Lethbridge City Hall

By Connor Gunn

Lethbridge council cancels 2022 municipal census

Feb 16, 2022 | 11:17 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The 2022 municipal census has been cancelled by Lethbridge City Council.

Lethbridge’s Governance Standing Policy Committee (SPC) recommended that council cancel the 2022 municipal census because it does not provide the city with much financial benefit.

Other reasons include the current uncertainties with a census software program and COVID (difficulty in recruiting census takers and the health and safety of those workers).

The city says they have conducted a census almost every year since 1954.

For the last five years, the average annual census has cost the city $152,324, resulting in an average annual net gain of $271,576.

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“The municipal census was deemed worthwhile to continue every few years because it provides population and dwelling information on a neighbourhood basis,” the city documents state.

Canadians received the Federal Census in 2021, which runs in a cycle of every five years.

More questions are asked on the Federal Census than the Municipal Census, including marital status, family characteristics, household and dwelling characteristics, mother tongue, knowledge of official languages, income, citizenship, and ethnic origin.

As part of the 2019 provincial budget, the Alberta government announced it would transition from municipal census numbers to a system to allocate municipal grants by provincially developed population estimates.

Recently, the City of Red Deer has confirmed that they are cancelling their 2022 Census due to COVID and health and safety reasons.

Additional information can be found at RECOMMENDATION OF GOVSPC – 2022 CENSUS.