Town Alerts

IT’S HERE! 

New Town Notification Service and App

Download the App today! Or register online to receive alerts by text message or phone.

The Town of Ponoka has launched a new Notification Service that includes an app you can download to your smartphone.

The new service sends you alerts that provide critical information about:

  • Utility service disruptions;
  • Large-scale, local emergencies; and
  • Other important Town news.

If you don’t have a smartphone, you can receive alerts by email, text or recorded voice call.

Registration is free and simple to do!





PLEASE NOTE: All Android devices should now be able to download the Voyent Alert app. Prior to November 8, some newer Android devices were temporarily unable to download the app due to a product update by the app provider that was not yet available through the App Store and Google Play Store. That product update is now fully available through both stores, and the Voyent Alert app should now be downloadable on all Android devices.

The Town is providing this new service to help ensure citizens receive critical information quickly about:

  • Utility service disruptions – which may affect your access to important utilities such as water and power – for example, planned power outages for electrical maintenance, watermain breaks or boil water advisories.
  • Large-scale local emergencies – such as an evacuation order due to a wildfire or train derailment.
  • Other important Town news (non-emergency alerts) – such as temporary Town road closures; parking bans during snow removal operations; Town event notifications; curbside waste collection reminders; temporary facility closures; and more!

The Town of Ponoka is using the Voyent Alert system to send out these alerts. Voyent Alert is developed by an Alberta-based company, ICEsoft Technologies. 

To learn more about Voyent Alert, click here. 

Registering for the service is easy and it’s free. 

Visit the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to download the Voyent Alert app onto your smartphone. Then simply enter your location and follow the instructions. 

If you would rather receive alerts by email, text or recorded voice calls, you can register online here.

Here is a step-by-step video on how to register.  

If you currently receive a monthly Town of Ponoka utility bill, you are enrolled through the primary phone number and address associated with your utility bill. You will initially receive alerts via recorded voice calls.

You should receive an introductory call on November 6 confirming that you have been registered to receive alerts. The ‘Town of Ponoka’ will appear on the call display of your phone when you receive the call. 

If you would rather receive alerts through a smartphone app or by email or text message, simply press ‘8’ at the end of any recorded voice call from the new notification service to opt out of receiving voice calls. 

Then visit the Apple App Store or Google Play to download the Voyent Alert app onto your smartphone. Simply enter your location and follow the instructions. 

To receive alerts by email, text or recorded voice calls, you can register online here.

Here is a step-by-step video on how to register.

In addition to receiving alerts about large-scale, local emergencies, you can also choose to receive non-emergency alerts about important and helpful Town information such as:

  • Utility service disruptions
  • Town road closures
  • Curbside waste collection reminders
  • Parking bans during snow removal
  • Town event notifications
  • General Town E-news – such as new program announcements, temporary facility closures and other important Town news 

PLEASE NOTE: After you download the Voyent Alert app or register online for email, text or voice call alerts, you will automatically be registered to receive all non-emergency alerts that the Town offers. 

To choose only the non-emergency alerts that you wish to receive, click on the menu icon in the top left corner of the opening screen and select “My Topics”. Click the checkmarks beside each topic to deselect the topics you do not want to receive. 

You will receive alerts for all the topics that have checkmarks beside them. 

Here is a video about how to select your alert topics. 

You can register to receive alerts for additional locations such as ‘work’, ‘school’ and ‘Mom and Dad’s home’ to help stay informed and be prepared for the unexpected, no matter where you or your family members are. 

Here is a video explaining how to track multiple locations.  

We expect emergency and utility alerts will be infrequent, as utility service disruptions and large-scale local emergencies don’t happen often, but when they do it’s important for citizens to be notified quickly. Non-emergency alerts will be more frequent.

The Town of Ponoka is using the Voyent Alert system to send out these alerts. Voyent Alert is developed by an Alberta-based company, ICEsoft Technologies. 

To learn more about Voyent Alert, click here. 

Yes, opting out is easy, but we encourage you to stay subscribed so you can receive critical information that could help protect your safety during an emergency or help you be better prepared during a utility service disruption.

If you currently receive a monthly utility bill, you are automatically enrolled. 

You may opt out at any time by pressing “8” at the end of any recorded voice call alert you receive, which will automatically update your subscription and remove you from all future calls.  

Or you can submit an Online Service Request at anytime requesting to opt out of receiving alerts, or phone the Town Office at 403-783-4431 where Town staff can assist you in opting out during regular office hours.

Anyone who is a citizen of Ponoka or a visitor should receive emergency alerts. This includes but is not limited to: 

  • Residents, homeowners and tenants;
  • Non-resident business owners or employees who work in Ponoka; 
  • Anyone who has an interest in or visits Ponoka regularly;
  • Short-term visitors like tournament sports teams or Stampede-goers or shoppers;
  • Other members of your household. 

If you have questions, please submit an online service request at any time of day or phone the Town Office at 403-783-4431 during regular office hours.

Current alerts are viewable here.