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About one-fifth of Calgary households filled out census forms online by midday Friday, about half the participation rate the city’s census leader had hoped for.

Paul Denys had declared a soft target of 40 per cent before the city launched its first online census option April 1. The city will let people complete the short website questionnaire this weekend, past the announced Friday deadline, but it’s unlikely the city will even hit the 28-per-cent mark that Edmonton reported when their census first went online last year.

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“I think I was very optimistic in suggesting the 40 per cent just in the sheer rivalry between the cities and wanting to do Edmonton,” Denys said Friday.

“But as we stand with the 20 per cent, it’s a decent number. Would we have liked the use to be higher? Absolutely.

For taxpayers who grumble the city should find ways to save more money, this was actually a rare chance at do-it-yourself cost-cutting. For every resident that filled out the form online, Calgary would save one dollar it wouldn’t have to pay a census taker visiting that doorstep.