Edmonton election: Cost of living and homelessness top issues for voters, CityNews poll finds

The cost of living, homelessness, crime, municipal spending and healthcare are the most important issues Edmonton is facing right now, according to a new CityNews poll.

Just days from Monday’s municipal election, the Canada Pulse Insights poll for CityNews found affordability and the cost of living was the most important issue for Edmonton voters, with 40 per cent of poll respondents selecting it as a top three issue.

While Edmonton remains affordable compared to other major Canadian cities, the cost of living has gone up in Alberta’s capital. Data from earlier this year reveal a single person living in Edmonton has $1,478 in expenses per month, while a family of four spends $5,237 per month.

Statistics Canada data show Alberta’s annual consumer price index, which measures inflation, grew 16.7 per cent for all items in the province from 2020 to 2024.

Homelessness

Thirty-four per cent of poll respondents also selected homelessness as a top issue heading into the election.

Approximately 5,000 people are homeless in Edmonton, according to 2024 numbers from Homeward Trust.

A report earlier this year found more than 46,000 Edmontonians could not afford to live in the city and were spending more than 30 per cent of their income on housing.

Crime and policing

Crime and policing was chosen by 25 per cent of respondents as an important issue facing Edmonton.

Edmonton’s total crime rate dropped six per cent last year, with the Edmonton Police Service saying the overall number of police-reported crimes fell from 2023 to 2024.

RELATED: Edmonton’s overall crime rate dropped 6% in 2024: police

Those figures were bolstered by a drop in minor theft and some weapons offences, as well as animal cruelty violations, accessing child pornography charges and breaking and entering.

There was also an overall five per cent reduction in Edmonton’s total crime severity index (CSI), which measures the volume and severity of a crime.

But some offences rose significantly from 2023 to 2024.

Possession of opioids, methamphetamine and cocaine increased 152 per cent, 116 per cent and 73 per cent respectively.

There was also an increase in voyeurism (55 per cent), making or distributing child pornography (37 per cent), pointing a firearm (24 per cent), breach of probation (19 per cent), possession of weapons (15 per cent), theft over $5,000 (15 per cent), assault against peace officers (13 per cent), shoplifting under $5,000 (12 per cent) and arson (11 per cent).

Other top issues

The CityNews poll revealed municipal taxes/spending/budget is a key concern for Edmonton voters, with 24 per cent of respondents selecting it in their top three.

Also on the list was healthcare (23 per cent), affordable rent/home ownership (20 per cent), education (13 per cent), city growth/density (12 per cent), safety on public transit (11 per cent), opioid crisis/supervised injection sites (nine per cent), and accountability/ethics at city hall (eight per cent).

Priorities for mayor, council

During the municipal election campaign, several potential priorities were discussed – things the new mayor and council will need to address after the election.

Poll respondents want their elected officials to begin their new agenda by focusing on property tax/lowering taxes (39 per cent), housing affordability and social housing (26 per cent), homelessness and shelter services (23 per cent), and fiscal restraint/reducing city spending (20 per cent).

WATCH: Edmonton mayoral candidates outline their plans to tackle infill and growth

Slightly lower on the list of priorities were construction and road maintenance (17 per cent), addiction services (14 per cent), youth unemployment (11 per cent), infill and urban redevelopment (11 per cent), and immigration, newcomer integration and participation (10 per cent).

At the bottom of the list of priorities for poll respondents was Edmonton’s downtown revitalization (five per cent) and bike lanes (four per cent).

Municipal political parties

Edmontonians were also asked if they preferred individual candidates for mayor and council without any party affiliation, or voting for a group of candidates running together as a “municipal political party.”

CityNews poll respondents overwhelmingly preferred voting for candidates based on each of their platform, policies and views independently (81 per cent) as opposed to shared platform, policies, and views (19 per cent).

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The CityNews–Canada Pulse Insights online poll was conducted from Sept. 30 to Oct. 6 among a random selection of 423 members of the Sago online panel living in Edmonton. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size would have a margin of error of 4.8%, 19 times out of 20.