Cameron Choquette, CEO of the Saskatchewan Landlord Association, at North Battleford city council's meeting Monday. (Angela Brwn/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

North Battleford proposed bylaw

Landlord Association concerned about Protective Services Cost Recovery bylaw

Nov 28, 2023 | 1:51 PM

North Battleford city council heard some issues about its proposed Protective Services Cost Recovery bylaw at Monday’s council meeting.

If passed, bylaw 2144 would see properties that have an excessive number of calls annually for emergency services, such as criminal activity, mischief, excessive noise, parties, etc., potentially receive a fine that would be paid for by the property owners. Fines would range from $85 to $1,200 per hour.

The city says the Protective Services Cost Recovery Bylaw is “one of many initiatives the City of North Battleford has worked to implement in relation to overall community safety and wellbeing. The intent of this bylaw is to encourage responsible property ownership in the City of North Battleford.”

The bylaw previously carried second reading and is scheduled to be read a third and final time Dec. 11.

Cameron Choquette, CEO of the Saskatchewan Landlord Association, raised some of his concerns about the bylaw.

OVERCOME CANCER

'I just want to get better': Breast cancer survivor joins CIBC Run for the cure to raise funds and hope

13h ago

Plans in place

Construction begins on permanent Humboldt Broncos memorial

Oct 05, 2024

Big Win Over La Ronge

North Stars shine against the Ice Wolves

Oct 05, 2024

He said the association supports the principle of the bylaw for protective services, but has some questions about it.

“Our association and our members do want these property owners penalized for failing to comply with the applicable municipal and provincial laws,” he said. “However, the lack of consultation with our association and its members we represent here in North Battleford is concerning.”

For rental properties, Choquette said tenants should be held accountable for infractions, not just landlords.

“If it is legally possible, we would recommend that orders to remedy under this bylaw be instituted and be able to issued against both tenants and the property owner, similar to the property maintenance bylaw. That’s really about punishing who is committing the crime, who is doing the damage, who is requiring the emergency services.”

Choquette asked the city to delay making a final decision on the bylaw until June of 2024 to allow time for community consultation.

If an amended bylaw is passed, he asks council to pass a resolution that directs administration to report annually on the costs recovered under the bylaw and the number of property owners penalized.

“Adding more red tape to a municipality is not the way to attract continued investment in the City of North Battleford,” Choquette also noted.

He recommended the city amend the bylaw wording or clarify the steps of warnings as he finds the definitions vague.

Coun. Bill Ironstand said the bylaw will help landlords know more about what is taking place in their properties.

He noted this will be a tool to “let landlords know what is happening in their rental properties, so we don’t hear anymore: ‘I didn’t know they were doing that.’”

City of North Battleford Director of Protective Services Lindsay Holm told battlefordsNOW, in response to the Landlords Association concerns, that the bylaw pertains to all properties in the city, not only rental properties.

“We don’t want to punish anybody that is utilizing 911 for the Mental Health Act, child protection, or anything [like] domestic violence,” Holm said. “Those are legitimate needs in calls for service. What we’re more looking at is the lesser calls for service that can be avoided. A lot of it has to do with the upkeep of the properties themselves. Some of it will fall to rental properties but as a whole we’re looking at this city-wide. It’s not just rental properties that we’re looking at.”

In response to the landlord association’s issues he said the bylaw mainly addresses community safety.

“This council has been very supportive of the community and community safety as a whole,” he said. “I think they will take what they heard tonight and the comments from Cameron into consideration when they look at that bylaw for its third reading. Ultimately, this council is going to come to the appropriate decision with respect to whether or not that bylaw proceeds after third reading. They will advise administration as to which way they would like to see that go.”

—

Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @battlefordsnow