As I scan through the latest Calgary Citizen Satisfaction Survey results on my flight back to Ottawa, I’m struck by the complex picture emerging from Alberta’s largest city. Calgarians are showing remarkable resilience and optimism about their future despite lingering concerns over municipal spending priorities.
The survey, released earlier this week by the City of Calgary, reveals 77 percent of residents feel optimistic about Calgary’s future—a figure that speaks volumes in today’s economic climate. Yet beneath this positive outlook lies a more nuanced story about how citizens view their tax dollars at work.
“We’re seeing a distinct disconnect between general city satisfaction and specific budget concerns,” explains Dr. Janet Rivera, urban policy researcher at the University of Calgary. “Residents can simultaneously love their city while questioning whether their tax dollars are being managed effectively.”
What’s particularly striking is that despite this optimism, only 46 percent of Calgarians believe they’re receiving good value for their tax dollars. This represents a significant 10-point drop from last year’s survey results, suggesting growing scrutiny of municipal spending decisions.
Walking through downtown Calgary last month while covering the provincial energy summit, I encountered this sentiment firsthand. Sarah Michaels, a small business owner I spoke with near City Hall, captured the mood: “I love this city and believe in our future, but I’m watching my business costs rise while questioning some of the spending priorities at city hall.”
The survey shows infrastructure remains a top concern, with roads, traffic, and public transportation collectively identified by 37 percent of respondents as pressing issues. This tracks with conversations I’ve had with residents in communities like Bowness and Forest Lawn, where infrastructure concerns often dominate community meetings.
City Manager David Duckworth acknowledged these findings, noting the survey provides “valuable insights” into resident priorities. “We’re listening carefully to what Calgarians are telling us about their priorities and concerns,” Duckworth said in the official release.
One figure that caught my attention was the 59 percent satisfaction rate with snow and ice control—a slight improvement from previous years but still indicating room for improvement in a winter city where mobility during harsh months impacts everything from emergency response times to small business viability.
The timing of this survey is particularly significant as Calgary council approaches budget deliberations. Mayor Jyoti Gondek will need to navigate these citizen concerns while addressing immediate infrastructure needs and longer-term fiscal planning.
“The citizen survey serves as a crucial temperature check,” notes political analyst Robert Chen, who specializes in municipal governance. “Successful city councils use these results not just as data points but as starting places for deeper community conversations.”
Speaking with Chen by phone yesterday, he emphasized how Calgary’s situation reflects a broader trend across Canadian municipalities grappling with inflation and increased service demands while facing limited revenue tools compared to federal and provincial governments.
What makes Calgary’s situation unique is the backdrop of economic transition. The city continues working to diversify beyond its traditional energy sector base while maintaining its identity as Canada’s energy headquarters. This balance appears in resident feedback, with economic concerns still prominent but declining slightly from previous years.
Social issues are gaining prominence in citizen concerns, with 13 percent citing social issues including poverty, homelessness and addiction as top priorities—up significantly from previous surveys. This shift mirrors conversations happening in city councils across Canada as municipalities increasingly find themselves addressing social challenges traditionally handled by provincial jurisdictions.
Looking at the survey methodology reveals important context. The telephone and online survey included 2,500 Calgarians, providing statistically significant results with a margin of error of ±2.0 percentage points. The city has conducted similar surveys annually since 1997, creating valuable long-term trend data.
What remains clear from both the data and my conversations with residents is that Calgarians maintain a strong connection to their community despite their fiscal concerns. The 82 percent quality of life satisfaction rate speaks to a city where residents continue to find value in community bonds, natural amenities, and cultural offerings.
As municipal leaders across Canada face increasingly complex governance challenges, Calgary’s citizen survey offers an instructive example of how public feedback can highlight the gap between overall city satisfaction and specific policy concerns—a gap that savvy political leaders must address to maintain public trust.
For Calgary council members entering budget season, these results offer both challenge and opportunity. The challenge lies in addressing specific spending concerns while maintaining the quality of life residents clearly value. The opportunity exists in leveraging that strong community attachment to build consensus around future priorities.
