Ponoka County

Ponoka County is a municipal district in Alberta, Canada. It covers 721396 acre and it claims to "embody the essence of rural Alberta".

History
Ponoka County was founded on January 1, 1952. 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.

Communities and localities
The following urban municipalities are surrounded by Ponoka County.
 * Cities
 * none
 * Towns
 * Ponoka
 * Rimbey
 * Villages
 * none
 * Summer villages
 * Parkland Beach

The following hamlets are located within Ponoka County.
 * Hamlets
 * Bluffton
 * Hoadley
 * Leedale
 * Maskwacis (formerly Hobbema)

The following localities are located within Ponoka County.
 * 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 NaN% from its 2016 population of 9,806. With a land area of 2807.99 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

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 NaN% change from its 2011 population of 8,856. With a land area of 2814.26 km2, it had a population density of in 2016.

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