North Battleford city council at this week's meeting. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

NB city council

City to use planning consultant services

Jun 13, 2023 | 8:44 AM

The City of North Battleford has decided to hire a planning consulting firm to deal with its planning duties until it is able to hire a fulltime person for the role again.

Administration recommended the city enter into an agreement with Northbound Planning Ltd. to provide planning services to the end of 2023, on an hourly basis, not to exceed a total budget of $30,000 including $1,698 in PST.

The funds for the planning consultant will come from current planning staff vacancies.

James Johansen, city director of engineering, planning, asset management and Infrastructure, presented the report to council.

He said Northbound Planning Ltd. was found to be the proposal they “feel most comfortable with; we’re looking for a good fit.”

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“The company has relevant municipal experience and provides planning services ranging from simple planning oversight to full planning service,” Johansen added.

The firm is based in Meota, with a satellite office located in North Battleford.

In providing some background, Johansen said for a municipality to be eligible for approving authority status under the Planning and Development Act, the city must employ or retain a registered professional planner within six consecutive months of a registered planner vacancy or without a contractor. The City of North Battleford has been without a registered professional planner since the end of March.

Johansen noted the city is facing challenges finding a suitable, experienced candidate with a registered professional planning certificate, so the service from the firm will provide some temporary support in the meantime.

City Manager Randy Patrick said the city has done this in the past when required.

Mayor David Gillan noted the service will help fill a gap for the City in the meantime.

“We do need a certified registered professional planner,” he said. “We don’t have one in the city right now. We have interviewed a number of consulting companies, and this company has been selected by administration. We’re happy to go with the recommendation, as council, to be able to provide us with as-needed assistance regarding planning in the city, and potentially mentorship should we hire somebody that is not already registered.”

Gillan added many municipalities use consultants because it is not easy to have a registered professional planner on staff all the time.

“Sometimes they leave, and you have a vacancy like we have now. And sometimes the consultants fill these vacancies,” he said. “It’s common, in many technical aspects of the city – whether it’s IT or engineering. Sometimes you lose your inside staff, and there are professional firms out there that can in the short-term fill the gap. This is just temporary, while we are looking, trying to fill the position.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow