Construction Standards and Specifications

This page is a resource for contractors and engineering professionals who require technical specifications and other documents, polices and regulations related to development projects.

Municipal servicing standards manual (MSSM)

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)

The MSSM document is currently under review by Planning & Development Services. This review will confirm any updates which are required to ensure that the document aligns with the current APEGA Authentication Professional Practice Standard.

Roads and storm construction specifications

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

Water and sewer 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

Cross lot servicing

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.

Environmental site assessment

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

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

Telecommunication line assignment process
 
 Application submitted

How to apply:

Application Requirements
 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.
 City review
 Review timeline is approximately 2 weeks, depending on project complexity.
 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:

Parks and Recreation standards

Bollards and chains
Cemetery
General
Irrigation
Park furniture
Playgrounds
Seeding, soil and sodding
Signage
Site specifications
Trails
Trees, shrubs and flowers
Tennis courts

Building codes and barrier-free standards

Building codes which deal with accessibility, or barrier-free design, exist to allow proper and safe access to buildings and facilities for all people regardless of physical, sensory or developmental disabilities. The rules for barrier-free design are found in section 3.8 of the Alberta Building Code.

Accessibility Guidelines

To help explain barrier-free requirements in Alberta, the City of Edmonton has produced an Access Design Guide. The Safety Codes Council of Alberta has not yet updated its Accessibility Guidelines to meet 2019 Alberta Building Code requirements. In the interim, the City of Medicine Hat recommends the Edmonton guide.