In the beginning of November, I asked you to participate in my 2023-2026 Budget Survey as I believe your feedback is extremely important to review prior to heading into deliberations. I also want to remain transparent and share the summary results of the survey with you. Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill out the survey and share your thoughts, questions and concerns with me. Please find below the summary report of this survey:

What neighbourhood are you from?

• Total Responses: 542
• Skipped: 0
• Answer Results:
  • 7% - A) Brookside 
  • 3% - B) Brander Gardens 
  • 10% - C) Bulyea/Brookview 
  • 7% - D) Ramsay Heights 
  • 7% - E) Rhatigan Ridge 
  • 6% - F) Henderson/Falconer 
  • 5% - G) Haddow 
  • 8% - H) Carter Crest/Leger 
  • 3% - I) Ogilvie Ridge/Hodgson 
  • 14% - J) Terwillegar 
  • 5% - K) Magrath/Mactaggart
  • 6% - L) Windermere 
  • 3% - M) Ambleside 
  • 4% - N) Glenridding 
  • 7% - O) Keswick 
  • 0.2% - P) Annexed Area 
  • 7% - Q) I do not live in the Ward

What should we do about snow clearing?

• Total Responses: 539
• Skipped: 8 (1%)
• Answer Results:
  • 27% - A) Hold tax increases to 3% or less, no additional snow clearing 
  • 38% - B) Hold taxes to 3% or less, reprioritize existing city services and transfer dollars to increase snow clearing
  • 24% - C) Increase taxes by 1%, and dedicate additional taxes to snow clearing
  • 10% - D) Increase taxes by 3%, and dedicate additional taxes to snow clearing 

What would you like to see regarding trim cycles?

• Total Responses:527
• Skipped:7 (1%)
• Answer Results:
  • 55% - A) Hold tax increases to 3% or less, no additional trimming/cutting
  • 26% - B) Hold taxes to 3% or less, reprioritize existing city services and transfer dollars to increase trimming/cutting
  • 18% - C) Increase taxes by 1%, and dedicate additional taxes to trimming/cutting

What would you like to see regarding climate change and the Energy Transition Strategy?

• Total Responses:523
• Skipped: 12 (2%)
• Answer Results:
  • 62% - A) Hold tax increases to 3% or less, no additional Energy Transition funding
  • 15% - B) Hold taxes to 3% or less, reprioritize existing city services and transfer dollars to increase Energy Transition funding
  • 21% - C) Increase taxes by 1%, and dedicate additional taxes to Energy Transition funding.

What would you like to see for supportive housing?

• Total Responses: 507
• Skipped: 7 (1%) 
• Answer Results:
  • 45% - A) Hold tax increases to 3% or less, no additional housing
  • 37% - B) Hold taxes to 3% or less, reprioritize existing city services and transfer dollars to increase affordable housing
  • 17% - C) Increase taxes and dedicate increases to additional affordable housing

What should we do about maintenance and renewal cost at the City?

• Total Responses: 504
• Skipped: 6 (1%)
• Answer Results:
  • 12% - A) Hold tax increases to 3% or less, no maintenance;
  • 41% - B) Hold taxes to 3% or less, reprioritize existing city services and transfer dollars to increase maintenance;
  • 32% - C) Increase taxes by 1%, and dedicate additional taxes to maintenance;
  • 14% - D) Increase taxes by 3%, and dedicate additional taxes to maintenance.

Do you support increasing taxes to borrow money to build the following new amenities? If so, which is your highest priority?

• Total Responses: 499
• Skipped: 3 (%)
• Answer Results:
  • 5% - A) A new recreation centre to replace Scona Pool ($80-100M)?
  • 3% - B) Complete build-out of the bike network (minimum $170M)?
  • 5% - C) Strategic investments in “missing links” in the bike network ($30M)?
  • 22% - D) Affordable housing (construction of new units) ($92M)?
  • 3% - E) Climate Adaptation investments ($10M)?
  • 5% - F) Climate Adaptation investments ($250M)?
  • 1% - G) A new transit garage ($360M)?
  • 1% - H) Construction of several skateboard parks in communities outside the Henday ($10M)?
  • 5% - I) Construction of several splash pads in communities outside the Henday ($10M)?
  • 8% - J) Redevelopment of the Rossdale Power Plant ($18M for conceptual design)?
  • 2% - K) Artificial turf at Bryan Anderson Athletic Grounds ($11M)?
  • 40% - L) None of the above?

Given all of the pressures, suggestions and opportunities, what should Council’s overall property tax goal be?

• Total Responses: 497
• Skipped: 0% (0)
• Answer Results:
  • 45% - A) Reduce/reprioritize services, hold increase to 2% or less;
  • 33% - B) Reduce/maintain/reprioritize services, hold tax increase to 4% or less;
  • 9% - C) Reduce/maintain/reprioritize services, hold tax increase to 5% or less;
  • 7% - D) Maintain/reprioritize services, hold tax increase to 7% or less;
  • 4% - E) Add new services, hold tax increase to 10% or less;
  • 0.4% - F) Add new services, hold tax increase to 12% or less.

Additional comments - what have I missed?

• Total Written Responses: 350
• Skipped: 140 (40%)