City of Burlington’s Youth Framework Survey to Shape Programs and Services for Young Residents

By: Kezia Royer-Burkett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Burlington Local-News.ca

The City of Burlington is inviting young people to help shape its future through a new Youth Framework survey that launched on January 5, 2026. The initiative is designed to guide how the city supports, listens to, and works with youth, informing programs, spaces, and opportunities that impact young residents.

Since the survey’s launch, the city has promoted it through municipal social media platforms, the Get Involved Burlington webpage and newsletter, school networks, community partners, and youth-serving organizations. Staff have also connected directly with youth groups, including the Burlington Youth Student Council, to help tailor messaging aimed at increasing participation. In-person engagement opportunities are planned for March Break and again during Youth Week in early May. City officials say they continue to explore ways to reach a broader cross-section of youth across Burlington.

To expand participation, staff are leveraging existing relationships with community providers that operate in City facilities and plan to visit programs during regular activity times to gather feedback from youth, staff, and coaches. The survey link has been shared with organizations, including Community Development Halton, PRISM Halton, ROCK, and Halton Multicultural Council, with a request that it be distributed to their clients and participants.

When asked how the city is maintaining the integrity of the data to ensure responses are coming from youth, staff said the survey includes separate question pathways for youth and adults, allowing responses to be categorized accordingly. While youth responses are the primary focus, adult input is also being collected to provide additional context about community needs.

Youth engagement experts note that involving young people in civic decision-making can present challenges. Go Vocal, formerly known as CitizenLab, highlights that engagement efforts can fall short when youth feel their role is limited to offering input rather than influencing outcomes. Such approaches can be perceived as tokenistic and may discourage participation if young people do not see tangible results from their involvement.

City officials say the survey results will directly inform the development and refinement of the Youth Framework. The data is expected to help identify priority areas, service gaps, barriers to participation, and opportunities for new programs, partnerships, and recreation spaces. The city states that the goal is for feedback to translate into actionable steps and measurable outcomes as the framework is finalized.

The survey is scheduled to close on May 10, following Youth Week. Residents are encouraged to participate before the deadline, although the city notes that feedback on youth programs and services is welcome year-round. Click here to go to the survey page.