2023 Community Survey

The RM conducted an annual survey of residents and business owners to gauge your opinion on various services and issues impacting the municipality in May 2023. The survey covered several areas of interest to the community to collect feedback on municipal successes and areas for improvement. This information will shape municipal priorities and help ensure the RM remains the best place in Saskatchewan to live and work.

KEY FINDINGS

Satisfaction with Level of Service
Respondents are most satisfied with the Customer Service (84%) and Public Works Urban (83%) Departments. Consequently, respondents feel least satisfied with Planning and Development (75%) and the Community Safety Officer Program (76%).

Amenity Gaps
Amenities that are most desired by the community include an indoor swimming pool, a multi-use recreation centre, and a gym/indoor sports field.

How can we stay in touch?
A majority of respondents want to communicate with the RM through email and by regular mail.

Snow Removal
Winter snow removal was largely adequate (85%), though rural residents feel that it did not exceed expectations (71%).

Representation
Respondents feel that equal representation has not been given to rural, country residential and Emerald Park residents.

Priority Factors
Focus areas include: highlighting the benefits of development and the establishment of dedicated development areas that keep urban and rural separate, running a balanced budget that keeps taxes stable or in line with inflation, and the concentration of recreation infrastructure.

ANALYSIS
There were two major areas of concern identified by ratepayers that the municipality either has no control over or the process has moved to other jurisdictions for a resolution. The first is that while a high school is greatly desired, this decision would be solely at the discretion of the province. The second concern is annexation. Over the years an intense focus of the municipality has been the legal and public engagement on this process. As of the date of this report, this matter is now a legal matter with the Court of Appeal and the RM is confident the process will end soon and affected areas will not be impacted in a negative way.

As explored elsewhere in the survey, country residential and rural residents have concerns about road maintenance and a loss of rural lifestyle – specifically within the context of the RM prioritizing urban over rural concerns (hopefully the end of engagement aspects on annexation will alleviate this aspect).

Another pressing issue for all residents is taxes and balanced budgets. With full transparency, the RM always publishes budget matters online for review. Currently, the RM of Edenwold has lower municipal taxes than all the surrounding municipalities (up to $800k taxable assessed value). The RM holds a specific public engagement process in October every year in an effort to guide Council into making the best decisions for all communities.

Regarding municipal characteristics, 80% of all respondents feel that the RM provides good value for service and the community is safe and secure.

Interestingly, there is a lower satisfaction score for the Community Safety Officer (CSO) program at only 75% for all RM residents, although it is worth noting that the RM’s two-person team currently operates five days a week, within an area that is five times larger than the City of Regina.

So what can the RM work on moving forward?
Within the scope of municipal responsibilities, the areas the RM should focus on improving include highlighting the benefits of development and the establishment of dedicated development areas that keep urban and rural separate, running a balanced budget that keeps taxes stable or in line with inflation, and the construction of recreation infrastructure.

The RM should focus on showcasing how Planning & Development benefits rural residents and work on plans to improve rural patrols for the CSO’s.

The RM also needs to prioritize recreation while also finding ways to improve rural services. Winter snow removal has an 85% satisfaction rate, though rural residents only give the RM a 71% for the service. The RM will endeavor to prioritize rural snow clearing and highlight snow clearing timelines for rural roads.

In general, Emerald Park respondents feel the most optimistic about the RM’s positive traits, while country residential residents feel more negative about the RM. This shift may be because country residential residents feel forgotten in communications and decision-making. The RM should highlight the value and role country residential communities have in the RM identity.

The RM should strive to be overly transparent in communications, programming, and decision-making, and highlight how the RM takes municipal leadership in programs and initiatives.