Home
A A A

Council Meeting Highlights for April 22, 2025

Council ChambersThese Council highlights are intended to provide a brief overview of the most significant decisions made during the Council meeting.

To access more information about the items listed below and to view full Council meeting agendas, minutes and meeting schedules, please click here.

6.1 2025 Election Bylaw No. 06-2025

Council passed second and third reading of the 2025 Election Bylaw No. 06-2025 to align with the Alberta Government’s amendments to the Local Authorities Election Act.

7.1 2024 Town of Ponoka Audited Financial Statements

Council approved the audited 2024 financial statements as presented. The audited financial statements will be submitted to the Minister of Municipal Affairs.

7.2 2025 Final Operating and Capital Budget

Council approved the following:

  • 2025 final Operating and Capital budgets. The total amount of the 2025 Town of Ponoka Budget is $35,780,177 which includes an Operating Budget of $23,599,860 and a Capital Budget of $12,180,317;
  • 2025 staffing compliment of 73.96 (unchanged from 2024); and
  • The three-year Operating and five-year Capital budgets.

The 2025 Interim Budget was approved by Council in the November 2024. Since that time, all requisitions and final municipal property assessments have been received and incorporated into the tax calculations in the final 2025 Budget.

7.3 Bylaw No. 07 – 2025 Tax Rate Bylaw

Council passed the first reading of the 2025 Tax Rate Bylaw No. 07-2025, which sets out the rates of taxation for the 2025 year. Residential assessment increased by $55.9 million, and non-residential assessment increased by $8.8 million for a total overall increase of $64.7 million over the 2024 assessment.

The municipal property tax increase of 1.25 per cent equates to an annual increase of approximately $10.95 per $100,000 of assessment for residential and $14.29 per $100,000 for non-residential properties.

The 1.25 per cent property tax rate partially offsets inflationary cost increases for 2025. Reducing the municipal property tax increase to 1.25 per cent from the proposed 3.25 per cent that was initially approved by Council last fall in the Interim Budget also offsets the impact of the 10.8 per cent provincial education property tax increase on Town of Ponoka ratepayers.

10.1 Correspondence Items

Council accepted a letter from Minister Ric McIver as information. The letter discussed Alberta Government’s decision to table Bill 50, the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2025. Bill 50 makes amendments to the Municipal Government Act (MGA), Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA), New Home Buyer Protection Act (NHBPA), and the Safety Codes Act (SCA) to modernize municipal processes.

11.2 Information Items

Council accepted the Fire Department 2025 Q1 Statistics for information.

  • Next Regular Council Meeting: Tuesday, May 13 at 6 p.m.
  • Next Priorities and Initiatives Meeting: Tuesday, May 20 at 6 p.m.
  • The public is welcome to attend all Council meetings. Meetings are held in Town Council Chambers on the third floor of the Ponoka Civic Centre (5604 50 Street).