One of the UGLY Chinese Canadian’s friends is launching an important citizens’ based initiative.

It is the third incarnation of a survey, “Urban Futures“, for and from the citizens of Vancouver.

The first survey took place almost 40 years ago, and we’re at it again!

The survey will query matters and opinions important to the city’s residents. The UGLY Chinese Canadian, family members, friends, neighbours and fellow citizens have participated in a similar survey in the past (only this time we’re using the Internet!). This is one of the reasons why we’re so damn proud of our city. Early residents had a say, and what we enjoy today, is the legacy of community input.

So contrary to all that stuff we hear from city hall, it’s not a result of smart planning by the current collection of city bureaucrats, They just like to take credit for this good work!

Red Robinson Urban Futures Survey PSA from PlaceSpeak on Vimeo.

Here’s more on PlaceSpeak

PlaceSpeak, is a new location-based public consultation platform. Our mission is to promote authentic meaningful dialogue on local issues. This innovative online technology will give access to a much larger group of household respondents than previously, with greater speed and at a lower cost. It can be completed in the time it takes to have your morning coffee.

PlaceSpeak isn’t just for the Urban Futures survey, but can help connect you to things happening in your neighbourhood.

Welcome to the 2012 Metro Vancouver Urban Futures Survey. This survey is designed to measure the importance of a number of issues for residents across the Lower Mainland.

This is the third version the survey, first undertaken in 1973 and again in 1990. The past surveys informed the creation of the Livable Region Plan and the Choosing our Future program. Together, these initiatives helped shape the metro region we see today. We need your help to shape the Metro Vancouver of tomorrow.
The present survey will allow communities across the region to forecast and anticipate the needs and desires of the Lower Mainland’s 2.1 million residents. The survey will be instrumental in meeting the long-term social and economic goals of the region.

Take the survey!

HERE’S the LINK to www.urbanfuturessurvey.com

History

In 1973,  about 1,500 residents of the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) were surveyed about their attitudes toward a range of economic, social, mobility and lifestyle issues.  Their responses informed the creation of the Livable Region Program.

Seventeen years later, a team of researchers led for the second time by UBC professor, Dr. Walter G. Hardwick, revisited the Urban Futures Project and conducted a new survey.  The 1990 Urban Futures Survey was prepared for the GVRD “Choosing our Future” program and involved 1,053 face-to-face and 238 telephone interviews.

The 2012 survey is organized under the major headings developed in the Choosing our Future Process with an update to reflect the recent Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy.

• Environment: protecting the environment and responding to climate change impacts
• Community Life: developing complete communities
• Mobility: supporting sustainable transportation choices
• Built Environment
• Managing Growth: creating a compact urban area
• Governance
• Economy: supporting a sustainable economy

The 2012 survey will extend information on gender differences, on geographic variability, and on the implications of age an education in responses through its longitudinal dataset.  The unique mapping ability of PlaceSpeak presents the variations in response across the Region. The 2012 Iteration will include 27 control questions from each of these areas, as well as 54 updates, and the addition of  brand new questions related to the economy and technology.  These questions are in the form of order ranking and 5-point Likert scale as well as providing for open-ended answers.

The 1990 Survey, as part of the larger “Choosing our Future” program, helped to bring about many changes to policy including the establishment of a municipal hazardous waste disposal programs and the creation of the local “Green Zone”. The 2012 Survey will inform our understanding of the future needs of the Vancouver Metropolitan Region.

The 2012 Urban Futures Survey is being conducted under the aegis of Lambda Alpha International, the Society of Urban Land Economists, with the support of the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia, the City of Vancouver, the City of Surrey and the City of North Vancouver. Other municipalities in the region, as well as Metro Vancouver and Translink, are invited to take part.

Take the survey!

HERE’S the LINK to www.urbanfuturessurvey.com