2023 citizen survey in Penticton sees upswing in responses

Results from Penticton, B.C.’s 2023 citizen survey will be shared with city council next week.

The city says the survey ran June 12-30 and included responses from 1,400 residents, an increase of 20 per cent from when the last survey was conducted in 2019.

The survey asked residents to evaluate local services and quality of life, plus provide input on priorities the city should address. The report will be presented to council on Tuesday, Aug. 1.

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“We received an excellent response to the survey and have a wealth of information to inform the work of council and staff and the direction of the city,” said JoAnne Kleb, the city’s manager of communications.

“We want to thank the residents who invested the time to complete the survey and share their thoughts with the city.”

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According to the city, residents say the overall quality of life in Penticton is positive, with a 61 per cent very good or excellent rating, though that’s down five percentage points from 2019.

“Like other cities in the valley, Penticton has seen a slip in residents’ perception of overall quality of life driven by concerns about affordability, housing and safety,” Kleb said.

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“Despite this change, other indicators — such as Penticton as a place to find work, open a business and raise children — did see improvements from pre-pandemic levels which is very encouraging.”

The city also said its services were seen as positive, with 17 of 25 categories seeing improved ratings from 2019, including a 43 per cent increase in satisfaction for building permits and business licensing.

However, the city added there were concerns and low scores for bike lanes and social issues, which were included for the first time in the survey.

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Crime and safety continued to be the community’s most pressing item, with 44 per cent of citizens identifying it as the top issue for council.

Next at 36 per cent were social issues, homelessness and drug use.

The city noted that “residents also indicated that when it comes to addressing the rising costs of services and infrastructure, they would like to see the city raise revenue through growth, user fees and tax increases as opposed to decreasing service levels.”

The City of Penticton’s council meetings are available online.

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