Courtenay’s going through a rough patch – at least, that’s what people say.
A public survey came back on Wednesday (Sept. 27), showing 57 per cent of people think quality of life has declined in Courtenay over the past three years.
The survey in July and August asked for feedback about citizen satisfaction.
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When asked about Courtenay’s most important issue, the public’s leading answer was “homelessness.” One-in-three chose it from the list of 14 options, and said homelessness was their number-one concern the city should focus on.
Homelessness similarly appeared as the most common answer when residents were asked what area the city could work on to enhance quality of life in town.
According to a letter this year from the Coalition to End Homelessness, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Comox Valley is over 300. Compared to the previous count in 2020, that number has grown by over 100 per cent.
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The Courtenay mayor and nearly every councillor told the Record this week that homelessness was in their top three issues.
The city also recently said it has upped staff for addressing homelessness in local parks. According to corporate services, the city added three bylaw officers, who are frontline responders when it comes to disputes over sheltering or substance use in public space.
While the majority of residents said quality of life was going down in recent years, the general feeling in Courtenay is still positive. Ninety per cent of respondents said their overall quality of life remains “good” or “very good”.
This week’s phone survey by Forum Research was conducted in the months of July and August. The research team surveyed roughly 300 residents. Respondents were chosen by demographics in order to statistically represent Courtenay’s population as seen in the 2021 Census.
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