(file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Budget 2024

City passes budget with 4.42 per cent tax increase

Dec 11, 2023 | 11:21 PM

North Battleford city council has passed the 2024 operating budget that will see a 4.42 per cent property tax increase.

Administration originally proposed a 5.12 per cent tax increase but council was able to whittle down that amount in its budget deliberation meetings.

Some of the reasons for the tax increase are due to anticipated increases in RCMP contract costs as well as retroactive costs.

“Overall our budget every year has a significant increase for RCMP [services],” Mayor David Gillan said. “Now that they are unionized the increases are more. They do deserve it.”

He added another cost impacting the operating budget is the increased cost for city staffing. Plus, the added cost for 2024 of planning work for the city’s new arena to replace the existing site.

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“That’s to summarize what this budget is all about,” Gillan said.

In addition to the property tax increase, council also approved a waste management (recycling and garbage collection) increase of 4.4 per cent. As well, water services will see an increase of 4.5 per cent and sanitary sewer services 4 per cent.

Looking at the capital side, the city has a number of projects planned ahead for 2024. While it is starting to plan for the new replacement arena for the future, it still needs to invest money in the old site.

“The old rink also needs to hang on for many years yet until we’re able to find the right funding and new location for the new rink,” Gillan said. “This is going to take many years. But in the meantime we have an old rink that still needs to be maintained for safety and accessibility.”

The bathrooms in the upstairs lounge of the facility will be improved as part of the work.

The city also plans to purchase more essential equipment for maintaining its roads. It will also be making storm water improvements at the Industrial Park.

Another initiative the city will undertake is installing a lighted crosswalk on 100 Street at 17 Avenue to improve accessibility and safety.

“Do you know how dangerous and hard it is to cross 100 Street some days,” Gillan said. “It’s very important to be investing in the crosswalk and lights.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow