Town of Ponoka

Mayor Kevin FergusonDuring Small Business Week, I want to thank and celebrate all of the businesses in Ponoka for helping to make our community  strong and vibrant.

Local businesses are a powerful engine that drive our economy by creating jobs and generating economic growth. 

In 2024, the Town of Ponoka has issued 508 business licences to date. Of those, 23 are new businesses in town. Having so many businesses opening their doors generates an important economic boost for Ponoka.

Shop Local

Having so many businesses in Ponoka also makes it easy to shop local when you can buy so much of what you need right here in Ponoka. Purchasing products and services locally is an important way we can all support our local businesses and help drive more economic growth in our community. 

Supporting Small Businesses

Supporting businesses and economic growth remains a top strategic priority for the Town of Ponoka. Some of the ways the Town is doing this is by continuing to invest in improvements to Town infrastructure, including roadways and sidewalks throughout the community, our walking trails and our recreation facilities. 

The Town is also working to support existing businesses and attract new businesses through our Business Incentive Programs: 

• Commercial New Build Incentive: The Commercial New Build Incentive offers property tax breaks over three years to new or existing businesses in the Town of Ponoka that build a new property on commercially-zoned land in the Town.
• New Business Grant: The New Business Grant offers a one-time-per-business grant payment of up to $1,000 for businesses that are new to Ponoka, are located in town and have not previously operated in the community. 

Attracting New Residents to Ponoka

The Town also continues to promote our Residential Incentive Programs to attract new residents to our community:

• For buyers or builders of newly-built homes in the Town of Ponoka. This incentive offers significant property tax savings during the first three years of owning the newly-built property, and is open to new and existing residents. 
• For buyers of homes that have already been lived in who move into the home from a municipality outside of the Town of Ponoka. This incentive offers a free one-year family recreation pass to the Ponoka Aquaplex and Arena Complex. 
• For residents who complete major renovations on their existing home which results in an increased property assessment value (excluding land) of at least 20 per cent. This incentive offers a property tax savings over three years and is open to new and existing residents in the Town of Ponoka.

By attracting new businesses and residents, we can help our community grow and thrive into the future. Attracting new residents also increases the number of people who shop at our local businesses, which helps build a stronger local economy. 

Full details about the Town’s Residential and Business Incentive Programs are available at Ponoka.ca/p/residential-and-business-incentive-programs 

On behalf of Council, I would like to thank all of Ponoka’s businesses for their contributions to our community and for helping to make Ponoka a place we are proud to call home.

Mayor Kevin Ferguson
 Town of Ponoka