(File photo/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

New business incentive

Town grants three-year municipal tax abatement for Oil Can Charlie’s new Battleford business

Jun 8, 2021 | 5:01 PM

Oil Can Charlie’s has been granted a three-year municipal tax abatement for the new shop coming to Battleford.

Jay Bottomley, owner of Oil Can Charlie’s in North Battleford, along with Keegan Sparrow and Sheldon Rafuse—together partners in BSR Ventures Ltd. on the project development, had previously requested a five-year abatement.

They plan to build the new location in the Battleford West commercial area.

Town CAO Ash Alam said in his report, administration recommended the town provide a municipal tax abatement according to the Town’s Commercial Industrial Incentive Program policy for new businesses, which allows for a two-year tax exemption. But council had the option to amend it to extend it past two years, to three years in this case, if that’s what it decides, while still staying within the overall policy.

Administration provided council with a list of previous abatements for new business developments the town provided in the past, which shows all new developments received two- year abatements, with the exception of Kramer Ltd. and Battleford West Place Inc., which both received five years.

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Council wanted to confer more than two years to stay competitive, while also offering encouragement for the new business and potential future development. Ultimately, it opted for a three-year municipal tax abatement.

“I feel pretty strong about it,” Coun. David George said. “They are going to be doing some extra development, I hope, in the not too distant future. I think this gives them a little more incentive to get them going on that project also.”

Coun. Shelley Boutin-Gervais, who also supported a three-year abatement, said it is essentially two years plus a one-year grace period while the site is being built.

Coun. Judy Pruden also favoured the three-year exemption.

“We have to be competitive, and we want people coming here to open business. So three years is good,” she said.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow