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By battlefordsNOW Staff

Q1 REPORT

Recreation, utility gains help balance early-year shortfalls in North Battleford finances

Jun 11, 2025 | 1:56 PM

The City of North Battleford posted early-year deficits in policing and general government services during the first quarter of 2025, while water, sewer and recreation revenues exceeded expectations, according to a financial report presented to council.

The report, prepared by Margarita Pena, the city’s director of finance, outlines North Battleford’s financial position as of March 31.

Water services posted a surplus of $684,646, and sanitary sewer services showed a surplus of $535,966. Both divisions collected just over 22 per cent of their projected annual revenues, while expenses remained below 20 per cent of the year’s budget.

“We’re a little bit higher than last year, but again, we had a rate increase,” Pena said during Monday’s meeting. “So the revenue should work out nicer once we get to Q2.”

Property tax revenue had not been collected by the end of March. Pena noted property tax payments were expected to begin in June and that early-year results can appear skewed by one-time expenditures such as insurance premiums.

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“The majority of our insurance is paid up front, so the budget will be shown as fully utilized in Q1,” she said.

Policing services posted a $962,118 deficit, with operating revenues reaching just seven per cent of the annual budget. General government showed the largest shortfall at $1.79 million, including a over $227,000 expense for two studies under a Public Safety Canada grant. Although the funding is confirmed, it has not been received by March 31 and is expected in the second quarter.

“It’s going to be coming in the next week or two maximum… we’re just going to have it as a time variance for the whole year.”

Recreation revenues came in strong during the first quarter, with over $741,000 collected across program fees, rentals and cemetery services. Pena said the city’s aquatic centre brought in higher-than-anticipated revenue from school and private lessons, while the Field House saw extended rentals.

“The Aquatic Centre got some anticipated revenues from programming — so school lessons, private lessons. Similarly to last year, we have similar levels of sales,” she said, noting that recreation facilities tend to see higher use in the summer months.

“And the Field House… we were trying to have the facility closed because of so many rentals, we had more revenues.”

Pena also noted a new daytime school rental program contributed to the boost.

“This was the first time we provided that revenue service, so revenues will be going up,” she said.

As of March 31, the city had invested $167,989 in capital assets, with additional infrastructure spending expected in the second and third quarters.

Pena told council that tax enforcement efforts were improving year over year.

“As of this April, we are down to $2.3 million [in property tax receivables],” she said. “That is just when some of those initiatives we have been trying to do year after year… phone calls, emails and so on. We are just collecting taxes more effectively than in previous years.”

Mayor Kelli Hawtin said the numbers were consistent with seasonal expectations.

“Nothing really out of the ordinary at this point, but we’ll get our Q2 next month, which gets us a little more accurate picture of our finances,” Hawtin said.

“Everything’s always timing in the city — winter, summer — the budgets fluctuate depending on what the seasonality is. So come Q2 we’ll have a better picture. But I don’t think there was anything that stood out, alarming in any way.”

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com