Medicine Hat Minute: Power Rates, Humane Society, and New Electoral Map

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

This Week In Medicine Hat:

• There will be a regular meeting of City Council today at 3:45 pm. Council will begin in a closed (private) session before opening the meeting up to the public at 6:30 pm. First reading is due to be given to the new Outdoor Smoking and Vaping Bylaw and approvals for a new Conflict of Interest policy and Whistleblower policy will be discussed. Council will also discuss the establishment of a new Community Funding Framework for the social, arts, cultural and heritage funding streams.
  
  
• The Corporate Services Committee will meet on Thursday at 11:00 am. No agenda is available for this meeting yet.
  
  
• Annual tree pruning is underway. The Southeast and Southwest Hill neighbourhoods are the current focus and work is expected to continue until April 1st. The City is reminding drivers to slow down when workers and equipment are present.

Last Week In Medicine Hat:

• A new federal electoral map has been drawn up and tabled in the House of Commons. If approved, the Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner riding will shrink on its western side. The proposal was published in June, and public hearings were held. Now, the House will hear objections from MPs until May. If the next election is called early (before April 2024), the current map will be used. But, if the election falls after April 2024, the new boundaries will be in effect. The rationale for the new ridings, as well as maps, can be found online.
  
  
• The Southern Alberta Humane Society in Medicine Hat announced its permanent closure. The president of the organization said that health concerns led her to resign and that a replacement could not be found. The non-profit was established in 2019 and worked to place animals in homes, spay and neuter pets for owners who not afford it, help owners with emergency vet costs, and donated time, food, equipment, and supplies for animals in need. While the Society is no longer actively operating, there are several birds and cats in its care awaiting adoption.
  
  
• Fewer residents than ever were impacted by fluctuations in power rates. One month after the City’s utility department offered new contract options, four out of five power customers are on a fixed-rate contract, mostly at 2022’s rate of 8 cents per kilowatt hour. Residents without a contract are paying record-high prices of 31.94 cents.

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