Town of Battleford preparing for a future as a city

The Town of Battleford saw a nine per cent increase in population, according to the recent 2016 census and is inching closer to becoming a city — something the town is preparing for.

The new census revealed the Town of Battleford’s population has grown to 4,429, which is up almost 400 people from the 2011 numbers. Chief administrator for the town, John Enns-Wind, said the nine per cent increase is a great reflection on the town, which is just roughly 500 people away from becoming a city.

“We’d like to be a city somewhere in the 2020’s,” Enns-Wind said. “That is an aspiration of the previous council. There are benefits to becoming a city, just like there aren’t benefits.”

The positives to becoming a city, said Enns-Wind, are access to a bigger pool of money for funding. Also, the mayor of Battleford will be a part of the Saskatchewan mayoral caucus, which provides the city with access to more information and makes it easier for the mayor to network with other municipalities. The negatives with becoming a city are monetary, according to Enns-Wind. If Battleford reaches 5,000 people, it goes from paying 50 per cent of RCMP costs to 70 per cent.