The City of North Battleford is looking at its plans to fund its share of the new handi-bus cost. (File photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

In The Chambers

City to review funding strategy to cover its share of new handi-bus cost

Aug 20, 2019 | 9:16 AM

The City of North Battleford will need to change lanes a little to look for another internal source to cover its share of the cost of the new handi-bus.

It had hoped to use additional gas tax funds for the project but discerned it is not permitted to apply these funds for this purpose since the project is already receiving funds from the provincial government.

“That is not allowable because you can’t use government resources to match government resources at a higher government level. So, we have to use our own internal resources. [Council’s] resolution tasks the city manager with finding them,” Mayor Ryan Bater said following Monday’s council meeting.

The handi-bus serves people with disabilities in the Battlefords. The additional handi-bus was needed to meet the high need for the service, and also provide support as another back-up vehicle.

The handi-bus project is being funded jointly by the City of North Battleford, the Town of Battleford and the province.

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North Battleford lawmakers gave the green light to help fund the new handi-bus purchase in July.

The province will pay up to $55,000 of the cost of the handi-bus, estimated at about $110,000. The city agreed to pump in about $39,900 for its share, and the town will give $16,500.

Bater said the city is still onboard with the purchase, but since it can’t use its gas tax money it will look at other options.

The mayor said the provincial funding for the new handi-bus was an attractive offer.

“Our partners in the Town of Battleford are in agreement with us, and we are going to make this investment,” Bater said. “We are leveraging dollars from three different governments. It’s a unique and rare opportunity, and we don’t want to squander it.”

Battlefords Transit had originally requested the city and town help fund the project, with the province providing a large chunk of the cost as an added incentive.

The organization was approved for provincial funding for the project through the Transit Assistance for People with Disabilities (TAPD) capital grant program.

City administration will now need to look at the city’s internal resources to find another way to pay for its share of the cost.

The city manager will report back to council with his findings, and recommend a solution.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow