(North Battleford Downtown Business Improvement District/website)

By Kenneth Cheung

MUNICIPAL MATTERS

New utility rates, base tax approved as North Battleford council implements 2026 budget

Jan 13, 2026 | 11:11 AM

North Battleford city council approved a series of bylaws Monday to implement the city’s 2026 budget, formally authorizing new utility rates and frontage-based infrastructure levy.

Council passed amendments to the waterworks, sewerage, waste collection and recycling bylaws through three readings at its meeting, along with a bylaw authorizing a base tax to fund the city’s Underground Pipe and Asphalt Replacement (UPAR) Program.

Mayor Kelli Hawtin said the bylaws were required to put budget decisions already approved in December into effect.

“This has all been approved in budget. Now we’re just proceeding through our bylaw process so that the administration can get utility bills out this month,” she said.

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The waterworks bylaw updates flat monthly water charges and underground infrastructure charges based on meter size, along with miscellaneous fees, including a $2 postage and administrative charge for mailed paper utility bills.

Director of Finance Margarita Pena told council the changes reflect both budget decisions and updated administrative costs.

Pena also outlined an accommodation for residents without internet access, allowing them to continue receiving paper bills at no additional cost.

“We have gone and prepared an application, an exception form for those residents who do not have internet access to continue to receive paper bills at no additional cost,” she said.

“The application or the exception will be valid for two years.”

Under that process, residents without Internet access can apply through City Hall in person or by phone, while those with internet access who choose not to use electronic billing would be subject to the postage fee.

Council also adopted amendments to the sewerage systems bylaw, updating flat monthly sewer charges based on meter size, underground infrastructure charges and volume-based rates. Pena told council the sewer changes were part of the approved 2026 budget.

The waste collection and recycling bylaw was also passed, setting residential household waste collection at $12.64 per month per roll-out cart and residential recycling collection at $7.95 per month per cart.

Council further approved the UPAR bylaw, which authorizes a frontage-based levy of $5.31 per frontage measurement in 2026 to fund underground pipe replacement, asphalt work and sidewalk projects.

Hawtin noted the levy applies to frontage rather than utility bills.

All of the rate changes and the UPAR levy were approved as part of the 2026 budget in December 2025, with the bylaws serving as the legal mechanism to collect them.

“Those were all approved on the Dec. 8 budget, and these bylaws tonight just reconcile that so our staff can start working on utility billing,” Hawtin said.

All bylaws were adopted unanimously.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com