Thunder Bay – Politics – The City of Thunder Bay has introduced an innovative approach to gather valuable feedback from its residents through an online citizen satisfaction survey. This survey aims to monitor and understand local priorities and concerns related to various City services while assessing the overall quality of life in the area. To facilitate this process, Thunder Bay City has joined forces with Zencity, a leading data analytics platform, to host the survey online and continuously monitor residents’ opinions and satisfaction levels.
City Manager Norm Gale expressed enthusiasm for this new method, utilizing the advantages of the digital age to collect real-time feedback. The citizen satisfaction survey covers a wide range of areas, including housing, transportation, recreation, and public safety, among others. It will serve as a key performance indicator, enabling the City to monitor and track the progress of its Strategic Plan.
Continuous Monitoring and Periodic Review
The Zencity survey will be conducted in phases, running from August to September, then resuming in January 2024 for a three-month period, and once again in July 2024. By continuously collecting feedback, the City will be able to assess results on an ongoing basis and review them in-depth at periodic intervals. This process will enable the City to measure its progress against the direction outlined in the Strategic Action Plan, currently in development.
Representative Sampling and Real-Time Feedback
Zencity’s community survey will be distributed digitally through targeted ads to reach a representative sample based on Thunder Bay’s census data. By ensuring representation from various demographics such as age, sex, race, education level, and income level, the survey aims to give a proportional voice to all segments of the municipality. Participants will be presented with a short, user-friendly questionnaire, and their responses will be relayed to the City in real time.
Residents Encouraged to Participate
The survey invites residents to rate their experiences with different aspects of life in Thunder Bay. If residents encounter a Zencity survey for the City of Thunder Bay on their social media channels or web browser, they are encouraged to complete it and share their valuable insights.
Transition from Telephone Surveys to Online Platform
The Zencity survey marks a shift from the City’s previous citizen satisfaction surveys, which were conducted via telephone through Ipsos.
Online Participation for All Residents
While the Zencity survey uses targeted online sampling, residents who are not part of the initial sampling can still provide their input. The City’s Get Involved site will also host the survey, giving all residents an opportunity to share their perspectives. Starting from Wednesday, Aug. 9, residents can visit www.thunderbay.ca/GetInvolved to complete the survey and actively contribute to shaping the future of Thunder Bay.
