The signatories to last year’s Sacichawasihc Relationship Agreement are moving ahead with the next step in the development of the Battlefords Regional Community Coalition.
That plan is to formally register the organization under the Non-Profit Corporations Act, 1995.
The Sacichawasihc Relationship Agreement was signed in 2019, bringing together the City of North Battleford and the Town of Battleford with five regional First Nations (Moosomin, Sweetgrass, Saulteaux and Little Pine First Nation, and the Lucky Man Cree Nation).
According to Mayor Ryan Bater, the discussion over the past year centred on strengthening that partnership and formalizing that partnership.
“There is a desire by the leadership around the table to incorporate an organization with an associated bylaw structure,” said Bater. The idea is to create an organization “which can withstand political turnover as First Nations and municipalities have elections.”
As well, there is a desire to see financial support for the partners. Most of the funding so far has been through the federal government through Indigenous Services Canada and through the Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs CDC.
At a meeting of North Battleford city ncouncil Monday the decision was made for the city to become a signatory to the new corporation. The city has agreed to support the entity by provide ongoing operating funding to the new corporation of $30,000 per year, initially for a three-year period (2021, 2022, 2023) and on a prorated basis for 2020.
According to a city memo, that funding comes from money reprofiled by the elimination of the Battlefords Regional Community Coalition (BRCC) - Project Manager position held by the city’s community safety coordinator Herb Sutton. According to the city, Sutton is retiring and the intention is to reproduce the funding for his position to the new corporation.
The resolution to become a signatory to the new corporation and to repurpose the funds from the project manager position carried at Monday’s meeting.
