The Town of Sylvan Lake discussed the municipal census results during its council meeting on Aug. 26.
The municipal census began this year on April 15 and concluded on July 15.
Results from the census play an important role in making decisions for the community, Mayor Megan Hanson said.
"Many of the funding sources we pursue rely on population calculations, so any increase in our population will certainly benefit our funding opportunities."
After the council reviewed the census during their meeting, it was then submitted to Municipal Affairs, she added.
"Municipal Affairs, will then perform their own calculations to account for households that did not participate in the census. We expect to receive a final population count later this year, and this will become the new figure we use in our decision-making processes and grant applications."
Results reviewed by council showed:
- Total Population: 16,275 (Daily Dwelling Population Count)
- Dwelling Units: 7,160
- Dwelling Types: 5,837 Completed
With a population of over 10,000, Sylvan Lake could technically become a city in Alberta; however, at this time, the Town of Sylvan Lake will not be seeking city designation, Hanson said.
"This was a topic of discussion around the council table last year, and we concluded that there was not enough benefit to warrant changing our name. There are potential risks and costs associated with such a change that did not outweigh the advantages."
While Sylvan Lake won't be becoming a city at the moment it doesn't mean the topic won't be revisited.
"This conversation may arise again in the future, but for now, we will continue to proudly be the Town of Sylvan Lake," she added.
More information on the census results can be found in the Aug. 26 council meeting agenda that is available to view on the Town of Sylvan Lake website, calendar.sylvanlake.ca/council.
