The Conservatives and Liberals remain locked in a tight race but the Green Party has shown a slight boost in support, according to a new poll.

The latest Strategic Counsel survey, conducted between Dec. 6 and Dec. 9 for CTV and The Globe and Mail, found that neither the Conservatives nor the Liberals have managed to take a strong lead.

When respondents were asked who they would vote for, the results showed little difference from a few weeks ago (percentage-point change from a Nov. 12-13 poll in brackets):

  • Conservatives: 32 per cent (-2)
  • Liberals: 29 per cent (-2)
  • NDP: 16 per cent (same)
  • Green Party: 13 per cent (+5)
  • Bloc Quebecois: 10 per cent (-1)

The last sizable gap between Canada's two largest political parties was in April, when a Strategic Counsel poll had the Conservatives at 36 per cent support and the Liberals at 30 per cent.

Since that time, they have remained within at least five percentage points, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 per cent.

However, the Conservatives appear to be losing ground in Quebec and are now slightly trailing the Liberals, although the Bloc remains a dominant force (percentage-point change from a Nov. 12-13 poll in brackets):

  • Bloc Quebecois: 40 per cent (-3)
  • Liberals: 20 per cent (+4)
  • Conservatives: 18 per cent (-7)
  • NDP: 11 per cent (+3)
  • Green Party: 11 per cent (+3)

The Liberals have fallen the same amount of percentage points in Ontario as the Conservatives have in Quebec, although they remain ahead of the other parties (percentage-point change from a Nov. 12-13 poll in brackets):

  • Liberals: 37 per cent (-7)
  • Conservatives: 33 per cent (+3)
  • NDP: 17 per cent (same)
  • Green Party: 13 per cent (+4)

Possibly hinting at voter displeasure with the government's performance in Bali during the United Nations climate change conference, the Conservatives seem to have bled support to the Greens in the West (percentage-point change from a Nov. 12-13 poll in brackets):

  • Conservatives: 41 per cent (-7)
  • Liberals: 26 per cent (same)
  • NDP: 17 per cent (-3)
  • Green Party: 16 per cent (+10 per cent)

Technical notes

  • The poll was conducted between Dec. 6 and 9 by The Strategic Counsel for CTV and The Globe and Mail.
  • The national sample size is 1,000 people and the margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
  • In Quebec, 247 people were sampled with a margin of error of 6.3 percentage points.
  • In Ontario, 379 people were sampled with a margin of error of 5 percentage points.
  • In the West, 297 people were sampled with a margin of error of 5.7 percentage points.
  • Results are based on tracking among a proportionate national sample of Canadians 18 years of age or older.