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