The Amherst Island Community Alliance (AICA) conducted a census for the first time since 2019, and all the responses have been collected.

Over 220 responses were gathered from island residents who answered around 35 questions regarding needs and regular life on Amherst Island. The results are still being fully compiled and analyzed.

AICA Board Member Kirk Corkery spoke on the response rate.

"Three hundred and one surveys were returned last time. Not quite as good this time; we had two hundred and thirty returned, but it's still, proportionally, a huge response rate in terms of both seasonal and permanent residents," said Corkery.

He also noted the importance of the information gathered from the census for residents of the island.

"In terms of understanding what people want and how they want things to change, it allows the township to better tailor their services to us based on what we say are our needs and desires. Rather than some staff guess-work, they have some hard data they can do that with," said Corkery.

The 2019 census asked residents about erosion, flooding, the ferry service, activities on the island, amenities, services, and more. Based on demographics and an identified likelihood of property sales, the AICA noted in 2019 that some change would be inevitable.

According to their data, that change has been almost fully realized this year. Along with similar questions to the 2019 census, there was also a call this year for ideas about what to do with the plot of land beside the school that the township now owns.

The AICA will meet in the fall to discuss results and further potential action plans. There will be two public information sessions announced and held in August; the alliance hopes to learn from the data in the meantime.

The results will be posted to the Amherst Island website when they're fully compiled.

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