Construction Standards & Specifications

NEW EDITION (Published March 2025)

These standards provide a set of guidelines that outline the minimum expectations of Municipal staff when planning the development or redevelopment of lands through the Plan of Subdivision process.

Municipal servicing standards manual (MSSM)

• For more information on how land is developed, visit Planning and Land Use

Technical specifications for Contractors performing infrastructure work for the City of Medicine Hat. Requirements and standards for safety, fencing, culverts, pavement work, storm sewers, excavation trenching & backfilling, and sidewalk construction.

Construction specifications

Design standards and construction specifications for all projects related to water and sanitary sewer. Should you have any questions, please contact us by email or call 403-529-8176.

Water and sewer specifications 

Water and sewer standard drawings

It is critically important to consider placement of services as a part of a Development Permit or Subdivision design. Developers must consider the options which can be utilized to service their sites.

Cross Lot Servicing refers to situations where services cross multiple parcel boundaries. The link below describes design options for cross lot servicing during the development planning stage.

Cross lot servicing

Acceptance of these options and instruments for cross lot servicing are at the discretion of Planning & Development Services, through the approval process.

The City must ensure that any land has suitable environmental conditions before that land is developed. It is therefore important that land developers provide environmental assessment of potential development sites.

For complete information about environmental site assessment, see below: 

Environmental Site Assessment FAQs

Telecommunication Line Assignments are to ensure there are no conflicts with existing or future municipal infrastructure.

Telecommunication line assignment process

1. Application submitted

How to apply:

Application Requirements

2. Fee received

Once your application is received, the City will contact you regarding the fee and methods of payment.

Fees and charges

• For larger telecommunication line assignment projects, an agreement and security deposit may be required.

3. City review

Review timeline is approximately 2 weeks, depending on project complexity.

4. Approval or rejection

You will receive a letter indicating approval or rejection of the telecommunication line assignment. As part of an approval, comments which specify important requirements must be addressed before work begins.

It is the responsibility of telecommunication companies to ensure that their contractors are provided with the City's approval with comments, and to ensure that the contractors have completed any specified requirements before the work begins.

Related info:

• Land Development Process
• Siting a Cellular Tower

• Contractor Use of Site (Section 01015)
• General Requirements (Section 01010)
• Submittals (Section 01300)
• Landscape Inspection (Section 01420)
• Maintenance and Guarantee (Section 01740)
• Site Clearing (Section 02110)
• Site Grading (Section 02210)
• Site Preparation (Section 02100)

• Bollard Chain Specifications (Section 02457)
• Concrete Curb Specifications (Section 02528)
• Removable Steel Bollard Detail (Drawing PK1001)
• T Bollard - Surface Mount 
• Uniform Woodguard Fencing (Section 02536)
• Wood Bollard Detail (Drawing PK 1000)

• Asphalt Road Shale Overlay Cemetery

• Irrigation Standards and Installation Specifications
• Irrigation Product List
• Unmetered 120 Volt Controller Connection
• Unmetered U/G Controller Electrical Service
• Metered U/G Pump Electrical Service
• Metered 120/140 Pump Connection
• Standard Service Connection
• Concrete Pad for Small Controller Cabinet (Drawing PK2093)
• Concrete Pad for Large Controller Cabinet (Drawing PK2016)
• Large Controller Cabinet Pedestal (Drawing PK2015)
• Small Controller Cabinet Pedestal (Drawing PK2012)
• Large Controller Cabinet (Drawing PK2014)
• Small Controller Cabinet (Drawing PK 2011)
• Water Service without Booster Pump (Drawing PK2000)
• Water Service with Booster Pump (Drawing PK2001)
• Hydrometer and Gate Valve
• Double Check Valve and Assembly
• Gate Valve and Quick Coupler (Drawing PK2017)
• Swing Joint Assembly (Drawing PK2020)
• Electric Valve and Gate Valve (Drawing PK2018)
• Water Service Vault (Drawings PK2008 and PK2009)

• Park Furniture (Section 02530)

• Playground Installation (Section 02461)
• Playground Wooden Border Header (Drawing PK1002)
• Tennis Court Asphalt Overlay (Section 02540)

• Coarse Grass Seeding (Section 02487)
• Seeding (Section 02485)
• Sodding (Section 02486)
• Topsoil and Soil Preparation (Section 02484)

• Concrete Encased Support Post
• Sand Carved Sign Specifications
• Signage Standards
• Signage Construction Specifications

• Asphalt Paving (Section 02510)
• Asphalt and Shale Overlay (Section 02516)
• Asphalt Trails 3m Width (Drawing PK1003)
• Excavation (Section 02202)
• Granular Sub-Base (Section 02222)

• Preferred Tree Species
• Tree Protection Design Standards
• Root Barrier (Drawing PK1001)
• Shrub Planting (Section 02485)
• Shrub Bed Planting (Drawing PK1005)
• Tree Planting (Section 02491)
• Tree Protection Specifications (Section 02499)
• Tree Staking (Drawing PK1004)

To help explain barrier-free requirements in Alberta, the Safety Codes Council of Alberta has updated its Accessibility Guidelines to meet current Alberta Building Code requirements.

Download the guide:

2024 Accessibility Design Guide

For further questions regarding barrier-free requirements, email us