North Battleford Mayor pleased with efforts of group lobbying with province in Ottawa last week

A whirlwind two days of meetings in Ottawa on October 1st and 2nd have left North Battleford Mayor Kelli Hawtin feeling encouraged by the strengthened relationships between Saskatchewan municipalities and the Provincial and Federal Governments.

Hawtin represented the City as part of a delegation that advocated for a flexible infrastructure funding program to succeed the current Investing in Communities Infrastructure Program (ICIP), which is at capacity. The Government of Saskatchewan-led group underscored the importance of funding not only roads, wastewater and water treatment, but to extend eligibility to projects like transportation, disaster mitigation, and community recreational facilities, the latter of which was Hawtin’s primary focus as a group of communities, First Nations, and Tribal Councils from the Battlefords assess whether or not a new regional arena and events centre will be built to replace the aging Access Communications Centre.

Delegates made their case for tripartite funding needs in meetings with the Saskatchewan Conservative MP Caucus, Saskatchewan Senators, Policy Advisors for the Secretary of State for Small Business and Tourism, the Secretary of State for Rural Development, the Hon. Buckley Belanger, Ministry of Finance officials, the Hon. Eleanor Olszewski, Minister Responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada/Emergency Management and Community Resilience, and the Hon. Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure.

“Each delegate from Saskatchewan provided the same, unified messaging to the Federal Government, in that, there are several large capital infrastructure projects which are priorities in our communities. However, these projects will not be feasible without the Federal Government’s investment to match municipal and provincial contributions,” commented Hawtin. “The Province and each municipality made it clear that we were each ready with our financial contributions to our respective infrastructure projects and the urgent need at this time is for funding from the federal government.”      

The Province’s Minister of Government Relations, Hon. Eric Schmalz, and the Minister of Advanced Education, Hon. Ken Cheveldayoff, were joined by municipal delegates from Saskatchewan, including Hawtin, Mayor Chad Bachynski (Regina), Councillor Zach Jeffries (Saskatoon), Mayor Aaron Kienle (Yorkton), Mayor James Murdock (Moose Jaw), Mayor Al Bridal (Swift Current), Mayor Bill Powlaninsky (Prince Albert). Vice President of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA), Dawn Kilmer, and Bill Huber, President of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), rounded out the group. 
 
While it is unclear what, if any, type of funding will be announced for future capital infrastructure projects in the upcoming Federal budgets in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026, Hawtin is optimistic about joint advocacy efforts as a way to achieve some of the City’s short- and and long-term goals.

“We have been working hard to take a partnership approach with our regional neighbours, and we are seeing what we can accomplish when we work together on common goals that will benefit the Battlefords,” said Hawtin. "I am very encouraged and impressed by the collaborative spirit between the Federal and Provincial Governments as we continue to develop these important multi-government relationships.”  

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For more information:
Candace Toma, Public & Intergovernmental Relations Coordinator
306-441-0713 | publicrelations@cityofnb.ca