City residents are being urged to complete the 2011 Canadian Census package, which was delivered to every household last week.
Although completion of the census is required by law, an estimated 2,000 Yorkton residents were not accounted for by the previous census in 2006.
Yorkton Economic Development Committee member Jason Farrell has been trying to spread the word this spring about why the census is important: the head count it provides is the basis for the formula of the province's Municipal Operating Grant.
At $187.11 in expected funding per person in 2011, the City of Yorkton stands to lose out on about $375,000 each year if 2,000 residents once again fail to fill out their census.
"When I found out that this money is available for the city to fund various projects and all people need to do is fulfill their obligation of filling out a census," says Farrell, "I was quite frustrated to hear the lack of success that the previous census had."
In addition to basic funding for the city, population and demographic information from the census informs the federal and provincial governments in planning healthcare, education, police, transit, daycare, and housing services for the region, among other things.
The results of the 2011 census will have a major impact on the services available to area residents over the next five years.
"It's imperative that everybody understands how important it is to take five minutes out of their day and fill out that census," says Farrell.
