Data from a recent municipal census shows there are 7,922 people living in Innisfail as of May 1, 2012 — a total of 47 more people than in the 2011 Statistics Canada population survey.
Mayor Jim Romane called the $10,000 census a “necessary evil,” since it provides the basis for applying for specific grants.
“We could take the word of others, other governments,” he said. “Sometimes we like to do our own more thorough census.
“Communities have to do their own census once in awhile.”
Under some programs, population dictates the amount of funding the town will receive. The street improvement grant allots $60 per capita. The Municipal Sustainability Initiative uses a more detailed calculation, and does factor in population figures.
“It's not going to be a huge amount of money,” said Chief Administrative Officer Helen Dietz, adding the total cost was slightly under the budgeted $10,000. “We'll probably break even with that or close to even. And it's good information we can use in our marketing strategies.”
Having better information about the senior population, young children and young families at your fingertips is useful, she said. The data can be used to tailor programs and services for the community, she added.
The new data could help improve the town's pitch to developers and snag new builds in the process, said Coun. Brian Spiller.
“I don't think we're going to make money back on the census,” he said.
