COQUITLAM, BC, September 26, 2023 – Responses are in for Coquitlam’s annual Community Satisfaction Survey, and data from nearly 800 residents shows strong satisfaction with City services.
The survey demonstrates that Coquitlam residents had an overall positive outlook on matters like their quality of life, value for taxation and benefits from City services. However, new in 2023 the data also suggests that the community is feeling the impact of nationwide issues of affordability, infrastructure and more. These challenges provide new opportunities for the City to further support residents when planning the services and amenities to be offered into the next year and onward.
The City has collected public views on municipal services, priority issues and quality of life almost every year since 2003 through Ipsos, a global leader in market research. These statistically valid insights from a representative sample of Coquitlam residents guide the City’s decisions about planning, budgeting and community priorities.
Key Findings
- Satisfaction with Services - 93 per cent of survey respondents are satisfied with City services. As in previous years, the City’s reported strengths as a service provider include public works, parks and trails, and fire and police services.
- Value for Taxes – Outdoing the norm for B.C. cities, 80 per cent of Coquitlam residents feel they get good value for their taxes. 2023 opinions on taxes were more divided than in previous years: 42 per cent of respondents would raise taxes to expand public services, while 43 per cent would lower taxes to cut/maintain current service levels.
- Quality of Life – 94 per cent of respondents rated Coquitlam’s quality of life positively, and 22 per cent say it has risen over the past five years. Reasons given include the improvements to roads, parks, transportation and recreational facilities. Meanwhile, 29 per cent feel quality of life has worsened, claiming a decline in public safety and rising cost of living, among other causes.
- Levelling Priorities – The issues identified as important in the community appears to be evening out, with less consensus about where the most urgent public issues lie. Normally, the top ranked issue gains at least 33 per cent of mentions. This year’s top community issue, social issues (e.g. affordable housing, poverty, homelessness), was chosen by only 24 per cent of respondents. Transportation issues were the number two issue (20 per cent of responses) followed by public safety (18 per cent).
Find Opportunities to Engage
Beyond the Community Satisfaction Survey, the City regularly engages with residents on important plans, projects and policies in order to help support the City’s decision-making. Stay informed about City initiatives and engagement opportunities by:
About the 2023 Community Satisfaction Survey
The 2023 Citizen Satisfaction Survey heard from 782 (250 by phone and 512 online) randomly invited Coquitlam residents, aged 18 years or older. In a change from past years, where the survey was conducted by phone only, the random sample of participants was selected through a mix of phone and mailed invitation to an online survey. This allowed Ipsos to capture a sample that more accurately represents the City population, as many newer residents and individuals in certain demographic groups do not have landline phones at home.
For more information or to read the complete survey results, visit coquitlam.ca/CommunitySurvey.
Media contact:
Graham Stuart
Director, Corporate Planning
604-927-3918
engagement@coquitlam.ca
We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that the name Coquitlam was derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (kwee-kwuh-tlum) meaning “Red Fish Up the River”. The City is honoured to be located on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) traditional and ancestral lands, including those parts that were historically shared with the sq̓əc̓iy̓aɁɬ təməxʷ (Katzie), and other Coast Salish Peoples.