County of Haliburton

Resident Sentiment Survey Report

December 2022

Prepared by:

Bannikin Travel & Tourism

December 2022

Acknowledgements

We respectfully acknowledge that the land we know today as the County of Haliburton, and always known by the Anishinaabe as Gidaaki, meaning upward earth or uphill, is located on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe including the Michi Saagiig and Ojibwe Nations.

The land is also part of Treaty 20 territory or the Rice Lake Purchase of 1818, as well as the Williams Treaties signed in 1923 by the Crown and the Williams Treaties First Nations. These First Nations include the Michi Saagiig First Nations of Curve Lake, Hiawatha, and Scugog Island, and the Ojibwe Nations of Rama, Beausoleil, and Georgina Island. Finally, we also acknowledge that these lands forms part of the Métis Nation of Ontario’s Region 7.

We give thanks to the Michi Saagiig and Ojibwe Nations for their stewardship of the lands, waters, and living things since time immemorial. It has made the County of Haliburton a home for many seasonal and permanent residents, and a place for many visitors to enjoy.

The County of Haliburton’s first annual Resident Sentiment Survey is the result of many highly engaged stakeholders in the community. The success of this survey is a result of your dedicated support in designing, developing, and disseminating the survey. We would like to thank the RSS Design Focus Group for their time and dedication in the development of the survey. This included representatives from permanent and seasonal residents, all four municipalities, a lake association, the Haliburton County Development Corporation, the Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors of Ontario Highlands Tourism Organization (RTO 11), and Adventure Haliburton.

Also, we would like to acknowledge that this project was made possible and fully funded from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and Regional Tourism Organization Eleven (RTO11), also known as Ontario Highlands Tourism Organization.

We would also like to give a special thank you to Tracie Bertrand, Manager of Tourism, from the County of Haliburton for leading the development of the County’s first annual Resident Sentiment Survey.

Finally, the development of this Resident Sentiment Survey was facilitated by Bannikin Travel & Tourism. Thank you to the team at Bannikin Travel & Tourism, including James Arteaga, Annie Bird, Camilo Montoya-Guevara, and Trevor Jonas Benson.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

ABOUT RESPONDENTS

Question 1: Permanent and Seasonal Residents

Question 2: Age

Question 3: Time Spent in the County of Haliburton

Question 4: Primary Municipality of Residence

Question 5: Years as a Resident

Question 6: Activities in the County of Haliburton in Last 12 Months

RESIDENTS & THE VISITOR ECONOMY (Q7-8)

Question 7: County of Haliburton Attractiveness as a Place to Visit

Question 8: Societal Indicators

THE VISITOR ECONOMY (Q9-11)

Question 9: Household Income Related to the Visitor Economy

Question 10: Economic Indicators

Question 11: Importance of the Visitor Economy to Haliburton Highlands

THE ENVIRONMENT & THE VISITOR ECONOMY (Q12-Q13)

Question 12: Inviting Visitors

Question 13: Environmental Indicators

MANAGEMENT OF THE VISITOR ECONOMY (Q14-17)

Question 14: Familiarity with the Tourism Department’s Work

Question 15: Balancing the Needs of Residents & Visitors

Question 16: Observations About the Visitor Economy

Question 17: Additional Comments

CONSIDERATIONS

APPENDIX

Introduction

This report is a result summary of the County of Haliburton’s first annual Resident Sentiment Survey (RSS), which was disseminated in the County of Haliburton from Monday, December 5, 2022, to Sunday, December 18, 2022. The development of the RSS was identified in Haliburton Highlands' 5- year Destination Management Plan which said, "…to benchmark and track local attitudes about the tourism industry and its impact on the local economy and overall quality of life." The RSS results provide the necessary data to benchmark, track, and address changes based on the opinion of residents year-over-year.

The goal of the RSS was to collect resident sentiment on the Visitor Economy to inform decision- making around the sector and manage the County of Haliburton as a destination. Specifically, the Visitor Economy is a broad term used for tourism. It recognizes that a visitor not only impacts the local economy through their direct spending at local businesses, attractions, festival or events, but they also have an indirect impact because visitors also need support from other industries such as accommodations, food service providers, transportation services, or communications services for example.

The following were the objectives of the RSS and how they were addressed in the process:

1. To engage a breadth and diversity of residents. This included engaging seasonal and permanent residents, residents from all four lower-tier municipalities, residents between the ages of 18- 95+, and residents who have spent less than 2 years to 36+ years in the county.
2. To gauge attitudes and opinions on the visitor economy. This included asking respondents questions about their attitudes/perceptions and opinions on the Visitor Economy in the county.
3. To gather insight on desired actions related to the Visitor Economy in the future. This included asking questions about residents’ desired actions in specific areas of the Visitor Economy in the future. One example is asking residents when more visitors should be invited to the county during the year.
4. To benchmark and track resident sentiment about the Visitor Economy over time. This included analyzing residents’ responses and compare them to responses from the second RSS in the future.

The RSS was disseminated virtually through Wade-In Haliburton and the County’s social media channels, as well as in-person through the local libraries and municipal offices. As part of the dissemination process, a comprehensive local advertising approach was used that included using the local radio Canoe FM, the local newspapers of the Highlander, the Minden Times, and the Haliburton Echo, and communication channels of local partners including the Haliburton County Development Corporation, the Ontario Highlands Tourism Organization, the Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce, Fleming College, the Rotary Club Youth Hub, among others.

A total of 629 responses were received of which 592 responses were eligible. These eligible responses accounted for approximately 3.5% of the eligible population in the County of Haliburton. Specifically, eligible responses included those completed by permanent or seasonal residents, 18 years of age and older, who had spent time in the County of Haliburton in the last 12 months. The total number of respondents surpassed the target number of 250 to 350 which would have been approximately 1.5% to 2% of residents 18 years of age and older in the County of Haliburton (approximately 16,735 residents). As part of the analysis, three qualifiers were used including, age, primary municipal residence, and seasonal or permanent residency. Also, please note, not all questions received a 100% response rate; therefore, response rates vary by question.

Finally, for this Resident Sentiment Survey, a “permanent resident” was defined as, “any person who resides in the County for a period of at least 183 consecutive days in each calendar year and maintains a primary residence in the County.” A “seasonal resident” was defined as, “any person who temporarily resides in the County for a period of at least 31 consecutive days in each calendar year, maintains a temporary residence in the County, and returns to their permanent residence outside the County at least once each calendar year.”

About Respondents

Question 1: Permanent and Seasonal Residents

Overall, there was strong participation in this survey from both permanent and seasonal residents with 74% (n=437) of respondents identifying as permanent residents of the County of Haliburton, and 26% (n=155) identifying as seasonal residents.

All municipalities received more responses from permanent residents; however, Highlands East and Algonquin Highlands had higher responses from seasonal residents than the two other municipalities that received more responses from permanent residents. Specifically, 39% (n=26) were seasonal residents from Highlands East, and 43% (n=55) were seasonal residents from Algonquin Highlands.

All age groups also received more responses from permanent residents; however, the 18-44 age group had the highest with 83% (n=88) of respondents in this age group identifying themselves as permanent residents and only 17% (n=18) identifying as seasonal which is a difference of nearly or greater than 10% between the other age categories.

Question 2: Age

46% (n=273) of survey respondents were between the ages of 45-64, followed by 36% (n=217) between the ages of 65-95+. This survey received the fewest responses from those aged 18-44 (18%, n=88).

Question 3: Time Spent in the County of Haliburton

Approximately 75% (n=445) of respondents said they spent time in the County of Haliburton Year- Round. The remaining 25% (n=147) spent a portion of the year in the county (See Figure 5). Seasonal residents spent most time in the County between May and October, with July to September being the most popular months.

Question 4: Primary Municipality of Residence

When asked to identify which municipality was their primary place of residence within the County of Haliburton, 41% (n=240) of respondents identified the Municipality of Dysart et al, followed by 26% (n=154) identifying the Township of Minden Hill. The Municipality of Highlands East received the least responses with only 11% (n=67) of respondents identifying this as their main place of residence.

Minden Hills and Dysart et al received the most responses from residents; however, Minden Hills and Highlands East received a higher proportional response from those aged 18-44 than the other municipalities. 35% (n=40) of respondents aged 18-44 identified Minden Hills as their primary residence, while 17% (n=19) identified Highlands East as their primary place of residence. There was also a higher proportional response from those aged 45-64 whose main place of residence was Algonquin Highlands at 26% (n=75) of that age group.

Question 5: Years as a Resident

Approximately, 36% (n=214) of respondents said they had been living and/or spending time in the County of Haliburton for 36 years or more. The remaining respondents were distributed relatively evenly across 3 to 35 years; however, only 4% (n=22) of respondents had been living and/or spending time in the county within the last two years.

51% (n=114) of respondents aged 65-95+ had been a resident of the County of Haliburton for 36+ years. Those aged 18-44 (14%) and 45-64 (32%) also had many respondents who had been a resident for 36 years or more; however, a higher proportion of these age groups identified being a resident for less amount of time. Specifically, the 18-44 group of respondents had more residents who had been living or spending time in the County of Haliburton for two (2) or less (13%) or three (3) to five (5) years (15%) than the other age groups indicating that more of this age group had been living in the County of Haliburton for less time than the older age groups.

Algonquin Highlands (49%) and Minden Hills (39%) received the most responses from those who had been residents of the County of Haliburton for 36+ years. Most responses collected were from those who had been seasonal residents of the County of Haliburton for 11 years or more, or those who could be considered longer-term residents. Across municipalities, there was similar engagement among respondents who had been residents for 10 years or less.

Question 6: Activities in the County of Haliburton in the Last 12 Months

Participants were asked to identify from a pre-populated list which activities they had enjoyed in the past 12 months in the County of Haliburton. The top six activities identified among all residents were:

• Trying local food and beverage (94%, n=515)
• Purchasing local products (94%, n=513)
• Using local waterways for recreation and leisure (90%, n=490)
• Using a trail or trail network for recreation and leisure (74%, n=403)
• Visiting a local or regional park in the County (66%, n=362), and
• Visiting an artist space, gallery, or a landmark/public art installation (69%, n=377) The least identified activities were:
• Staying at a local campsite or glamping (12%, n=68)
• Staying at a local motel, inn, resort, lodge, cottage rental, retreat, or BnB (12%, n=66)
• Staying at a short-term accommodation provider (3%, n=15), and
• Attending an experience with an Indigenous tourism provider (2%, n=9)

In addition to the activities listed below (See Table 1), some other activities identified by participants included golfing, attending workshops or classes, curling, dragon boating, garage sales, visiting the local library, hosting live music/concerts, and producing maple syrup.

There were some small differences between the activities that seasonal and permanent residents had engaged with in the past 12 months. Seasonal residents were more likely to have used a local waterway for recreation and leisure than permanent residents in the past 12 months (96% v 87%). In addition, permanent residents said they had visited a museum, cultural centre, or cultural heritage site in the past 12 months more than seasonal residents (49% v 31%).

There were also some differences between age groups with the 18–44 age group more likely to have stayed overnight at a camping or glamping site or stay at a short-term rental accommodation provider (i.e., Airbnb) than the other two age groups.

Residents & the Visitor Economy (Q7-8)

Question 7: County of Haliburton Attractiveness as a Place to Visit

Overall, respondents perceive the County of Haliburton as a very attractive place to visit. When asked to rate how attractive the County of Haliburton was as a destination, the average response was 8.3/10 with a mode of 10.

The perception of the County of Haliburton’s attractiveness as a destination was slightly higher among older respondents. (See Figure 13). However, across all age groups, the mode was 10 suggesting that many respondents, regardless of age, consider the county a very attractive destination.

There were no significant differences between respondents in different municipalities or between seasonal and permanent residents. The average perception of the County of Haliburton was very positive with an overall rating of just above 8/10.

Question 8: Societal Indicators

• Positive response = statement received more “agree” and/or “strongly agree” responses.
• Neutral response = statement received more “neither agree nor disagree” responses.
• Negative response = statement received more “disagree” and/or “strongly disagree” responses.

Respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement on six (6) statements related to the societal impact of the visitor economy in the County of Haliburton. Overall, the sentiment expressed towards this category was positive or neutral.

Residents expressed agreement with three (3) of these statements. Specifically, residents tended to agree that the visitor economy: is respectful to me and my community (66%), contributes to an increased quality of life (63%), and increases pride as a resident of the county (57%).

Residents expressed a neutral response to the remaining three (3) statements. Specifically, residents tended to neither agree or disagree that the visitor economy: meaningfully contributes to truth and reconciliation initiatives (54%), meaningfully works to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in the county (46%), and meaningfully contributes to the needs of people with different physical and/or cognitive abilities (44%). (See Figure 14).

When comparing the responses of permanent and seasonal residents, residents of different municipalities, and age, no significant differences between the general sentiment were found.

The Visitor Economy (Q9-11)

Question 9: Household Income Related to the Visitor Economy

Overall, most respondents said that they did not rely on the Visitor Economy for their household income with approximately 66% (n=343) of respondents saying that 0% of their income was tied to employment or activities related to the Visitor Economy. Approximately 19% of respondents said that a small portion (1-25%) of their household income was tied to the Visitor Economy.

Although most respondents said that none or little of their household income relied on the Visitor Economy, those aged 18-44 were more likely to identify a portion of their income as being tied to the Visitor Economy than other age groups. 25% of this age group linked the Visitor Economy to 1-25% of household income, while a further 18% linked 26-50% of their household income to the same. The least likely to rely on household income from the Visitor Economy were those aged 65-95+.

Respondents from Minden Hills and Algonquin Highlands were more likely to identify some level of household income as being related to the Visitor Economy than those in other municipalities. 30% of respondents from the Minden Hills and 29% of respondents from Algonquin Highlands linked the Visitor Economy to 1-50% of their household income. Highlands East had the least respondents who identified household income as being linked to the Visitor Economy.

Finally, seasonal residents were far less likely to identify any of their household income as being associated with the Visitor Economy.

Question 10: Economic Indicators

• Positive response = statement received more “agree” and/or “strongly agree” responses.
• Neutral response = statement received more “neither agree nor disagree” responses.
• Negative response = statement received more “disagree” and/or “strongly disagree” responses.

Respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement on nine (9) statements related to the economic impact of the Visitor Economy in the County of Haliburton.

Residents expressed positive sentiment towards seven (7) of these statements. Specifically, residents tended to agree that the Visitor Economy: supports local businesses and organizations (85%), has a positive impact on the local economy throughout the year (65%), creates quality jobs in the community (59%), supports responsible economic growth (59%), attracts new businesses and investment (49%), increases access to services and amenities (44%), and attracts new residents and skilled labour (40%).

Residents expressed negative sentiment towards the remaining two (2) statements. Specifically, residents tended to disagree that the Visitor Economy: makes their communities affordable places to live (48%) or increases youth retention (42%). In other words, residents expressed the belief that the Visitor Economy negatively impacts the affordability of living in the County of Haliburton and does not increase youth retention. (See Figure 19).

Overall, when comparing the responses of seasonal and permanent residents, some differences in sentiment were identified. Particularly, seasonal residents expressed a neutral sentiment towards the impact of the Visitor Economy on affordability rather than a negative sentiment, which was shared by permanent residents. Seasonal residents were also unsure/neutral on the question of the Visitor Economy contributing to youth retention in the community. Finally, seasonal residents were also unsure about the impact the Visitor Economy has on attracting new businesses and investments, while permanent residents expressed a positive sentiment towards this in line with the general findings.

When comparing the responses by municipality of residence and age range, no significant differences were found.

Question 11: Importance of the Visitor Economy to the County of Haliburton

Overall, respondents gave an average rating of 8.4/10 and a mode of 10 for how important the Visitor Economy is to the County of Haliburton.

When comparing responses based on being a seasonal or permanent resident, or by age, there were no significant differences. However, when comparing responses based on the municipal place of residence, Highlands East gave an average rating of 7.9/10, while Dysart et al gave an average rating of 8.6/10.

The Environment & the Visitor Economy (Q12-Q13)

Question 12: Inviting Visitors

Overall, 68% (n=345) of responses saw the opportunity to invite more visitors throughout the year, followed by 23% (n=114) during the winter season and 25% (n=124) during the shoulder season. (See Figure 22).

Other responses shared by residents included the challenge of attracting visitors doing motorized vehicle recreational activities while trying to address climate change and the conservation of the environment, focusing on inviting visitors during special events, expressing the need to improve infrastructure to support the needs of residents and visitors, focusing on visitors interested in conserving the natural environment, and highlighting less visited areas of the county to visitors during peak season.

When comparing responses based on being a seasonal or permanent resident, 28% (n=34) of seasonal residents and only 21% (n=80) of permanent residents answered to specifically invite more visitors in the winter.

When comparing responses based on their municipal place of residence, only 4% (n=4) of residents from Algonquin Highlands were interested in inviting more visitors in the fall season, which was significantly less than the other three municipalities.

Finally, when comparing responses by age range, 48% (n=55) of 18–44-year-olds were interested in inviting more visitors year-round, which was significantly less than the other two age groups.

Question 13: Environmental Indicators

• Positive response = statement received more “agree” and/or “strongly agree” responses.
• Neutral response = statement received more “neither agree nor disagree” responses.
• Negative response = statement received more “disagree” and/or “strongly disagree” responses.

Respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement on four (4) statements related to the environmental impact of the Visitor Economy in the County of Haliburton.

Two questions received more positive responses. Specifically, residents tended to agree that the Visitor Economy: increases the opportunity to have an active lifestyle in the last 12 months (67%) and supports the protection and restoration of the natural environment.

In addition to this, one question received more neutral responses and another question had more negative responses. Specifically, residents tended to neither agree nor disagree with the Visitor Economy actively working towards climate change adaptation efforts (41%), and residents tended to disagree with the Visitor Economy building awareness of how residents’ actions impact the local environment (39%). (See Figure 26).

Overall, when comparing responses based on being a seasonal or permanent resident, on their municipal place of residence, or age range, there were no significant differences.

Management of the Visitor Economy (Q14-17)

Question 14: Familiarity with the Tourism Department’s Work

Overall, respondents gave a 4.6/10 rating average and a mode of 1 for how familiar they were with the work of the Tourism Department at the County of Haliburton.

When comparing responses based on being a seasonal or permanent resident, seasonal residents gave a response rate of 3.7/10 in comparison to permanent residents’ response rate of 4.9/10.

Additionally, respondents from Algonquin Highlands gave the lowest response rate of 4/10 with a mode of 1, while Minden Hills gave the highest response rate of 5.3/10 with a mode of 7.

Finally, respondents between 18-44 years old gave a higher response rate of 4.9/10 with a mode of 7, while those 45-64, and 65-95+ gave lower response rates and had modes of 1.

Question 15: Balancing the Needs of Residents & Visitors

Overall, respondents gave a 5.2/10 rating average to the County of Haliburton for how well it balances the needs of residents and visitors. (See Figure 31). When comparing responses based on being a seasonal or permanent resident, municipal place of residence, or by age, there were no significant differences.

Question 16: Observations About the Visitor Economy

Respondents were asked, “In the past 12 months, are there any observations about the Visitor Economy in Haliburton Highlands that you would like to share? (E.g., visitor trends, infrastructure development, etc.).” Overall, the main observations shared revolved around infrastructure, short-term accommodations, visitor behaviour and resident attitudes towards visitors, and product and experience development.

Area of Observation - Infrastructure

Key Comments

The need for better roads and road maintenance; transportation options to larger urban centres; limited parking during the summer; noise and congestion in the downtowns; lack of public washrooms; increase presence of garbage and recycling bins; motorized vehicle pollution; affordable and consistent internet access; affordable housing; safer trails; signage and wayfinding improvements, including accurate maps of the trail systems; noise pollution on roads and waterways; labour shortages; consistent access to medical services (e.g., walk-in clinic); ecological restoration projects; etc.

Quotes

“There is an abundance of trail systems, but it is difficult to find an accurate map and they are not consistently marked. Recently a well-travelled rail trail to Gooderham which takes you almost directly to a local restaurant was closed and will likely not be reopening.”

“Contradictory environmental practices (i.e., boat races on Head Lake disruptive to shorelines and spawning beds)”

“Tourist expectations do not match up with existing infrastructure, services and accommodations at all.” “I like the idea of County wide standardized signage.”

“Not enough workers to fill the demand for employees during the summer months.”

“The summers have become so overcrowded that we avoid town on weekends; avoid the farmer's market, restaurants, and other busy places. We do not have the infrastructure to support the numbers we already have. All summer I feel like I can't breathe in my own community.”

“We need more resources for children, parks, outlooks for them to take part in -something and make it affordable for parents!”

Area of Observation - Short-term accommodations

Key Comments

The need to regulate STRs; renters have disregard for residents and natural environment; etc.

Quotes

“Total disregard for the respect for the general population by those using STR’s creating an attitude that “what happens in Haliburton stays in Haliburton” with visitors ignoring the wellbeing of those around them.”

“As a property owner I see many of these visitors and new owners not being held accountable for their actions that are contrary to good stewardship and preservation of our natural environment and the peacefulness people seek generally when they come north.”

Area of Observation - Visitor behaviour and resident attitudes towards visitors

Visitors litter at parks and roads; mistreat staff at shops; speeding and aggressive driving; increased wait times at businesses; lack respect for the natural environment; lack of boat safety adherence; cause price hikes at grocery stores; noise pollution; light pollution; increased environmental impact (e.g., shoreline erosion); need more education on dealing with wildlife; “us” vs. “them” mentality (e.g., residents vs. visitors, seasonal residents vs. permanent residents) etc.

Quotes

“I have mixed feelings about tourism in the Highlands. Having worked in retail here, most of my horror stories involve visitors treating locals poorly… I'd love to see more programming in arts, entertainment, dining, etc., offered year-round. I think that might help with the feeling that some activities are built with seasonal and visiting residents in mind only.”

“During Covid, there was active hostility to visitors, creating an “us” vs “them” atmosphere that I think reinforces underlying unspoken attitudes.”

“There is a tendency, despite having lived up here almost year-round, for there to be an 'us and them' mentality. If you are a resident, and especially multi-generational resident, anybody else is an outsider.”

“There definitely seems to be an even more divide between permanent & seasonal residents. Locals need to realize that their customer service skills will only enhance the seasonal spending = better economy/livelihood for permanent residents. Seasonal residents also need to be educated in the limitations of many of our local residents i.e., many living below poverty line/isolation due to lack of transportation/increased price of food = even more food insecurity to name but a few. Respect, empathy and understanding need to go both ways!”

“We have decided to move to a permanent resident small town elsewhere because of the ‘us and them ’mentality here. We love the area, but do not like the feeling of being the Below Stairs staff in a Downton Abbey performance.”

“We need a lot more public awareness campaigns - city people just have no idea (nor did we when we moved here!). Awareness of how to deal with wildlife particularly. When we bought property in Algonquin Highlands, we were given a big folder of info.”

“There is a disparity of where the visitors are going. Some places are overrun, and some are not seeing enough visitors.”

Area of Observation - Product, services, and experiences

More restaurants and bars in the downtowns; increase store hours; beautification of the downtowns; inconsistent offerings in stores year-round; improve Rail Trail for better cycling use; visitor-readiness lacking; more public beaches; more activities for young families; etc.

Quotes

“Trying to find a quality restaurant to enjoy in Haliburton County is next to impossible. I have eaten at every restaurant and food truck in the County and most (there are a couple of gems still) offer sub-par cuisine at exorbitant prices.”

“Retail stores seem to increase their offerings to support seasonal visitors but remove them after the Labour Day weekend.”

“The County needs to improve the rail trail condition for cyclists, both tourists and local users. The surface from Kinmount to Fenelen Falls in the Kawartha section is maintained well and Haliburton County could learn from their example.”

“The discernible trend is towards active recreation (hiking, cycling) and away from motorized activities for individuals & families. However, the County's rail trails allow multi-use activities - including motorized (ATVs, side-by-side vehicles) which dissuade one from walking and cycling on these trails due to concerns over child safety and dust pollution.”

“The rail trail surface is prohibitive for bicycles. It appears to support ATV's and snowmobiles and pretends to support the cyclists. The last surfacing actually detracted cycling on the rail trail rather than improving it.”

“The Visitor Economy fails both visitors and residents because of the limited hours that businesses are open. I work weekdays and would prefer to support local businesses, but I can't because they are closed outside of business hours on weekdays, and many are closed on Sundays (or have limited hours).”

“Algonquin hiking trails very crowded now, but nothing has been done to re-establish beetle lake trail (bridge removed by township many years ago).”

“The limits on visitors to the Dorset Tower during fall colour viewing season was a great improvement.”

“Responsible tourism, climate justice, Indigenous allyship, gratitude, honour & respect for the land & water, sustainability is actually one theme that should be the thread that runs through this County because it is the thread that weaves all life together & therefore the foundation of economic development.”

Area of Observation - Other

Have an accurate and accessible calendar that facilitates event planning in the county and avoids conflicts; need to improve welcoming atmosphere to students coming to the county

Quotes

“This survey is the first example for me that those promoting tourism in the county actually care what residents think about the end goal (of tourism promotion). That is great! I do not view a goal of "more is better" as suitable. In environmental thinking, they often refer to 'fishing up' as an example of how 'more' or 'better' can bring negative consequences.”

“Tourism is critical for HC. It promotes growth (economic and population) and builds a stronger tax base needed to fund new facilities (parks, playgrounds, trails, galleries, performing arts centre) that promote more tourism and improve the quality of life for permanent residents.”

“As a local business owner, I feel like all we hear about is how tourism somehow damages Haliburton. I can tell you that without tourism, and seasonal residents, local business like ours would not survive.”

“The county does not actively welcome students who are coming to Haliburton both full time and to the summer program.”

Question 17: Additional Comments

Respondents were asked, “Your input is encouraged and wanted. Is there anything else that you would like to share at this time?” Below are quotes highlighting additional areas of interest to respondents including the current work in the Visitor Economy; and the development of materials, products, services, and experiences; and consideration for future Resident Sentiment Surveys.

Current Work in the Visitor Economy

• “The new Welcome Centre in Haliburton is appreciated although the hours are too short. Most often the washrooms are closed when I attempt to use them and not all stalls are open when they are open.”
• “Minden and Haliburton have done an amazing job at bringing tourism into the area over the last 50 years. There has been growth and better appreciation of the area.”
• “I like that full time residents such as myself are being included in 'tourism goals'. I like that seasonal and tourist are being differentiated (in this survey) unlike in decades past when cottagers were considered tourists by those making policy. Whether we are full time, seasonal, or tourist -- we all can benefit from some similar things (i.e., events, live music, etc.), but we do not have the same perspective of other things (i.e., lumber prices in the local store, property tax rates, etc.)”
• “I appreciate that the County is surveying local residents on this topic. It’s clear that the tourism sector plays a huge role in our local economy, but that tension can exist between visitors & the local community. Giving folks a chance to share their views is a good step in the right direction. Another may be continued communication about just how critical the sector is for the local economy, the services & products we have available to us, and everyone’s quality of life - whether or not they receive direct income from the sector. I think lots of folks get that, but those who don’t can have an outsized negative impact on visitors who may interact with them - and word of mouth is important to get more visitors here!”
• “Encouraged by the County's commitment to growing the tourism sector - new staff, strategic planning, destination development. Must avoid over tourism and employ the principles and practices of responsible tourism”
• “Without the visitor economy we wouldn’t have a County.”

Material, Product, Service, and Experience Development

• "Without discouraging visitor investment, develop guidelines/bylaws the limit the potential abuse of the environment, i.e., boat size, fireworks, garbage disposal, washing in natural water, tree care, wild animal care; this would need an investment in environmental police that would be more instructive than punitive”
• “County of Haliburton owns a major asset which benefits from a provincial tourism network in the winter (OFSC) but is completely missing out on the well-established and growing trend of cycling tourism and travel in the other seasons.
• “The County is doing a very good job at promoting our area through social media, website development, Explore My Haliburton Highlands map etc. Visitor Centres are key, in my opinion, to providing personal contact to visitors. Perhaps having Information Ambassadors at key events would be a strategy to further develop contact and share information.
• “Over the last 10-15 years, Haliburton has seen growth in so many amazing experiences and venues for our visitors and residents alike. The County should continue to develop awareness of Indigenous origins and information about our area.”
  • “The County fb page needs to share far more stories about what "tourism" businesses (every business here is a tourism business) are offering & what they are doing to support responsible & sustainable tourism, Canada's Indigenous heritage & ways of life that embrace nature & climate justice. These issues are intertwined. The County page is a vehicle to better promote the County by promoting the amazing work businesses are doing along with sharing our beautiful environment. More storytelling with great images sharing the great work being done in the area by businesses, gov't & community. I was at the tourism summit. This page would be wise to practice synergy in its posts & do so without favoritism & bias.”
  • “The Forest concerts have unfortunately died. Quality entertainment needs to build a following and that type of venue and format needed more promotion to succeed and draw more visitors”
  • “We have really enjoyed every activity we have done in Haliburton. We just would like some of the guided activities to be more affordable so that we could participate in more. We are on a pension but are very interested in courses etc. for foraging and nature themed activities.”
  • “The Haliburton Highlands need to put a lot of effort into finding its identity and getting residents to understand & appreciate the value of visitor tourism. Haliburton feels like a county that doesn't really know what it is. Residents need to understand that they are an important part of making Haliburton a destination. People make the place what it is; People make Haliburton.”
  • “Would like to see commitment to promotion and encouragement of environmentally friendly visitor activities i.e., non-greenhouse gas emitting such as paddling, cycling, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. Move away from promotion of motorized activities such as ATVs, motorcycles and snowmobiling”
  • 
    Design of Resident Sentiment Survey
    
  • “To more fully engage participants in the future - I would recommend a hybrid system of online surveying couple with an in-person forum. Otherwise, like this year - the process becomes insular in not "reaching out" enough to the community.”
  • “I tried to comment earlier in this survey. I would like to answer in words rather than in a 1 to 10 option in most of the questions.”
  • “Some of this survey doesn’t makes sense.. the pieces on visitor economy and inclusiveness of diversity, truth and reconciliation..is that what visitors are supposed to be thinking about? Also, I don’t think visitors are thinking about the climate crisis or their contribution to it.. so these questions are curious as well.”
  • “Unfortunately, there are several questions that I could not answer. An “I don’t know” category might be helpful in capturing that info. I used “neither agree or disagree” when I was not sure, however some people might use “ not applicable to indicate that they are unaware of programs or specific actions that are in place.”
  • “Survey writing is a scientific endeavour. Many questions here lack background information, context, or sufficient detail to focus on a single topic. I'm afraid some of your subjective results will not provide the input you desire.”

  • Considerations

    The following are considerations for the Tourism Department of the County of Haliburton to improve future iterations of this Resident Sentiment Survey.

    1. Purchase a SurveyMonkey account with the upgraded version. This tool was used to disseminate and facilitate analysis of the RSS and will support county staff in the same manner in the future.
    2. Continue to build awareness about what is an RSS, and why it’s important on a regular basis. There was a need identified to continually educate stakeholders on the importance of the RSS when growing a sustainable tourism destination.
    3. Extend the time the RSS is open to residents as well as consider changing the time of the year the RSS is being disseminated. (e.g., mid-Sept. to end of Nov.) Having the RSS open for two weeks was not enough time to engage a larger number of residents. Additionally, December was not the ideal time of the year to disseminate the RSS given the holiday season.
    4. Do direct physical outreach and/or use other physical places/spaces to disseminate hard-copy surveys (e.g., retirement homes, farmers’ market, local festivals/events, etc.). No RSS was completed using a hard copy that could be found in the local library and municipal offices.
    5. Work closely with partners to disseminate the RSS. A huge success of this RSS was the amount of partner support used to disseminate the survey to residents, and this was reflected in the number of responses received. It is important to use the language of “partnership” when reaching out to others that can support the dissemination of the RSS.
    6. Ensure there is enough time and resources available for data analysis. The second iteration of the RSS will require more time for the analysis than the first RSS. This is because the second RSS will also need to be analyzed in comparison to the first iteration’s responses to see the change year-over-year.
    7. Share results with stakeholders and partners that supported the development and/or dissemination of the RSS before sharing it with the public. It is important to share the results of the RSS with those who invested time, energy, and effort for its success.
    8. Share results with the public and leverage this opportunity to build awareness of other important information. For example, what is the Visitor Economy, why is the RSS important, or what other activities or initiatives are happening that is led by the Tourism Department?
    9. Work with key partners to find opportunities to share the results, approach and learning from this trend-setting project as a best practice example (e.g., the Economic Developers Council of Ontario Conference, the Ontario Tourism Summit, the Rural Ontario Municipal Association Conference, etc.). Few destinations in Ontario have developed Resident Sentiment Surveys to gauge sentiment from residents on the development of the Visitor Economy. For this reason, the County of Haliburton is a trendsetter and should find opportunities to share the results, approach and learning from the survey. The RSS can be used as an educational tool to build awareness among the larger tourism sector, and drive knowledge about what is an RSS and its importance when working towards a sustainable tourism destination. Some partners may be interested in supporting the sharing of learnings, such as the Ontario Highlands Tourism Organization, the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, or the Economic Developers Council of Ontario.