A host of fees for a range of items are going up at in North Battleford, following the final passage of a number of fee bylaws Jan. 24.
The first bylaw passed established fees for the provision of tax certificates, tax searches, property assessment sheets and for NSF charges. Tax certificate fees have now gone up from $20 to $25 dollars and NSF charges rise from $10 to $20 for every NSF cheque returned to the city.
A second bylaw establishes new business permit and business license fees. Building permit fees are set at $5 per $1,000 of construction value up to $100,000 and at $4.50 per $1,000 of construction value over $1,000. The minimum permit fee is to be set at $60. The fee for proceeding without a building permit is being doubled.
A five per cent across-the-board increase for new business licenses was also approved.
A new bylaw amends the Fire Prevention and Emergency Services Bylaw to establish a number of fee increases for certain emergency services.
Inspection fees are being increased to $90 per hour with a two-hour minimum to reflect the true cost of having senior personnel deliver those services, with travel time of $90/hour plus vehicle costs for out-of-town services. The old rates saw the City charge $55 for the first hour and $45 for each additional hour for inspection services.
Hydrant flow tests increase from $70 to $275.
Emergency response requests for dangerous goods responses, formerly billed at $800/hour, now increases to $1,000/hour for the first hour and $850/hour for each additional hour.
There are also increases in fees for recharging SCBA air bottles; a change in the fees for hydrostatic testing of SCBA bottles to $100 per bottle from the current $75; changes to standby services fees and a hike in permit fees from $10 to $15 for permits to burn, fireworks permits and outdoor fire permits.
