The City of Duncan’s 2025 citizen satisfaction survey shows residents are concerned about city services and safety.
The survey, conducted in September, was sent to about 1,500 households.
Mayor Michelle Staples said the survey is conducted every two years to gauge residents’ priorities and guide council decisions.
“By conducting the survey every two years, we’re building a picture of how our community is growing and changing,” she said. “We’re looking at what residents love, hope for, struggle with, while providing valuable insights to inform current and future council decisions.”
Fourteen per cent of respondents said accessibility, convenience, central location and stores were the features they liked most about the city.
When asked whether services should be maintained, increased, or reduced to maintain current tax rates, 59 per cent said services should be maintained or increased — 39 per cent suggested increasing user fees and 21 per cent favoured higher taxes. Forty-one per cent said services should be reduced to maintain current tax rates, but 69 per cent said the tax rate should be kept the same by managing finances better rather than cutting services.
Chief administrative officer Peter de Verteuil said the decline in satisfaction with services is concerning but may reflect broader community issues.
“This was disappointing to see, as the city is committed to providing excellent service for the community,” he said. “We worry that the general dissatisfaction with the issues of homelessness and associated public disorder and increasing taxes due to policing are influencing opinions of the city services generally.”
Survey results also showed 60 per cent of respondents identified crime, citizen safety, homelessness or drugs as the most important issue facing Duncan. The city said these concerns have grown since surveys began in 2014, peaking at 66 per cent in 2023.
