Homelessness and addiction is the main issue facing Campbell River.
This is according to respondents of the city’s citizen satisfaction survey.
That’s a change from the 2016 survey when the local economy was the top concern.
But the city did receive top marks for quality of life, satisfaction with city services and programs, and excellent customer service.
The city was also praised for its trails, water supply, sewage system and recreation programs.
Services with lowest satisfaction ratings were bylaws and enforcement, public washrooms, transportation and traffic flow, and snow and ice removal.
Their favourite thing about living in Campbell River remained easy access to outdoor recreation and being close to the ocean.
Overall, 78 percent of the respondents said the City is doing a good job.
In 2013, the satisfaction level was 53 percent.
In 2016, it was 86 percent.
Detailed results of the statistically-valid survey will be presented to Council at the Nov. 18 meeting and will help inform decisions during budget discussions coming up in December.
“Monitoring and measuring satisfaction is key to successful service delivery, and these results will help us to consider how best to address the areas where citizens would like more focus,” Mayor Andy Adams said.
“We will continue to survey regularly to ensure the City is as responsive as possible to the concerns and expectations of Campbell River citizens,” adds city manager Deborah Sargent.
People were asked to rate satisfaction with their quality of life and the range of city services through a survey mailed to 1,200 randomly-selected households in September.
Thirty-four percent were returned.
As a token of thanks for people participating in the mail survey, the City offered an option to enter a draw for three $100 gift certificates for programs or memberships offered at the Sportsplex or Community Centre.
Those who didn’t receive the survey in the mail could answer an equivalent online version, which 137 people completed.
All results are anonymous and representative of Campbell River’s population based on Statistics Canada 2016 Census information.
