Ponoka County

Ponoka County is a municipal district in Alberta, Canada. It covers 721,396 acres (2,919 km²) and it claims to "embody the essence of rural Alberta".^[3]

Ponoka County
Municipal district
Pump jack near Ponoka
Ponoka Rimbey Bluffton Hoadley Leedale Maskwacîs
Location within Alberta
Country	Canada
Province	Alberta
Region	Central Alberta
Census division	8
Established	1944
Incorporated	1952
Government [1]
• Reeve	Paul McLauchlin
• Governing body	Ponoka County Council Nancy Hartford Bryce Liddle Mark Matejka Paul McLauchlin Doug Weir
• CAO	Charlie Cutforth
• Administrative office	Ponoka
• MP	Blaine Calkins
Area  (2021)[2]
• Land	2,807.99 km2 (1,084.17 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[2]
• Total	9,998
• Density	3.6/km2 (9/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Website	ponokacounty.com

History

Ponoka County was founded on January 1, 1952.^[4] The county's first public officials were Mr. Bruce Ramsey, who directed municipal affairs, Mr. Peter McDonald as secretary-treasurer, and Mr. L.G. Saunders was head of the school system. The town gets its name from the Blackfoot word for Elk.

Geography

Communities and localities

The following urban municipalities are surrounded by Ponoka County.[5] Cities none Towns Ponoka Rimbey Villages none Summer villages Parkland Beach The following hamlets are located within Ponoka County.[5] Hamlets Bluffton Hoadley Leedale Maskwacis (formerly Hobbema)[6]

The following localities are located within Ponoka County.[7] Localities Alberta Hospital Crestomere Frank Subdivision Homeglen Lavesta Menaik Morning Meadows Subdivision Nugent Paulson Pasture Pleasant Hill Subdivision Rimbey Ridge Estates Springdale Sunnyside Tristram Viewmar Estates Willesden Green Woodland Park

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Ponoka County had a population of 9,998 living in 3,689 of its 4,255 total private dwellings, a change of 2% from its 2016 population of 9,806. With a land area of 2,807.99 km² (1,084.17 sq mi), it had a population density of 3.6/km² (9.2/sq mi) in 2021.^[2]

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Ponoka County had a population of 9,806 living in 3,535 of its 4,199 total private dwellings, a 10.7% change from its 2011 population of 8,856. With a land area of 2,814.26 km² (1,086.59 sq mi), it had a population density of 3.5/km² (9.0/sq mi) in 2016.^[8]

Government

The chief administrative officer (CAO) of Ponoka County is Charlie Cutforth.^[1] The five members of council, Nancy Hartford, Bryce Liddle, Mark Matejka, Paul McLauchlin, and Doug Weir, were elected October 21, 2013.^[1] Councillor Paul McLauchlin, from electoral division 4, was selected the reeve in a 2013 organizational meeting.^[9]

See also

• List of communities in Alberta
• List of municipal districts in Alberta