2006
Business Survey
|
|
OVERVIEW
On February 28, 2006, a 4 page survey was mailed to 1500 randomly
selected Saanich businesses, asking them to share their ideas
and opinions about Saanich as a place to do business, and
the District of Saanich as their municipal government. By
the March 15, 2006 response deadline, we had received 419
completed surveys, giving us a good response rate of 28%.
A similar survey mailed to Saanich
citizens received a 33%
response rate and is available separately. Both sets of results will be used to guide
our planning.
The complete report can be downloaded in PDF format below.
The report is also available by contacting municipal staff
at (250) 475-5415 or by e-mail.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
Vision & Value
- Several central themes – the most important concerns
and priorities of business – emerge from analysis
of the entire survey: growth pressures; transportation
concerns; and a desire for low taxes.
- When asked to list the three biggest challenges facing
Saanich in the next five years, businesses clearly identified
transportation concerns and growth pressures above all
others.
Quality of Life
- Businesses give very high ratings to quality
of life measures, such as the rating of Saanich as a place
to live or as a place to operate a business.
Service Delivery
- Businesses give an overall score of 65 out
of 100 to municipal government services.
- Businesses
give particularly high praise to Saanich’s fire fighting
services however, the Emergency Preparedness Program was
identified as an area for improvement.
- Businesses
give high praise to the customer service provided by Saanich
employees. Less than 10% of businesses gave negative ratings
to their interactions with Saanich employees.
Local Government
- Businesses strongly prefer low property taxes
and limited or no increase in services, preferring instead
that a greater percentage of revenue be raised through
user fees.
- When asked to allot an imaginary $100
to a selection of 10 capital projects, businesses choose
to allot the largest portion, $16.80, to roads and traffic
control. This was followed closely by the municipal sewer
and drainage system at $11.31.
- When asked to
give overall ratings of the performance and direction of
the District of Saanich, businesses give generally high
marks, with less than 2% to 8% giving negative responses.
|
