Neat to Know: October 9, 2025
Your weekly roundup of City news, updates, and other important information.
Online voter registration
Medicine Hat electors can now use a new online voter registration tool to check their registration status, update their information, or register to vote.
Electors who missed the August 15 provincial deadline to register through Elections Alberta can still use the new online tool to register directly with the City’s List of Electors.
To help minimize wait times on election day, residents are encouraged to register in advance. Voters who are not registered can still register and vote at the polls. All voters must bring an acceptable form of identification.
To register, visit medicinehat.ca/voterinfo.
Thanksgiving hours
Hours and services at various City of Medicine Hat facilities will be affected by the Thanksgiving statutory holiday on Monday, October 13.
Visit our holiday hours page to view what to expect for City facilities, Medicine Hat Transit, and Waste Collection for Thanksgiving.
Keep FOG out of pipes
As you prepare for big holiday meals this Thanksgiving long weekend, please remember that Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) do not belong in the sewer.
We don’t want your time with family to be spent cleaning up a sewer backup – following these three tips will help avoid an unfortunate mess after that big meal:
- Scrape leftover food off plates and serving dishes into the garbage before washing.
- Pour liquid FOG including gravies, sauces and leftover grease into an empty jar or can; once cooled, throw in the garbage.
- Soaps labeled as “grease fighting” and garburators do not reduce the effects that FOG has on the sewers. Instead, they disperse the FOG further down the lines to recollect, solidify, and possibly causing blockages and sewer backup for you and your neighbours.
By following these tips, you can keep a lot of unwanted materials from wreaking havoc on sewer systems and pipes, to help with a stress-free and mess-free holiday.
Read more at: medicinehat.ca/FOG
Bridging art and recreation
For the first time in Big Marble Go Centre’s history, Medicine Hat’s premier recreation facility is hosting a professional art exhibition, Pal·imp·sest, from October 9 to November 4!
This offering has been made possible through collaboration with the Alberta Foundation for the Arts' Travelling Exhibition (TREX) program.
The initiative aligns with Parks and Recreation’s commitment to diversifying what our recreation facilities have to offer. And, it aligns with the City-administered TREX Southeast program’s effort to bring art to unique public spaces.
Read our news release to learn more about the exhibition, and the collaboration that made it possible.
Fire Prevention Week: Battery safety
🔥 It’s Fire Prevention Week!
This year’s focus is on Lithium-ion battery safety — these are the rechargeable batteries in our phones, e-bikes, laptops, tablets, vapes, power tools, and more. When damaged, overheated, or used incorrectly, these batteries can be a fire risk.
🔋Here’s how to charge into fire safety:
- Buy electronics and chargers from reputable retailers.
- Look for certified safety marks on packaging.
- Avoid charging overnight or on soft surfaces like your bed or under your pillow.
- Stop using devices with swollen or damaged batteries.
Medicine Hat has several recycling locations for you to take all types of batteries. Visit recycleyourbatteries.ca to find a local location!
Municipal Matters - Cybersecurity: Quiet work that keeps everyday services running
For our most recent edition of Municipal Matters in the Medicine Hat News, we dive into the unseen world of Cybersecurity.
Scott Giesbrecht, the Cybersecurity Coordinator with Information Technology authored our latest article.
Read more from Scott as he shares about the cyber threats his team deals with every day, the work they do to keep our community’s information and public services safe in a digital world, and the tangible consequences if things go wrong.
Community Spirit Awards ceremony
The 2025 Community Spirit Awards were last night at the Esplanade. We celebrated ten exceptional members of the community who have contributed to making Medicine Hat a better place. Watch the awards ceremony.
City Agency Recruitment – Deadline is approaching
Your voice can help shape the future of Medicine Hat.
Medicine Hat residents who want to make a difference in their community are invited to apply for openings on the City’s boards, commissions, and working groups.
By serving, you’ll:
- Share your ideas on key issues
- Influence the direction of our city
- Give back in a meaningful way
To apply
Visit medicinehat.ca/cityagencies and:
- Review the Applicant Handbook.
- OPTIONAL: Create a short video (max 90 seconds) to highlight your strengths and introduce yourself.
- Download and fill out the application form.
- Submit your application, including form, video, and resume.
The application deadline is before October 14 and 4:30 p.m.
October 6 City Council meeting
Council conducted a full agenda’s worth of business on Monday night as we close in on the final days of the 2021-2025 term. Most notably, they approved funding of $3,900,000 (from capital reserves) for preliminary design of an outdoor aquatics facility on the south side of the community and sports fields in Brier Run.
They also renamed a trail (read to find out which one!), and discussed Council remuneration, the Whistleblower Policy, legal fees, service levels, and a non-profit operating grant program.
Their work’s not done! Council also approved a motion to add another meeting on Friday, October 10 at 7 a.m.
Textile Haunted House
October 18 & 25, 1-3:30 PM, October 23 & 30, 7-9:30 PM, Ewart-Duggan House & surrounding area
This October, Medicine Hat is alive with ghostly delights! Explore Shanell Papp’s Textile Haunted House, catch ghostly projections downtown, join mini outdoor tours, enjoy a Giant Ghost installation, and watch Hocus Pocus under the stars. It’s a full afternoon or evening of spooky, playful, and contemplative experiences!
Step into a world where textiles meet the uncanny. Artist Shanell Papp transforms the Historic Ewart Duggan House into a softly spooky, immersive haunted house, inviting visitors to explore works that reflect on impermanence, grief, and the things that haunt us. Through her research-driven practice in textiles, sculpture, and multimedia, Papp creates an environment that balances eerie playfulness with thoughtful reflection. The Textile Haunted House is a come-and-go experience, so you can wander at your own pace. While you wait, make an afternoon or evening of it with additional seasonal activities. FREE and no registration required.
Halloween Spooktacular
Friday, October 31 from 4-8 PM at Big Marble Go Centre
Get ready for a night of fang-tastic family fun! Our October Family Fun Night is going full Halloween mode with spooky games, crafts, and activities perfect for all ages.
✨ Activities include:
🧟 Zombie Freeze Tag
👻 Ghostbusters Tag
🧙♀️ Witches & Wizards Dodgeball
🎃 Haunted Pumpkin Patch Dodgeball
🕷️ Halloween Crawler Nerf Wars
🧪 Magic Potion Sensory Bottles Craft
🍂 Pumpkin Patch Collage Craft
Costumes encouraged—because it wouldn’t be a Spooktacular without a little dress-up? 👀✨
Facilities for the Future survey results and next steps
Almost 3,000 people participated in the Facilities for the Future survey that ran in mid-September. Based on the public input received, and relative support for both projects and locations, Council moved forward with approving funding of $3,900,000 for a preliminary design of an outdoor aquatics facility on the south side of the community and sports fields in Brier Run on October 6, 2025. The information gathered from the first of many engagements will help to steer the direction of preliminary designs. We invite you to read the survey results to learn more about community preferences as well as review the outreach that was conducted around this engagement project.
The choice is yours – vote at any polling station within the City
The City of Medicine Hat now has its own digital list of Electors. This new technology gives voters the flexibility to cast their ballots at any polling station in Medicine Hat. As electors vote, their names are virtually “struck off” the List of Electors. The computerized system updates in real-time across all polling locations to maintain accurate records of who has voted.
Advanced Polls open again next week
This past Saturday the first round of Advance Polls saw 822 individuals cast their vote. This coming week Advance Polls will open again on Tuesday and run until Saturday.
When
October 14 to 18, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where
- Hockey Hounds Recreational Centre 39 10 Street NE
- Holy Family Parish 1451 Strachan Road SE
Though electors can cast their vote ahead of time, no ballots will be counted until polls have closed at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Monday October 20. Once polls have closed, results will be posted to the City’s website at least once an hour from 8 p.m. until 2 a.m.
Special Ballots
Unable to make it to a voting station? You can request a special ballot from the Elections Office.
Special Ballots can be returned in-person by the voter to the Elections Office at City Hall or mailed at the cost of the voter. All Special Ballots must be received by the Elections Office no later than the close of voting (8:00 p.m.) on Monday, October 20 to be counted.
Who are you voting for and what can they actually do?
As you are evaluating the candidates who will get your precious vote in the upcoming Municipal Election, it is important that you (the voter) and they (the candidate) know what things they will and will not be able to influence at the municipal level.
Municipal governments handle everyday services
Municipalities in Alberta are responsible for services that directly impact daily life, such as roads, snow removal, public transit, water and wastewater, waste collection, emergency services (fire, police funding), and recreation facilities. Your Mayor and City Council are the elected officials in municipal government.
Provincial governments oversee key social services and infrastructure
The Alberta government is responsible for areas like healthcare, K-12 and post-secondary education, major highways, social services, and energy policy. Municipalities often work with the province on funding and service delivery. The Premier and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) are your elected officials in the provincial government.
The federal government focuses on national and international issues
The federal government is responsible for national defense, immigration, passports, international trade, Canada Post, banking, Indigenous relations, telecommunications policy and major infrastructure funding, while also supporting provinces and municipalities through funding support. The Prime Minister and Members of Parliament (MPs) are your elected officials in federal government.
Collaboration is Key
While each level of government has distinct responsibilities, they work together on shared priorities like housing, economic development, emergency response, and environmental sustainability. Strong municipal leadership helps advocate for local needs at higher levels.
Knowing Who to Contact Matters
Understanding which level of government is responsible for what helps residents direct concerns to the right place. If it’s about transit routes, local bylaws, or property taxes, contact your municipal government. If it’s about healthcare, schools, or provincial highways, the Alberta government is responsible. If it’s about passports, national defense, or immigration, that’s under federal jurisdiction.
When you flex your democratic muscle on October 20, be civic savvy.
The power of sun captured at Hill Pool
Twenty-four new solar panels now capture the power of the sun at Hill Pool to help offset utility costs, even when the facility is closed for the season. Thanks to support from the Government of Alberta through the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre's Municipal Electricity Generation Program, the panels can generate 12,423 kilowatt-hours of electricity, or about 20% of Hill Pool’s annual electrical consumption.
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