By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
City of Martensville councillors passed all three readings during their July 14 meeting on a bylaw granting tax exemptions to three projects with a combined investment value of nearly $9 million.
Bylaw No. 13-2026 was an amendment to the city’s Economic Development Business Incentive Bylaw, which supports new commercial and industrial construction by offering property-owners tax abatements that correlate to the level of investment.
The first project to be granted a tax exemption is the construction of a new 7,500 square foot commercial building at 900 8th Street South in Martensville, which is being proposed by Eco Properties Inc.
As noted in a report from Economic Development Manager Dillon Shewchuk, the project consists of a 4,000 square-foot bay occupied by an elevator service company called Eco Elevator and two other bays totalling 3,500 square feet in size that would be occupied by future commercial tenants.
The total project investment is approximately $1.43 million, which includes land acquisition, site servicing, engineering, construction, paving, landscaping and perimeter fencing. Construction is anticipated to start in September and be done by May 2027.
It is expected to generate six construction jobs during development and six full-time positions upon completion.
Shewchuk noted that under the bylaw, this project qualifies for a three-year property tax exemption.
He also pointed out that Eco Elevator is currently based out of Saskatoon and this project is intended to bring all of their administrative and warehouse operations, as well as inventory storage and service vehicle accommodations, under one roof.
“This investment will enhance operational efficiency, reduce logistical challenges and costs, and expand service capacity to continue to serve clients across the province,” he wrote.
The second project involves the construction of a new 14,400 square foot multi-tenant commercial and industrial building at 890 8th Street South, which is being proposed by J-Frame Construction Ltd.
This new building would consist of four industrial bays, with one being occupied by locally-owned stair manufacturing company Pro Step Stairs. The remaining bays would be available for lease to other commercial and industrial tenants.
The overall investment in this project is $2.5 million, which makes it eligible for a four-year tax exemption. Construction is anticipated to be completed in October.
“Generally, it’s a good fit under our bylaw,” he said.
Shewchuk also pointed out that J-Frame Construction is a relative newcomer to Martensville, having re-located to the city from Osler in 2025. Currently, they employ 30 staff at their business located at 881 8th Street South.
The final project to be granted an exemption is the construction of a new two-storey health services building at 100 Mirond Road in the Lake Vista neighbourhood.
This application was unusual in the sense that the project has already been completed. It consists of a 7,000 square foot facility currently housing Lake Vista Dental and intended to house other health care services within Martensville.
Shewchuk said the project was originally intended to be a small dental clinic focused on children’s dental care, but it evolved into a larger multidisciplinary facility designed to accommodate a variety of health care professionals. It is also the first commercial entity to locate entirely in the Lake Vista neighbourhood.
The total capital investment in this project exceeds $5 million, which makes it eligible for a four-year incentive.
As to why the incentive wasn’t applied for prior to the start of construction, Shewchuk said the applicant was apparently aware of the incentives and were working through some things “on a personal level” that meant they never applied.
In any case, the bylaw does allow for a tax incentive to be applied retroactively, as Section 5 gives council the discretion to grant tax exemptions when it is determined the project fits the public interest.
Shewchuk noted the development incorporates some environmentally conscious design features like solar power generation, electric vehicle charging stations, enhanced building insulation and a rooftop garden sustained by rainwater.