(photo/ Gilbert Katerynych)

By Kenneth Cheung

STEPPING INTO 2025

‘We’re all on the same team’: Battlefords residents push for positive change in 2025

Dec 30, 2024 | 3:52 PM

As residents in the Battlefords prepare to take on a new year, there is a sense of optimism and a desire to work together as a community in 2025.

battlefordsNOW spoke with several residents who shared their goals which included better health and financial management, but for North Battleford citizen Brian Bauche, his resolutions extend beyond that.

“I just want to try to be considerate of all the people who live in North Battleford and the challenges they face. I will then try to hold myself accountable for coming up with ways to respect them and help them in any way I can,” said Bauche.

Brian Bauche said he hopes to work with others to improve the community in 2025. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

“It’s just about supporting each other [and] bringing everyone together, respecting different people’s cultures and beliefs, religions, and saying, ‘Hey, we’re all living in a common place, a common city,’ so let’s try to work for each other,” he said.

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“We’re all on the same team.”

When asked what they hope the mayor and city council will address most in 2025, resident Lauralee St. Amant said homelessness and crime.

“I work downtown North Battleford, and I see the homelessness and the addictions and the problems in downtown, the abandoned buildings, the gang activity, so hopefully something can be done about those,” she noted.

Lauralee St. Amant hopes the new city council can help address the ongoing issue of homelessness in 2025. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

As much as St. Amant is concerned about the city’s ongoing issue, she is optimistic the municipal government will do well.

“I think they’ll do as good as any other groups, and [Mayor] Kelli [Hawtin] is off to a good start, so I think she’s gotten a lot of support,” she said.

Lisa Fox shared that one of her New Year’s resolutions is to manage her spending effectively. She also hopes that community members will look after each other more often in 2025. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

Another resident, Lisa Fox said, “I hope they can help out those people and find them more secure housing so that they’re not just kind of hanging out on the streets.”

On a personal level, Fox is hoping to prioritize her financial management and she’s not alone. A new poll by CIBC showed paying down debt is the top New Year’s resolution for Canadians. Fox said she’s feeling the pressure like everyone else.

“Hopefully, we can control our spending a little bit better because that sounds a little bit scary.”

The latest CIBC Financial Priorities poll also revealed that rising household goods costs and high interest rates are Canadians’ primary financial concerns. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed online are worried about the likelihood of a recession. However, over half of the approximately 1,500 respondents feel confident handling unexpected financial challenges.

Despite those potential challenges, residents that spoke to battlefordsNOW remain optimistic about the city’s future growth, hoping everyone can collaborate more closely to keep the city thriving.

“Let’s all make sure that we make a push next year to just provide for those people [in need] and just try to grow as a community and keep the momentum going,” Bauche said.

“Looking out for each other, and just being aware that stuff happens in our community and helping people out when they need it,” Fox said.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com