What we heard - open-ended responses

Open-ended responses and comments

The following are a list of responses submitted by registered Get Involved Kingston participants. Feedback that did not follow the City of Kingston's Guidelines for Participation were omitted from the feedback.

Question 4: What barriers, if any, have you experienced when trying to provide feedback on City of Kingston projects or initiatives? If you have not experienced barriers, please skip this question.

The Get Involved Surveys create an appearance of being open to feedback. However, many of the matters on which feedback is sought are not important (location of benches, naming of the bridge). My experience contacting the City on matters important to me has been that there is no willingness to engage.
One other barrier, and this has happened more than once, is that the language used by the City supports certain assumptions that I do not share. It is hard to take a survey or answer a question or even comment on a proposal when the very assumptions and language that underpin the matter at hand become a barrier to meaningful conversation and exchange.
Having to create a profile and sign in to complete a survey is a pretty significant barrier for many people and discourages participation. It also feels unnecessary, and gives the impression that you can't submit anonymous feedback. Anonymous surveys that don't require login would be preferable and would very likely increase engagement.
City council is extremely anti-car and development in the old run-down downtown area.
The questions and multiple choice answers on the public engagement surveys are worded to slant the replies/outcomes. Not once have I been able to have 'other' as a choice and then provide a non-pigeon holed response.
Sometimes occur at a time I cannot make
Have an ill family member and it hard to leave them alone
The City promising further engagement but then not providing any opportunities for that promised engagement.
Knowing about/being aware of the issues.
I'm disabled and housebound most of the time, so opportunities online should be as much of a priority as in person opportunities.
lack of knowledge or all steps involved in the process -leads to confusion.
No public meeting held on issue
feeling like i wont be heard anyways
Sometimes not adequate time between notification of public engagement and date of public engagement.
not knowing about the proposed plan for Wright Crescent
money. buses need to be free when HUGE events are happening downtown.
lack of response to emails from my ward council member
The online engagement opportunities often don't give a great opportunity for good feedback. The skeleton park revamp for instance gave 2 options without ever asking us what we want. I met in person for this event as well and could say my opinion but it seemed like there was not much to change regardless.
As a member of a community association there is inconsistent out reach to keep the organization informed by the City. Many times the first time we learn about a issue to be discussed by a committee or council is only when a staff report is made available in preparation for a committee or council meeting less than a week before the meeting. This often doesn’t provide enough time to review the documents and to seek input from our membership. You
Knowledge of opportunities. Mental health.
Unaware of opportunity for input until after window has passed.
just completed the age friendly survey and was disappointed. It only had three questions. Only one offered opportunity to write in comments, but the question only asked for benefits not ideas. I was expecting more questions, but there were none. Felt the City is not taking this public engagement seriously and not really looking for public comments. Also, that survey is only open for two weeks, whereas this one is open for a couple of months. How are people to feel when it appears little effort is given to certain public engagements.
Trying to phone city hall gets me an answering machine and the few times I've left a message they've not returned my call.
Lack of conviction that community engaged is anything more than a formality. Which creates a lot of apathy for community involvement and this is a huge barrier. Furthermore, announcements of them are entirely passive - meaning citizens need to be constantly active and checking and looking for opportunities. It’s making citizens do all the work to try to be involved, which is just too much for too many.
I feel the city is just 'going through the motions' in these engagement strategies in order to 'check a box'. In reality, I don't think city staff actually take into account public feedback and are not interested in meaningful engagement as they have already decided what they want to do and make the feedback fit their pre existing agenda/narrative.
Survey Biases - Surveys have biased questions. Such as questions written intentionally to lead the user in answering a certain way. I have experienced this in surveys over the years.
They aren't advertised so we never know about them. The city doesn't end at John Counter blvd & Division st
I have children who also don't feel like they can actively engage without my assistance and guideance.
your website on the last survey was acting erratic, further i received emails with gibberish at the top, like command lines
Alot of events exclude or are inclusive or reflect exclusivity to specific religious views or cultural views.
Provincial roadblocks.
Unreliability of technology
Taking surveys is not participation No feedback to letters etc
Many City staff simply do not care about public input. During a public engagement about recycling, the staff were more concerned with the color(s) of the bin than in the failure of the City to collect what was in those bins. This was a waste of time for the public participants, while staff were obviously paid for a wasteful meeting.
The need to log in to participate is annoying. Takes time, especially if you forget your password half the time!
There need to be more in person locations in the West end
Bugs in city web-site.
Visual barrier
tried to complete survey online but was not able to - instructions to do so didnt appear to be complete, 2) plus our input did not appear to be anonymose or confidential - concerned that it was visable to anyone, & it would be logging into our City account & held against us at some future date - if we gave feedback adverse to some city staff's goals etc
Time ... can participate in some, but (see answer 5)

Question 5: If you feel comfortable sharing, tell us more about the barriers you experienced.

While this feedback process seems to have good goals, I was completely unaware of such methods of providing feedback existing. This seems like a very promising tool, but I know of no one who is aware of this site. This is the information barrier, but in a different aspect, where I was unaware of such tools existing, despite a desire to participate in providing feedback on city projects.
one in-person event i attended was not signed and there were several closed doors that _could_ have been the right room. if it hadnt been for a passing janitor i would have left. when i brought this up at the event there were blank looks -- signage was clearly not considered relevant.
Some surveys ask questions that are specifically tailored for a predetermined outcome; obviating the motivation behind the survey and making the survey a waste of time.
A recent example of barriers to informing the process: a group of neighbours got together in 2019 and met with our counsellor, we talk about our park and how we wanted to be engaged with future planning. Then in 2023 a sign went up in the park about a zoom session re: playground equipment. A neighbour spread the word but most didn't see the sign as it was at the far end of the park. Many neighbours attended, excited to talk about our park, needs etc. But the process was already well beyond asking what people wanted/needed and we were presented with two options for equipment, neither of which met our needs. It was really disappointing. We were told too late in the timeline to have any time to organize or fundraise. We still met and sent a detailed email. We asked how much certain items cost so we could try to fundraise for those items (ie more benches) but we have heard nothing. I have repeatedly tried to get updates but none are forth coming. We are an engaged bunch and would welcome ANY opportunity to plan with the city. Please tell us how to do that. THanks!
Complete lack of response.
I have been essentially ignored by staff when I've offered feedback.
Realistically, it's been difficult to keep track of the opportunities you've made available. I am on an email list, but either I don;t' read it often enough or it doesn't include the types of projects I'm most interested in
I prefer online meetings. They are convenient. I don't drive and don't really want to have to venture out to participate in any case.
My 84 year old mother would like to participate but she would need paper surveys
When I ask a question I do not receive the reasons why ie why is there no Canada Day Parade. I kind of know the answer but I got it unofficially
I am finding it very frustrating watching to taxes in this city skyrocketing and there has been no attempt to reign in costs. We never see the contracts signed with unions and the benefits given to city staff and utilities Kingston. There is huge amounts of waste ie. Skating rink boards put up and never used, bike lanes across the city in areas where they are not used, bus passes given to high school kids through the summer.
Having to create a profile and sign in to complete a survey is a pretty significant barrier for many people and discourages participation. It also feels unnecessary, and gives the impression that you can't submit anonymous feedback. Anonymous surveys that don't require login would be preferable and would very likely increase engagement.
It took years to get the one block closest to the water of Gore St plowed of snow in the winter. In one day, someone who worked for the city made it happen after trying for years to go through proper channels.
I just did.
Recently I have had to email a project lead more than once to get sufficient details to be able to respond to a survey accurately. In the second instance, a link provided was accessible to city staff only.
Information not shared
No response to my comments through get involved or inquires sent to City staff and Council.
Sometimes occur at a time I cannot make
My council representative never responds, or does not address the issues
Information and data that the city has must be shared in an easily accessible manner. For example at the recent Inclusion, equity and accessibility a question was asked about the current state of minority/equity-seeking groups' participation in the city governance. The was said to be not available at this time- surely this is the starting point for much of such a committee's work! To not know this data is highly disappointing.
Another failing I have noticed on multiple times is the malfunctioning of the DASH system. It is highly frustrating to work with this system to access what should be publicly available information
I have not experienced barriers but I have learned that engagement is sham.
Closed door decision making that makes community engagement impossible. Lack of transparency and hidden agendas in matters related to building projects. Collusion with private investors that weaken the community engagement and lack consideration for the voices that are bringing issues that affect our community to the table
The City invited citizen participation for a new development proposal. I participated. The City said this was the first meeting and that they would report back with the developer in response to citizen feedback and reports and have another meeting. They never reported back and never had another meeting.
Lack of data on all City-owned property, potential community garden sites, acknowledgement/answers to letters sent to my Councillor (I don't send many!)
The most crucial element in any City is the city plan and how neighbourhoods are affected. This is precisely where the City blocks interested parties. I had to sit through one on erecting conference centre. Every affected business there (while in fact, in this age of zoom, big conferences connected to my work are hugely impacted, registrations down, etc. So you have all these interested businesses just tow same line but then no impact from anyone in the community in the Queen/Barrie development project so councillors couldn't even hear different views. Pretty shocking!
it is never very easy to get information. The city's website is very cumbersome and the information tends to be very bureaucratic and legalisitc.
The digital (seemingly preferred) engagement avenues are not accessible to seniors or other groups deterred by technology. GetInvolved UI does not display a survey closure date, or have a filtering option by location or date.
I get the City's media release and go to the Get Involved page to see what information is available. I would like to see the whole questionnaire before I decide to invest time in it. Seeing one question at a time means that there are instances, like this, when I spend time on a free-form response and it could be part of one of the future questions. I also object to having to answer a question in order to proceed to the next one, especially when the question requires me to check one of the preformatted answers and doesn't provide me with any other option. Or maybe I just don't want to answer that question. Very frustrating
Number one and foremost ~Parking fees! I'm on cpp/oap. Every dime counts.
meetings are not set up to hear from introverts who have difficulty speaking in public. There is a need to try to draw input from all who attend meetings -not just hear the loudest.
Really no barriers
It would perhaps be valuable to have some engagement on Queen's campus or in parks/public areas frequented by families and students-- not just engagement in Springer Market Square.
sometimes more layman's terms would help
One of the major barriers to people being involved is that they don't know how to get involved. I have seen many online engagement surveys/notices about what is happening in the city and in my neighbourhood. My neighbours who are seniors have no idea of what is happening and then are upset by the disruption. Younger people with children are busy with their lives, so they too are not involved. What I don't understand is I have a councillor for my area and there is never any communication with them. If someone went to Bert Munier last year and talked to the people that spend days and evenings at the park and informed them with what was happening, you might have had some people want to be involved.
sometimes not taken serious since being homeless having multiple obstacles in my way and lies said about me by certain agency made me looked down upon.
A busy family with 3 kids limits the amount of time available to engage.
i emailed my MP regarding the evictions at the Hub and wasn’t satisfied with the reply i received
Not enough time to schedule attending public engagement and prepare.
homophobia - Kingston Pride- so four people deciding that OUR police cannot march with us in uniform . four people should NOT have that much influence over our local relationships. as a queer person, i honour and respect our relationships… we need to heal that rift cause by fear…. sigh..
When it comes to development in the community the city makes great plans then bends over to developers and ignores piles of community members trying to give feedback that would make their community better.
As a member of a community association there is inconsistent out reach to keep the organization informed by the City. Many times the first time we learn about a issue to be discussed by a committee or council is only when a staff report is made available in preparation for a committee or council meeting less than a week before the meeting. This often doesn’t provide enough time to review the documents and to seek input from our membership.
As a member of a state holder group, such as KCAT or a community association there is insufficient out reach to seek input, particularly for projects and activities that directly impact and address our mandate and membership.
Important background information that would help to make a better. Informed input are removed from the city website and have to be requested with a 5 day period or more to have access to the information. An example is data and statistical analysis information related to the Vision Zero project, and annual KPD collision reports . Why are these reports removed from public access, and not readily available?
transparency about the projects; some of the information has too much legal jargon; when I've expressed concerns, I don't feel they are listened too, or no one gets back to me with an answer.
I feel like the city asks for feedback to placate the public, when in reality, their minds are already made up
I've only recently learned of Get Involved, and previous only heard of things through various forms of word of mouth, news, or social media. With mental health it's hard to actively engage in this sort of thing when the effort can be draining for those dealing with mental health issues. The energy required just isn't always there, which turns things above that normally wouldn't be barriers into barriers at times.
It can be difficult to find out what was decided at a council meeting after the meeting ends. It can be difficult attending a council meeting if you're not sure when a particular item might be debated. A park in my neighbourhood had an information session but I could not attend due to a lack of childcare and awkward timing of the session.
I would like to know more about it. So social media for my age is really good and also Linkedin. I feel like I dont have enought information. This is my first time engaging with a survey from the City. I heard about the site from a friend that works on the City.
For me it is not so much the barriers, but the lack of opportunity to participate and share concerns/comments/ideas.
Aside from calling if you could post an email we could email with pictures of what is concerning us
The number of times I’ve completely missed opportunities for involvement is so many. I hear about them in the papers, media, or social media groups *after* the opportunity has already passed. Other opportunities have small vague postings on land lots and nothing more. Most people aren’t going to put in a lot of time and effort searching for this information. It’s too much work - these should all be widely available: online, all over neighbourhoods, everywhere *before* hand. Even when there is involvement, I’ve felt it’s more for show. The city is going to do what is in its and its financial partners’ best interests regardless of civic engagement. If the Mayor can ignore the rest of the council and make decisions on his own, why would the city actually take legitimate interest in what its citizens have to say or contribute?
Not enough details provided online as to the procedures used in city committee meetings. I thought I would be given an opportunity to rebutt statements made in opposition to the content of my comments and I was not.
Sometimes it can be hard to hear about these feedback or participation opportunities.
Respect your homeless population. They're people too
For the most part it's Time for me. None of the other barriers apply.
On several occasions having emailed the new councilor for our district I get no response.
Everytime I contact the mayor he doesn’t even bother responding and doesn’t care so what’s the point?
While looking for details on the website, I find it difficult to local and the search often sends me to random places
While this has not been a barrier for me, I have heard this from others:
The Get Involved webpage requires a registration (username and password) which can be a barrier to people's participation, especially as responses are not anonymous. If there was an anonymous Guest option, it may invite more engagement.
The volume of technical information provided can be a barrier as well as the (obvisouly biased) attitude of some city departmental staff and management (specifically, the planning department). There are many instances of city staff acting in a manner that is not in alignment with the general public interests rather opting to serve very narrow interests of developers. This behaviour has been documented in the media, on Reddit and other online community forums.
Prior notice of council agenda so that interested parties can attend.
No
Downtown parking is a nightmare and I will not pay 7.50 for a city bus to attend meetings at city hall.
whether the input provided is just a token effort and not really meaningful
Sometimes online links don’t seem to work, or I’m told to go online to provide feedback and can’t find any way to access the suggested survey. Often I’ve been asked to use an iPhone to click on an icon to download something and I do not have data and usually don’t carry a phone with me. I’ve contacted staff at city hall, been told my question has been forwarded to someone but I don’t get a response.
There is currently no formal process for children to participate.
Also, it seems like decision are already made prior to participation. It makes me wonder what the point is of public participation.
I tried to get information on the actual cost of the Norman Roger's Airport runway expansion and terminal upgrading but was only given the budgeted cost of $16 million. As such projects normally overrun by a minimum of 10% I was eager to find out how far from the norm the project ended up. After repeated attempts always getting the same reply I figure the project was far from the norm. I wonder if I will ever know the actual figure.
Ontario has regulations around safe consumption sites. One of those regulations is to conduct a community engagement prior to locating a CTS in Ontario. Street Health has NEVER conducted a community engagement prior to opening the CTS in the basement of the ICH. The CTS was relocated from 115 Barracks St. to 661 Montreal St. under the emergencies act during the pandemic. Why has the Provincial government not conducted a community engagement? Why does the City of Kingston not challenge this?
I personally haven't experienced barriers due to internet/technology, but I would imagine that's a pretty big one for many.
I am disabled but have been in Kingston since 1969. I love this city, but the access to technology for Kingston is sporadic at best as if my opinions are an afterthought. I would like a more stable input to questions that affect my wonderful city.
The infrastructure in Kingston is appalling. Is this city ever going to own up to it?
I am tired of the patronizing tone used to educate me about my concerns.
Questions not in a survey were not considered. No open ended questions ever appear. Surveys simply set the agenda so no real input is sought considered or responded to
I’m not sure if this survey is reaching people in different languages. If not, the opportunities are not offered in a language I read or speak answer will not be highlighted enough.
City Staff appear to have their own agenda, and the bias of members of City Council is obvious in selecting presentations. Dozens of City residents can come to a meeting, only to have the opinion of a consultant (paid by the City) seriously considered. The Wellington Street extension is an example of an entirely worthless project, (considered only due to the negligence of a consulting firm), for which numerous studies were undertaken, with an end result of nothing being done, (including the solution that the consulting firm had neglected).
I'd love pop-up engagement booths at the many wonderful community events around the city with people there to animate the key issues and seek feedback
Most often when I do have time, I get ready to do a survey and then discover that it's either not regarding a topic I'm interested in or it's in an area of the city I'm not familiar with.
More advanced notice (TV, Radio, flyers) and lead time to study related materials and questions for surveys is needed. More materials and the survey questions need to be available to download so an internet connection is not needed while the material and questions are being considered. Having to ask for an accommodation is a barrier.
There are always more things I'd like to comment on/ participate in than I have time for. It would be good if general feedback on practices and priorities was sought more often rather than only on a project by project basis.
Non-response. When I raise concerns (infrequent)-- I do not get a reply -- and the reply rarely addresses the concern.
I have experience difficulty in negotiating the City website to learn more about engagement opportunities or current issues. Not user friendly at all.
I've never been political at the local level. Perhaps that's because I have moved 29 times, including major moves, like to other countries and territories. But now I'm back in Kingston to stay and am paying attention. The barriers I see: what I care most about -- homelessness and how we seem to be wrongly addressing it, and attracting healthcare workers at every level to Kingston -- I haven't figured out how to be effective.
These surveys are not easily read when you have low vision. Light blue on white background is extremely difficult to see and it seems to be the colour of choice . As well the print needs to be bold as well as the content should be able to enlarge by touch.
Single mom who works a full time job and a part time job
None.
Not finding out about in person opportunities early enough to arrange to attend.
This isn't a barrier I experience personally; however, I am concerned that opportunities are increasingly focused on digital engagement. Is there bias in the feedback if folks are expected to have access to online resources to participate? This may be something that is only my perception (as I rely heavily on digital tools myself).
Public Engagement requires time which biases it towards demographics that have lots of excess time on their hands. As someone working a full time job and raising two children, my views will never be represented as well as a retired person.
One of your early surveys had bugs and its content was not logically flawed. I told a colleague of the mayor, who told the mayor. I never saw a problem again. I assume the information got to the communications department or a city employee was having a bad day.
to me the theme of the city's attitude is get ignored
Being an active engaged citizen can be very time consuming if one is to participate in a relevant and thoughtful manner. Sometimes trying to fulfill this responsibility becomes challenging as higher daily priorities, and sometimes good old fashioned weariness and the need for rest, take precedence.
Survey research gets good quality honest feedback only when it is truly anonymous, so people can feel to speak their minds without any filters like sexism, ageism etc their comments get vetted through.
Certainly you want to allow open ended questions so responders can write anything in they want, but that allso means some people who abuse the system write inappropriate abusive stuff that should not be voiced anywhere & so to protect staff, you require folks to ID themselves. But by identifying the people inputting the info - staff can then dismiss input or exagerate the importance of certain input from some people over that of others, instead of evaluating the input - for that input's sake alone.
Can you not do more prep work in advance so you can ask more closed-ended questions? Then responders would have less opportunity to say things inappropriate, while giving them anonymity. Then if people want to give more open ended comments - have them write it via an email to you - in that way, their comments would be identifiable, if inappropriate.
Unless you make this input system anonymous, the City of Kingston will never get honest input. The reality is that in this small town (like most small towns) folks do blab about other people - when they learn about them through their work roles.
I have epilepsy so if I have a seizure I am unable to attend. I also feel nervous if I have one of my 7 different types of seizures during and event or activity
I have time to participate in some engagement activities, but I do not have the endless time availability of unelected empty nester boomers and NIMBYs who can seem to be able to show up at almost every such meeting and try to insist that their views are the only legitimate views on topics.

Question 13: Public engagement is about having two-way conversations with residents about the projects and policies that affect them, and we believe those conversations are based on trust. How do you think the City could build a stronger relationship with the Kingston community?

Yes, while this effort seems good, general awareness (from my perspective) could be improved. This feedback is a very powerful tool, and while I am unaware of the levels of engagement, it can always be improved on. I also think there is value in increasing engagement with the various colleges and universities, as they are essential to Kingston as a city, and even feedback from temporary citizens can provide valuable insights.
my limited experience suggests that these are just words -- the conversations happened but i dont think they were given much (if any) weight.
Involve all areas of the city
Engage with community FIRST, then make proposals and ask for feedback.
Try to respond to emails. Be open to suggestions. Care.
It's extremely important when asking for feedback that the use of that feedback be obvious. Even if that means disagreeing openly with some ideas that are submitted. The City of Kingston has been so welcoming and kind when I have engaged with anything, but it gives equal weighting to all ideas and no real feedback comes back from the sessions.
In my experience, the staff does not value public feedback and often disregards feedback as a nuisance.
They could.
I would like feedback regarding the City’s subsequent policy decisions related to my responses.
Accessibility to City Staff...!
Outreach from councilors is easy to say, how it should be done is more complicated
By offering reliable services and stewardship in a predictable way and/or immediately and transparently explaining when expectations are affected.
I think that sometimes the City frames surveys, Open Houses, and other activities in ways that block or discourage larger questions or discussion. The City sometimes seems to control the conversation (and the boundaries of the conversation) too much. This can limit a true two-way conversation.
Ckws news could notify people of an upcoming survey or project. This would help those who cannot use computers.
Dialog and transparent
Within the scope of the bylaw's ability to deal with repeat offenders, e:g: loud music, and garbage there is limited or no feedback on success or failure to the complainant. This is a disconnect based on the bylaw structure, not the officers. Also when bylaw officers are not available and the general police number is called it is not sure if the police administration advises the bylaw officials of the complaint and results as soon as bylaw officers are available again.
What trust?...and question 16 below is a clear indication of why the city is not trusted!
I think there is many channel to communicate and it is for us to use them.
Give us some indication that when money is spent in one area cutback in areas are made. 2.5 percent a year was high and now over 3 percent is ridiculous when looking at mortgage rates etc.
More on the ground work could be beneficial. Many residents are very disconnected from City staff and both parties could benefit from face to face interactions, which tend to be more genuine and natural. As mentioned previously, I also think having to create a profile and log in to participate in surveys discourages participation.
The City must somehow hear from the Silent Majority vs hearing from the few same voices. This will take great effort from the City who historically wait for residents to contact the City.
The City should reach out to groups that they traditionally rarely reach out to.
Please reach out to these groups for every engagement opportunity:
- service clubs (Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis etc)
- sports clubs (KSSC etc)
- church congregations (all faiths)
- Legion members
- school boards
Dump the district method of electing councillors and have a city wide ranked ballet voting system.
Be receptive to complaints. Most people don’t contact city unless they have an issue. If the resident feels ignored or worse put down then doors of communication get shut.
Sometimes feel City does this on purpose. This sort of circumvents the policy.
Also don’t send out policies that are pages long to answer questions and concerns. Call and discuss. I often wonder when people do this is it because they themselves don’t know the answers?
Worrisome for sure.
feed back to people that responded to surveys would be helpful in feeling that our time and opinions were respected
By soliciting their opinions and input on a regular, ongoing basis prior to making decisions
Streamline & improve the City of Kingston website so it is easier to find information on projects & initiatives impacting the community.
Actually listening to the people who vote you into power.
We have attended many meeting concerning the quarry in our area and voted 'NO' every time, even though the company kept coming back at us.
Then to find out the mayor said 'Yes' even though we all had said 'NO'.
So sad.
More conversations in public way. Community conversations circles on a regular basis. Getting ASL interpreters. More social media promotion. Pop conversations circles in libraries and parks.
In the engagement sessions I attended (refreshing of equipment of Oakridge Park), the strong feeling I got from the City of Kingston staff who attended was that it was their decision as to what was going to happen — basically, like they personally owned the resources that were being put towards the project, and that the consultation process with the community was an annoyance. This is not the type of servant leadership I would expect to see from municipal employees — the resources emanate from the community in terms of property taxes, and they are simply stewards. It left me with a very bad opinion of the recreation & parks group, which is one of the resources I use the most within the City.
by finding additional ways of informing the community about projects. At present the City seems to rely almost exclusively on the electronic medium. For example, last year we learned abut hte concept of closing Ontario street in front of City Hall and Market street permanently from a survey in Kingstonist! Several of us wrote letters of concern and heard nothing!
People have to want to participate. One problem is that people don't trust their government representatives because many times, these representatives are only there for their own agenda, along with their friends and family's. Have honest candidates that report back to their constituents on a regular basis. Perhaps that would engage more people to have their voices heard.
Make it possible for residents who have provided feedback on specific issues to be alerted when these issues become the subject of discussion in committee or council.
Get the councilors out of the office and in the community. Get the City department managers out in the city using the services the their department supports. If you don't get on the bus how are you supposed to understand the challenges. Get riding a bike in the bike lanes so you can understand the challenges and build a relationship with other users you meet.
The City has chosen to listen to small, very vocal groups with self- interested agendas. The general public and other minority groups are not made to feel welcome if we are not singing from the same hymn book as the vested group (egg Indigenous or LGBTQ2S)
Follow the Municipal Class EA process.
Respond to comments and advise public when the matter has been taken out of their hands.
Staff should be much clearer when providing responses to council as there were several misleading comments at council meetings that were not addressed by the chair.
May need to offer a wider range of time to visit items at City hall
Provide more transparent and timely information about community-based projects.
Hybrid opportunities as much as possible, increased community and school partnerships, focus on engaging youth so they become familiar and comfortable with municipal processes and engagement early on (this last one made a big difference in my own engagement in my hometown).
The city should promote more campaigns focused on where people can engage with the city Or people working for the city. Maybe a page on the city website saying to share your views and thoughts about upcoming projects etc.
My most recent engagement (and the only one with this council) was about my opposition to the height of the proposed development at Queen and Barrie. I emailed each individual councillor plus the mayor, twice, and received not a single reply, not even from my own councillor. At the council meeting my concerns were dismissed without consideration as mere NIMBYism. They absolutely are not--I'm quite in favour of reasonable development. This combination of the council and mayor completely ignoring my letters added to the cursory dismissal at the meeting left a very bad taste in my mouth. I am not impressed.
Engagement with employers to communicate to its employees
Yes, with regular people
Perhaps by not having closed door meetings on issues that affect our neighbourhoods. The hypocrisy of the transparency mandate is a sad reflection of the times we live in and the current mayor's questionable values.
Respond in a timely manner.
When citizens are invited to participating in planning exercises, by-law revisions etc and the City develops an Official Plan, new by-laws, or other plans for the city then it should abide by them-- not bend or break them for developers, force citizens to raise money, hire lawyers, go to the LPAT or OLT or whatever in desperate efforts to get the City to abide by it's own rules that we were invited to spend our time advising on.
Listen to the communities that are directly affected by the inappropriately scaled and sized development projects around the city. This is not addressing affordable housing AT ALL
By actually having two-way conversations. The lack of response has led me to feel very little confidence in the city after many years where I did have that trust. Also by the City following through on its promises. I felt like the City has lost my trust. The invitation for participation from the city doesn't feel sincere. I don't feel like the City cares about individual feedback, only opinions from developers.
Data, rather than vague statements, need to be easily available, to both committee members, councillors and citizens.
By reporting on the various long-term ecological projects that the city has or will put in place by revealing the chronology of these activities such as those of parks, green buildings, and pedestrian centers for example.
More transparent conversations with the public that honour all populations of the city.
Public consultation should be brought in as early as feasible. For example, in the Williamsville Princess Street consultation, bike lanes were already written off even before the public was provided opportunity for feedback. If the city is serious about its goals for active transportation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, such an important decision should not be made without public input. Otherwise, the consultation just becomes performance and not truly seeking our opinion.
Push back on the OLT, find an effective way to empower citizens. Enforce the official plan and don't let it be overridden by narrow business and Provincial interests. Stand-up for our City's right to set its own course
They could let them have standing at council meetings and not make deals with developers in advance.
The city needs to be more open and transparent when making decisions that affect many people for many years. Making decisions in secrecy is not okay.
The City of Kingston seems to have a two-tier system of engagement: developers get private behind closed door meetings with City staff to negotiate deals with involvement of community members. Community members get a public meeting and promises of more consultation that never takes place.
By allowing for a true diversity of opinion. It increasingly feels like staff have decided what direction they want to take things and citizen engagement is token.
I don't know exactly... I have lived in Kingston for almost 2 years now and I still feel very new and that I don't know how to engage. I also don't yet feel like Kingston is my home or any strong affiliation with Kingston. I think maybe starting there by trying to connect with new residents would be good.
We all need to advocate for more provincial funding for the services that have been downloaded to municipalities. This will allow us to better meet the needs of our marginalized citizens who most likely have no voice in any public engagement opportunity. We are desperately lacking in affordable housing, shelter space, addiction support. These community resources need stable funding. Perhaps the library system could help disseminate information on public engagement. Perhaps public engagement could take place at library branches and be advertised.
Engage more with all areas of the city not just the downtown core.
It would be nice for participants in surveys to be made aware of survey summary results and decisions made relating to the survey.
Don't send out surveys on Friday afternoons. Use different days of the week.
The City of Kingston is making very good and fruitful efforts to engage citizens. I wonder if there is more that could be done to better connect Council members with these efforts? Is there an opportunity to better use our local TV & radio broadcasting resources to better engage citizens who are not active online?
Better inform the community, and do a better job of seeming to listen to and acknowledge input.
I agree, the conversations are based on trust. Yes, I think that the City could build stronger relationship. My observation is that there are lots of good employees working hard but they have little or not time to have two-way conversations with residents. And it's not just about projects and policies, it's also about City operations and processes such as parking by-law enforcement, completion of site plans, planning proceduures etc Staff seem to have insufficient time and resources to deal with questons and problems associated with City operations and processes. Without conversation or feedback, it's hard to build trust
Less red tape/bureaucracy to get things done. My late husband was on two committees and was frustrated by the amount of overlapping opinions and drawn out discussion about petty things. Yes have your say, disagree, but three hours of discussion over one item? Come on! Come to a consensus at some point.
Making options to get involved and participate more know to people using a method that reaches larger audiences like tv or mail.
more open and honest communication before the project even starts. It appears that public engagement is more a step to say it was done rather then having a real affect on the project. More training on Public Engagement and more news on the affect PE had on changing projects. More proof that the city actual heard and learned from PE.
It seems there are many ways the public has for input but it seems a decision has already been made and the input is just a necessary part of the process that is done because it has to be done but really doesn’t have much impact on the outcome
It would be helpful if the information on a project is presented in bullet points at the beginning, followed by expanded content.
I think bringing more of a physical presence (e.g. with booths) to public areas, as the City has done, is a good way of building relationships.
More engagement with the student and younger body of residents may also help to build a culture of community connection.
Offering small informal conversation sites at fixed locations in each community. If these were at places such as libraries patrons could choose to engage (I.e. have conversation) about non-urgent matters such as snow removal, where to find a grocery store, etc. Patrons could also get information about larger matters such events happening in the city, etc.
I think the city has done an amazing job engaging on major projects, it is the smaller ones that seem to miss the engagement, which leads to a relationship
Listen and don't wait for us to come to you maybe go speak to the individuals yourself for there input.
Through various non profit community groups.
More in person engagements again, with coffee and the ability to sit and talk to people
Keep the public engagement going.
I would like to se the schools more engaged with the community and city.
continue to listen to residents, while also understanding that change needs to happen regardless of what some, loud, residents say
Engage in formal consultation one more topics (though of course keeping in mind the need to not overload)
-Make clear summaries of public engagement more easily accessible.
-Try and avoid some of the consultations that are on superficial aspects of a project. Similar surveys to this 1. A better balance of public engagement input with facts/data. 2. Ensuring that basic service levels and customer service are funded and resourced in the right way. When citizens see basic services delivered effectively, it builds trust.
Attending public events, being more active on social media, replying to at least some emails and inquires PERSONALLY.
Be more transparent, honest, upfront with information being requested. Trust is an issue.
It appears that decisions or directions are already in motion when policies or decisions are being made. I often think that when I voice my opinion that I am met with practised rhetoric rather than having an open and transparent conversation about an outcome. I am in no way saying that I am correct in my opinions BUT without open discussions I am unable to come to the conclusion that my views are being listened to.
finding more ways to keep the Kingston community informed, not everyone can be checking the city's website every day
perhaps extending the scope of engagement to summits. like a town hall but more like a science fair….show and tell…this is who we are - faces people..this is what we do…NO paper..scan and click… welcome !!! it could be a roadshow or a one off at what ever doug is calling his building this year…. lol
Highlight more clearly when projects HAVE changes based on resident feedback or ideas and specifically which changes were made and why. Even if the ideas were not our own, it would be good to see what comes from city staff, hired agencies, and resident engagement. General engagement feels a bit like lip service right now if you can't easily see where the engagement data directed the projects.
Responses, even in the form of canned emails.
making surveys that don't funnel people to the choices the city wants. listening to concerned citizens and taking the time to engage in a back and fourth. Get out there and have real dialogue with the community and work with them to come up with solutions that many people can agree on.
Publish survey results along with the City action in response to the results.
Publish long-term development plans so we know what is planned for our city, not just what is about to happen.
I have attended public consultation meetings with 4-5 attendees, where there are more staff than public members. This is an indicator that people are not being reached to be included and that the exercise is being done to check a box in a process,
there needs to be more transparency about where our tax money is going, what the long term and short term plans are for the city, and planners need to be more accessible.
More of an online and physically pubic presence. Promote and actually follow through on inclusivity (Ex. all genders, sexualities, cultural backgrounds, etc.)
Outreach. I don't think I've met one person who was aware of the Get Involved site for example. We should be hearing about these opportunities all the time in our newspapers, on the radio, on our social media. We need to be seeing a strong social media presence, every opportunity for feedback the city opens should be posted to Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, Youtube, Threads, or wherever people might find it.
Ensure that the community is aware of the opportunity to provide input. It is challenging to try and meet everyone individually through different media, but real effort should be made, not token effort. In particular try and engage impacted community members to ensure their feedback is solicited.
Councillors should have town halls for their constituents.
Incorporate more time for questions at information sessions. Make the presentation material available in advance and reduce the one-way presenting and engage in more discussion.
Newsletters citizens can subscribe to that highlight discussion items from council meeting . Item discussed and decision made and then links to council meeting minutes if citizen wants more background information. Make it easier to subscribe to projects moving through the Dash so citizens can follow project decisions and meetings scheduled. Allow subscriptions to committee meetings again highlight discussion items and decision made. I find it difficult to find community events on the city calendar of events. Recently tried to find free music concerts in the west end and it is difficult. Pre covid I thought the concerts were on Wednesdays now it appears it is Fridays and then a movie?
In general, and specifically at council, public participation is too broad and should be curtailed. Overcrowding of public consultation by activist groups makes it harder for expert voices and those directly affected to have their voice heard.
I believe a good portion of people who lives in Kingston are from other countries and people are really open to making good things here, but we don't feel like the City wants to hear from us. I believe these surveys are more for Canadians.
It does not always appear there is two way conversations. Engagement is asked for, sometimes limited such as the age-friendly survey, or don't see a positive outcome afterwards. This makes it frustrating and question why I bother.
Stop having surveys that are set up to give the answers the city is looking for!
To be sure to return calls or emails so we understand what has been done if anything or to supply the city with more information
Genuine involvement, easily accessed easy to understand information (versions that any person could understand without the industry mumbo jumbo), the city working together (ie, not using mayoral powers), the city focusing on initiatives and solutions helping *current* residents (not just developing housing and jobs for residents that don’t live here yet - current kingstonians are being left behind because the focus is dominated lately by building a kingston for future residents - must be a greater balance, you can’t build trust with a current population when your focus is on creating solutions for the future populations that don’t exist yet)
It feels like you really don't listen or use the information collected in these surveys. I get tired of hearing on CKWS that almost every decision has been sent to yet another committee for further evaluation and study. Is there anyway that this process can be more streamlined?
Use as many media options as possible, social media, kingstonist, ckws etc to communicate plans and status, especially when things go wrong or are delayed.
Get out there into the community. Boots on ground. Do outreach. Go to events.
Continually improve communications and methods of communications
better communication via emails/flyers/mails
Climate change resilience!
I feel, for me personally, that the surveys I'm invited to participate in make me feel like I have at least a small say in what the outcome would be which I think helps build a relationship with the city officials
Counselors could hold separate meetings with people living in their wards.
Continued use of these types of tools.
When an email is sent to a councilor there should ALWAYS be a reply.
Respond back to people and don’t just pass the bunch when you do
Following official plan and engaging with the community in a meaningful way.
More public engagement events, further marketing of them. I feel many Kingstonians have no idea that they can be engaged.
Continue to be present at events if possible for more contact directly
Councillors should be communicating with the residents through appropriate forums such as email.
Have more locality based town halls. Use these opportunities to inform and solicit feedback.
More online surveys about infrastructure projects.
More low-barrier options to provide feedback on projects - convenient options (e.g. location, accessibility, with childcare, parking, etc.).
More options to provide anonymous feedback.
City staff should act in alignment with the professional code of conduct offered by their respective professional organizations. I have observed planning department members being deceitful in their responses to the public or council when asked about errors in developer submissions. Specifically, they are deliberately blurring the line between preliminary or scoping work and correctness. Preliminary and scoping work is still required to be correct with uncertainties quantified and assumptions stated by the requisite professional or SME. Planning staff defending the erroneous work of contractors who are aligned with developers is not in the best interest of the public.
Making it clear how the comments are being used and how the project progresses would be helpful.
Allowing for residents to score projects after they are completed to bring accountability and learn from mistakes
The feedback tends to be about big projects, not about day-to-day life. We need more engagement about the things that affect people regularly - waste disposal, condition of streets and lighting, traffic patterns, etc.
Effective communication
Make relevant information more accessible - and easy to find. I have had to search through so many documents to find information, and specifically developmentt applications are not linked in an intuitive way to previous applications or coexisting ones, making it difficult to get a sense of the full extent of a developer's intentions.
Active Listening vs pre-conceived decision and going through the motions.... Increase transparency and remove dead wood and the multitudes and multitudes of red tape.
More prompt communication. Greater transparency and accountability.
I believe that true engagement is a back and forth interaction. Without getting some feedback on my input leaves doubt in my mind that my input mattered. A note on whether my ideas were helpful or problematic would help me know that at least they were considered.
if the city spent more time on doing what they should do, I.e. roads, tree trimming, getting more garbage off the streets, sidewalks etc instead of grandiose ideas re climate change, which does exist. We pay taxes for so many things that seem out of our control. The homeless epidemic which is everywhere needs to be dealt with somewhat differently. There are individuals who need help and there are those who just can’t be bothered to follow rules and they are sticking it to the Man however it is the Man and taxpayers who are feeding them.
The two way converstaion is a good idea…not sure it is always applied
If I complete a survey through GetInvolved, it would be nice to see a summary of what came of the information. Like a summary report featuring feedback and whether the proposed policy was adopted or how the data informed a decision.
I find surveys are a very good way to keep the dialogue open.
But not every one is comfortable with reading/writting, so these people should also be able to participate.
And people in their daily are already very involve in a lot of work/activities, sometimes some people will also skip the surveys, for example.
Well speaking just about one particular issue, the capital condos on Princess Street, I think it is outrageous that members of the public had to fundraise massive amounts of money and spend enormous energy and time to represent a position that was already taken up by the official plan. Process was outrageous.
The information is distributed with the assumption all people have access to smart phones and internet. A large part of the community that is affected by decisions is missed because of this assumption. This creates an environment of the City of Kingston engaging in economic discrimination. Giving all people especially disabled and vulnerable sector citizens a voice by sending quartely physical flyers or newsletters covering all issues. Giving contact info to coucilors or hotlines in lower income areas, and areas where elderly are more likely to reside would help maybe? Provide the information to increase transparency rather than forcing people to seek and find it would also remove an educatuonal barrier and subsequently improve and educate our community as a whole. If Kingston does not have participation in the thousands, then there is something wrong with the manner in which transparency is being managed.
I think the public engagement narrative ticks that box
Have ways to access beyond iPhone.
Listen to the people that live here and not just the ones with money and down town properties. Actually have engagement and town halls with the citizens.
Sessions at public libraries
Engage with schools so that every student knows how to be involved at a young age
It has to be more open. It seems like developers have more say than the community. Also, Kingston still uses outdated city building ideas which don't reflect younger generations needs or the environmental planning that needs to be done (for example: car-centric, lots of parking lots, tall and sprawl)
Advertise on the buses. Info kiosks, like the one on Cedarwood Dr. regarding the Bayridge Rd project.
Add a QR code so that the residents can comment or ask questions on the spot.
It will be beneficial to have better visibility on the impacts the surveys are having in the decision process.
Public feedback could make a difference in the final outcome--perhaps even stopping the initiative if the locals most affected request it.
By understanding the questions posed and answering them.
Have city staff be more visble- the staff who maintain our services. Honest, relevant information sharing with tax papers. Providing notices via social media and news about road repairs work in sub divisions
na
Feedback is very important. Community members need to know how the information they provide is used to inform decision making. It would also help if community members could have some input into the potential action taken by the city, and not simply be asked to choose between already decided upon actions.
Counsellors and the mayor could be more involved with the average person
Actually engage with the citizens affected. I find most times the city only considers the views and affects on people not directly affected. I.e. unhoused population, affordability of housing, unrealistic rental prices, rising food costs etc.
Councillors could update us more. Only see them at election time.
Trust is earned not given and the City has not earned my trust. Listen to city residents and act on their input.
I appreciate the efforts that are already being made to inform the Kingston community - e.g., signage in public, social media posts, news, etc. I would say to keep doing the same, but perhaps find creative/dynamic and engaging ways to attract the younger demographic to care more about changes and projects in the city that would affect their daily lives - I.e., utilizing social media apps such as TikTok, Twitter/X, infographics that speak to them, etc. I feel that Kingston caters towards the thoughts and opinions of 40+ year old demographic a little too much and not the younger demographic.
Take concerns more seriously.
Engage more in co-creation of solutions versus reaction to completed studies/project ideas
Continue communicating. Make people aware that their input matters. Make it less intimidating and more normalized as a part of being a regular citizen in Kingston.
Regular information sessions about projects or issues
People do not even know what the issues are. Also The City provides No reason for their position. Example: in the three parks being upgraded, I suggested that each should have a sign warning people about ticks.(Kngston is one of the worst places in the country for Lyme disease.) I just get a reply of No.
Be more transparent with respect to decisions and where the $ goes. Provide virtual information session on various topics involving the City government and how it works.
This is a wonderful city with all sorts of possibilities. I would like to see history preserved, and growth focusing outwards to the East and West ends. Malls and vendors have already moved, houses are being built, why not apartment buildings. Why are we building 3-4000 square foot homes, when much smaller ones are needed. Why are the pocket books of developers the governing elements of Kingston's housing affordability plan. I would like to see them taxed for urban sprawl and misuse of land resources. There is so much that is wrong with how Kingston and other cities are treating people who are trying to find affordable places to live.
Continue to promote public engagement via information and surveys
Stop throwing the wool over our eyes. No one trusts city planning after the disaster they made on Princess St. If the neighborhood is committed to saving their precious green space--STOP ACCEPTING IN LIEU. Stop bullying people like you're doing on Wright Crescent. Stop lying to us!
Give more information and lead time before an issue comes to City Council.
Show all input and share it and explain why some is ignored or rejected
Approach various interest groups in the city. Show what residents have contributed to and done for the communities.
More opportunities for engagement. More follow up on previous engagement topics and projects.
I think there are many newcomers to Kingston that would like to engage more, participate and have a sense of belonging. Providing information in other languages or reaching out more through ethnocultural or religious organizations could be an area of opportunity.
Start listening to the public! YOU DON'T!
Be present and visible at community events. Solicit feedback at various points in processes. Provide process maps, so it's clear where a given engagement fits in to the big picture. Include impact in engagement summaries, eg project was headed toward A and given feedback pivoted to B (Avaaz has incredible examples of this in their impact reporting back to the community of those who have engaged)
It's really hard right now. So many people don't have homes or the help they need to get clean. The city is a bit of a sad sight when we have visitors. We have what 'looks like' zombies that cross the street in front of moving cars. I know it's not just Kingston but the residents of Kingston want to see that people in need are cared for. Partly because it could happen to anyone. Those people belong(ed) to someone. We want to see the city care for them.
More fully communicate the reasons for decisions. At times it would appear that my input was ignored, but that may not be the case. It is possible that I was one of a small minority with a particular opinion and thus the fact that this view was not reflected in a decision is reasonable. It is also possible that my suggested action was not feasible, but it would be good to hear the reasons for rejecting my view.
Show people the connections between their voices and the change around the city
Listen don’t dismiss and work with everyone
The city is not investing in resident needs and is focusing on transient tourists who do not pay property taxes and who also don't have any skin in the game for the long-term well-being of Kingston residents. Our resources are depleted by tourism related priorities while leaving behind the non-wealthy residents of Kingston.
Go out in person to the places where things are happening (or proposed) and talk to people there. It will increase awareness about proposals in the neighborhoods they are happening in and give people who actually live/work/play in those neighborhoods to respond on the spot. Also, upgrade or add to those white poster boards to make them more engaging and invite more feedback (at least in cases where zoning or other amendments are needed).
Not sure. If people propose changes yet they are not followed, people who propose ideas will stop. Inclusivity is all nice, but when decisions are made to please minorities first, the rest of the majority starts questioning the decisions and will feel their voices don't count.
More public meetings in the west end
Contacting citizens directly that have given non-in-person feedback and discuss their concerns/experiences etc.
Have a share this link for ease of sharing on different platforms.
REspond to every message. Be more transparent -- and be more flexible.
More online surveys.
More awareness about the decisions and actions that the City make for the Kingston community. Whether it is more flyers in offices/workplaces, stronger/aggressive online media posts, or incentives to get people to voice their opinion/thoughts.
For crying out loud, please, PLEASE, find a way to get rid of bureaucratic language and speak plainly in simple sentences. By the time I've tried to understand the thread of meaning and purpose I've often lost either patience, interest or both. Trying to please or satisfy the sensibilities every single pressure group, disadvantaged segment or politically correct disciplinarian interferes with straightforward comprehension by the majority. We KNOW you are well-meaning, you don't have to try and prove it in every syllable or minute of the day. Please - aim for clarity and simplicity.
By the way, having to explain what engagement means is a good example. Further, the description of what what you have already learned from this feedback process was about as vanilla and lacking in focus as it gets. Many words - few clearly defined points.
counsellors having open sessions/mailbox memos about events that will be affecting their district, ie. road construction, building, use of facilities, proposed changes.
Indigenous advisory circle comprised of all parts of the indigenous community.
Provide feedback/results of surveys and plan of action with follow-up once completed.
I think that the city hall employees frequently have decided on a course of action, so it really doesn't matter of people engage.
Do what we say we want. Don't keep studying and assessing but make it happen.
Provide feedback from a human being to citizens who email, call, or engage with the city in some way. Leaving feedback tends to feel like dropping a letter into a paper shredder or a dark void.
Make these surveys easier to read so we can feel like we are taking part in the process.
Surveys like this
Actively seek out the opinions of the community, including the student body as that makes up a large component of the Kingston community.
In general, be transparent and admit when a mistake is made. I have no specific feedback because I think tat the City is doing quite well.
Ensuring that they give time and space to citizens who are not part of the usual suspects' groups opposing every kind of change in the city, and that citizens do not feel these groups with deep pockets are 'in charge' of public feedback.
Consider meeting with individual concerned residents during the development review process, if concerns can be addressed before meetings it would reduce length of meetings for all and reduce the chance for the spread of misinformation about developments.
Things are very different now. I'm reflecting back on my experience when I first moved here (July 2012) and could not determine through the City's website how to receive the e-newsletter(s). After many months, I was able to find someone who told me how. That was a very big barrier.
I can see on the City's website that there is a very different approach now. That said, I am concerned (as mentioned in an earlier question) about over-reliance on digital engagement. If I didn't have the means to have excellent access to online tools, how would I find out about the City's policies, plans, engagement opportunities? Is there an appropriate level of attention to in-person, print materials, advertisements, etc, which reflects the City's population?
Do quality, timely, and cost-effective improvements and then wait for feedback at the ballot box rather than drumming up controversy by engaging a tiny minority of individuals in inherently unrepresentative public engagements
Its a difficult complex issue to achieve.
A few ideas: Actually using the findings of what is found in the public consultation. For example: the public consultation for the last several year has recommended re-allocation some of the incredibly high police budget to help our un-housed community. ( The violent actions that happened in belle park to destroy the shelters of people who have nothing should never happen again)
The city needs to continue to increase transparency to increase trust by citizens. There is a strong sense in kingston that the city favours a few (individuals, compagnies, etc) in many regards.
Possibly Hire an efficiency consultant so that redundancy and wasteful practices can be eliminated and re-structured.
Until a few occasions recently, The city favoured a very vocal and privileged group of people that were against any and all development. This is a big dis-service to all residents.
They are not elected representatives and are selfish in their pursuits. They should no carry weight against the city representatives. The city should weigh each individual project for its merit based on professional consultants/plannners/etc and needs of the city.
By providing timely, regular updates on big investment projects/initiatives. 2. Creating working/focus groups involving some active volunteers in some of these projects. 3. Having a clear vision for each year and what work will be accomplished during the calendar year, and then making it happen
Return calls and emails. More often than not, when attempting to contact an officer, calls/emails are frequently unreturned.
I and my neighbors have been successful in bringing traffic calming to our neighborhood. Although the effort took some time, I was pleased that Mr Oosterhof and Mr Semple appreciated our situation and took appropriate action.
not sure
I'm not sure. The city is trying to accommodate a lot of different perspectives. That's hard to do.
the items on the get involved list are patently useless. what kind of play equipment do you want in a park. what kind of flowers do you like on the roadside. gimmie a break. ask me about the disaster area of lower Princess. diesel fumes, unwalkable sidewalks, noise of Harleys and F150s. Ask me about all the green paint on the roads miles from any bicycle or pedestrian and the unwalkable unbikeable streets downtown. Kingston - brown, backwards and heaven for developers where car is king. UGH!
I marvel at how Kingston does its best to engage its citizens.
Meetings are hard as not everyone has a chance or doesn’t want to speak out in public. Maybe direct calls with individuals that request that option.
Allow anonymous responding, & commenting that is separte from our City property tax & /or utility account
yes!
I believe there is a lack of communication reaching all households in the city. Although it will cost money,I won't be one of the regulars posting online defending City Hall, about situations occurring in our city, but send information to homes, post all around town, posters in medical clinics, coffee shop, etc.
Stop pandering to NIMBYs with time on their hands; the broadest base community response is election day. Remain true to the platform you were elected on, even if it means ignoring NIMBYs to provide meaningful housing initiatives and such.

Question 14: Do you have any additional comments specific to the City of Kingston’s public engagement efforts?

We still really want to build strong relationships and would still love to engage regarding our local park and community gardens. The project lead suggested I email another city staff member. I did and haven't heard back at all.
No
My postal code isn't on your engagement list despite being 100% within the city of kingston
A two-pronged approach that would include better and stronger communication and addressing the general tendency of the staff to see members of the public as a nuisance. The staff - especially those in charge of city events or engagement should see public feedback as positive and as a chance to view their efforts through a user-focused lens.
not really
I've enjoyed participating in public consultations and encourage the City to continue reaching out to input from a variety of stakeholders early on major projects and initiatives.
I have noticed that efforts have been made in the last several years to establish greater public engagement. This is certainly an improvement, and it is appreciated.
A lot of people are being keft out of the loop because they do not use computers
Honesty and accountable
no
You rely too much on technology... the democratic process requires more interpersonal activity
Please tell us you guys are at least trying to reduce costs.
Again, removing the requirement to log in to participate in surveys would improve engagement
Less municipal spending and lower city taxes. Tax all properties including churches, federal property and provincial property equally. That is do not have a different mill rate for different uses. City council should devote themselves to increasing the tax base. Fine people who have empty businesses, empty homes, vacant land, etc.
I like the newsletters from Get Involved however I think the login process could prevent some people from engaging. If you could eliminate the need to login & just use a persons email address & verify it was a legitimate email, I think you would get more people participating.
It’s there but need to reach people who are marginalized. Not on social media.
Some things are consulted upon, but others are not — for example, the decision to eliminate private and low-ratio lessons to be able to move more kids through swimming lessons I don’t believe meets the needs of many kids or families and this was not consulted upon at all. We just went through a non low-ratio swim class and it was a gigantic waste of time and money. It seems like the City picks and chooses what it consults on, and the decision-making following the consultation is opaque — it would be a vast improvement to summarize the consultation results and connect them directly to the decisions and choices that were made. For example, I engaged in multiple rounds of feedback on the redevelopment of Confederation Harbour, and it is totally unclear why that has not proceeded, or when it will proceed, and what the outcome will be.
Overall, it's impressive!
I recognize that he online services may be a challenge for some but I really like using the computer in the comfort of my home to give my feedback.
See my comments sent to staff and council regarding the 15 story apt building at Queen and Barrie. Many are regarding the process and engagement.
I really like using the GetInvolved Kingston website as a way to stay informed on projects happening throughout the city. I think it could be advertised more so that more of the community is aware about it.
There should be more focus prior to, and during, municipal elections. Understanding its an extremely difficult level of government to increase voter engagement, but there are strategies that could be implemented and I'm not seeing the City use.
The City of Kingston is doing great but there is always room for more. Let's say more projects where people from different communities can gather and interact with each other. There should be a space and it should be initiated by the City. For example, Indians love cricket there should be events in Kingston promoted by the City saying let's get together for this and etc.
It seems leadership has become overly concerned with the views of the noisy few
There is zero consideration given to our concerns - decisions are made based on who has the most money to spread around (Toronto developers ring a bell with anyone?)
Please see above
Bad faith process on the part of the city. Lip service to those with housing needs. The height and density are excessive for 275 Queen St and do not reflect the views of the community or reflect the city’s current Official Plan and zoning by-laws
There is a systemic problem - the actual input from city residents doesn't seem to go anywhere. I do not feel part of this city anymore. It's extremely disheartening. To ask for feedback and engagement, and then to dismiss it and not follow through on promises to have further consultations and actual discussions has diminished my sense of trust in the city. I don't have confidence the city actually wants to the involvement of individual citizens. The way the city has dealt with citizens who want to be involved in zoning decisions is one of the most disheartening things I have seen here. If the city doesn't want citizen input, just say so - don't waste our time.
Please be more proactive rather than reactive to issues so that we can see what you are doing with our money. E.g., places for community gardens, affordable housing should be publicized, either on Get Involved, or preferably by signage for those that don't know about Get Involved.
More efforts to include the newcomer population and the voice of the disenfranchised
Do better, sooner
More transparency, standing for local grass roots communities.
Taking peoples opinions and feedback on projects, and then not using this information when making decisions it’s very discouraging as a resident.
At this point Kingston's public engagement seems to be so they can say they did public consultation. I feel like I wasted my time even participating in a community meeting when the City was just going to meet with the developer later without any community involvement.
Our windsurfing group attended meetings and made submissions about the Richardson Beach upgrades. These are completed, and look attractive, but completely ignored our concerns. I now feel that the public consultation process is a bit of a sham, unfortunately.
Keep up the good work. Keep improving. These efforts are essential to maintain and improve the strength of our democracy. Thank you.
good first attempted but needs more work on communication and getting more people involved and feedback.
I really enjoy the surveys, such as this one, as they are not too long and ask meaningful questions. I understand this may not be within the City's budgets, but social media advertising (in demographically targeted ways) for surveys may be useful for eliciting responses from younger groups.
Get Involved has been the best method for me to participate, although I don't often get to see the outcome of the surveys I complete
There are often SO many things going on in Kingston that it’s hard to keep track of them. It’s great that Kingston has so much going on, but it would be even better if people could seek out/happen upon info about what was going on in their own neighbourhood, i.e. at local library
have a comment box at every community centre,library,arena,centre etc. for everybody to be able to access a way to communicate better.
Doing a fairly good job. Just be sure to engage all levels of society.
Nothing else at this time.
The issue was resolved only to be rehashed a few years later !
1. There is too much engagement on too many things all at the same time. Engagement fatigue is setting in. 2. Engagement input typically reflects only those that are aware, have time, etc and not necessarily a broader community perspective. 3. Too much engagement dilutes the important role that City councillors have to represent citizens through the democratic process. I’ve already delegated my engagement to a Councillor for a 4 year period by voting. I expect them to research issues, gather info, and vote accordingly.
Public engagement efforts are not always carried out correctly and when they are the residents' comments aren't necessarily headed.
i hope the City makes efforts to improve communications regarding proposed plans for development
thank you for this. i love this city. i i chose it at 11. my parents retired and asked me where i wanted to grow up. ( army brat ) i picked kingston.
There must be a better way to engage people beyond the squeaky wheels. If engagement is going to have an influence on policy/projects and average citizens are not showing up in large numbers then interest groups are going to have an outsized role in the engagement portion. That is unfair to busy, working people who rely on their ELECTED representatives to make decisions in their stead.
Make submission data public so as to determine whether time was wasted or not.
It is a great start but needs to go a long way in order to be great.
Public engagement has improved over the past 5-6 years. But it still has a long way to go to provide meaningful input.
More people need to know.
The City does a fair job in making an effort to solicit the public’s input and to engage with citizens. There is room, however, for improvement.
Last open house I attended was a formal presentation I expected a display of the information and city people/experts there to collect comments and answer questions. Any open house implies more of a drop in. If there is a formal presentation the start and length of the presentation should be communicated in the invitation to attend the event
Only pursue it if you intend to act on the feedback, or severely limit the scope to that which people can weigh in.
A park was expanded near me. We lost access to much of the park for half of the summer, and the improvements were poorly done (basketball court is not flat). The money was wasted - with such a large space, the amenities added are a significant underuse of the available space. Further, the 'improvements' destroyed an area local Indian youth were using to play cricket - a globally popular sport which I was informed is 'not part of Kingston's recreation strategy'. I ask: who is it that is moving to Kingston and Canada these days?
I provided all this feedback - defer the improvements and doing something grander, and consider adding cricket in place of basketball - and this was largely ignored.
Multicultural communication should be more substantial.
There are many who are not able to due to various reasons. May not have computer access. Maybe don't see it. Having it posted on the City's page in the Kingston this Week would add awareness. Having in person engagement outside working hours would be beneficial for some.
Despite your best efforts to inform the public, I find that many people in the community have no idea what the City does in general or is doing on a specific issue - that doesn't stop them however from having strong opinions. The level of communication needs to be much greater - certainly beyond what is happening today.
I also feel that in many cases that as a city we are looking at the current challenges and NOT doing enough to plan for the future. Some random ideas:
What are we doing to be ready for the next pandemic - beyond writing a report?
We are aging, Kingston more so than other communities - how will we accommodate this change, and how can we take advantage of it?
The nature of work appears to be changing as more people opt for working from home - how is the City handling this?
What are we doing about climate change? We declared this to be a disaster, but are we really doing enough?
Growth - when will we take a serious look at expanding north of the 401?
Looking at the larger picture, what do we want Kingston to look like in 25 years? In 50 years? That said, I'm impressed by what the City is doing today, but there is so much room to do more.
Not at this time
Transparency, access, accountability, and inclusion.
Thank you including us.
Telling the truth will build trust, even when admitting mistakes were made or best laid plans fail.
Having sent the odd email directly to the mayor, I got nothing in return.
I think these engagements are just for show and not actually used.
I appreciate involvement of you staff at discussion groups when invited. Very helpful in the learning process
Please don't engage if the outcome is already predetermined. Most can see through that.
I think it is a VERY worthwhile project.
yes, but too lengthy to type here. This biggest issue is to get on with approval of tiny homes project approval with real planning and not just talk or surveys. Warming huts are a bandaid and a real waste of tax dollars.
Make them more easily accessible
I admire your efforts to engage the public.
No thanks
Pre-COVID, I did engage in in-person engagement efforts and thought of joining committees. They seem to bias those of us working 9 to 5. Having online feedback such as GetInvolved has been lovely and appreciated. I would look forward to virtual focus group discussions, but I'm not aware of how someone could sign up for one.
I think it is difficult to meet the needs of everyone in the community and often times I believe cities try to do that when it is not possible...
Literally anything would be better than it is now. Since the effort right now appears to be zero.
Issues of pedestrian safety have to be handled better. I keep thinking back to the child that was hit by a pick-up truck in front of her school. There was no response from the city. I believe there were some minor changes made and a committee established but I had to dig to find out that information. Also, the changes made for school zones did not affect all schools in Kingston so it is unfair.
I think that city is doing a great job communicating and that it is also up to the residents to make an effort to be informed.
the city needs to move away from in person, public meetings and swing to electronic. The only people that have time or desire to engage in a group public setting are retirees or persons who are adamant supporters or opponents of an issue. This sways perception. If you want feedback from more broad swath of society, ditch the public meetings.
Get involved website is great but I have no idea what is done with the feedback or if it’s even read.
It's pretty sad when the City of Kingston only has feedback from 133 people in a population of 140,000. That should tell you the residents of this city are not engaged. I've seen more engaged in commenting on specific issues over social media then the city's engagement platform. People need to be heard and when the city dismisses what people are saying they stop talking. That is what has happened here, perhaps that is what the city really wanted anyway. Pay your taxes and shut up.
With the growing number of newcomers to our community, you may wish to consider additional language engagements. You may also want explore who isn't currently being engaged (rural residents, suburban residents without as axe to grid or part of a special interest group ie ordinary epople)
Great efforts to communicate what's happening in and around the city. There are a lot of different communication channels and someone will always be unhappy with the process, but I think you're doing a good job.
I have many comments, but apparently limited access to expressing my opinions.
Acknowledge all participants.
Issues should go to citizens committees before being debated at City Council meetings.
It's not great as real engagement
The professionalism of the City’s engagement is apparent and appropriate. I do feel there are many ways to engage. I think more focus on harder to reach populations ( low income, aged populations and rural residents) is a good idea.
It is a fraud, and this survey is racist!
I really appreciate how visible and clear it is that the City wants to be good at engagement and how far things have moved toward that goal!
I did write to my (new) city councillor a very long time ago from the email listed on the city website and I never heard back. I had written to my two previous councillors and got a thoughtful email reply. I feel like councillors should be available to hear and respond to the people in their area.
More engagement with libraries
Not everyone has access to this service look for other ways to get the information out
The Kingston community is made up of so many different people. I would like to see a lot more public engagement that involves outreach to all people with stronger efforts being made to engage with poor and Disabled residents. Not only does the public need to be engaged but so do the city councillors. Part-time city councillors in a constantly growing city (density and urban sprawl) are no longer enough. The councillors need to be better informed and engaged themselves. The councillors should then be reaching out to their districts in more pro-active ways, such as town-halls and going door-to-door etc, to better understand their constituents' issues and the multi-faceted aspects of those issues. One part-time councillor is not enough for a district. Residents need full-time engagement from their councillors which will ensure that residents are considered and represented in ways that confirm that their engagement is authentically valued and recognized. I see evidence in city council meetings that many times councillors are inadequately informed on complex issues are making decisions based on inadequate amounts of research and assumptions. One example was during the last city council meeting where the topic of plant based treaty came up. There was an obvious lack of research and comprehension of the MOTION by some councillors. There were assumptions made and a hand full of councillors vehemently argued based on their assumptions and went so far as to even label the motion as extremism in efforts to discredit the mover and seconder of the motion. It was difficult to watch that play out and I was shocked that the mayor did not step in to refocus those councillors to speak to the motion only and not argue their assumptions. This is a red flag of things to come if councillors are not expected to do their due diligence and if councillors do not have time to perform their due diligence. How can the public engage fully if their councillors can't engage fully?
When I participated, I never saw the results taken nor the summary document written by staff
Simpler, more direct information on one topic at a time.
I value the way the City reaches out for input from residents.
People are busier than ever trying to balance work, life, social life, and more so I believe public engagement needs to be right in peoples' faces in order to get higher participation or more costly incentives will needed to hear everyone's thoughts, not just the few who have time/dedicated to public engagement efforts.
I'm very proud of the efforts of my city to engage the public, and the directions we are taking to improve and sustain our community
You did engage for change. What happened to the recommendations from that? What had changed since then?
Our homelessness situation breaks my heart. Homeless people have mental health and addiction issues that need to be addressed while they are properly housed as these issues continue and are treated. Shelters where they can't inject, where there's no psychiatric help, where there's simply a curtain to protect them from noise and theft,... it's just not good enough. And we have those tiny sleeping cabins, the idea of which is brilliant. But we move them every 6 months, so what kind of a home is that? And it's for how many, 12 people, when we have more than 230 who are homeless? Surely to God we can do better!!!! Please talk to Kitchener-Waterloo who seems to have mostly gotten it right. As for the cost of building them, any high school workshop or volunteer group would happily build more sleeping cabins simply for the cost of materials. Kingston has squandered so much money on this woefully inadequate initiative. While we evict people from parks where they are better served -- and bulldoze all the precious goods they have accumulated from people like me who have donated. sleeping bags, warm clothes, tents...
Bold, large font in all online material. Light blue on white background does not work for low vision.
Keep up the good work with working with student leaders and ambassadors to manage student expectations. The Queen's reputation has been shifting over the years and the City of Kingston should adapt likewise to the way students behave as a different generation grows up.
I think Kingston does a good job overall of providing opportunities to residents to participate in public engagement. The city newsletters are worth subscribing to.
OPA/ZBA Public notice signs should be redesigned to provide more useful information to neighbours/residents at a glance. Consider incorporating a 3D image of the proposed development, and other basic facts. See Toronto and London, ON signage! If proposals change (eg number of storeys), public notice signage should be updated.
DASH could also be refined to be easier to navigate for the public to access information and supporting studies. Currently it is not intuitive and I think that improving access could also reduce the level of misinformation that gets spread.
Thanks for all that you do to increase engagement in conversations about the City!
Public Engagement is anti-democratic. The time for citizens to voice their opinions on the direction of the municipality is at the ballot box. Public engagement sessions inherently benefit select invested stakeholders to the detriment of everyone else. As an example: when a 200 unit apartment building is proposed, Planners and Councilors will typically be inundated with negative responses by perhaps 50 angry homeowners. Those homeowners will be heard loudly regardless of how much they are motivated by hate, fear, or bias. But should their voices be heard more than the hundreds who will live in those apartments? Are they more important than the thousands of people that will call that apartment building home over the coming decades? The only fair engagement process in that scenario would be for the City to have a time machine, go 10 years into the future, and then ask those apartment residents if they believe their homes should exist. Any other engagement is merely an invitation for the privileged to exclude the less privileged. There needs to be a recognition that public engagement will always benefit the privileged few over those less fortunate.
Kingston is a University town with many young talents, students coming from all across the world. I'm an alumnus of Queen's University and still visit Kingston every other month. And Kingston is very close to my heart. However, many students and people like me aren't given the opportunity to volunteer or participate. I think there is a huge potential and untapped talent pool that City of Kingston should consider. Most of this talent pool is highly motivated and wants to make a difference in the local community.
I feel the City goes through the motions of asking for input, for appearance sake, and rarely gives worth , or consideration to feedback.
Thank you
In general, I find there can be fairly long delay getting a response. Still, a lot of people are trying to get through, so I'm not sure what could be done.
seems to me the get ignored department must have six degrees of separation from council. sad
The surveys and information sent out in get involved is excellent and a great step forward. Hopefully you are reaching a large number of citizens with this.
Keep trying
The city of Kingston needs to engage in ALL weekend events around the city by setting up a booth, walking around handing out info while providing new information about what will be happening in the near future.
The city places too much emphasis on the input of the noisy few and not enough emphasis on the long term greater good of the entire community.

Emailed feedback

Email 1:

In a nutshell, process of taking part in just this survey is WAY too long and complicated.

I thought, ok, I’ll take part but by the time I got to the 3rd screen having mainly skipped reading all the stuff in the first and second page I gave up waiting for some questions.

Sorry, but I don’t have the patience to wade through all the CYAs you obviously feel you need first. And I’ll bet they’re a big impediment to lots of other people as well.

Email 2:

There is NO OPEN FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITIES!! A person has to register and sign in order to do it!! That means more passwords etc. that’s a big huge pain … for people like me who never seem to get what we ask for because the young people are mostly the only ones who can be bothered jumping thru all the hoops to be heard!!!

Just ask us what we want and let us tell you!!!