The document summarizes the results of a survey of over 1,600 citizens across 4 major Canadian cities (Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal) about their perceptions of their local city brand and government. It finds that citizens of Toronto are less satisfied with their quality of life and less likely to view their city and government positively compared to the other cities. Attributes like embracing sustainability and innovation are more important to citizens but Toronto receives poor marks on these. Toronto's mayor also has a more negative brand image among citizens than the mayors of other cities.

1. The Vox Populi on
Canada’s Municipal Brands
How citizens of Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary &
Montreal view their city and its government

2. A brand is a collection of
perceptions in people’s minds
What the citizens think is the
reality of our municipal brands

3. We surveyed a representative
sample of 1611 people. Roughly
400 each in Toronto, Vancouver,
Montreal and Calgary
We asked them what they thought
of the city in which they live
The survey was conducted on-line with members of the Angus Reid Forum panel, July 12, 2012

4. Municipal Brand Image

5. Satisfaction with QOL in their City
% very or extremely satisfied
Very Extremely
50%
45%
6%
40%
35% 7%
30%
25% 2% 1%
20% 41%
15% 33%
10%
24% 22%
5%
0%
Toronto Calgary Vancouver Montreal

6. Municipal Brand attributes that drive
perceptions of greater QOL
5 minutes
We determined how much each people’s ratings of their city on each of these attributes explain their overall rating on
their city government, using Shapley Value regression.. R2 is .33. The larger the phrase, the more important it is

7. “On the Rise”
% say it describes their city
100%
90%
90%
80%
70%
70%
60%
60%
50%
41%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Toronto Calgary Vancouver Montreal

8. “Embraces Sustainability”
% say it describes their city
100%
90%
80%
72%
70%
60%
58%
49%
50% 45%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Toronto Calgary Vancouver Montreal
embraces sustainability

9. “Embraces Innovation”
% say it describes their city
100%
90%
80%
73%
70% 65%
61%
60%
50%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Toronto Calgary Vancouver Montreal

10. “On Top of Infrastructure Needs”
% say it describes their city
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
42% 41%
40% 35%
30% 27%
20%
10%
0%
Toronto Calgary Vancouver Montreal

11. Municipal Government Image

12. Municipal Government rating
% saying doing a “good job”
100%
90%
80%
70%
62%
60%
50%
42%
40%
30%
29%
22%
20%
10%
0%
Toronto Calgary Vancouver Montreal

13. Relative importance of Municipal Brand
attributes in driving perceptions of
government doing a good/bad job
We determined how much each people’s ratings of their city on each of these attributes explain their overall rating on
their city government, using Shapley Value regression. R2 is .64. The larger the phrase, the more important it is.

14. “Enhancing Your QOL”
% municipal govt. doing a “good job”
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
60%
50% 45%
40%
32% 30%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Toronto Calgary Vancouver Montreal

15. “Responding to Citizen’s Needs”
% municipal govt. doing a “good job”
100%
90%
80%
70%
60% 57%
50%
40%
39%
31% 29%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Toronto Calgary Vancouver Montreal

16. “Being Accountable”
% municipal govt. doing a “good job”
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
49%
40% 34%
30% 26% 23%
20%
10%
0%
Toronto Calgary Vancouver Montreal

17. “Giving Citizens Their Say”
% municipal govt. doing a “good job”
100%
90%
80%
70%
60% 56%
50%
41% 38%
40%
33%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Toronto Calgary Vancouver Montreal

18. Mayoral Image

19. Relative importance of Mayoral Image
attributes in driving perceptions of
government doing a good/bad job
We determined how much each people’s ratings of their city on each of these attributes explain their overall rating on
their city government, using Shapley Value regression. R2 is .43. The larger the phrase, the more important it is

20. “Inefficient”
Percent who say it describes their Mayor
100%
90%
80%
70%
60% 56%
50%
40%
40%
30% 27%
20%
10%
10%
0%
Toronto Calgary Vancouver Montreal

21. “Intelligent”
Percent who say it describes their Mayor
100%
90%
80% 74%
70%
60%
50% 45%
40%
30%
20%
12% 15%
10%
0%
Toronto Calgary Vancouver Montreal

22. “In touch”
Percent who say it describes their Mayor
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
49%
50%
40%
30% 25%
20%
13%
10% 6%
0%
Toronto Calgary Vancouver Montreal

23. Calgary’s Mayoral Brand Image
The larger the word, the more people say it describes Rob Ford, Mayor of Toronto

24. Vancouver’s Mayoral Brand Image
The larger the word, the more people say it describes Rob Ford, Mayor of Toronto

25. Montreal’s Mayoral Brand Image
The larger the word, the more people say it describes Rob Ford, Mayor of Toronto

26. Toronto’s Mayoral Brand Image
The larger the word, the more people say it describes Rob Ford, Mayor of Toronto

27. Comments

28. Toronto’s brand has a significant
problem, amongst its citizens
Innovation and sustainability
are important, and Toronto has
poor marks on both

29. Toronto’s government and,
especially its Mayor, are lagging far
behind Calgary and Vancouver
People want government that
interacts with them openly, and
improves their QOL

30. Toronto needs to become an…
Innovation City