The number one issue Lethbridge residents want addressed is illegal drugs.

At the start of budget deliberations Monday (Nov. 23), City Council received a presentation on a recent Ipsos telephone survey around budget priorities.

You can read the full survey here: 2020 Budget Priorities Survey

It shows 43% of residents say drug issues along with an injection site is the most important thing Council needs to focus on.

That’s a huge increase from a similar survey conducted just two years ago when those same concerns came in at just 4%.

Social issues like homelessness and affordable housing along with racism and poverty are second most important at 21%.

Crime, taxes and government spending round out the top concerns in the survey.

Ipsos polled 401 adult Lethbridge residents between late August and early September.

City Council is meeting all this week as Finance Committee as it looks to hammer out an operating budget heading into 2021.