Kelowna, BC, residents remain very satisfied with life in the city, but more than half of those surveyed as part of the 2026 Citizen Survey believe the quality of life has declined in recent years.
While 88 percent of respondents rated their overall quality of life as good or very good, the survey found that 56 percent of respondents felt that their quality of life had worsened.
Security concerns, along with poverty and homelessness, were among the main reasons cited for the decline.
“I love Kelowna, it’s a great city,” said Kelowna resident Sandy McAfee. “It’s unfortunate that these kinds of things are reflecting because I think they reflect not only on the citizens, but also on the people who come and visit.”
Twenty-nine percent of respondents said safety was the main reason for the decline in quality of life, down from 13 percent in 2024.
“It’s unbelievable how the city has been affected,” said Mark Beaulieu, who owns Flashpoint Tattoo Company.
Last fall, the business owner was forced to close operations after a devastating fire linked to social unrest.
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“My location burned down in September and I spent five and a half months rebuilding it and boy was it a ride,” Beaulieu said.
The survey results were presented to Kelowna city council on Monday.
In Rutland Centennial Park, residents weren’t surprised by the survey’s findings.
“We have to go and canvas the park before I can let my kid play in it, and it’s for kids,” said longtime Rutland resident Danni Yeast. “You are not content to live your life and always have to look over your shoulder.”
According to Ipsos, while concerns about crime and social disorder typically show up in citizen survey responses, they were more prominent in Kelowna than in many other communities surveyed this year.
“I don’t see as much emphasis placed on crime and public safety in many other communities I work with,” Catherine Knaus, director of Ipsos, told the city council. “There tends to be other issues … not as much concern about crime and safety that I’m seeing in this year’s survey for Kelowna.”
Mayor Tom Dyas said public safety remains a top priority for the council, but noted the survey was conducted in March during a period of increased public attention on crime and social disorder.
“When something is in the media and it’s very public, as it was at the time, it doesn’t surprise me that it gets a little bit more attention,” Dyas said.
“But it’s always good information for us to make sure we’re continuing to do what we can for the community.”
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
