A 2026 citizen survey reveals growing unease in Kelowna, B.C. While 88% of residents still rate overall quality of life as good, more than half-56%-say it has worsened in recent years.
Safety concerns are the top driver: 29% cited safety as the main reason for the decline, more than double the 13% recorded in 2024. Poverty and homelessness were also frequently mentioned.
Local business owner Mark Beaulieu of Flashpoint Tattoo Company said his shop was destroyed by a fire tied to social disorder last fall, forcing a five-month rebuild. Residents in Rutland expressed unease about letting children play in local parks.
Mayor Tom Dyas noted public safety remains a top priority, adding the survey was conducted in March during a period of heightened public attention on crime. Ipsos director Catherine Knaus told city council that crime and safety concerns in Kelowna stand out compared to other communities surveyed this year.