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Moose Jaw City Council voted this week to appoint eight building officials from a contracted private firm, on the recommendation of the Department of Community Services. Administration said the appointments will prevent potential bottlenecks in the city's construction and development sector.
The move, approved unanimously at Monday’s council meeting, ensures that building permit reviews and on-site inspections can continue without delay during staff absences or periods of high demand.
The eight officials are from Professional Building Inspections, Inc. (PBI), a company the City has contracted on a three-year agreement to provide inspection services on an as-needed basis.
Derek Blais, director of community services, explained the necessity of the agreement to council.
"This contract will supplement, not replace, our in-house staff, ensuring timely service delivery, full coverage across all classifications, and compliance with provincial legislation," Blais stated during the meeting.
The City currently employs only one Class 1 building official to handle residential permits and one Class 3 official for more complex commercial and industrial projects, he explained. The agreement with PBI provides crucial backup and access to a wider range of expertise. Blais noted this is a long-standing practice for the city, which has held similar contingency agreements with private inspection firms since 1999.
The primary goal is to maintain service levels and avoid delays for local builders and residents. The PBI officials can be called upon to conduct plan reviews, perform on-site inspections, and consult with designers and builders, particularly if the city's in-house staff are unavailable due to unplanned absence or are managing a peak workload.
The move comes at a minimal, budgeted cost to taxpayers. The City allocates $10,000 annually within its operating budget for these contracted services, meaning the arrangement requires no additional funding.
Councillor Chris Warren, who moved the motion, called the decision "pretty straightforward" before council gave it their unanimous approval.
The newly appointed building officials for the City of Moose Jaw, including a combination of Class 1, Class 3, and Restricted Class 2 qualifications, are: Bobby Baker, Virginia Shepley, Joshua Nitz, Cristin Korchinski, David Kindred, John Dulle, Charles Fiss, and Chantel Terry. Their appointments are effective for the duration of the contract with PBI.