Neat to Know: February 13, 2025
Back to Search
Your weekly roundup of City news, updates, and other important information.
Family Day closures and service disruptions
Hours and services at various City of Medicine Hat facilities will be affected by the Family Day statutory holiday on Monday, February 17, 2025.
Visit our holiday hours page to view what to expect for City facilities, Medicine Hat Transit, and Waste Collection on Family Day.
Wanna skate during the break? Check conditions!
The kids are off school for the week, and the weather looks like it’s slowly warming back up!
It’s looking like the perfect combination for them to get out and enjoy our outdoor rinks, ponds and toboggan hills over the February break.
Before heading out, make sure to check the conditions of these amenities around the city!
Updates are provided weekly on Friday afternoons. Check out the outdoor rinks and ponds map tomorrow afternoon for the latest ahead of the break.
Some water lines are at-risk when weather’s beyond brisk
During the cold-weather months, our Environmental Utilities staff monitors the frost level in the ground at six frost monitoring stations installed throughout the city. The frost monitoring stations are installed in areas found to be particularly at risk of experiencing frozen water service lines during extreme and prolonged cold temperatures.
To avoid the expense and inconvenience of an emergency break or frozen water service line, the City proactively contacts select ‘at-risk’ customers who may need to turn a cold-water faucet on in their home or business as an immediate mitigation measure to save our infrastructure. These identified ‘at-risk' customers are eligible for the "Water Lines at-risk" utility rebate program.
Based on the frost level data retrieved over the last couple of weeks, we have begun contacting these at-risk customers. Check out updates, including frequently asked questions on medicinehat.ca/frozenwaterlines. You can also contact eu@medicinehat.ca for additional questions on frozen water lines.
How to prevent freezing water lines
Not considered an at-risk customer? Consider the following actions to protect your water lines from freezing:
- Repair broken windows and ensure windows and vents are closed during the winter.
- Insulate water lines in unheated areas, including crawl spaces.
- For sinks located against a non-insulated outside wall:
- Open the vanity door to allow warm air to reach the water line.
- Heat tape wrapped around the line may keep the pipe from freezing.
- Residents in mobile homes should check the condition of the heat tape on their water service and water meter.
- Water faucets outdoors and underground sprinkler systems should have the water supply shut off inside the house at the isolation valve for the faucet/hose bib.
- Irrigation lines should be drained/blown out.
- Run a stream of cold water (the width of a pen) continuously from at least one faucet.
- If you plan to be away from home over the winter period:
- Close the main water isolation valve located next to the water meter.
- Leave the heat on in your home and set to a reasonable temperature.
- Have someone check inside your home frequently.
If you think that you may be experiencing a frozen water line, call the Environmental Utilities emergency line at 403-502-8042, 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.
HAT Smart EnerGuide Home Evaluation
With an EnerGuide Home Evaluation, learn how your home uses energy and what improvements can help you save. HAT Smart offers a $200 rebate for evaluations completed between January 1 and December 31, 2025.
Did you know that an EnerGuide Home Evaluation is required if you plan to participate in the HAT Smart Existing Homes incentive? Stack the EnerGuide Home Evaluation incentive with the Existing Homes incentive to maximum savings.
You can help provide warmth
The Community Warmth program was established in 2010 to assist utility customers who experience difficulty in making utility payments. Since then, the program has assisted 643 families from $358,615 in donations.
Donating is easy! You can add a monthly contribution (even as little as $1!) to your utility statement every month. Set it and forget it – and know that you are helping someone in our community keep the heat on. Visit the website to sign up.
medicinehat.ca/CommunityWarmth
Cold weather kept things brrr-ight
Our staff had to push back the process of taking down all 354 of festive light displays on light posts around the city due to the cold spell this past week.
After being slated to start Monday, February 10, they’re now set to begin Tuesday, February 18 after the long weekend. This process is expected to last a couple of weeks.
If you see our crews along roadways taking down lights, please drive with caution, and obey the posted speed limits and signage. Thank you!
Service charges
As we continue to break down the different types of charges on your utility bill, the one that gets the most attention is the “service charge.”
And we get it! Without actively looking to find out what they are for (or reading it in Neat to Know!), service charges can seem vague and mysterious. The most common complaint we hear is that service charges are only a tactic for the City to collect more money. But service charges have a specific purpose:
The service charge is a fixed daily charge that covers costs associated with providing and maintaining utility service to a location. Here are some of the items covered by service charges per utility:
-
Electricity: wires, transformers
-
Natural gas: gas lines, pipes
-
Water: pipes, booster stations
-
Sewer: pipes, lift stations
-
Solid waste: pickup and disposal of residential waste, including tipping fees at the landfill
For all Medicine Hat’s utilities, service charges also cover the cost of the vehicles, staff, and regular overhead needed to install and maintain infrastructure.
Service charges (and all your other utility charges) are clearly defined in the “Understanding the language on your utility bill” section at medicinehat.ca/utilitybill
Seacans repurposing proposals - apply before February 21
The application process is still open for community members interested in acquiring one or more decommissioned seacans from Towne Square. Applications will be accepted until Friday, February 21, 2025 at 3 p.m. You can read about the application guidelines here.
Learn about Neighbourhood Associations in Medicine Hat
Learn about what has been happening with Neighbourhood Associations in our community and connect with others who are interested in starting or growing neighbourhood associations. This upcoming Info Night provides an opportunity to think about what events you might like to see in your neighbourhood and plan for some next steps. Connect and build ideas about how to make our neighbourhoods even stronger and more vibrant than they already are! There is no cost to this event. Join us on Tuesday, February 25 at the Esplanade Studio Theatre at 6:30 p.m.
Medicine Hat Arts, Heritage and Entertainment Plan (AHEP)
The AHEP provides a framework for all cultural providers to work towards a common goal. Community Development is seeking community members interested in participating as part of a focus group! This group will be composed of various individuals throughout the sector to work through actioning the learnings of AHEP. The twelve-person group will meet four times in 2025. Sign up for the AHEP focus group before Thursday, February 27, 2025.
YXH Airport usage flies high in 2024
Service delivery soared for the Medicine Hat Regional Airport in 2024.
This past year was the busiest for total aircraft landings and takeoffs since 1981.
A total of 29,020 aircrafts landed on and took off from the YXH tarmac. This stat includes all airport partners, not just those from commercial airline service. And in total, approximately 33,000 passengers travelled via the airport in 2024.
While we aren’t involved in private or commercial air service, our maintenance staff will continue working with all airport partners to ensure YXH is a facility that meets the needs of those who utilize it, including the public.
We look forward to another banner year in 2025 at YXH!
Family Day Fest 2025
Big Marble Go Centre – Monday, February 17
Join us for an unforgettable Family Day Fest! Big Marble Go Centre is hosting a total facility take-over, packed with exciting free activities for the whole family.
Mark your calendars, bring your loved ones, and make this Family Day one to remember!
Tickets for swimming are still available – secure yours while you can! Tickets are free and just for capacity purposes.
We can’t wait to celebrate Family Day with you!
To receive updates directly to your inbox, subscribe to eNotifications for the categories that interest you. There is a blue box at the bottom of each page on our website that will allow you to sign up for a variety of list-serves, or go there directly with the button below.
If you are interested in career opportunities at the City of Medicine Hat, sign up for job alerts.
Subscribe