The elimination of the print version of Greater Sudbury's leisure guide hasn't impacted participation in programs, says a city report on the issue.
The printed version was eliminated last year as part of the P6 process, in which $6 million in budget savings were found to pay for the 2015 property tax freeze. The freeze was a campaign promise of Mayor Brian Bigger.
There was concern that some residents – particularly seniors – might miss out on the programs, since they're generally less comfortable with accessing information online.
But a report reviewed recently by the community services committee found the lack of a printed guide had little impact on registrations.
“Overall, it would appear that there has not been a significant impact on program registrations as a result of not producing a print version of the leisure guide,” the report said. “Overall registrations are projected to be down slightly (-3.8 per cent) from the last full year of the printed leisure guide (2015) compared to projections for 2017.
“There are likely other impacts on the downward trend in program registrations, such as a lack of free time due to busy lifestyles, competition from sedentary activities and other sports and barriers associated with affordability. These trends are evident across the recreation industry.”
Eliminating the print version saved about $10,000 a year.
