By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Starting next week, residents of Sherbrooke are encouraged to keep an eye on their mailboxes for a survey, available in French and English, conducted by the City of Sherbrooke in collaboration with Léger. This survey, announced in Lennoxville June 10 at its Town Hall, marks the first phase of “Sherbrooke at the Service of its Neighbourhoods” (SSQ), a public participation initiative aimed at engaging the community to gather input on local services and municipal priorities.
In 2024, the City is initiating major consultations focusing on both the territory, with the drafting of an urban plan, and the population, through the SSQ participatory process, according to a June 10 press release.
The Municipal Indicator, developed by Léger, includes a series of questions that will inform the City’s reflections and allow for comparison with other municipalities of similar size. The survey process involves postcards being mailed to all households, expected to arrive between June 17 and June 21.
One person per household can respond using a unique, secure access code. Participants will be eligible for a draw to win one of four $250 gift cards. The survey will conclude once the sampling criteria are met.
The information collected will set the stage for the next steps of the SSQ initiative through to winter 2025. This includes citizen meetings to foster collective dialogue on the vision for “Tomorrow’s Sherbrooke” grounded in local living environments, discussion and consultation activities with community organizations, and the development of a work plan for these consultations.
The initiative aims to assess the quality of life and sense of belonging of Sherbrooke residents at the district and neighbourhood levels, measure public satisfaction with municipal services, and open a citizen dialogue to analyze opinions, suggestions, and comments on community development, local services, and the offerings of community organizations.
