Survey Results Show Strong Quality of Life in Rocky View County

The Citizen Satisfaction Survey is Rocky View County’s biennial survey that measures resident satisfaction with County services, quality of life, growth and development, and community priorities. The survey helps the County track changes over time, identify emerging issues, and guide future planning, budgeting, service delivery, and communication efforts.

The survey provides a measurable way to understand resident perspectives and evaluate how well the County is meeting community needs. Conducting the survey every two years allows the County to benchmark performance, track trends over time, and identify areas where improvements may be needed.

The results help ensure future decisions are informed by resident feedback and community priorities.

The survey was conducted and analyzed by Leger, an independent market research firm. Using an independent third party helps ensure objective analysis, credible benchmarking, and reliable reporting of results.

A total of 1,489 residents from across all seven divisions of Rocky View County participated in the survey between February and March 2026.

In 2024, 1,307 residents participated in the survey.

Residents continue to report a strong quality of life.

The survey found that:

• 89 per cent of residents rated their quality of life as good or very good.
• This exceeds the Alberta benchmark of 68 per cent.
• Residents continue to express pride in their communities and value living in Rocky View County.

One of the most encouraging findings was that 89 per cent of residents rated their quality of life as good or very good. This is significantly higher than the Alberta benchmark of 68 per cent and demonstrates that residents continue to value Rocky View County as a place to live, work, and raise their families.

One notable finding was the level of resident participation in public engagement activities. Nearly two-thirds of respondents, 64 per cent, reported participating in at least one County engagement opportunity within the last three years. This suggests residents are interested in local issues and want opportunities to be involved in decisions that affect their communities.

Growth management, planning, and development emerged as the most significant concerns.

Residents indicated they want:

• Balanced, sustainable growth.
• Preservation of Rocky View County’s rural character.
• Appropriate infrastructure and services to support development.
• Greater understanding of how development decisions are made and how those decisions may affect their communities.

These themes were also reflected in previous survey results, indicating they remain important priorities for residents.

The survey showed that growth, planning, and development continue to be important concerns for residents. Similar themes emerged in previous surveys, indicating these issues remain top of mind for many residents.

Residents expressed support for responsible growth but emphasized the importance of maintaining Rocky View County’s rural character and ensuring infrastructure and services keep pace with development.

The results suggest residents want the County to continue delivering high-quality core services while paying close attention to growth management, planning, infrastructure, and communication. Residents also indicated they want more information about how development decisions are made and what impacts those decisions may have on their communities.

Overall satisfaction with County service delivery continues to improve. Residents rated several service areas particularly highly, including snow and ice control, fire services and emergency preparedness, and County information services.

The results indicate residents recognize the value of many County services while also identifying areas where further improvements can be made.

Several County services received strong ratings from residents, including:

• Snow and ice control.
• Fire services and emergency preparedness.
• Information provided by the County.

These services were among the highest-rated areas in the survey.

While residents rated County information services positively overall, many indicated they would like:

• More information about development and planning decisions.
• Greater understanding of the factors and trade-offs considered during decision-making.
• Clearer communication about how decisions may impact their communities.

This feedback will help guide future communication and engagement efforts.

While many of the themes are consistent with previous surveys, the results reinforce the importance of managing growth and communicating clearly about development decisions. As Rocky View County continues to grow and evolve, residents are looking for

confidence that growth is being planned thoughtfully and supported by appropriate infrastructure and services.

The 2026 results continue several trends identified in previous surveys. Residents continue to report a strong quality of life and overall satisfaction with County services. At the same time, concerns related to growth, development, planning, and community change remain important issues that residents want the County to address. The survey allows the County to monitor these trends and measure whether actions taken are improving resident satisfaction over time.

Feedback from previous surveys helped inform investments and improvements, including:

• Enhancements to public engagement resources.
• Creation of a centralized Public Engagement team.
• Implementation of the Planning Department Enhancement Strategy.
• Ongoing efforts to improve communication and transparency around County decisions.

The survey allows the County to track whether these initiatives are helping address resident concerns and identify areas where additional improvements may be needed.

The results help inform:

• County priorities.
• Budgeting decisions.
• Long-term planning initiatives.
• Service delivery improvements.
• Public engagement activities.
• Communication strategies.

The findings provide valuable insight into resident expectations and will help guide future decision-making across the organization.

The survey provides Council with objective, measurable feedback directly from residents. It helps identify what residents value, where concerns exist, and which issues may require additional attention. The results become one of several tools used to inform strategic planning, budgeting, policy development, and service delivery decisions.

The results will be reviewed and incorporated into future County planning, budgeting, service delivery, communication, and engagement efforts. The findings also establish benchmarks that can be compared with future surveys to measure progress and identify changing resident priorities over time.

The survey results have been released publicly so residents can see what was heard and how feedback will help shape future County priorities, planning, service delivery, and communication efforts. Public reporting supports transparency and accountability and allows residents to track progress over time.

The survey was conducted and analyzed by Leger, an independent market research firm using recognized research methods. Residents were invited to participate through direct mail and could complete the survey online or by telephone. This independent approach helps ensure objective analysis and credible benchmarking.

The survey highlighted several areas where residents expressed strong satisfaction, including:

• Quality of life in Rocky View County.
• Snow and ice control services.
• Fire services and emergency preparedness.
• County information services.
• Opportunities for public engagement.

These findings help identify services and programs that residents value and want the County to continue supporting.

The value of the Citizen Satisfaction Survey is not just the individual results from one year, but the ability to track trends over time.

By comparing results from previous surveys, the County can:

• Measure whether improvements are working.
• Understand changing resident priorities.
• Identify emerging issues earlier.
• Make evidence-based decisions.
• Demonstrate accountability to residents.

This long-term perspective helps ensure the County remains responsive to community needs.

The survey shows that residents continue to enjoy a high quality of life and value many of the services provided by Rocky View County. At the same time, residents have clearly identified growth, development, and communication as areas where they want continued focus and improvement. The results provide important guidance for the County as it works to balance growth, preserve community character, and deliver services that meet resident expectations.