Medicine Hat Community Survey results now available to public

Conducted by global market research company Ipsos from Feb. 2 to Feb. 16, 2026, the survey targeted Medicine Hat residents aged 18 and older.

The results showed City services getting a 90 per cent totally satisfied rate from residents.

Services with the highest ratings were garbage and recycling services at 98 per cent, and parks, trails, and other green spaces at 94 per cent.

The lowest scoring service is traffic management, and improving the flow of traffic at 67 per cent. This was still above the municipal benchmark of 53 per cent.

The City states that social issues such as poverty, homelessness and housing continue to escalate as the most important local issues, up eight percentage points.

Satisfaction with Council rose significantly from 42 per cent in 2024 to 71 per cent in 2026, an increase of 29 per cent.

The satisfaction with communication with residents sits at 76 per cent, up 12 percentage points.

Satisfaction with public transit remained similar to the 2024 survey at 78 per cent, but 11 percentage points higher than in 2022.

The results are benchmarked against other Canadian municipalities, and the survey is repeated every two years, allowing the City to monitor results over time.

A presentation from Ipsos Director of Public Affairs Catherine Knaus was made to the City Council on Monday, Apr. 20.

“The overall results are positive, and we’re seeing improvement in a number of different areas,” Knaus said during the presentation.

“Things are trending in the right direction.”

Ipsos used a randomized telephone survey, with 95 per cent cellphones and 5 per cent landlines. The overall sample size was 400.

The results are weighted to reflect age, neighbourhood and other demographics.

Results are said to be accurate to within 4.9 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

“Because participants are randomly drawn, the statistically proven sample size of 400 captures the overall sentiment of our entire local population,” the City’s Director of Communications, Engagement and Marketing, Colleen Graham, said.

“With less than five per cent deviation, we can assume that the results would be relatively the same if we were to repeat the survey with another 400 people, and another 400 people, and so on.”

An open online survey was also available on the City’s website, providing an opportunity for those not contacted by Ipsos to participate and share their feedback.

The City says that the results of the online survey are reported separately from the scientific survey to account for bias due to self-selection.

A survey will occur a year again earlier than normal in 2027, then repeat in 2029.

The City says this will better support the City Council in strategic planning and budgeting decisions.

Report results will then be available in advance of each budget planning cycle.

by Jesse Gill

Medicine Hat Community Survey results now available to public

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