Why conduct citizen surveys?
In 2015 Colwood Council directed staff to conduct regular, standardized citizen surveys to collect baseline data that allows the City to understand expectations of a broad range of residents and track progress over time. The City of Colwood engages research companies to conduct citizen satisfaction surveys to help Council and staff better understand citizen needs and expectations. It is an opportunity for residents to share their views about the quality of life in Colwood, which city services are most important to them and where there is need for improvement. The City has conducted surveys in 2015 and 2017.
Colwood Council and staff are continually working to improve our community and the services we provide for our citizens. Asking residents ‘how are we doing?’ and ‘what’s most important to you?’ provides critical information to help measure our progress and make decisions about the community-building services, projects and initiatives the City will focus on.
The 2023 Colwood Citizen Satisfaction Survey
The 2023 Colwood Citizen Satisfaction Survey was conducted by Ipsos, a leading public opinion research company. Residents were made aware of the opportunity through post cards and newsletters distributed to Colwood addressed by Canada Post, newspaper ads, and web and social media channels.
Results of the 2023 Citizen Satisfaction Survey
Survey results were presented to Colwood Council on March 27, 2023. You can view the presentation here. The infographic below provides an overview of survey findings (click the image to view it as a pdf).
Results will be considered along with the input received at the recent Ideas Fair to inform Council's Strategic Priorities for their four-year term, and ongoing decisions about community building initiatives.
Questions & Answers about the 2023 survey
Why not a phone survey?
In past years Colwood's Citizen Survey has been conducted as a telephone survey, however, phone surveys have become less reliable in recent years as far fewer residents have landlines, and cell phone numbers no longer relate to a person’s place of residence. Ipsos is the research company conducting the survey, and they now recommend an online survey using a unique ID that allow a single response per participant. Both the phone and online method depend upon citizens agreeing to participate.
How were postcards distributed?
8000 survey postcards were provided to Canada Post for distribution to all Colwood addresses through Canada Post Neighbourhood Mail which bypasses the addressed mail sorting system for delivery within up to 3 business days. The City is following up with Canada Post regarding reports that some postcards may not have been received.
Did postcard mailing represent additional cost?
Every engagement opportunity has several steps: first the planning and implementation of the engagement itself (whether it's a survey or an open house or other event), then a range of communications tactics to ensure residents are aware of the opportunity (postcards, Colwood Connection newsletters, articles through local media outlets, ads in the local paper, social media promotions, etc.), and finally the analysis and reporting of results.
Are unique ID numbers connected to citizen identifiers?
The survey is completely anonymous. Anonymity is maintained whether you receive a survey ID on a postcard or by email. Only the independent research company will have access to individual responses. Results presented to the City will be aggregated. For citizens who may not have received a survey postcard and request an ID, no information is passed on to the independent research company.
Results of the 2017 Citizen Satisfaction Survey
Survey results were presented to Colwood Council on November 27, 2017. You can view the presentation here [PDF/538KB]. The infographic below provides an overview of survey findings (click the image to view it as a pdf).
Findings will inform the City’s 2018 strategic planning and budget processes to guide short and long term priorities. The information will also be compared with previous survey data to evaluate the impact of improvements over time.
Results of the 2016 Citizen Satisfaction Survey
Results of the survey were presented to Council on February 22, 2016 by the research company who conducted the telephone survey.
The infographic below provides an overview of survey findings (click the image to view it as a pdf).
