The Town of Sylvan Lake will be conducting a municipal census this year beginning on April 15.
A budget of $60,500 to organize and conduct the census was approved during a council meeting on Feb. 26.
Supplementary questions for the census were approved during the council meeting on March 11.
Supplementary questions for this year’s census include:
- In addition to a new. high school, what facilities would you like to see partnered on the high school site? Answer options: Library, Fine Arts Centre, Commercial business centre, or an all-season indoor fieldhouse.
- Do you work outside of Sylvan Lake for employment? Answer options: Yes, work away for extended periods; Yes, daily commuter; Yes, carpooling; No.
- Would you support tax funding for a public transportation system? Answer options: Local only, Local and Red Deer, or would not support.
Mayor Megan Hanson said the census is essential to gather vital information about a community’s demographics.
“A census helps us plan properly for our municipality. By knowing how many people live here, we can understand what services are needed and how to distribute resources.”
It also helps the town attract new businesses, she added.
“When companies consider opening in our town, they look at how many people live here. If we have an accurate census, it shows that there are enough potential customers for businesses to succeed.”
Money from grants and other levels of government is also something that the census helps to bring in.
“Many funding programs give money based on how many people live in our community. If our census is outdated, we miss out on money that could help us fund important projects like roads and infrastructure,” Hanson said.
Previous municipal censuses have been conducted in Sylvan Lake in 1979, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2013 and 2015.