Civic Issues in Calgary

As the municipal election approaches in Calgary, four issues are mentioned as the most important concerns by residents of the city. They include jobs (25%), health care or hospital closures (21%), education (20%), and crime and safety issues (19%). (see Table 1)

Aside from the concerns about jobs and crime which was evident in 1991 and is mentioned at about the same level in 1995, the most notable difference in terms of the civic agenda are the recent inclusion of health care and education as key concerns of city residents. This is no doubt related to the education cutbacks and health care cuts initiated by the provincial government.

On a prompted basis, Calgarians were asked how important various features of the city were to their own quality of life. In order of importance, the dimensions viewed as priorities include:

• safe streets (88%);
• a positive economic climate (87%);
• an efficient road system (85%);
• a city government committed to environmental protection (84%);
• a city council that resolves major issues (83%);
• a municipal government that promotes and supports parks and recreation (82%);
• an efficient transit system (81%);
• a municipal government that holds the line on tax increases (79%);
• a municipal government committed to caring for the underprivileged (78%).

Less important issues included a vibrant downtown area (56%) and a municipal government that provides funding for arts and community events (52%). (see Table 2)

The high importance assigned by Calgarians to most of these dimensions indicates the wide range of concerns which effect people in the city. Calgarians were then asked to state the most important issue from that prompted list which they were concerned about within the city.

The two key issues which Calgarians say on a prompted basis are most important are safe streets (27%) and a positive economic climate (26%). Of lesser importance are a well functioning city council, a government that holds the line on tax increases, and a government that is committed to caring for the underprivileged or protecting the environment. (see Table 3)

On each of the most important aspects of living in Calgary, residents of the city were asked whether they felt that Calgary had become better or worse with respect to that issue over the past three years. On the most important issue (streets I feel safe to walk in), over half of Calgarians stated that they believed that the city was worse now on this issue than it was three years ago (54%). Although this perception that safety has declined in the last three years is pervasive throughout the city, it is most pronounced in the Northeast, where 67% of residents of that quadrant of the city believe that the problem of safety in the streets has become worse (compared to between 51% and 54% of people in other quadrants of the city). (see Table 4)

On other important dimensions evaluated, there is a sense of positive momentum on issues such as:

• commitment to protecting the environment being better than it was three years ago;
• an efficient public transit system being better;
• the vibrancy of the downtown area being better.

Issues which were seen to have gotten worse include the municipal government's responsiveness to the needs of the underprivileged and funding for arts and community events. On the other hand, on the perception of whether or not a positive economic climate has been created or improved, there is no consensus (see Table 4 and see Table 5).

Despite some of the critical concerns voiced by Calgarians, including the perception that safety in the streets is declining, residents of the city are, nonetheless, still very happy living here, and only a tiny minority would prefer to live somewhere else. The proportion of people who are very happy with the city is almost identical in September 1995 as it was in April 1991, with 59% being very happy and not wanting to live anywhere else. A further 38% are generally content but say that there are definitely things about the city they don't like, whereas only 3% would prefer to live somewhere else (see Table 6).

TABLE 1: MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING CALGARY
(total spontaneous mentions)

"What do you think is the most important issue facing Calgary today? What other important issues are facing Calgary?"

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TABLE 2: PROMPTED LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE OF SELECTED ISSUES TO CALGARIANS
(% rating each one 5, 6, 7 on a 7-point scale of importance)

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TABLE 3: MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE FROM PROMPTED LIST

"Of the issues you said were important, which issue would you say is most important?"

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TABLE 4: PERCEPTION OF IMPROVEMENTS OR DECLINES IN MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LIVING IN CALGARY

"I'd like you to tell me whether you think Calgary as a whole is better on this issue, about the same, or worse now than it was three years ago?"

(Back To Text)

TABLE 5: PERCEPTION OF IMPROVEMENTS OR DECLINES IN MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LIVING IN CALGARY

"I'd like you to tell me whether you think Calgary as a whole is better on this issue, about the same, or worse now than it was three years ago?"

(Back To Text)

TABLE 6: CALGARIANS' ATTACHMENT TO THE CITY REMAINS STRONG

"What do you think is the most important issue facing Calgary today? What other important issues are facing Calgary?"

A Calgary-wide survey was conducted with a random and representative sampling of 400 adults between September 6th and September 11th, 1995.

Results of the total Calgary sample of 400 respondents are accurate within 1775.0%. In other words, the results of this poll would not be more than 5.0% above or below the result of a total population survey, 19 times out of 20. The margin of error is higher for sub-samples.

This public opinion survey was conducted by the Alberta Division of the Angus Reid Group on behalf of the Calgary Herald.