More than half of Edmontonians not proud of city, CityNews poll finds
Posted October 28, 2026 6:00 am.
Most Edmontonians are not proud of their city and how it operates, according to a new poll.
The Canada Pulse Insights survey, commissioned by CityNews and conducted one year into Mayor Andrew Knack’s term, found Edmonton received an overall average grade of C+ across 13 measures of local life.
Edmonton’s overall quality of life earned a C+, with 51 per cent of respondents awarding it an A or B and 18 per cent giving it D or F.
Optimism about the future of the city earned a C, as well as public transit and the ability and opportunity to get ahead financially. Rated even lower, at C-, was affordable housing and how Edmonton supports its vulnerable population.
READ MORE: Cost of living, health care are top issues in Edmonton: CityNews poll
In contrast, Calgary outperformed Edmonton in several categories, including overall quality of life (B-) and optimism about the future (C+).
Older Edmontonians aged 55 and up were more likely to view front-line police officers, entertainment and access to parks more positively than those aged 18 to 34.
The survey suggests parks and green spaces remain one of Edmonton’s greatest strengths, earning a B grade. Nearly three-quarters of residents, 73 per cent, gave the city high marks in that category. Entertainment options and amenities also received relatively strong ratings, earning a B-.
Affordable housing emerged as one of the city’s weakest-rated areas, with the city’s housing plan receiving a C- grade; 42 per cent of respondents assigned it a D or F. The city’s support for vulnerable people also received a C-.
Edmontonians’ ability to get ahead financially got a C grade. Nearly four-in-10 men (39 per cent) awarded that category an A or B, compared with 27 per cent of women.
The findings provide a snapshot of public opinion as Edmonton’s current council enters its second year in office.
This survey was conducted among 383 adults living in Edmonton and 401 adults living in Calgary between Sept. 30 and Oct. 9, 2026. The data were weighted to 2021 Census benchmarks by age and gender within each city. The margin of error for a comparable probability-based random sample of the same size is ±4.9 percentage points for Calgary and ±5.0 for Edmonton, 19 times out of 20.
