The results of Cranbrook’s recent Budget 2026 Citizen Survey are now available and will play an important role in helping council make informed decisions during this year’s budget deliberations.

The survey results were received by council Monday night (Oct. 20) and will also help guide Cranbrook RCMP in setting policing priorities for the next four years.

Following last year’s findings that identified homelessness, crime, and safety as Cranbrook’s top issues, this year’s survey had a specific focus on community safety. The Cranbrook RCMP, with support from Criminal and Social Justice students at College of the Rockies, developed survey questions related to community safety to better understand residents’ safety concerns and perceptions.

A total of 1,600 randomly selected households received mailed surveys, with 419 completed and returned (a 26% response rate, up slightly from 25.6% last year). An additional 469 online surveys were completed through the open public survey. While overall participation was lower than last year (1,122), the results were largely consistent with the results of the mailed survey similar to last year.

The survey was open from September 2 to 19, 2025, and builds on the feedback received ahead of last year’s budget process. The city retained the services of Discovery Research to prepare and conduct the survey, review the data, and produce the Cranbrook Citizen Survey – Budget 2026 Final Report, which is available online.

Some of the key findings of the survey include:

• High satisfaction with fire protection, parks and trails, playgrounds, street lighting, garbage and recycling collection, and the airport.
• Lower satisfaction with economic development, snow plowing, road maintenance, development services, and bylaw enforcement.
• 32% would support a tax increase in 2026 to maintain current service levels.
• 55% support additional funding for the Cranbrook Public Library, and 67% support continued funding for community groups and non-profit organizations.
• 61% would like to see more music festivals in Cranbrook.
• 93% feel safe during the day, while 75% feel safe walking downtown.
• 23% reported being affected by crime in the past year, and 37% of those affected reported it to police.
• 53% support additional funding of police officers, and 25% were undecided.
• Top priorities for RCMP include street-level drug activity, property crime, person crime, and homelessness.

The survey results provide council with a clear understanding of community priorities early in the Budget 2026 process, helping ensure decisions about services and spending reflect local input. The data also offers valuable insight to the Cranbrook RCMP as they plan and set policing priorities for the coming years.

“These survey results give us great insight into what’s working well and where we can do better,” said S/Sgt. Barry Graham, Cranbrook RCMP Detachment commander. “We’re always looking for ways to improve, and this feedback will help guide our priorities — from targeted enforcement and crime reduction to how we allocate our resources. We know how much issues like street-level drug activity and property crime affect people’s sense of safety and well-being, and tackling these crimes continues to be our top priority.”

“On behalf of council, I want to thank all of our residents who took the time to complete this survey,” said Mayor Wayne Price. “As budget decisions continue to become more challenging, public input becomes more important and meaningful.”

The next public budget meeting is set for Wednesday, November 19, from 12 to 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall. The public is welcome to attend.

The meeting will also be livestreamed at www.cranbrook.ca/livestream/ . Items on the agenda include overview of proposed tax increase, department presentations around operating budgets, review of 2026 and 2027 capital projects, but may be subject to change depending on the needs and request of council.

City of Cranbrook

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