This map provided by the City of North Battleford highlights Gregory Drive, shown in pink, where crews will carry out underground sewer and drainage upgrades before resurfacing the road as part of the 2026 Urban Pavement Asset Rehabilitation program. (Image Credit: City of north Battleford)

By Kenneth Cheung

municipal matters

Unexpected sewer collapse forces North Battleford to overhaul Gregory Drive project

Jul 17, 2026 | 3:54 PM

An unexpected sewer collapse beneath Gregory Drive is forcing North Battleford to add major underground repairs to one of its summer road projects after crews uncovered broader underground infrastructure problems during preparations for paving.

The city plans to replace a collapsed sanitary sewer, a deteriorated storm sewer and upgrade drainage infrastructure before resurfacing the road, saying completing the work now will help avoid disturbing newly constructed pavement in the future while reducing the risk of emergency repairs resulting from infrastructure failure.

Council unanimously approved the additional work Friday after administration said the contractor is available to begin the project immediately. Delaying approval could jeopardize completing the Gregory Drive paving project during this construction season.

“So instead of kicking the whole project down the road with uncertainty of completion, we’d like to start it next week and have it done this construction season,” City Manager John Enns-Wind told council.

The problems were discovered after construction began on Gregory Drive as part of the city’s 2026 Urban Pavement Asset Rehabilitation (UPAR) program.

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Inspections found a collapsed clay sanitary sewer on the south leg of the road, a deteriorated storm sewer nearing the end of its service life and undersized catch basins contributing to drainage deficiencies at the intersection.

The project will replace the sanitary and storm sewer mains with PVC pipe, install larger-capacity catch basins and add a new storm sewer manhole to improve drainage before paving resumes.

“Best practice, common sense is that we fix the subsurface infrastructure prior to fixing the surface infrastructure,” Enns-Wind said.

The work will cost $166,314 and will be funded by reallocating money already available within the 2026 UPAR paving budget rather than increasing the overall program. Funding will come from project savings, unused budget allowances and by deferring the planned rehabilitation of 104th Street between Railway Avenue and Ninth Avenue.

Administration said the 104th Street project was selected for deferral because the adjacent QuickFalls property, damaged by fire about three years ago, remains undeveloped.

Since future redevelopment could affect roadway access, sidewalks and other improvements, postponing the project could help avoid rebuilding that section of road later.

—

Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

by Kenneth Cheung

Unexpected sewer collapse forces North Battleford to overhaul Gregory Drive project

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