Budget Consultation 2023

Thank you for your feedback on the 2023 Town of Ponoka Budget.

Public input on the Budget was gathered in the fall of 2022 through:

• A statistically-valid Citizen Satisfaction Survey that was conducted by telephone by a professional research firm. For more information on the Citizen Satisfaction Survey, please click here;
• In-person Coffee with Council events;
• An online Budget Open House; and
• A Citizen Input Survey that invited input from citizens who weren’t randomly selected to participate in the Citizen Satisfaction Survey.

All citizen input on the 2023 Town Budget was collected and presented to Town Council for careful review and consideration during the 2023 Budget deliberation process.

Top Priorities Identified by Citizens

The top priorities identified by citizens during the public consultation process on the 2023 Town of Ponoka Budget were:

• Quality of Life (a safe, healthy and thriving community);
• Policing and crime prevention;
• Parks, recreation and culture, which includes improvements to recreation facilities, parks and trails in the Town of Ponoka;
• Growth and economic health, which includes attracting more businesses; and
• Improvements to roads and streets.

2023 Town of Ponoka Budget Aligns with Public Consultation Results

Priorities identified by citizens during the public consultation process were carefully considered and addressed in the 2023 Budget through:

• Planned improvements to parks, including a new dog park that is being constructed in 2023;
• Ongoing annual improvements to roads and sidewalks throughout Ponoka which includes the redevelopment of 51 Avenue (between 50 Street and 51 Street);
• Continued funding of the Town’s new full-time Community Peace Officer who was hired in 2022;
• Ongoing funding of efforts to attract new businesses, such as the Town’s Residential and Business Attraction Incentive Programs; and
• Continued upgrades and improvements to Town infrastructure.

“The annual public consultation process on the Town Budget is an important part of the Town’s ongoing commitment to inviting public participation in Council decision-making processes. Inviting public input allows Town Council to make more informed and thoughtful decisions that reflect what residents value most,” said Ponoka Mayor Kevin Ferguson.

For more information on the Town of Ponoka 2023 Budget, please click here.

To see the public consultation results, please view the links below or click on the 'Documents' section of this page:

• Citizen Satisfaction Survey Results; and
• Citizen Input Survey Results.