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Businesses in Victoria get their say on city services
12 October 2010
From the Municipal Information Network:
"Businesses to Provide Input on City of Victoria Services for First Time
Victoria, October 12, 2010 - For the first time since the City has conducted citizen surveys, businesses will also be polled this year to determine their perception of City services. Victoria residents and business owners are encouraged to participate in this important opportunity.
Every two years since 2003, the City of Victoria has asked citizens to provide input on the provision of services, programs and funding priorities. The survey results help shape City policies and delivery of services. Questions in both the citizen and business surveys will focus on quality of life, satisfaction with City services and perceived value for taxes. In addition, the surveys include questions that explore current and emerging issues facing the City.
Victoria Council recently endorsed a civic engagement strategy, making Victoria one of few municipalities in the Province of British Columbia to develop a municipal engagement strategy. Based on the 2008 citizen survey, and recommendations in the civic engagement strategy, survey delivery options were examined to improve the sample size, demographic and neighbourhood representation, as well as refine the questions to elicit more concrete responses.
Ipsos Reid was selected to develop the questionnaire and conduct a telephone survey of a representative sample of 600 residents, and 300 businesses through the month of October. The results will be presented to City Council early in the new year. "
An interesting model of governance, that "municipal engagement strategy" of theirs. Every two years, the city asks its ratepayers to "to provide input on the provision of services, programs and funding priorities." I would like to see something of this sort of interactive engagement incorporated in our strategy, too. No more autocratic decisions!
"Businesses to Provide Input on City of Victoria Services for First Time
Victoria, October 12, 2010 - For the first time since the City has conducted citizen surveys, businesses will also be polled this year to determine their perception of City services. Victoria residents and business owners are encouraged to participate in this important opportunity.
Every two years since 2003, the City of Victoria has asked citizens to provide input on the provision of services, programs and funding priorities. The survey results help shape City policies and delivery of services. Questions in both the citizen and business surveys will focus on quality of life, satisfaction with City services and perceived value for taxes. In addition, the surveys include questions that explore current and emerging issues facing the City.
Victoria Council recently endorsed a civic engagement strategy, making Victoria one of few municipalities in the Province of British Columbia to develop a municipal engagement strategy. Based on the 2008 citizen survey, and recommendations in the civic engagement strategy, survey delivery options were examined to improve the sample size, demographic and neighbourhood representation, as well as refine the questions to elicit more concrete responses.
Ipsos Reid was selected to develop the questionnaire and conduct a telephone survey of a representative sample of 600 residents, and 300 businesses through the month of October. The results will be presented to City Council early in the new year. "
An interesting model of governance, that "municipal engagement strategy" of theirs. Every two years, the city asks its ratepayers to "to provide input on the provision of services, programs and funding priorities." I would like to see something of this sort of interactive engagement incorporated in our strategy, too. No more autocratic decisions!
Now Duncan's is in a legal fight against the Town over the right of an indivdual business to continue operating in spite of an inapproriate bylaw.
I think Duncans should go to court on this issue with the argument that a municipality can not arbitrarily impose new and costly laws on an existing business without due consideration.
Possibly a Duncans fund could be started up to help fight this battle.