters. Former St. Vital Councillor Gord Steeves is closest to the frontrunner with 23 percent support, while privacy lawyer Brian Bowman currently sits at 16 percent. University administrator Robert-Falcon Ouellette enjoys the backing of 10 percent of decided voters, with remaining candidates Paula Havixbeck (7%), David Sanders (4%), Mike Vogiatzakis and Michel Fillion (1% each) remaining in the single digits. Nearly three-in-ten respondents (28%) were undecided or unwilling to state which candidate they would vote for in the Oct. 22 election.

This survey was conducted with 603 members of Probe Research’s proprietary online panel. Because this is a non-probability sample, no statistical margin of error can be ascribed. A margin of error on a probability sample of 603 adults is +/- 4.0%, 19 times out of 20.

This is Canada’s first-ever crowdfunded survey, with funds raised on the crowdfunding website Indiegogo. The survey’s primary sponsors are Manitoba Forward and the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg.

Manitoba Forward is a group of unaligned citizens who are “deeply concerned about Manitoba’s future” and who are taking a leading role in advancing public debate about important Manitoba policy issues. You can learn more about Manitoba Forward at its website, www.mbforward.ca

The United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg (UFFW), Local 867 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, represents the City of Winnipeg’s firefighting professionals. Learn more about the UFFW at their website, www.uffw.ca

Public Opinion Survey On 2014 Winnipeg Mayoral Race: Probe Research Inc. Launches Canada’s First Crowdfunded Poll

Winnipeg – Winnipeg-based market research firm Probe Research Inc. is engaging citizens and organizations from all walks of life to finance a public opinion survey on Winnipeg’s 2014 mayoral campaign.

Probe Research has launched a “crowdfunding” campaign through the website Indiegogo to finance an up-to-date scientific public opinion survey regarding the candidates competing to be Winnipeg’s next mayor. If the project reaches its fundraising target of $8,000 by August 27, this online survey will be launched immediately, with results released to sponsors by mid-September.

The idea to crowdfund a public opinion survey - believed to be the first-ever Canadian public opinion survey financed through this method– emerged from a clear demand for insights into the current mayoral race. Probe Research’s last survey on the mayoral contest was conducted in December, long before several of the candidates officially entered the contest.

“We know there is a real demand among political observers in Winnipeg to measure support for the candidates currently in the race,” Curtis Brown, Probe Research’s Vice-President, explained. “We are taking this step in the hopes that we can meet this demand for dynamic insights on the campaign so far. We hope and expect that people will step up to fund this novel method of collecting public opinion insights.”

Probe Research accurately forecast the results of the 2011 Manitoba provincial election and has an impressive 20-year track record of providing high-quality public opinion and market research data to more than 300 clients throughout North America. 

While some firms will conduct public opinion research during election campaigns for little or no cost in the hopes of gaining publicity via coverage of their poll, Probe Research has not been willing to engage in this practice.

“We firmly believe a crowdfunded survey is a way for people and organizations who are interested in polling to invest in a high-quality service,” said Probe Research President Scott MacKay. “We are very proud of the work we do and we feel that we provide a valuable public service by informing citizens about the dynamics of election campaigns. With this crowdfunding proposal, a larger number of citizens will be able to have access to the results and to understand how the electorate is considering which mayoral candidate to choose in October’s election.”

The deadline to invest is August 27. If the $8,000 goal is reached, the survey will go into field on August 28, with the in-depth results released to project investors by Sept. 10^th. If the $8,000 goal is not reached, the money will be refunded to those who invested in the project.

The online survey (which uses Probe Research Inc.’s randomly-recruited panel) will include a representative sample of 600 Winnipeg adults.

Founded in 1994, Probe Research Inc. is a full-service market research company based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. To learn more about Probe Research Inc., please visit www.probe-research.com.

To visit the project’s page on Indiegogo, please visit: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/2014-winnipeg-mayoral-race-survey

For more information about this project, please contact:

Curtis Brown, Vice-President

Probe Research Inc.

(204) 926-6563 (office)

(204) 250-7410 (cell)

curtis@probe-research.com