Kamloops city officials are preparing for the next Citizen Satisfaction Survey, a key tool used to measure public opinion on municipal services and inform Council’s strategic planning. The survey, historically conducted in the fall following municipal elections, collects statistically valid feedback through phone calls and an online companion survey, giving residents a voice on issues from public safety and housing to recreation and economic development.
At the Governance and Service Excellence Select Committee meeting on February 23, Communications Director Kristren Rodrigue explained that the survey is conducted every two years to provide timely data for both the beginning and middle of each Council term. “As we prepare to go into a new procurement cycle, I wanted to bring the report here and have the opportunity to discuss with you folks the timing of the schedule, make sure that we’re still all on the same page as to where we want to go with the survey’s timing, frequency and schedule to ensure that the data we collect is the most useful for Council,” Rodrigue said.
Rodrigue presented three options for timing: maintain the current fall schedule in 2026 and 2028, move the survey to spring 2027 and 2029, or maintain the fall timing but shift to non-election years (fall 2027 and 2029). He noted that while fall surveys provide continuity with historical data, “the election cycle and campaigns may impact residents’ perceptions of city services or quality of life,” and that seasonal factors may influence responses, such as snow clearing in fall versus park and field maintenance in spring.
Councillor Katie Neustaeter expressed support for moving the survey to spring, arguing that “during the election, the best Citizen Satisfaction Survey was the election itself…attitudes shift so much during that election season. I think it’s really wise to look at a refresh to say, OK, we’ve done in the fall…curious whether people who are feeling better in the spring and more hopeful…whether that would be reflected in it as well.”
Other councillors highlighted the value of complementing the survey with input from neighborhood associations, Business Improvement Associations, and City engagement groups to capture a broader perspective of resident and business priorities. Rodrigue assured the committee that staff are strengthening those connections: “Part of what CAO McCorkle presented…is talking about that governance structure and how our engagement groups and our committees kind of feed into each other…that information is always fed into the work that we do and the decisions we make.”
After discussion, the committee supported moving the next survey to spring 2027, with the flexibility for future Councils to determine whether a fall survey benchmark should also be conducted. Councillor Neustaeter summarized the approach: “We could consider initiating the spring 2027 and then allowing the next Council to say, do we feel like we need a fall benchmark as well…so that staff would also know with the new contract in place what the cost would be for the vendor and those types of things too.” The motion was seconded and carried.
The City plans to begin procuring a new market research firm to conduct the survey through 2028. Survey results are expected to play a central role in guiding Kamloops’ priorities in areas including safety, housing, social supports, recreation, environmental action, inclusivity, and economic development. Residents who wish to participate will be able to respond online if they are not contacted by phone.
