A new citizen satisfaction survey commissioned by Clearwater County shows that most residents are satisfied with life in the county.

The survey, conducted with 329 adult residents from May 8 to June 24, 2024, found that 80 per cent of respondents rate the quality of life in the county as “good” or “very good.”

The sentiment was especially strong among those aged 25 and older, as well as residents who have lived in the county for two years or less, according to the data.

However, while roughly half of respondents say the quality of life has remained the same, 35 per cent say it has worsened, and just 11 per cent say it has improved.

Residents gave the county relatively high marks for ease of paying bills, access to programs and services, and staff accessibility.

On the other hand, lower marks were given for how well the county listens to residents’ concerns and for transparency in decision-making processes.

The survey also revealed that fire rescue and waste management received the highest marks for services, while land use planning, dust suppression, and financial management received the lowest ratings.

Services were rated on a scale from 1 to 5. “Higher” grades averaged around 3.75, while “lower” grades averaged around 2.75.

Clearwater County residents were asked if quality of life in the county was “very good”, “good”, “poor”, or “very poor”. (Clearwater County)

The data also showed discrepancies between how important certain services were to residents and their level of satisfaction with those services.

For example, 69 per cent of residents said economic development was important, but only 34 per cent reported being satisfied with the county’s efforts in that area. Similar gaps were found in family and community services, as well as law and bylaw enforcement.

Respondents were also asked to recommend priorities for services that the county does not currently offer. Overwhelmingly, residents indicated that infrastructure improvement should be a top priority.

When asked how the county could better serve residents, the most common response was a desire for increased communication and collaboration.

Overall, 53 per cent of residents said they were satisfied with county-provided services, 22 per cent were neutral, and 21 per cent were dissatisfied.

This marks the first citizen satisfaction survey since 2015.

Originally scheduled for 2025, the survey was moved up in advance of the pending amalgamation of the Village of Caroline and the 2025 municipal elections.

The results will help to inform council and assist with setting project priorities for the upcoming years.

You can read the entire survey here.