Medicine Hat Minute: Issue 241

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

📅 This Week In Medicine Hat: 📅

• The Public Services Committee will meet today at 2:00 pm. The City is updating its Community Funding Framework to improve transparency, accountability, and alignment with Council priorities. The framework guides funding for social, arts, culture, heritage, and community vibrancy programs through grants administered by the Community Vibrancy Advisory Board (CVAB), which makes recommendations to Council for final approval. Funding streams include Festivals and Events, Projects and Activities, Family and Community Support Services, and Microgrants. 
  
  
• City staff are requesting to delay updates to the Unsightly Property Bylaw until the fourth quarter of 2026, citing other pressing priorities such as the Off-Site Levy Bylaw and revisions to the Land Use Bylaw. Managing Director Pat Bohan explained that significant staff resources are needed for public engagement and to deliver findings on these major initiatives. The Off-Site Levy Bylaw, used to charge developers for infrastructure costs, has been under review since 2022, while the Land Use Bylaw, originally drafted in 2013, is also undergoing revisions. Council had previously directed staff to explore stronger enforcement for dilapidated properties.
  
  
• Committee meeting recordings will now be posted online to improve public access and awareness of City activities. Meetings from committees such as Administrative and Legislative Review, Audit, Development and Infrastructure, and Public Services will be uploaded to the City’s YouTube channel the day after each meeting, with separate playlists for each committee. While live streaming won’t be available due to technical limitations, meetings remain open to the public except for closed sessions. 
  
  
• Medicine Hat saw a significant rise in housing starts in 2025, with 317 new units built compared to 193 in 2024. This contributed to Alberta setting a provincial record of over 53,000 housing starts, up 14% from the previous year. Other cities like Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, and Grande Prairie also saw increases. Medicine Hat ranks third among Canada’s most affordable small and mid-sized rental markets, with average rents slightly declining for one-bedroom units and rising modestly for two-bedroom units.
  
  
• Medicine Hat is launching a pilot project to provide public transit service on three statutory holidays in 2026, starting with Family Day on February 16th. The initiative responds to rider requests and aims to evaluate ridership levels and the benefits of holiday service. The first two pilot days will include Family Day and Canada Day, while the third holiday will be chosen based on usage patterns from the first two days, with options including National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Remembrance Day, or Boxing Day. Transit will operate Sunday service hours, 8:15 am - 7:15 pm. 

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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