Council Highlights March 3, 2025

This summary provides a brief overview of City Council meetings and does not reflect all discussion and debate. For full details, download the agenda package or watch the full meeting on the City of Medicine Hat’s YouTube channel .

Under Councillor Announcements:

• Mayor Clark offered congratulations to Southeast Alberta Search and Rescue who are celebrating their 25 anniversary this year.

City Council received the following items into the corporate record: 

• Public Services Committee Meeting Minutes of February 10, 2025
• Administrative and Legislative Review Committee Meeting Minutes of February 11, 2025
• Corporate Services Committee Meeting Minutes of February 13, 2025
• Municipal Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of February 19, 2025
• Public Services Committee Meeting Minutes of February 24, 2025 

City Council received the following items for information: 

• Community Vibrancy Advisory Board Meeting Minutes of November 27, 2024
• 2024 Asset Management Program Summary
• 2025 Property Assessment Results
• Annual Community Warmth Update
• Tax Software Replaced
• Development Permit Application – PLDP20250060 – Change Of Use – Community Food Service
• Development Permits Approved - January 6 to February 9, 2025
• Public Services Committee Action Items - February 10, 2025
• Administrative and Legislative Review Committee Action Items – February 11, 2025
• Corporate Services Committee Action Items - February 13, 2025
• Public Services Committee Action Items - February 24, 2025

Under Unfinished Business:

• City Council passed second reading of Bylaw 4846, a Bylaw to adopt an updated Tri-Area Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP). The current IDP was last amended in 2020. Cypress County, Town of Redcliff, and City of Medicine Hat have been collaborating since April 2024 to develop proposed amendments to the existing IDP that are both beneficial for the region and acceptable to each individual municipality. The major changes being proposed to the IDP include the creation of a new:
  
  • City of Medicine Hat Long Term Urban Growth Area, that will feature stronger protection of strategic lands located south of the City within Cypress County for future urban expansion needs;
  • Rural Development Area (West-South), that will allow for new multi-lot country residential development opportunities while protecting the area from any new industrial activities;
  • Agri/Industrial Area, located west of the Medicine Hat Regional Airport to take advantage of potential economic development opportunities arising from the Highway 3 twinning/realignment and a potential airport runway extension;
  • Regional Heavy Industrial Collaborative Planning Area, in the northwest corner of the IDP area, replacing part of the current Commercial/Industrial Area.
  First reading of the IDP by City of Medicine Hat Council took place on January 20, 2025. Following first reading, notices for the joint public hearing scheduled for February 12, 2025, at Medicine Hat College were placed in local newspapers. Several written submissions, along with comments made by residents at the public hearing, focused largely on a few areas of concern. The IDP project team took the input from residents/stakeholders and developed additional policy clarity to address these concerns without altering the intent of the IDP. The specific sections of the IDP that underwent edits after the public hearing included 2.6 City of Medicine Hat Long Term Urban Growth Area; and 2.11 Regional Heavy Industrial Collaborative Planning Area. Bylaw 4846 will return to City Council for consideration of third reading on March 17.

• City Council approved Bylaw 4847, a bylaw to incur indebtedness by way of issuing debentures in the amount of $51,732,000 for debenture-funded Council approved 2025-2026 capital projects.

Under New Business, City Council approved:

• A motion to direct Administration to provide the potential financial impact to all ratepayers regardless of class by adjusting the medium commercial rates to 50 kVA with a consumption greater than 5,000 kWh. By extension, this would propose making the small commercial classification be defined as those with a demand of up to 49 kVA and a consumption of less than 5,000 kWh per month, by the first Regular City Council Meeting in May 2025.

• A motion to provide communication options to ratepayers when they exceed the kVA threshold, including consideration of a 60-day grace period to understand and address the factors contributing to their increased consumption.

• A motion to assign a secondary permanent commemorative name of “Commerce Way” to a portion of 6th Avenue SE from 1st Street SE to 5th Street SE. This change will coincide with celebration of the Chamber’s 125 years in operation in 2025. The Chamber of Commerce will reimburse the City’s actual costs for fabrication and installation of the commemorative signs (estimated at $1700).

Under Committee Business:

City Council approved the minimum sale price (reserve bid) and the sale conditions that apply to the Public Tax Sale Auction in accordance with Section 419 and 436.1 of the Municipal Government Act (MGA) as presented. Each year prior to March 31, a tax notification or tax recovery lien must be registered against the properties or designated manufactured homes that have tax arrears greater than one year. If the arrears are not paid, each municipality must offer for sale by public tax auction any parcel of land or designated manufactured home any time after March 31 following the year of registration of the tax notification or tax recovery lien up to March 31 of the second year.

 

Councillor Hider gave notice of the following motion:

WHEREAS the City of Medicine Hat has been the recipient of requests from non-profit organizations for operating grant funding;

AND WHEREAS a non-profit capital grant program currently exists within the City of Medicine Hat;

AND WHEREAS it would be prudent to create a fair, transparent, consistent and procedurally equitable program to process requests from non-profit organizations for operating grant funding;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council direct Administration to develop a non-profit operating grant program, leveraging the efficiencies, knowledge and experience gained in the creation of the non-profit capital grant program, with the program to be functional by June 1st, 2025.

 

Councillor McGrogan gave notice of the following motions:

WHEREAS the City of Medicine Hat Senior Management incurs expenses in the course of their duties;

WHEREAS City Council has for many years published expenses incurred while conducting City business;

AND WHEREAS the City of Medicine Hat, is committed to an open, transparent and accountable local government.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT City Council directs Administration to adjust policy to publish, twice per year, in the spring and fall, all Senior Administration expenses including line-item details including without limitation business travel, meals and hosting and employee recognition for the Senior Administration. Senior management includes the City Manager, Managing Directors and Directors. Council directs Administration to complete this by the end of Q2.

and 

WHEREAS the City of Medicine Hat has record of land use zoning for special use locations in the City;

AND WHEREAS the City of Medicine Hat, possess records and historical zoning and land use related to 737 8 Street SE, Medicine Hat;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT City Council directs Administration to provide Council with the zoning status report of 737 8 Street SE, including the dates the building was zoned for its present purpose and existing conditions related to its operation. This information is requested for the open portion of the April 7, 2025, Council meeting.