Community Foundations of the South Okanagan's 2013 Vital Signs Survey, like the 2011 shown here, will allow the public to grade what issues are important to them.
(SHANNON QUESNEL / iNFOnews.ca)
June 13, 2013 - 5:27 PM
PENTICTON — A non-profit group wants to grade the entire Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen through an online survey.
The Community Foundation of the South Okanagan wants as many people from Cawston, Hedley, Kaleden, Keremeos, Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Olalla, Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton, Princeton and Summerland to decide what issues are the most important. Childhood obesity, public transportation and the environment are some of the items to be graded in the 2013 Vital Signs Survey.
The survey data will pair up with StatsCan information in an information booklet. This is what the foundation did in 2011 but the survey focused on Penticton only. The 2011 volume is still being used by charities and non-profits applying for grants as well as by the City of Penticton when making policy decisions.
Foundation executive director Aaron McRann said he got 660 people to fill out 2011's survey and he wants even more for the 2013 edition.
"There's excitement about this report," he said.
McRann said the book takes no particular stance on any one issue. The foundation doesn't necessarily advocate for a specific cause.
He added when he and his staff were working on the 2011 volume, he made Penticton leadership nervous. They thought it would put a grade on municipal performance.
That's not the case, McRann answered. The foundation wants the public to rate what issues they think is important and rate how well these issues have been addressed.
When not working on this book, the foundation spends most of the year offering funds to worthy causes. It's funding comes from donations that are invested with the profit being used for humanitarian groups and initiatives in the south Okanagan. Last year $210,000 was handed out.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Quesnel at squesnel@infotelnews.ca, call 250-488-3065 or tweet @shannonquesnel1
News from © iNFOnews, 2013