The first-ever female mayor of North Battleford, Kelli Hawtin, delivers her speech during the 2025 State of the City address at the Dekker Centre on March 12, 2025. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Kenneth Cheung

YEAR-ENDER CHAT

‘A very progressive year’: North Battleford first female mayor reflects on 2025, looks ahead

Dec 29, 2025 | 6:00 AM

As 2025 comes to a close, North Battleford Mayor Kelli Hawtin says the past year was about laying the groundwork for long-term change rather than delivering quick wins.

“It’s been a very progressive year,” Hawtin said.

“I feel like we’ve worked hard on a lot of initiatives over the course of the year and I feel that we are making progress as a community and as a city.”

Now finishing her first full year as mayor – and the first woman to hold the role – Hawtin described 2025 as a period focused on strengthening relationships, advancing public safety and positioning the city for future economic growth.

Strengthening relationships

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One of council’s key priorities this year, Hawtin said, was improving relationships with other orders of government and regional partners.

“2025 was a year that we spent a lot of time strengthening our relationships with other orders of government, with the provincial government, with the federal government, our local municipalities and our First Nations,” she said.

While relationship-building is ongoing, Hawtin said council placed increased emphasis on provincial and federal ties, adding she believes that work “will start to bear fruit for us as we work on several initiatives.”

North Battleford Mayor Kelli Hawtin, in a black-and-white blazer, and other Saskatchewan municipal and provincial leaders during meetings in Ottawa on Oct. 1 and 2. The delegation met with federal ministers and senators to advocate for renewed infrastructure funding to support community projects across the province. (photo credit: Government of Saskatchewan)

Public safety focus

Community safety, particularly downtown, was another major focus.

“We introduced foot patrols by the RCMP and community safety officers,” Hawtin said, noting the RCMP also added nighttime bike patrols to tackle property crime.

READ MORE:

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• Battlefords RCMP launch night patrols to tackle property crime
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The city secured a community safety and well-being coordinator position, which Hawtin said supports better coordination among local agencies.

“It’s really about how we take all of our community agencies and get them partnering better together to improve outcomes for all of the residents and clients that they serve,” she said.

North Battleford Mayor Kelli Hawtin,left, and Battlefords RCMP detachment commander Insp. Ryan How during the 2025 State of the City address at the Dekker Centre in North Battleford on March 12, 2025. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW)

Hawtin also pointed to the announcement that Saskatchewan Marshals Service (SMS) will establish their regional headquarters in North Battleford, calling it “promising.”

READ MORE:

• Sask. Marshals first regional headquarters to open in North Battleford this fall
• Three members hired ahead of Sask. Marshals Service regional HQ launch in North Battleford
• Meet Teddy Munro, the First Nation officer shaping Saskatchewan’s Marshals Service
• ‘A historic day’: Red Pheasant becomes first Sask. First Nation to sign MOU with Marshals Service

Changing perceptions

Hawtin said shifting how the city is perceived – both internally and externally – remains important.

Statistics Canada continues to publish Crime Severity Index data, she said, but the removal of national crime rankings has been positive for the community.

“That Crime Severity Index tool is used as a resourcing tool for police. That’s what it’s intended to be used for,” Hawtin said. “We’ve had a removal of rankings, which has been very positive, I think, for our community.”

She said the former rankings had negatively affected morale and made it harder for businesses to recruit workers.

“The ability to recruit people is improving,” she said. “That was one of the major issues that we had with this ranking that used to occur.”

Hawtin said she is hearing fewer negative comments about the city and seeing signs of renewed community pride.

“We have to be our own biggest cheerleaders in this community,” she said.

READ MORE:

• ‘Our potential to grow here is huge’: Battlefords mayors map out shared future
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Economic development and infrastructure

On economic development, Hawtin said council focused on removing barriers and tracking interest in new projects.

The city updated its Official Community Plan and zoning bylaw, adopted downtown development incentives and began tracking development inquiries for the first time.

“Building permits are up for 2025 as of our last third quarter report,” she said, adding final numbers will be available in the new year.

Hawtin also highlighted a large land sale with Mosquito Grizzly Bear’s Head Lean Man First Nation as a significant milestone.

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• North Battleford council approves zoning bylaws changes to support business growth
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Infrastructure work continued across the city, including major UPAR replacements along 110th Street and ongoing efforts to address derelict and boarded-up properties.

“We dealt with thousands of potholes this year because of our aging roads.”

L- R: Coun. Kent Lindgren, Director of Operations Stewart Schafer, Mayor Kelli Hawtin, UPAR Project Manager Jaime Garcia, and Coun. Dennis Mercer, at the official re-opening of 110th Street in September 2025. (City of North Battleford / Facebook)

Looking ahead to 2026

One of the city’s largest long-term projects — a proposed regional arena and event centre — advanced in planning this year, with terms of reference signed and city funds advanced to support fundraising preparations.

“While nothing physically is done with it, we’ve been doing a lot of the planning work,” Hawtin said, adding the city continues to advocate for provincial and federal funding.

Should all go as planned, the facility is set to open by 2032.

READ MORE: North Battleford mayor hopeful future federal budget will support proposed regional arena

Looking ahead to 2026, Hawtin said council will continue to focus on derelict properties, surface road repairs and advancing the arena project, with hopes of launching fundraising in the spring.

On a personal level, Hawtin said her motivation comes from living and raising a family in North Battleford.

“I love living in North Battleford,” she said. “Having a healthy and thriving community matters deeply to me personally.”

As the city prepares for a January byelection and another year ahead, Hawtin said she hopes residents feel optimistic.

“My hope is that the community is feeling hopeful and optimistic for the future ahead,” she said.

—

Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com