Community Surveys
The RMOW's Community Life Tracking Survey is an important component of Whistler's community monitoring program, and is designed to help inform municipal decision making, and to facilitate the measurement of trends over time. The survey is also used to measure attitudes towards current policies and policy options.
Click on the following links for more information:
2012 Community Life Survey
The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) conducted a phone survey of residents and second homeowners from June 20 to July 6, 2012, which included 500 interviews (300 with permanent residents and 200 with second-homeowners). An online survey was also completed by 191 people.
This is the sixth community life survey conducted by the municipality, and survey results will help to measure performance towards the priorities identified in Whistler2020, Whistler’s comprehensive community plan and vision, as well as resident satisfaction with municipal programs, parks and infrastructure, services, and decision making; the 2013 budget process; taxation; and community engagement. Read more.
Download the 2012 community life survey here.
How are we doing?
The following are some of the highlights of the 2012 Community Life Tracking Survey:
Communication with Local Government
Proportion of community members satisfied with opportunities to provide input to community decision making:
- More than six-in-ten permanent residents (62%). Increase in 2012.
- More than half of all second homeowners (53%). Increase in 2012.
Proportion of community members who trust that local decision makers have the best interests of the resort community in mind when making decisions at least most of the time:
- Almost half of all permanent residents (47%). Increase in 2012.
- Six-in-ten second homeowners (61%). Increase in 2012.
Satisfaction with Services
Proportion of community members satisfied with Whistler as a place to live or spend time:
- More than nine-in-ten permanent residents (96%). Trending upwards since 2006.
- More than nine-in-ten second home owners (94%). Consistent since 2009.
Budget Allocation
Priorities for budget allocation:
- Snow clearing on local roads, including the highway, was ranked as having a high priority by permanent residents (81%) and second home owners (74%).
Preferred approach to revenue generation in Whistler. 2012 is the first year that this question has been asked:
- More than half of all permanent residents (57%) would prefer the reduction of property tax and increase user fees.
- Three-quarters of all second homeowners (76%) would prefer the reduction of property tax and increase user fees.
Tax and Communications
Preferred approach to managing reserves in Whistler
- Permanent residents are divided between saving 100% of estimated future costs including inflation (45%), and saving based only on today’s costs (43%).
- Second homeowners lean somewhat more toward saving based only on today’s costs (58%).
Preferred approach to revenue generation in Whistler
- More than half of all permanent residents (57%) would prefer the reduction of property tax and increase user fees.
- Three-quarters of all second homeowners (76%) would prefer the reduction of property tax and increase user fees.
Most important consideration determining property tax:
- For just over half of all permanent residents the most important consideration when determining property tax should be “affordability for the resident” (53%).
- The second most popular choice, stated by one-quarter of all residents, is the view than property tax should be determined by the proportion of municipal services each sector uses.
- Opinion among second homeowners is somewhat reversed compared with residents whereby the most popular choice of consideration for determining property tax is the proportion of municipal services each sector uses (43%), followed by affordability for the resident (26%).
Preferred channels for providing input to the municipality:
- The top three preferred channels for providing input to the municipality for both permanent residents and second homeowners are via email, for between two-thirds and three-quarters of each group; one-on-one conversations with councillors or staff, and online surveys, each noted by more than half of each group.
- Small table discussions at events and open houses are popular with about four-in-ten residents and second homeowners.
Download community life surveys
Note: There was a survey conducted at the end of 2010, as part of the 2011 budget process. There was no survey completed in 2011.
