North Battleford Mayor Kelli Hawtin, left, and Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie pose together following their joint presentation at the Chamber on Tap: Networking with a Twist event, held Oct. 9 at The Blend Riverside in North Battleford. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW)

By Kenneth Cheung

MUNICIPAL MATTERS

‘Our potential to grow here is huge’: Battlefords mayors map out shared future

Oct 11, 2025 | 6:00 AM

The mayors of North Battleford and Battleford say partnership, safety and housing are at the centre of their new strategic plans — and they’re tackling those priorities together.

At Thursday’s Chamber on Tap networking event hosted by the Battlefords & District Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Kelli Hawtin and Mayor Ames Leslie spoke before a full house at The Blend Riverside, outlining their councils’ long-term visions and shared regional goals.

Hawtin said North Battleford’s plan is built around four strategic pillars: community well-being, infrastructure renewal, economic diversity and growth, and governance, partnerships and advocacy.

“We can’t do any of this other work without good, respectful, trusting and honest partnerships,” Hawtin said. “We can’t improve our community situation, our community well-being. We can’t get infrastructure projects done if we don’t work together with our neighbours.”

Leslie said the Town of Battleford’s new plan highlights community safety, sustainable infrastructure, quality of life, economic development and tourism.

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“The priority that is bubbling to the surface right now is twofold, to be community safety as well as housing,” he said. “We need to find a way to have more affordable housing in the Town of Battleford.”

He added that feedback from residents showed a need for safer streets and better walking paths.

“Part of our strategic plan is to make the Town of Battleford the most safely walkable as it possibly can be,” Leslie said.

Tourism is another focus.

“We need to give more reason to stop,” he said. “It wasn’t that long ago I heard the Battlefords is the best place to drive through. That resonated with our council and our residents — that we need to change that mindset.”

Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie addresses local business and community leaders at the Chamber on Tap event Oct. 9 at The Blend Riverside in North Battleford. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW)

Both mayors said collaboration will be key for major regional projects, including a potential new shared arena to replace North Battleford’s aging Access Communications Centre.

“We know we’re going to have $15 million in capital on the line,” Hawtin said. “How can we leverage this and build something better together for the region?”

Leslie called it a regional effort that depends on higher-level funding.

“It’s also going to take commitments from our federal government and our provincial government,” he said. “A lot of these projects we can’t afford to do without raising taxation to the level that businesses and homeowners just don’t find sustainable.”

The two leaders also spoke about policing and community safety. Leslie noted they’ve jointly advocated for reforms and new resources.

“Mayor Hawtin and myself spend a lot of time with Inspector [Ryan How], with Minister [Tim McLeod], with Premier [Scott Moe], advocating for changes to policing,” he said.

“We are supported and investing in the drug court — that’s going to have a significant difference in our community.”

Read more –

• Battlefords launch drug treatment court as part of crackdown on crime and addiction; lobby for bail reform
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Hawtin said downtown safety remains a pressing issue for the city.

“There’s a memo on our council agenda [for the Oct.14 meeting] to talk about removal of benches downtown,” she said.

“Removing some of [the benches] temporarily to see if that’s going to help make people feel safer when there’s not as many people congregating in certain areas,” Hawtin said.

“We’ve recently installed a couple of security cameras downtown, and we’re looking at maybe putting in more and they have the technology to be able to track people by clothes, hats, etc., so that we can actually find people that are doing bad things.”

She added the city is also pushing for a complex-needs facility and more supportive housing with community partners.

North Battleford Mayor Kelli Hawtin speaks during the Chamber on Tap event Oct. 9 at The Blend Riverside in North Battleford. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW)

Both mayors reaffirmed backing for a new Northwest College campus and long-term River Valley redevelopment, saying those projects could bring training opportunities and tourism growth.

Looking ahead, they said their municipalities are finalizing a joint official community plan to align development rules and attract investment.

“Anybody that comes to this place, they come to the Battlefords,” Hawtin said.

“If we want to be able to drive growth, drive investment, improve safety, improve the outcomes for everyone, we need to start putting our best foot forward as the Battlefords.”

Leslie closed by saying community involvement will be essential as both towns move ahead.

“No idea is dumb anymore,” he said. “Our potential to grow here is huge in the next three, five or 10 years.”

The Chamber on Tap series continues Nov. 20 at Café for You in Battleford, featuring Inspector Ryan How of the Battlefords RCMP.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com