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For Immediate Release: July 13, 2026

The Town of Stratford has released the results of its 15^th Annual Resident Survey which captured opinions from residents earlier this year. The first Annual Resident Survey took place in 2012 and has been used each year since to hear from residents. Stratford uses this mechanism to receive feedback from residents and to watch for indications of change over time for those questions asked annually or bi-annually. Results have been statistically weighted by age and dwelling type (rent or own) to ensure that the sample reflects the target 2021 Census data. The 2026 Annual Resident Survey once again showed strong support from residents for the Town to use resources to protect the environment with 96% responding that it is somewhat or very important to them. As the data is reviewed further the following are some breakdowns of groups that are significantly more likely to respond in this way including:

Households that make less than $50K were more likely (81%) to say it is very important compared to households that make $150K and over (64%)
Renters responded 86% saying that it was very important compared to 66% of homeowners
Female identifying residents (77%) also responded that it was very important more than male identifying respondents (63%)

Other environmental related questions in the 2026 Annual Resident Survey included:

An air sourced heat pump remains the most commonly used alternative energy source (66%) followed by solar panels used to generate electricity (13%). Both of these numbers remained unchanged from 2024 when this question was last asked.
84% regularly wash laundry in cold water, an increase from 81% in 2024
Purchased/leased an electric vehicle increased to 11% from 8% in 2024
42% of residents planted trees or shrubs on their property in the last 12 months (41% in 2024) and 42% also helped to clean, pick up garbage or improve a natural area (36% in 2024)

“As we review the data each year,” commented Councillor Jill Chandler, Chair of Intergovernmental Affairs and Accountability, “we can start to see trends emerge from the previous data. This information can help guide us to continue the path we are on, or to consider pivoting and making changes. In some of the shared examples, we can make assumptions that the work of the Town to educate and promote environmentally responsible choices for residents is likely contributing to the increase we continue to see in areas related to the environment. It certainly speaks to the great work of the Town and our partners at the Stratford Area Watershed Improvement Group.” The 2026 Annual Resident Survey also included some questions that were asked a first time including a series of questions about community belonging and pride which found:

79% of residents somewhat or strongly agree that Stratford is an open and welcoming community
77% somewhat or strongly agree they are proud to say they are from Stratford
66% somewhat or strongly agree they have a strong sense of belonging in Stratford

The question about Stratford being open and welcoming was benchmarked to national data where an average response of 77% was recorded between 2024 and 2026 when asked in other reporting municipalities. In comparison a question compared nationally about having a strong sense of belonging, the Stratford response of 66% falls just short of the Canadian average of 69%. The Town’s Net Promoter Score did drop significantly to 10 in 2026. This question has been included since 2015, but since 2017 has been able to be compared to national data due to a wording adjustment. The question asked is “How likely are you to recommend the Town of Stratford as a place to live to a friend or colleague?”. There are three responses provided and the Net Promoter Score is calculated by subtracting the detractors from the promoters, while the passives are not included in the calculation. The 2026 results saw 26% detractors (rating of 0-6), 38% passives (rating of 7-8) and 36% promoters (rating of 9-10). The previous lowest number in Stratford was 35 in 2024. National benchmarking shows the average to be -5 across Canada, with an average for Atlantic Canada at -8.

“This is an area,” added Councillor Chandler, “that I will want staff to watch closely in the future. It may just be a reflection of the times we are living in from a wider political standpoint, or it might be trending towards something more serious that we need to figure out in Stratford. There is an open-ended question following this rating that when reviewed, shows a wide range of responses provided as to what Stratford could do to increase the likelihood of someone recommending Stratford as a place to live in the future, but no strong one or two items that overwhelming would make a difference.” In the area of ‘Knowledge of Town Initiatives’, all responses except for one saw an increase over the previous year indicating a good awareness of Stratford initiatives. The only area to see a drop was awareness of the Think Stratford – Support Local initiative which dropped by 1% in 2026. The largest increase in this section was by 6% for each of the following: Community Energy Plan, Community Campus and Waterfront Park. “Once again these numbers show positive recognition of many of the initiatives the Town has underway,” added Chandler. “During my time on council I know how hard to staff and council work to provide opportunities to residents to find out about projects, activities and programs so it’s great to know that there is payoff in these efforts. We have a community that is typically engaged with us and that’s part of what makes our community so great.” The full report and summary of this year, as well as previous survey results, can be found on the Town of Stratford website www.townofstratford.ca. -30-

For more information please contact: Wendy Watts, Community & Business Engagement Manager
Phone: (902) 569-1995
Email: wwatts@townofstratford.ca

Additional Information Annual Resident Survey Full Report