Medicine Hat Minute: HALO Tracking, Tourism Growth, and Reimbursing Legal Fees

Medicine Hat Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Medicine Hat politics

This Week In Medicine Hat:

• There will be a City Council Regular Meeting this afternoon, beginning with a closed session at 3:45 pm. During the closed session, Council will discuss the ongoing municipal inspection. Once the meeting opens up to the public, at 6:30 pm, Council will discuss the Tri-Area Intermunicipal Development Plan Bylaw and make amendments to the Procedure Bylaw to provide options for electronic attendance at public hearings. Also on the agenda is a discussion about reimbursing legal fees in the amount of $76,017.62 that Mayor Clark incurred in defending against City Manager Mitchell’s defamation allegation.
  
  
• Construction will resume in downtown Medicine Hat on Tuesday as part of ongoing upgrades to Sixth Avenue Southeast and Third Street Southeast, with completion expected by late June 2025, weather permitting. The City is addressing aging infrastructure, including stormwater systems and road surfaces. Business access will remain open, and to support downtown visitors, the City is offering 20 free parking spots in the Transit Terminal Parkade. Transit service will see minor changes, with adjusted boarding locations for Routes 11 and 22.
  
  
• Medicine Hat 911 dispatch is now officially responsible for tracking all HALO Air Ambulance missions in real time through a new partnership announced this week. The move enhances safety by providing continuous oversight of HALO's flight status, location, and environmental conditions. HALO CEO Paul Carolan said while flight-following was previously done informally, this partnership ensures trained dispatchers can now intervene swiftly if issues arise.

Last Week In Medicine Hat:

• Recent statistics showed that tourism in Medicine Hat is keeping pace with Alberta’s record-breaking industry growth. From January to September 2024, the Province earned $11.5 billion from tourism, with Medicine Hat seeing a noticeable boost from American travellers and international visitors. Many tourists arrive with flexible plans, giving the city a chance to showcase attractions like its historic downtown and local restaurants. The Medicine Hat Sunshine Trolley saw a 95% ridership rate across more than 260 tours last year, reflecting strong interest in curated local experiences. New initiatives, including an Indigenous-led tour in Saratoga Park, highlighted the City’s efforts to offer meaningful, community-based tourism. Despite international political tensions, officials expect 2025 to bring continued growth as Canadians opt for domestic travel and Americans continue their bucket-list trips north.
  
  
• Local business owner Chris Hellman has announced his candidacy for council in Medicine Hat’s fall civic election, citing affordability, downtown revitalization, business attraction, and recreation as key priorities. He believes the City can ease the burden on families by using its powers to reduce costs like utility and property tax rates. Concerned about downtown challenges, including homelessness, Hellman says he aims to restore the area as a vibrant, business-friendly space. He also advocates for increased economic development to match the growth seen in Lethbridge and Red Deer.
  
  
• Medicine Hat College announced it does not plan on any layoffs in 2025 despite facing a significant drop in international student applications due to the federal cap on study permits. The College confirmed that full-time faculty positions would be maintained, even as the school dealt with an 80% decline in international applications. To offset the lost revenue, the College introduced two new programs - pharmacy technician and addiction counselling - set to launch in the fall.

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