Neat to Know: July 24, 2025
Your weekly roundup of City news, updates, and other important information.
Special City Council Meeting
A Special City Council Meeting has been called for Friday, July 25 at 12 p.m.
This Special City Council Meeting is not an in-person meeting and is being held virtually only.
The Teams link and joining information is included on the calendar event on our website (use the link below).
Municipal Inspection
The Minister of Alberta Municipal Affairs ordered a Municipal Inspection of the management, administration and operations of the City of Medicine Hat in response to a request made by City Council on September 3, 2024.
The inspection occurred through late 2024 and into early 2025 and the findings were presented at the regular City Council meeting on Monday.
We are now working on a plan to address the recommendations in the inspection report and will respond to the Minister of Municipal Affairs by October 1, 2025.
City’s energy business will not transition to a Municipally Controlled Corporation
Thank you, residents, for your interest and involvement throughout the Energy Business Review, particularly for taking the time to learn more about our current situation, future outlook, and the related Municipally Controlled Corporation (MCC) and Rate Review Committee (RRC) considerations that we have been exploring.
On July 21, 2025, City Council defeated a motion to move forward with the establishment of a Municipally Controlled Corporation and requested that staff reevaluate a Rate Review Committee independent of the MCC as a standalone committee to Council.
The project page will remain active on the City’s Shape Your City site until the new information is considered by Council in the fall.
Heritage Day hours
Hours and services at various City of Medicine Hat facilities will be affected by the Heritage Day statutory holiday on Monday, August 4.
Visit our holiday hours page to view what to expect for City facilities, Medicine Hat Transit, and Waste Collection for Heritage Day.
Renovating Customer Care
We’re renovating our Customer Care area to make doing business at City Hall even easier!
We will remain open throughout construction by using the three kiosks closest to Helen Beny Gibson Lounge (north). You’ll still be able to arrange utilities, pay parking tickets, get pet licences, and speak to a Customer Care agent by lining up in the lobby as usual and following the signage to the appropriate window.
Construction should be complete by the end of September and we look forward to serving you with a fresh new look!
Stampede schedule
What a gorgeous day for the Stampede parade downtown this morning!
And, it’s looking like a beautiful forecast for the remainder of the week’s events.
Want to stay in the loop on all that’s going on? Check out the Stampede’s daily events schedule to get all the details.
Happy Stampede!
July 21 City Council Meeting
City Council powered through another 5-hour agenda on Monday, tackling some monumental topics (which you can read about above). In addition to the Municipal Inspection and the MCC discussions, Council approved distribution of the 2026-2027 Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) grants, and approved a project to help address local labour shortages.
Rooftop Silent Disco
Saturday, August 9 | 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. | Esplanade
Get ready to dance under the stars—Medicine Hat’s favourite rooftop party is around the corner, and there is still time to get tickets!
The Esplanade’s Rooftop Silent Disco returns, bringing back unbeatable vibes with three live DJs blasting music through your wireless headphones, and the best city views to match the beats. It’s your chance to dance the night away in one of the most unique party settings in town.
This year, we’re turning it up a notch:
🕐 Party later—now running until 1 a.m.
👟 More people to dance with—capacity increased to 200
🎧 Pick your vibe—three channels of live music to choose from
Tickets are flying fast on Tixx.ca, so don’t wait – this is the hottest ticket of the summer!
International Youth Day
Tuesday, August 12 | 1 to 4 p.m. | Big Marble Go Centre
We’re excited to be partnering for an exciting slate of FREE programming for International Youth Day!
Youth aged 8 to 17 can enjoy FREE Medicine Hat Transit access all day.
They’re encouraged to head down to Big Marble Go Centre to take part in:
- Nerf Wars
- Foam Party
- Slip and Slide
- Pickleball
- Giant Parachute
- Community Fair
- Sensory Room
- And more!
And, enjoy FREE swimming at Crestwood Pool as well.
Aeration fascination
Our Parks and Recreation team recently installed an aeration system in the Echo Dale boat lake!
You'll notice diffusers producing bubbles at six locations around the boat lake — don’t worry, they're safe to paddle and swim over.
Aside from the bubbles, you probably won't notice much of a difference at first — but, this aeration system will help improve water quality in the lake for aquatic life and public use. Once oxygen levels improve, we can look at re-stocking fish in the lake as well!
Check out a video of this aeration system in action below!
Invasive Weed of the Week
Take my (Baby’s) Breath away
We’re into the third Invasive Weed of the Week feature! We’ve already profiled Leafy Spurge and Creeping Bellflower in this five-week series highlighting noxious invasive plant species that our IPM program works to control and reduce in Medicine Hat. Up next:
Baby’s Breath
- This perennial was introduced likely as an ornamental, and is native to eastern Europe and western Asia.
- This plant is commonly used by florists as bouquet filler and sold for dried arrangements.
- It develops a tap root that can reach four metres deep allowing it to access deeper groundwater during periods of drought.
- A single plant can produce thousands of seeds.
- In winter, stems break off and tumble with the wind, spreading seed.
- New stems also sprout from the root crown each spring.
- Currently, no selective herbicides are registered to use on it. Only glyphosate-based herbicides are effective, which would kill any plant it’s sprayed on.
- Plants can tolerate shallow tillage, but extensive cultivation can effectively control infestation.
- Mowing can prevent seed production but is not an effective control method, as plants will re-sprout.
- Baby’s Breath is very difficult to hand pull because of its deep tap root – sever the root several centimetres below ground level, otherwise re-sprouting will occur.
- There are no known biological control techniques.
- You may use some of the techniques above to control or remove its presence on your property.
- Do not grow the plant, and put any of it from fresh or dried arrangements in the garbage.
- Always check wildflower mixes for invasive species before buying and planting.
Are you registered to vote?
To vote in the 2025 Municipal Election, all voters must be on the permanent Electors Registry – which is new this election with changes to the Local Authorities Election Act. to changes to
There is a single voters list for Provincial and Municipal Elections. To register, or check to make sure you are registered, visit www.voterlink.ab.ca.
The final date to update your information and to register is August 15. That gives Elections Alberta a chance to update their information before they send it to us to use for the election.
More free downtown parking!
In a continued effort to enhance accessibility and support downtown businesses, Medicine Hat Economic Development has announced the addition of six new two-hour, free parking stalls in the Towne Square parking lot!
These free parking stalls offer two-hour parking Monday to Friday, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Outside of these hours, and on weekends, the entire lot remains free to the public.
To view all our career opportunities at the City of Medicine Hat, visit our website and sign up for job alerts.
Municipal Election: Counting Assistant
You may have heard that changes to the Local Authorities Election Act prohibits the use of electronic tabulators during the upcoming Municipal Election. So, we’ll be counting by hand and we need your help!
Calling all night owls: Counting Assistants are required on election night (October 20) from 7:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. They are also required at the Counting Centre after the election from October 21-24.
It’s worth your while! The Counting Assistants are compensated: $240/day on election night and $200/day on the days following.
Hospitality Worker I and II
Want to work where the action is? The City of Medicine Hat is hiring Hospitality Workers I and II for flexible, casual shifts at concerts, hockey games, and community events!
- Help with food and beverage service
- Be part of a fun, reliable team
- Create great guest experiences at our premier venues
These positions are perfect for outgoing individuals who want casual, event-based work!
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Medicine Hat, Alberta
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