North Battleford is helping businesses thrive in the city, making strategic infrastructure investments to improve the Yellow Sky neighbourhood, downtown and the airport.
The development also led to an influx of new businesses throughout the city, boosting the local economy and providing new options and services for residents.
鈥淵ellow Sky is the fastest growing area of the City with two new hotels, new restaurants that just opened and a new strip mall,鈥� says Jennifer Niesink, the City鈥檚 director of corporate services.
The Yellow Sky Masterplan, launched in 2018, has served as a guiding document for improving the area. Following the plan, North Battleford has invested in a new lighted intersection and lane reconfiguration on Carlton Trail.
鈥淭his allows us to keep developing safely in the area and keep it open for future investment,鈥� Niesink says.
North Battleford has also directed capital funding to build up the downtown core, and the results have been paying off with new businesses, an increase in pedestrian traffic and a reduction of vacancies.
Two large anchor businesses have moved into the area, a full Giant Tiger and a new four-screen theatre.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a total facelift for the community,鈥� Niesink says.
鈥淓xisting businesses have had a facade lift in tandem with the new renovations. We鈥檙e investing in the downtown and the downtown is investing in itself, and that鈥檚 wonderful.鈥�
The Underground Pipe and Asphalt Replacement (UPAR) program has modernized underground infrastructure in the downtown core, a benefit to all businesses. UPAR has made the downtown core pedestrian-friendly with new and wider sidewalks, bulb-outs to increase pedestrian visibility when crossing streets. Visitors can now enjoy the beautified downtown and comfortably walk to multiple stores in a single trip.
Another major City project has been the airport runway resurfacing with funding from the Government of Saskatchewan through the Community Airport Partnership (CAP) program.
鈥淎s of this year, we鈥檝e completely redone our main runway,鈥� Niesink says. 鈥淭his is important economically to the city and the region. It allows access for vital public services and opportunities for economic development dependent on this infrastructure.鈥澛犅�
This project was completed in phases over several years and involved resurfacing and redoing the entire runway.
鈥淭he new runway opens up the airport for businesses that want to use it. It also keeps us certified and relevant as an airport,鈥� Niesink says.
The City of North Battleford is investing in and building infrastructure beneficial to businesses and customers alike. This balanced approach to infrastructure development has made North Battleford an ideal location for business investment.
To learn more about the City鈥檚 business and development plans, visit .
