To find out which population segment you belong to, take the Self Identification Survey

Small Town Protector (15% of the population)

• Equally men and women (49% female)
• Includes more retired people than other segments
• 1 in 4 are 65 years or older (23%)
• High-income earners (22% make at least $100,000 per year)
• Mostly married (73%)
• Segment most likely to belong to a religious affiliation (92%)

Identity Statement
For Small Town Protectors, family-oriented activities and the pace of small town Kitchener are very important. Equally men and women, this group conforms to traditional values and their primary focus is first and foremost their family. As a result of this strong belief in traditional values, Small Town Protectors are very conformist and believe that people should dress and behave in a way that does not offend others. They believe strongly in small government.

Growth / Development
Small Town Protectors prefer Kitchener’s small town feel and focus on its residents over becoming a
tourism attraction with a lively downtown core. Resistant to change and determined to protect 'small-town Kitchener', Small Town Protectors believe that development must be planned and involve significant community input.

Taxes
Small Town Protectors stand out for their dislike of taxes, preferring cuts in local services over higher taxation.

City Services
While they are generally unsatisfied with many of services, Small Town Protectors do not support an increase in municipal expenditures. In line with their small-government philosophy, they do not support an increase in spending for many services, even on such aspects as firefighting, street lighting, the preservation of heritage building or property standards. The only two areas where Small Town Promoters would like to see more spending are on business licensing and Your Kitchener Market.

Likes About Kitchener

• Size / Small Town Feel (16%)
• People / Charm (14%)
• Safe / Low Crime (12%)
• Community Centres / Library (10%)
• Distance To Other Things / Location (10%)
• Clean (10%)

Dislikes About Kitchener

• Traffic Problems / Congestion (22%)
• Road Conditions / Potholes (17%)
• Taxes Too High / Money Not Being Spent Well (15%)
• Downtown / Core (12%)
• Litter / Dirty (10%)
• Parking (10%)

Involvement in Government
Small Town Promoters have a low level of confidence in government and believe that the less
involvement the government has on society the better. They recognize the need to speak up to keep the status quo.

Interesting Fact
Small Town Promoters would rather work in an unfulfilling but well-paying job than have an interesting job that does not pay well.