Town of Battleford council shown at this week's online meeting. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

Looking for other tourism options

Town council decides to end contract with Destination Battlefords

Sep 21, 2021 | 3:28 PM

Battleford council gave six months notice for the town to terminate its agreement with Destination Battlefords at this week’s council meeting.

Administration recommended ending the agreement as the town did not believe this platform was working effectively to promote the town’s tourism sites.

Mayor Ames Leslie said it was not an easy decision.

“It’s not a decision council took lightly,” he said. “They have been reviewing the file on Destination Battlefords off and on for the last weeks, if not maybe even months.”

The town is not satisfied with its partnership with Destination Battlefords as it is not seeing any tourism results. So instead they want to pursue other options to promote the town’s attractions.

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Council voted in favour of the decision at this week’s meeting.

Currently the town gives an annual grant of $48,315 to Destination Battlefords.

The town contends that the agency is not fulfilling its contract requirements, which include promoting the town and its sites as tourism destinations.

Leslie says Destination Battlefords is not meeting the contract targets for the town.

“Council just feels that the Town of Battleford and our tourism, our history and our attractions are not being promoted to the level that they deserve, and what council has set as an expectation,” he said. “Council is noticing around the province, during COVID here, in the promotion of smaller towns in other communities tourism promotion increased in comparison, and council was feeling that our service has kind of been a little bit lacking of late.”

Leslie noted about a year ago roughly council put some parameters in place when the contract was extended with Destination Battlefords.

“Council feels those terms weren’t met and were not acquired as were put forth,” he said. “So they want to look for an option that is going to make the Town of Battleford, and our tourism and historical sites a priority of promotion. And hopefully we can attract more people to come to the Town of Battleford on the tourism sector.”

During the meeting, Councillor Shelley Boutin-Gervais said she believes the town did not “get the benefit from the amount of money we are putting into it.”

One councillor enquired whether the town could give three months notice to end the contract rather than six months.

Administration will look into whether that is permitted.

When reached by battlefordsNOW, Ryan Bater, executive director with Destination Battlefords, said he was not aware of the matter, and hopes the parties come together to discuss the issue.

“We have received no information or correspondence from the Town of Battleford,” he said. “Destination Battlefords is a partnership. We value partnerships here. So I would suggest that a conversation or some communication between all the partners would be in order, and those include the Town of Battleford, the City of North Battleford and the Battlefords Hotels Association.”

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW