Neat to Know: January 29, 2026 | City of Medicine Hat

Jan 29, 2026

Your weekly roundup of City news, updates, and other important information.

Answer the call! The biennial City of Medicine Hat Community Survey is underway

Between February 2 and 16, answer the call to provide valuable feedback to the City of Medicine Hat as part of the biennial Community Survey. The results provide City Council and administration reliable data to better understand community sentiment around a variety of City topics to support future decision making.

The feedback that is captured through the survey is considered representative of the population as it is scientifically designed to reflect the broader population. IPSOS, one of the world’s leading market research companies) will use a randomized telephone survey (95% cellphones and 5% landlines) to gain feedback from 400 Medicine Hat households and the results are weighted to reflect age, neighbourhood and other demographics.

If residents don’t receive a call from IPSOS but would like to take the survey, an online option will be available on medicinehat.ca starting on February 4.

Annual Electric Utility Tree Trimming

Trees are a beautiful and vital part of the City’s landscape. But they are also the leading cause of power outages and can pose a serious public safety hazard if they grow too close to power lines.

Each year, as a proactive measure to protect electricity infrastructure, qualified crews work in designated areas to trim public trees growing too close to power lines. We do this work in the winter when trees are dormant to maintain both healthy trees and safe, reliable power.

This January-February, we’re trimming in the River Flats area. Please steer clear to keep everyone safe.

New Planning & Development customer service survey

Our Planning and Development Services (PDS) team has launched a new customer service survey! The brief survey was created as part of the team’s commitment to continued process improvement and providing a high level of service to the community.

We’d love your thoughts about your experience with PDS! Your feedback ensures they know how best to meet your needs. You can take the survey the following ways:

Online survey

Fill out the PDS online survey on our website. The online survey will also be linked at the bottom of PDS customer service emails to provide easy access for those interacting with the department to share their feedback.

In-person

If you’re in-person at the Planning and Development Services customer service kiosk on the second floor of City Hall, we encourage you to take one of these survey cards! You can either fill it out in-person, or take it home to fill out and bring back another time.

There will also be a QR code posted at the kiosk if you prefer to scan and take the survey online instead of filling out the card.

Campground registration nearly here

2026 camping registration for the campgrounds at Gas City and Echo Dale goes live Monday, February 2 at 8 a.m!

This year, we’re offering nearly six more weeks of camping at Gas City Campground (GCC). GCC opens Monday, April 6. It had previously opened the last Friday in April. The GCC season now lasts until the end of October, instead of closing on Thanksgiving.

Echo Dale Campground will maintain its standard season schedule.

Check out the full camping schedule, important dates, and all things camping at medicinehat.ca/camping. Registration links for GCC and Echo Dale will go live on this page February 2 at 8 a.m.

Jam Pail Bonspiel registration

Don’t forget - registration is open for the 2026 edition of the Jam Pail Bonspiel!

This year’s Jam Pail Bonspiel has a new date and location.

The 61st edition of the event is set for March 9 and 10 at the Moose Rec Centre. The event had previously been held during the February break.

This year's event offers three registration categories:

Ages 7-9
Ages 10-12
Open/All Ages

Register and learn more about the event at: medicinehat.ca/jampailbonspiel.

Outdoor rink and pond conditions

We released our latest outdoor rink and pond ice conditions report on Wednesday, Jan. 28. As of yesterday, we now have six rinks and all three ponds with good ice conditions!

The forecast is calling for a heavy dose of above-freezing temperatures the next two weeks. That means our most recent ice conditions report may not be accurate for long, and we may have to start rebuilding ice from scratch again. We appreciate your patience as Adopt-a-Rink volunteers and staff work hard to battle this Medicine Hat winter weather!

Check out all the latest outdoor rinks and pond ice conditions on our Skating and Shinny webpage.

Airport Master Plan – have your say!

Help shape the future of the Medicine Hat Regional Airport!

We’re developing an Airport Master Plan, and we’re looking for your input to help in that process.

Take a short survey by February 8 and share your perspective on how Medicine Hat’s Regional Airport develops over the next twenty years. You will be entered to win a $75 prepaid credit card.

Take the survey at medicinehat.ca/yxhplan.

Rooted in Action: Volunteerism Learning Series

Thursday, Feb. 12 | 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. | Esplanade

The next session in this incredible event series is around the corner and only a few spots are left!

The Rooted in Action series is facilitated by Volunteer Alberta. It is a free opportunity for all volunteer-utilizing organizations in the community looking for resources to boost their capacity to engage and benefit from a strong volunteer base.

The fourth of five learning sessions will focus on youth engagement in volunteerism. This interactive, in-person workshop will provide an opportunity to apply effective youth engagement strategies to recruit and retain youth. Community wellbeing is linked to youth civic engagement and the organizations that facilitate that engagement.

If you missed any previous sessions, no worries! Each session provides tremendous individual value – if you only have time to attend even just one of five sessions, it will benefit your organization.

Register for the session on the event series page at Tixx.ca. While you’re there be sure to book your spot in the fifth and final session, Learning to Unlearn Volunteerism, held March 3 at the Esplanade!

Comedy for the Games

Sun. March 8 | 7 p.m. | Esplanade

A pair of top comics are taxiing into Medicine Hat on March 8 for Comedy for the Games. Proceeds support the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games Medicine Hat 2026!

Cash Cab host Adam Growe and comedy festival regular Todd Ness are both headliners in their own right, but will each take the stage in the special event.

Tickets are on sale! Learn more about the event and get tickets at Tixx.ca.

Did you know Medicine Hat is a test zone for energy technologies?

Back in 2023, the City partnered with Decentralised Energy Canada and committed up to $850,000 to leverage other provincial and federal investment in the Energy Innovation Challenge. Over the last two years, five companies were selected to deploy, test and scale their early-stage technology solutions in Medicine Hat.

Recently, Eguana Technologies, a global energy storage company headquartered in Calgary, installed nine EVOLVE™ lithium iron-phosphate battery systems at three City facilities. The batteries are connected to Equana’s EDGE™ software system that manages electricity use by storing and deploying power from its batteries.

This project helps them test and improve their technology in real-world conditions, which in turn benefits the City of Medicine Hat by advancing upcoming technology to help in our own local energy transition.

Now, that’s neat! Learn more at medicinehat.ca/innovationchallenge.

To view all our career opportunities at the City of Medicine Hat, visit our website and sign up for job alerts.

View all career opportunities

911 Communications Operator

Temporary | Casual | On-site

Are you calm under pressure, passionate about public safety, and eager to make a difference in your community? Join our team as a 911 Communications Operator with the City of Medicine Hat and play a vital role in coordinating emergency responses.

You will be the first point of contact in critical situations, ensuring that emergency services are dispatched quickly and accurately.

Learn more and apply on our Careers webpage.

Seasonal Operations and Maintenance Labourers

Seasonal | Full time

Are you passionate about the outdoors and looking for a rewarding opportunity to make a difference in your community this summer? As a Parks Labourer with the City of Medicine Hat, you'll play a vital role in maintaining and enhancing our beautiful parks, open spaces, cemeteries, and outdoor recreation amenities. This full-time seasonal position runs approximately from mid-April to the end of October, making it an excellent entry-level opportunity for individuals who enjoy hands-on work in a dynamic outdoor environment.

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