Chair Shelley Boutin-Gervais, left, and CAO John Enns-Wind at Battleford town council on Monday. Council approved a request for a tax abatement for economic development at its meeting. (File photo/Angela Brown) : Angela Brown

By Angela Brown

Support for economic development

Battleford council grants tax abatement for economic development

Mar 5, 2019 | 8:35 AM

The Town of Battleford approved a tax incentive to a local businessman for economic development of the vacant space in the downtown post office building at its meeting Monday.

Under the name of Fieldstone Holdings, the owner of the property requested an abatement of the 2019 municipal tax portion for the building’s upper second and third floor space, 41 per cent of the property area at 191-22 St. W. which he plans to develop. Potential plans are to lease the second floor for office space and the third floor space for an apartment.

While the majority of council was in favour of the request, Coun. Susan McLean Tady was opposed, citing a lack of formal policy in place.

“I appreciate that they have taken that building on and that they have brought Canada Post back,” she said. “But to be doing tax abatements, I think it’s something that should be available to every business we have, and not just coming at us like this. I have a problem with it.”

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The owner of the old Canada Post building is looking into installing an elevator to create a legal access to the second and third floors. Currently the upper-level space is vacant and essentially inaccessible and unable to generate revenue.

While the upper floors will receive the tax abatement, the main floor of the building used by Canada Post will be fully taxed as usual.

CAO John Enns-Wind said in his report the amount of the tax to be abated is not significant.

Following the meeting, he said the issue with the post office property is that only the ground- floor is currently functional.

“There is no legal access to the other floors, so it makes the space unusable,” he said. “That’s the basis of the request for the approval, and council’s decision is that it’s unusable space right now. “

Battleford council previously approved a separate municipal property tax abatement for another downtown building – the former Super A Foods grocery store that Discovery Co-op is renovating.

Many councillors acknowledged the importance of attracting new business to the downtown as well as the need for a formal policy.

Enns-Wind said the town is working on developing a comprehensive economic development plan for Battleford.

“I have talked to a couple of businesses about how we need to get together and start having a conversation about what should economic development downtown, revitalization look like,” he said, adding he plans to work on this initiative in April.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow