2025-2026 budget process plays out in series of open meetings

Medicine Hat – Development of the City of Medicine Hat’s 2025-2026 budget continues with four Committee of the Whole meetings scheduled through October and November before the final budget package is presented to City Council on Dec. 2.

The Committee of the Whole meetings allow Council to dig deep into the details of a certain topic and ask questions of staff to gain full understanding before an item is formally deliberated and decided on at a regular City Council meeting. No decisions are made at Committee of the Whole meetings.

The City’s Accounting Supervisor, Aaron Hoimyr, is coordinating the development of the 2025-2026 budget and is hoping that the community will take an interest in the process.

“I really want to encourage our residents to tune in to these meetings wherever possible. This is your opportunity to better understand our City’s financial story, and how the budget impacts your property taxes and utilities, the amenities you use, and the services you receive as a City of Medicine Hat resident,” says Hoimyr. “By attending meetings or watching them on YouTube, you’ll be able to hear all of the information that is being used to make budget decisions, including our current priorities and challenges,” adds Hoimyr.

The Municipal Government Act requires all municipalities to approve a balanced budget by the end of each year. The City of Medicine Hat currently follows a two-year cycle, where a budget is established for a two-year period, with an update prepared and approved by City Council prior to the commencement of the second year if required. 

“Our objective for this budget is financial sustainability: to balance the needs of today with the requirements of tomorrow,” says Dennis Egert, Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director of Corporate Services. “Through this process, we are committed to aligning with Council’s strategic priorities, addressing community needs, balancing affordability with the need to invest in infrastructure, ensuring financial sustainability, and also using our reserves thoughtfully.”

Egert also acknowledges the value of staying informed on the City’s budget process.

“Our financial story is complex and can’t be captured in a few sound bites. These meetings, as well as the City’s Shape Your City page, are a great way to get informed.”

In developing the 2025-2026 budget, administration has identified significant challenges with inflation, aging infrastructure, and declining revenues from other levels of government, as well as the changing energy landscape and the funds that will be required to adjust to these shifts. Carefully outlining these implications to City Council and the entire community is an important step toward sound budget decisions.

“We are fortunate to have built healthy financial reserves, but we have significant offsetting financial obligations in the near term that will impact these funds. Our aim is to generate some healthy discussion and make sound decisions that meet community expectations today while still considering what our community needs in the future,” added Egert.

Preparing the City’s budget is one of the most crucial tasks for both City Council and administration. This process is lengthy, occurring over the course of several months with a multitude of inputs and considerations including what property tax and utility rate revenues are required to operate the City, what other sources of revenue are expected, what levels of service should be provided, what capital projects should occur and much more. Ultimately, the budget serves as the foundation for meeting the public service needs of Medicine Hat residents, making decisions on municipal infrastructure, and planning for long-term sustainability.

Residents can follow the budget as it takes shape by attending the following meetings, watching them on the City’s YouTube channel, or by visiting https://shapeyourcity.medicinehat.ca/budget-2025-2026.        

Council Committee of the Whole Budget Meetings
(each occurs at 3:45 p.m. in City Council Chambers)

October 22, 2024       Rate-based Utility Budget
October 30, 2024       Energy Production Budget
November 5, 2024     Municipal Budget
November 13, 2024   Land Development and Real Estate and Economic Development Budgets

At the conclusion of the committee of the whole meetings, budget decisions will occur at regularly scheduled City Council meetings. The utility bylaws identifying 2025 rates are expected to come forward at the November 18, 2024 meeting, and the final consolidated budget proposal at the December 2, 2024 meeting.

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