63% OVERALL APPROVAL OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

63% OVERALL APPROVAL OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT - 13 POINTS HIGHER THAN REGIONAL COUNCIL APPROVAL IN HALDIMAND-NORFOLK

RESIDENTS FEEL STRONGEST SENSE OF PERSONAL ATTACHMENT TO THE MUNICIPALITY.

RESIDENTS FEEL KNOWLEDGEABLE AND CONTENT WITH MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF THE HALDIMAND-NORFOLK REGION.

SIMCOE TIMES-REFORMER

This Angus Reid Group/Simcoe Times-Reformer poll was conducted by telephone between November 3rd, 4th and 5th, 1998 among 400 randomly selected Haldimand-Norfolk residents.

These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's age and sex composition reflects that of the actual Haldimand-Norfolk Region according to the 1996 Census data.

With a regional sample of 400, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results are within + 4.9 percentage points of what they would have been had the entire Haldimand-Norfolk population been polled. 63% OVERALL APPROVAL OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT - 13 POINTS HIGHER THAN REGIONAL COUNCIL APPROVAL IN HALDIMAND-NORFOLK - RESIDENTS FEEL STRONGEST SENSE OF PERSONAL ATTACHMENT TO THE MUNICIPALITY. - RESIDENTS FEEL KNOWLEDGEABLE AND CONTENT WITH MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF THE HALDIMAND-NORFOLK REGION. SIMCOE TIMES-REFORMER -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Generally, residents of Haldimand-Norfolk are positive about their municipal governments and consequently their personal attachment to their municipality. Indeed, 63% of Haldimand-Norfolk residents approve of the overall performance of their municipal government. This being the case, approval of the municipal government is 13 points higher than that of the Regional Council (50%). Three quarters (74%) feel a stronger sense of personal attachment to their own municipality than the Haldimand-Norfolk region (20%). As well, the majority of respondents (60%) feel that they are "knowledgeable about the workings of Haldimand Norfolk's Municipal Governments" and that the Municipal Governments "co-operate when it comes to making decisions that affect Haldimand-Norfolk as a whole (55%)." SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS HIGHER APPROVAL RATING FOR MUNCIPAL GOVERNMENTS OVER REGIONAL COUNCIL IN HALDIMAND-NORFOLK Municipal Government Receives a 13 Point Higher Approval Rating Over Regional Council in Haldimand-Norfolk - 63% versus 50%. In total, 63% of Haldimand-Norfolk residents approve of the overall performance of their Municipal Governments - 13 points higher than the approval for the Regional Council (50%). Of those who approve of the Municipal Governments' performance, the majority of respondents moderately approve (51%) while11% strongly approve. Roughly the same percentage strongly disapprove (13%), with another 21% strongly disapproving of the overall performance of their Municipal Government. Residents aged 18 to 34 (72%) are more likely than those 35 and over (59%) to approve of their Municipal Government's performance. Property owners (64%) are more likely than those who rent (55%) to approve of the performance of their Municipal Government. Those earning $30k or less are less likely than other income categories ($30k-$60k, 65%; Over $60k, 68%) to approve of their Municipal Government. STRONG SENSE OF ATTACHMENT TO INDIVIDUAL MUNICIPALITIES Attachment to Municipalities (74%) Far Outweighs Attachment to Region (20%) The majority of residents from Haldimand-Norfolk feel a stronger sense of attachment to the municipality (74%) than the region (20%). Fewer than one in ten (7%) respondents felt unable to choose one over the other when asked to choose between the municipality and the region. Residents of Haldimand-Norfolk who own property (76%) are more likely than renters (60%) to feel a stronger sense of attachment to their Municipality. Those in the highest income bracket ($60k and over, 13%) are even less likely than other income brackets to feel a strong sense of attachment to the region ($30k and under, 25%; $30k-$60k, 22%). HALDIMAND NORFOLK RESIDENTS FEEL KNOWLEDGEABLE AND BELIEVE IN MUNICIPAL CO-OPERATION Residents Feel Knowledgeable (60%) and Believe the Municipal Governments to be Co-Operative. Three in five (60%) Haldimand-Norfolk residents believe they are "knowledgeable about the workings of Haldimand-Norfolk's Municipal Governments. As well, the majority 55%) of residents think that the Municipal Governments are co-operative "when it comes to making decisions that affect Haldimand-Norfolk as a whole." Those aged 18 to 34 (48%) feel less knowledgeable than those over 35 (65%) about how the Municipal Governments of Haldimand-Norfolk work. Women (54%) and renters (44%) feel less knowledgeable about the workings of the Municipal Governments than do men (66%) and property owners (63%). Those in the highest income bracket (70%) feel more knowledgeable about the workings of the Municipal Governments than those in other income categories (under $30k, 59%; $30k-$60k, 53%). Residents between 35 and 54 (60%) are more likely than those in other age groups (18-34, 53%; 55 and over, 51%) to feel that the Municipal Governments are co-operative when it comes to making decisions that affect the whole region. For more information on this news release, please contact: Dr. Darrell Bricker Executive Vice-President Angus Reid Group (416) 324-2900 John Wright Senior Vice-President Angus Reid Group (416) 324-2900