Survey Says...

Roads are important. They contribute to the quality of life experienced by people who live in Red Deer County, and they should remain the County's top priority in the coming year. Residents said this loud and clear in the Citizen Satisfaction Survey conducted by Ipsos Reid this summer.

"The magnitude of the response related to roads is no surprise," said Mayor Jim Wood. "We know that transportation and infrastructure are crucial to people, which is why nearly two thirds of our $62 million dollar budget is devoted to road maintenance, repair and upgrades."

"It's important to note that this is a strong and balanced report," said Jamie Duncan, Associate VP of Ipsos Reid. "There is a lot of community pride and optimism amongst residents, with 96% saying the County provides a good quality of life. As well there is a sense that there is good leadership, practicing open and accountable government."

Did the amount of wet weather experienced this spring impact how often roads were raised? "It's hard to say as this is a baseline survey for the County," said Duncan. "Roads come up as the number one priority in most municipal surveys though they did come in significantly higher for the County on all fronts."

Other notable highlights include:

·         Overall satisfaction with the quality of all services provided by the County

·         A majority say there is good value for taxes

·         A large majority report positive interactions and customer service from Council and staff

·         Other priorities include waste management, recycling and recreation - and on the environment side – water management, drainage and planning

The County's monthly newspaper is well-received by residents who also find the website useful. Duncan noted there seems to be a growing appetite for more use of social media to share information. Currently the County tweets mostly road information to let people know about closures and repairs.          

"I think it's worth noting that 83% of residents surveyed feel that the quality of life in the County has remained the same or improved," said Mayor Wood. "We are very happy to hear that our residents are satisfied with our services AND our customer service. This Council firmly believes in the importance of two-way communication."

Mayor Wood added, "This is another way we are able to get information through a random sampling of residents representing the wide range of people who live in the County. We will review the report carefully and consider the results as we continue our work on long-term planning for Red Deer County."

A summary of the results can be found here.

For more information:

Jim Wood, Mayor Red Deer County 403.350.2152

Jamie Duncan, Associate VP Ipsos Reid Direct: 403.294.7385   Mobile: 403.969.3235