The City of Lethbridge has received three surveys that it says will help to drive future decision-making. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge business & community surveys show confidence, but room to improve

Dec 12, 2025 | 9:03 AM

A trio of new surveys are providing insights into the quality of life, business, and municipal services in Lethbridge.

Members of the City of Lethbridge’s Economic & Finance Standing Policy Committee (SPC) were presented with the results of questionnaires from the City of Lethbridge and the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce.

Mayor Blaine Hyggen says these are incredibly valuable.

“This is data we can use to help inform a whole host of decisions as we move forward with this Council term,” says Hyggen.

Business & Community Issues Survey – Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce

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The Chamber had the shortest survey, asking its member organizations just three questions.

Just over half (51 per cent) of respondents said they plan to hire new employees over the next year, 28.6 per cent will replace workers who have or will soon be leaving, and 12.2 per cent anticipate releasing some current staff.

Nearly four-in-five (79 per cent) felt optimistic about the health of their business, while only 61 per cent were positive about the region’s business climate.

Chamber CEO Cyndi Crane says the insights from this year’s survey give them a clear picture of what matters the most to employers.

“With strong optimism across our membership and a shared commitment to improving the business climate, the Chamber is dedicated to championing solutions that support sustainable growth and a prosperous future for Lethbridge,” says Crane.

Business Survey – City of Lethbridge

The City contracted Deloitte LLP to conduct the study between July 18 and 28, 2025, garnering responses from 152 companies.

Overall, 81 per cent of respondents said they would recommend Lethbridge to another business that was looking to expand or relocate.

Approximately three-quarters of businesses say they have experienced an increase (31 per cent) or similar level (45 per cent) of revenue over the last year, while 22 per cent brought in less money.

Around 82 per cent expect revenues to grow (45 per cent) or stay the same (37 per cent) in the coming year.

When asked about their plans over the next two years, 23 per cent forecast an expansion of their operations, while only four per cent each thought about downsizing or selling their companies.

Business owners say they like the availability of event facilities in the city (83 per cent), the ability to retain employees (82 per cent), access to local data and analysis about the local economy (80 per cent), the number and variety of events (80 per cent) and the ability to source products and services locally (79 per cent).

On the other hand, entrepreneurs were less positive on the services provided by the city, considering property tax levels (42 per cent), the availability of health and medical services (45 per cent), and the availability of City funding for business and property (50 per cent).

2025 Community Satisfaction Survey – City of Lethbridge

Forum Research spoke to 415 residents of Lethbridge on behalf of the City between July 21 and August 5, 2025, over the phone.

The vast majority of people (90 per cent) had a positive impression of their quality of life in the community, which is consistent with the most recent survey from 2022.

Three-quarters were satisfied with the overall level and quality of services and programs provided by the City, falling from 82 per cent three years ago.

The most popular municipal services were safety and emergency services (92 per cent), facilities for garbage, recycling and waste (90 per cent), and parks and pathways (89 per cent).

Public transit, including Access-A-Ride, was the only service that had an approval rating of less than 70 per cent (64 per cent).

Around 60 per cent felt they were getting good or very good value for the taxes they paid, which is down from 72 per cent in the 2022 survey.

When asked about how to balance taxation and service delivery levels:

• 44 per cent wanted no tax increases, even if it meant cutting services
• 39 per cent would like to maintain services, despite higher taxes
• 17 per cent would support higher taxes if it meant adding services

About half of the survey respondents had been in contact with the City or one of its employees over the prior 12 months. Of those, 73 per cent said they were satisfied with the customer service they received, a sharp drop from when 92 per cent said the same three years ago.

Next Steps

The City of Lethbridge says providing multiple datasets from a similar time period helps to create a robust overview of opinions from many stakeholders across the community.

They say it will also feed into some important next steps, which include:

• Collaboration with the business community in building council’s Economic Development Strategy
• Continued partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and industry partners
• Development of the Community Attraction and Retention Strategy

You can learn more about the surveys here.