Why Medicine Hat
Small-town energy. Big-city opportunity.
Welcome to the City of Medicine Hat, conveniently located in the Corner of Opportunity of Southeast Alberta!
Opportunity is calling in Medicine Hat - are you ready to join the Oasis of the Prairies and economic hub of Southeastern Alberta? Here you’ll find the opportunities of a major metro area without the added stress, concerns, and much higher living expenses.
Discover our unique business advantages and why over 90% of residents said they are satisfied with their quality of life. Medicine Hat's economy, residents and households, skilled workforce, and exceptional quality of life make the city a great place to live, invest, work, and grow!
15%
Lower Cost of Labour
Operational and labour costs are lower in Medicine Hat due to our reasonable taxes, affordable land, and lower cost of living.
68.7K
Residents
Our population is young and growing steadily, with a median age of 42.4 and a workforce of over 31,710 people
330+
Days of Sunshine
With over 330 days of sunshine each year, our city offers more than just beautiful weather - it’s a bright environment for professional growth and happy living.
Our Opportunity Advantage
Our city is primed for investment in aerospace, defence, aviation, and advanced manufacturing. While our roots in agriculture and petrochemicals remain strong, we’re actively supporting high-tech industries, precision manufacturing, and energy innovation, offering the stability of established sectors and the momentum of emerging markets for sustainable success.
Diverse Workforce
The population is a mix of youth and experience with a workforce of over 23,000 people between the ages of 20-49 offering a robust labour force with skill sets ranging from general labour to engineering.
Data Source (March 2025):
regionaldashboard.alberta.ca/region/medicine-hat/
Low Taxes & Utilities
The City of Medicine Hat owns and operates its own utilities including gas and electricity, providing some of the most competitive tax and utility rates in Western Canada among cities with 50,000 residents or more.
Affordable Labour
Medicine Hat is one of Western Canada’s lowest-cost business centres as the city has the lowest living wage in the province with an average 15% lower than the Alberta average.
Data Source (November 2025):
regionaldashboard.alberta.ca/region/medicine-hat/
Market Access
Strategically positioned on the Trans-Canada Highway, Medicine Hat boasts prime transportation links, including major highways, railways, a regional airport, and access to Calgary, Vancouver, and the U.S. border.
Business Supports
As a department of the City of Medicine Hat, the Economic Development team has access to the best advisors and professionals for conducting business. We are here to support you from planning and development right through to ribbon cutting as a convenient, effective one-stop-shop.
Resources & Incentives
We have a number of unique and creative incentives and grants available to our businesses, including sizeable equipment and development tax exemptions.
Sector Spotlight
Medicine Hat's diversified economy offers incredible opportunities.
Established agriculture, manufacturing and petrochemicals sectors, the growing aviation, aerospace and defence industries, as well as our burgeoning film and culinary fields have Medicine Hat positioned for sustainable growth and long-term success.
Aerospace & Defence
Find out why Medicine Hat is quickly becoming known as the Drone City while emerging as one of Canada’s fastest growing and most important Aerospace and Defence hubs.
- Affordable airside development and access to key industry assets
- Engineering, manufacturing, and trades expertise
- Strategic position supporting research, design, and testing
- Access to 5,100km2 of Class F restricted airspace
- Nearby Canada's only BVLOS test area at Foremost
- Produces more UAVs and drones units than any other city in Canada
Fly with us.
With industry leading firms such as QinetiQ, UVAD, Landing Zones, and more, it's no surprise that Medicine Hat manufactures more drones/UAVs than any other city in Canada. Are you ready to join our growing industry cluster?
Anchor Companies
Here are some of our region's top employers, with each innovative company serving as leaders within their respective industries. Click on a logo to visit their website and learn more about these amazing employers.
Move for More
We are a warm, vibrant, feel-good city, with the attitude and natural backdrop to match.
We honour our city’s heritage while fostering progress, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Residents enjoy a balanced lifestyle where work, family, and recreation coexist without long commutes or overcrowding. The city’s size allows for ease of movement, strong community connections, and access to amenities typically associated with much larger urban centres.
Our quality of life truly does shine. Here are just a few of the reasons why 9 out of 10 Medicine Hat residents find life within Medicine Hat both rewarding and satisfying:
Affordable Living
Medicine Hat consistently ranks among the most affordable cities in Canada. In 2025, we received the lowest Living Wage in all of Alberta for the second year in a row and ranking as the third most affordable Canadian city (50,000+).
Natural Beauty
We our known for our abundance of scenic, natural beauty. Enjoy nature through our award-winning trail system of over 119 kilometers, accessible waterways, riverside parks, and the iconic coulees that wind their way through the city and area.
Arts & Culture
Medicine Hat offers a vibrant scene for arts and entertainment scene with events and performances taking place at Co-op Place, exhibits and shows at the Esplanade, historical sites and buildings, cultural heritage sites, culinary experiences and more!
Housing
The average price of a home in Medicine Hat is $379,945 compared to the provincial average of $528,261. Each of our city’s neighbourhoods is built with thoughtful purpose offering close access to schools, trail system, and shops.
Outdoor Recreation
In addition to the natural beauty of the area, Medicine Hat also offers a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities. This includes our trail system, 7 beautiful golf courses, nearby skiing, lakes, accessible waterways and more.
Food & Beverage
Our city is home to a wealth of food and beverage options. The historic downtown area has a wide variety of high-quality restaurants and cultural tastes while a number of breweries and distilleries offer a taste of the region.
Our community is safe, comfortable, affordable, and where family and friends gather to celebrate their lives. Opportunity abounds, in business and in pleasure, without commutes, crowds, and big-city hassles. We experience life up close and personal. We have hot summer nights and chinook-cheered winter days. Known as the 'Oasis of the Prairies', our city is warm at heart and in life.
Medicine Hat College
Our city is home to a growing hub of education institutions for all members of the family. Elementary and secondary schools include a variety of learning environments including: one charter school, French Immersion, and a virtual school to meet the ever-changing needs of students.
Medicine Hat College proudly serves over 2,000 full-time students each year. Offering a variety of certificate, diploma, degree, university transfer and trades programs with collaborative agreements in place with University of Calgary and Mount Royal University.
Regional Hospital
Medicine Hat Regional Hospital is an acute care facility offering 73 services. Core programs include surgical services, mental health, critical care, pediatrics, 24-hour emergency, ambulatory care, obstetrics, neonatal intensive care, geriatric services, community health, home care, X-ray and lab. The recent 30,800 sq. foot expansion includes an outpatient family maternity clinic, a cancer clinic, day medicine, the laboratory, six operating rooms, 10 NICU suites, and a rooftop helipad. Families receiving medical care at the Regional Hospital for their children can now book accommodations at Medicine Hat’s, Ronald McDonald House.
Reports and Resources
Still unsure? Check out these comprehensive reports that detail how our residents feel about the community, our community profile from an investment perspective, and our local labour market conditions.
Ready to Take the Leap?
Our growing industry clusters, business support network, and skilled workforce offer real advantages for investors and businesses without the daily grind of a big city. Are you ready to explore your next great opportunity? Click below to contact one of our economic development specialists today!
Contact Us
533 First Street SE
Medicine Hat, Alberta
T1A 0A9
403-977-0146
Email Us
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Address
533 First Street SE
Medicine Hat, Alberta
T1A 0A9
Contact Us
Email: opportunity@medicinehat.ca
Phone: 403-977-0146