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For Immediate Release: July 6, 2023
Today the Town of Stratford released the results of its 12th Annual Resident Survey. Again this year residents were asked to share their opinion on topics such as health and physical activity, energy sources and savings, governance, and their knowledge of the Town’s initiatives and programs. Like previous years, a series of questions were asked on specific topics of special interest to the Town of Stratford as one-time questions.
The first Annual Resident Survey took place in 2012 and the Town has used this mechanism each year since to receive feedback from residents and to watch for indications of change over time for those questions asked annually or bi-annually. In 2023, the survey received 969 responses from both online and a paper version, a slight decrease from the 1,013 survey responses in 2022. Survey data was then weighted and adjusted to match the demographics for the Town of Stratford, based on the 2021 Census data for age and dwelling (owned or rented), except for the under-representation of the 15-24 year age range which could not be corrected. The survey accuracy (margin of error) was +/- 3.0%, 19 times out of 20.
“Though we see a slight decrease year over year,” commented Stratford Mayor Steve Ogden, “we continue to have a strong response rate that is the envy of most survey creators, especially from a government level. Our residents continue to value us asking their opinions and staff and council continue to use the results of the survey to inform our decision making.”
The 2023 special interest questions asked residents about the Town’s emergency response to Fiona, the Shape Stratford project, and forest management planning. In the area of the Town’s response following Hurricane Fiona, 26% of respondents accessed the reception centre at Stratford Town Centre. When asked about the Town’s response and what were the most important essential services the Town should be providing in these situations, 88% responded with access to water for drinking, bathrooms and showers, followed by 80% with access to electricity to charge essential devices. The remainder of the responses in this area fell below 50% but will be reviewed by staff for further learning and opportunities to improve in the future.
A series of questions were asked this year to assist with informing the Shape Stratford project which is underway. Some highlights from this section include:
• 77% of respondents reside in a single-detached house
• 83% note that their current housing situation meets their needs
• Of those who responded their current housing situation doesn’t meet their needs, 49% indicated it was too small, with the next closest responses both at 16% indicating that they can no longer afford their residence or it needs major repairs.
• When asked what was needed to meet the housing needs of Stratford residents, the majority of respondents (42%) said more apartments are needed.
Under the forest management planning section, residents listed their top three most important aspects of forest management as:
• Access to nature – 60%
• Increasing forest cover - 58%
• Enhancing habitat and connectivity for wildlife - 56%
“We are fortunate to have the Annual Resident Survey as a tool for Council and staff to hear from residents on a variety of topics,” added Mayor Ogden. “Each year it provides us with a gauge to see how we are performing as a Town, what we are doing well, and where improvements might be able to be made. There is always a lot of valuable data that we obtain through this process.”
In 2023, 62% of respondents are using an air source heat pump, a jump of 8% from the previous year, which also saw an 8% jump from 2021’s survey numbers. The 2023 survey also found that 97% of residents support the Town using resources to protect the environment, the same percentage as the previous year.
“We again see a keen interest from residents towards the environment and resources,” added Mayor Ogden. “As we have continuing conversations about our Community Energy Plan, energy and resources, land development, and environmental responsibility, it’s good to know that residents also recognize that our land and resources in Stratford are not infinite. We must make choices that allow us to continue to have green spaces available which are not only good for the environment and nature, but also good for our mental wellbeing too, while looking at other creative ways to address the housing situation that not only Stratford, but all of PEI, and Canada faces. Together we can make changes and work towards a shared goal.”
The full report and summary of this year and previous surveys can be found on the Town of Stratford website www.townofstratford.ca.
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For more information please contact:
Wendy Watts, Community & Business Engagement Manager
Phone: (902) 569-1995
Email:
[email protected]
2023 Full Report and Summary Report are available here:
Annual Resident Survey