Shelby Ch'ng takes to Reddit for feedback on Thunder Bay budget

A Thunder Bay city councillor has taken to the online forum, Reddit, to get input from taxpayers for the upcoming municipal budget.

Shelby Ch'ng posted a question online, asking users about their spending priorities.

She's been amazed by the responses, with roughly three dozen people already providing input.

Ch'ng said it's an effective way to get feedback.

"I think this is a new way of [the] politics happening. For so long we used old tools to do new jobs. And, this is just one modern tool that I want to see on council, and that I've brought to council."

Ch'ng said the biggest concern she's hearing so far, is the quality of construction on city roads.

"A number of citizens are concerned with the actual quality of the work we're getting. A communication issue, or whatever happened, and things don't get done, and nobody knows why."

The Reddit forums provide anonymity, which is sometimes enough of a reason to bring people out to express their thoughts.

"On Reddit, it's all about being anonymous. That is a good thing, and it's also a bad thing. It's a good thing in that you can say really whatever you want,” she said.

“Maybe there's a city employee that says, ‘hey, we can do such and such better, but may not want to be identified.”

She said people need to stay respectful and thoughtful as they contribute to the discussion.

"What is surprising is the anonymous people are very thoughtful. It's that subculture of Reddit that really brings that out. And, I'm enjoying it so far."