Council Highlights July 21, 2025

Item 10.1 Municipal Inspection was moved earlier in the agenda to 9.1.

Under Councillor Announcements:

• Councillor Robins congratulated Medicine Hat’s U13 Sundevils Black who won the Alberta Lacrosse Association Provincial B Championship over the weekend.
• Councillor Hider shared that she and Councillor Sharps had the opportunity to hand out medals at the 2025 Pickleball Alberta Provincial Championships, hosted in Medicine Hat from July 10 to 13.
• Councillor Hider acknowledged a memory wall, done by James Marshall and Hieland Mayzes, that is now in place in Kin Coulee Park that will commemorate the legacy of slo-pitch players in Medicine Hat.
• Councillor Knodel thanked staff and community members who came out to Hill Yeah! at Hill Pool on July 14 to celebrate the grand reopening of the pool and the completion of Division Avenue.
• Councillor Sharps noted the success of the cricket tournament recently held by the Medicine Hat Crickey Association and thanked the volunteers and organizers.
• Mayor Clark wished the U13 Mavs luck as they are in Kingston for the Little League National Championships, and are heading to the semi-finals.
• Mayor Clark reminded the community that Stampede Week is kicking off and encouraged everyone to also check out the Medicine Hat Big League Baseball 2025 Alberta Montana AA American Legion Baseball State Championships here hosted by the Medicine Hat Moose Monarchs from July 30 to August 3.
• Councillor Robins shared that this will be her final in-person council meeting and will attend remotely for the remaining four meetings of the term.

City Council received the following item into the corporate record:

• Development and Infrastructure Committee Meeting Minutes of July 3, 2025

City Council received the following items for information: 

• Police Commission Meeting Minutes of May 21, 2025
• Transportation Master Plan / Active Transportation Strategy / Transportation Safety Strategy
• Development and Infrastructure Committee Meeting Action Items of July 3, 2025

Under New Business, City Council:

• Received the Municipal Inspection presented at the Regular Meeting of City Council on July 21, 2025, as information and further direct Administration to place the Municipal Inspection report on the City of Medicine Hat webpage, as presented.

Under Unfinished Business, City Council:

• Approved distribution of the 2026-2027 Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) grants as per the Community Vibrancy Advisory Board (CVAB) recommendations.

Community Food Connections Association of Southeastern Alberta 2 Year Total
To support food security program staffing of Food Security Coordinator, Garden Program Coordinator and program development and presentation staff. These part-time positions will provide leadership and support for programs and events, including Good Food Club, Community Gardens, Food Forest, Growing Gardeners Education Program, Community Collective Kitchens Program, Hat Food Movement and Healthy Eating on a Budget Program. The intent of the programs/events is focused on developing independence, strengthening coping skills, and building relationships and support networks. The management of programs requires resources dedicated to program continuity, and these positions will continue to provide that by offering efficient leadership capacity and support.
$96,720

LEARN Community Adult Learning Council
To deliver the Imagination Alive! Program and produce a publication. Each Imagination Alive! session consists of 10 episodes with an entire high school class (there is no voluntary self-selection), being bussed to a long-term care center. The residents with dementia will have been selected by long term care staff. Two to three high school students will work with one senior. The first episode includes the students working with the senior to create a short senior's bio. There is no pressure to ensure the bios are perfectly accurate; they are just based on what the senior wants to talk about. The students will do short bios, as well, to include in the book. This is a 'get to know each other session' which breaks the ice for all concerned.
$30,000

Medicine Hat Family Service
To provide low-cost counselling services and community presentations about mental health. To provide subsidized mental health care and therapy, individual and group family counselling, and family life education services on a sliding scale. Medicine Hat Family Service (MHFS) provides affordable and accessible mental health care services to individuals, children, and families in our community. Rooted in a continuum of care model, MHFS’ approach ensures that individuals receive the right level of support at the right time, reducing barriers to care and enhancing long-term well-being.
$382,500

Medicine Hat Public Library Board
To fund the Social Work Program position. The Medicine Hat Public Library is a preventative social service support and service navigation hub. It serves as an entry point into the system of care in Medicine Hat and provides barrier free access to all community members seeking to improve social relations, community connection and integration. The office supports individuals and families needing to find appropriate resources to address housing, food, and financial security, as well as empowering people to build skills, support mental health and wellness and improve resiliency. They provide free public programming aimed at fostering relationships, improving engagement, enhancing well-being and opportunities to grow interpersonal skills.
$84,000

Medicine Hat Public School Division
To provide a Cultural Liaison Worker who will serve as a systems navigator, acting as an advocate and resource for families as they navigate educational and community processes. Meeting the family first at the registration intake process, they can be a consistent and as-needed support. This role will also be responsible for working closely with school-based teams to build their collective capacity to effectively communicate, connect, and establish collaborative relationships with families and students. The Cultural Liaison Worker will provide professional learning around cultural competence for staff and contribute to the broader system goal of inclusive classroom and school learning environments for student success.
$150,700

Medicine Hat Women's Shelter Society
To provide prevention (second stage shelter) of inter-generational family violence through the support services and educational work with clients and their children. This is achieved through one-to-one support work as well as supports offered in a group setting. Clients learn necessary life skills to better prepare themselves for independent living, to strengthen their family relationships, and help them recognize signs of unhealthy relationships so they can prevent returning to a similar situation in the future. The children and youth receive supports tailored to their age and needs to help them heal, learn their worth, and learn about healthy relationships so they too will have the tools they need to live a life free from violence.
$70,000

Total: $813,920

• Approved a motion directing Administration to review and make recommendations to improve the functioning of Bylaw 4661 - Community Vibrancy Advisory Board Bylaw by end of Q4 2025.

• Defeated a motion to move forward with the establishment of a Municipally Controlled Corporation to manage the City of Medicine Hat’s electric generation, electric distribution, gas distribution, and energy marketing and business analysis business units. The motion was as follows:

WHEREAS:

A. City of Medicine Hat (the “City”) wishes to transfer management and operations of the City’s electric generation, electric distribution, gas distribution, and energy marketing and business analysis business units to a new corporate entity;

B. The City wishes to create a new municipally controlled corporation, as incorporated pursuant to the Business Corporations Act (Alberta) (the “BCA”), to be the corporate entity to manage and operate the City’s electric generation, electric distribution, gas distribution and energy marketing and business analysis business units (the “MCC”);

C. The City intends to be the sole shareholder of the MCC;

D. Part 3, Division 9 of the Municipal Government Act (Alberta) (the “MGA”) and the Municipally Controlled Corporations Regulation (Alberta) (the “MCC Regulation”), require a municipality to take certain steps in order to incorporate and control a corporation pursuant to the BCA;

E. The City’s municipal council (“Council”) has reviewed and considered a business plan prepared in accordance with the MGA and MCC Regulation requirements;

F. On June 24, 2025, at 4:00 pm, Council held a public hearing regarding the potential incorporation of the MCC in accordance with the MGA and MCC Regulation requirements;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT for the Municipally Controlled Corporation (MCC):

1. 1. Council is satisfied that: (a) the MCC will conduct business solely for one or more purposes described in section 3 of the Municipal Government Act; (b) the MCC will provide services and benefits directly to the residents of Medicine Hat; and (c) the profits and dividends generated by the MCC will deliver a direct benefit to the residents of Medicine Hat.
   2. Council directs Administration to incorporate the MCC with the City as sole shareholder, and the MCC shall operate the City’s electric generation, electric distribution, gas distribution, and energy marketing and business analysis business units;
   3. Council approves a budget amendment in the amount of $4,000,000 to be paid from the energy transition reserve for the purpose of establishing the MCC and carrying out the transactions contemplated in this resolution.
   4. Council directs staff to bring forward for Council’s approval a Unanimous Shareholder Agreement and, if approved, directs Administration to arrange execution of same in accordance with the Municipally Controlled Corporations Regulation;
   5. Council directs Administration to prepare and arrange for execution of all other agreements necessary or incidental to the establishment and operation of the MCC, including without limitation, the following:
      1. Shared services agreement, for the purpose of providing the MCC, at the MCC’s expense, certain non-core services to facilitate the MCC in running its business, such as IT, accounting, payroll, legal, etc.
      2. Asset transfer agreement, for the purpose of transferring ownership to the MCC of all electric and gas assets needed by the MCC to carry out its objectives;
         All such agreements shall be to the satisfaction of the City Manager and City Solicitor.
   6. Council directs Administration to obtain all regulatory approvals as may be needed for purposes of establishing and operating the MCC;
   7. Council directs Administration to bring amending bylaws to Council for consideration, including without limitation, amending bylaws for the purpose of amending the Electric Utility and Gas Utility bylaws as may be necessary to allow the MCC to carry out its objectives.
   8. Council directs and authorizes the City Manager to do all things necessary or advisable in order to implement the transactions contemplated in this resolution.

• Approved a motion to postpone the following motion and directed administration to provide additional information regarding the RRC as a standalone committee to Council at a Regular Meeting of City Council in September 2025.

WHEREAS

A. Council considers it advisable to establish a Rate Review Committee (RRC) to regulate certain rates charged by the MCC to its customers.

BE IT RESOLVED THAT for the Rate Review Committee (RRC):

1. 1. Council directs Administration to prepare and bring terms of reference for the RRC and appropriate bylaws to amend relevant bylaws, to Council for consideration.
   2. Council directs and authorizes the City Manager to do all things necessary or advisable in order to implement the direction contemplated in this resolution to establish the RRC.
   3. Council approves a budget amendment in the amount of $25,000 to be paid from the energy transition reserve for the purpose of establishing the RRC and carrying out the transactions contemplated in this resolution.

• Approved a motion to defer the reimbursement of Mayor Clark’s legal fees to the August 18 meeting of City Council.

• Approved an operating budget amendment of $158,584 in 2025 and $213,209 in 2026 to fund the January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2027 collective agreement settlement between the City of Medicine Hat (“the City”) and Local Union 254 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (“the Union”) at the Electric Generation and Water Treatment Plants.

• Approved the 2025 Settlement, Integration and Language Project (“SILP”) activities totaling $332,248, resulting in a new One-Time Operating Initiative funded by a third-party grant of $242,572 and City of Medicine Hat operating funds of $89,676. The project is intended to help address local labour shortages and will include activities such as the development of a workforce attraction toolkit, promotions of international education credential recognition, and other events and activities.

• Approved a recommendation directing administration to return to Council with recommendations to balance public transparency regarding the reporting of senior leadership expenses by end of Q3 2025.

• Items 10.5, Amendments to the Procedure Bylaw 4725 – Orders of the Day and 10.6, Amendments to the Procedure Bylaw 4725 – Agenda Review Composition were postponed to the August 18 meeting.