The town of Bonnyville thinks they got lowballed in the federal census this year, so they’re conducting one of their own this month.
The 2016 census declared Bonnyville to have a population of 5,417, compared to 6,921 a municipal census from 2014 came up with. If the town does another census of their own, many departments in the provincial and federal governments would use that number instead, helping to secure grant money if it’s a higher figure.
Residents should expect to get a PIN in the mail soon, from there they can go to the town’s website and fill out their census forum there. If you need an incentive, everyone who completes their forum before the 23rd is entered to win an iPad.
“It is very important that we include each and every one of our residents in our 2017 Census,” a release from the town says.”Population figures are critical to claim per capita grants. Each person counted in our census helps us receive over an estimated $300 per person in grant funding from the provincial and federal governments!”
The figures are also used in deciding how much each side pays in joint agreements with nearby towns.
Staff will be going door to door from the 24th onwards tracking down those who haven’t filled their forum out yet.