The downtown of North Battleford. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW)

By Kenneth Cheung

MUNICIPAL MATTERS

‘A reasonable budget’: North Battleford approves 2026 budget with 3.3% hike, levy increases

Dec 9, 2025 | 9:43 AM

North Battleford city council has approved its 2026 municipal budget Monday, adopting a general increase of 3.296 per cent along with multiple levy and utility rate adjustments that officials say are needed to manage inflation, maintain services and address aging infrastructure.

Taken together, the city’s General and Utility funds represent more than $48.7 million in combined operating and capital spending for 2026, according to the budget documents, with additional UPAR roadway and sidewalk work funded through its own capital program.

The financial plan raises the Underground Pipe and Asphalt Replacement (UPAR) levy by five per cent, and increases the Recreation and Cultural Capital Facilities (RCCF) levy by 10 per cent for residential, multi-residential and condominium properties. The UPAR fund aims to replace 6.7 kilometres of roadways next year.

Water services will rise five per cent, sewer services 2.9 per cent, and mailed paper utility bills will carry a new $2 monthly charge starting in February.

An average residential property assessed at $192,871 will see an increase of $8.78 per month, while a higher-value home assessed at $328,000 will increase by $11.36 per month.

Freedom and Flexibility

How App-Based Work Creates Economic Opportunity

Dec 12, 2025

Riderville

Now for the Hard Part

Dec 10, 2025

Seniors Scene

Christmas is Coming

Dec 09, 2025

Commercial properties will see monthly impacts ranging from $13.09 to $56.59, depending on assessment.

Mayor Kelli Hawtin said the city attempted to keep increases manageable given the inflationary pressures affecting households.

“We all understand that there are cost-of-living issues right now. The cost of groceries is going up, and day-to-day costs are rising, putting a lot more pressure on households. So we’re mindful of that,” she said.

“It is tough – any sort of increase – but we tried to keep it as reasonable as we can to continue delivering the services our residents expect and need.”

She added that the price of “asphalt or chemicals or the various items we use in the city” has risen significantly, making it difficult to avoid increases.

Hawtin described the financial plan as “a reasonable budget,” given there is only about 1.53 per cent increase in the operational budget. Those operational costs include utility bills, collective agreement wage increases, fuel, oil, and chemicals used for water treatment and the pool.

New initiatives planned for 2026

Beyond day-to-day operations, the 2026 budget introduces several new initiatives. Finance director Margarita Pena said administration is working to support safety efforts and new development tools.

“We try to go with all the capital needs and we are also trying to incentivize or look after the safety of the downtown and of the city overall,” she said.

She added that 2026 will be a busy rollout year. “Our plates are full already and for January 2026, we’re ready to start working on some of these initiatives and proposals that we need to bring back to council.”

The budget includes funding for downtown safety initiatives, urban forestry and tree disease management, economic development incentives, an airport capital development study, and new work on procedures for incentive programs. It also dedicates money to demolish derelict or unsafe properties – a long-standing concern raised by residents.

“Community members, for a while now, have discussed with the council the need to take care of old properties, boarded up properties, and unsafe properties. So, we’re dedicating funds to that,” Hawtin said.

“Finance is going to be working on that as well next year of how we can, if we have extra funds from year to year, that we roll those over, so those funds will be dedicated to taking care of demolitions within the community.”

She said economic development work is also intended to “grow the assessment so that we have more ratepayers able to take on the cost of running a city.”

The increases approved Monday do not include any assessment changes. Pena told council that mill rates and taxation methods will be discussed in 2026.

Budget documents are posted publicly on the city’s website.

—

Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com