The City of Moose Jaw has introduced a new civic addressing policy that will formally regulate the size and placement of house numbers. 

An inquiry was issued from the Provincial Emergency Communications Centre, for clarity on multiple unit sites. 

According to the recommendation report from the Department of Planning and Development Services, civic addresses in Moose Jaw have been assigned inconsistently when multiple units or buildings exist on a single property. The creation of this policy will eventually be formalized into a master list, to be maintained by the Department of Information Technology.

The policy lays out some new guidelines for placement and size of civic numbers and building identifiers, specifically that each number must be at least 15 cm in height, is displayed between one and two metres above ground level, and be visible from all directions on the street, clear of vegetation or obstructions. 

Councillor Brian Swanson stated that the new guidelines would put "thousands and thousands" of residences in non-compliance. 

"I can appreciate the genesis of this policy," he said. "I'm a little concerned; those provisions there would put thousands of homes in Moose Jaw in non-compliance with the bylaw."

The new policy states that in any case where an owner or occupant of a building neglects to install the civic address as required, the Department of Planning and Development Services may serve a written request to the owner to install a number. If the owner or occupant of the building does not comply with this request within 30 days, the Department of Planning and Development Services may install the address as required, and the cost of doing so shall be recoverable from the owner or occupant. 

However, it is important to note, from the report' “Civic addresses which existed prior to the effective date of the Policy shall be grandfathered.”  

Other councillors expressed similar concern, however, director of planning and development Michelle Sanson, said the policy isn't intended to be enforced strictly onto every property. 

"It's more if there is no address on a new building, we want to make sure that they are addressed properly in the future." 

The policy was passed at Executive Committee, which means it must go for ratification at the next regular meeting of City Council Nov. 12.

Full details of the new policy are available here