By Charles Lefebvre

Medicine Hat projects receive funding through CARES program

Nov 23, 2017 | 7:00 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A pair of Medicine Hat projects are receiving provincial funding to expand their services to the community.

The province announced more than 50 projects will be receiving more than $4 million in provincial funding through the Community and Regional Economic Support (CARES) program. Locally, Medicine Hat College and Community Futures Entre-Corps were both listed as receiving funding.

Medicine Hat College is receiving $215,000 from the program, which will help the college construct a micro grid on campus near the Cultural Centre.

“We’re so excited, and we’re so grateful for the support from the CARES grant and the CARES program,” said Dr. Denise Henning, president/CEO of the college. “A lot of our projects that we’re developing rely on an intense amount of collaboration and partnership within our region and way beyond, so I just want to say that this is an exciting opportunity.”

The microgrid was announced in January, and the college says construction is expected to begin in the spring, and will feature an adaptable solar canopy and electric vehicle charging stations.

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“This canopy will actually have different solar panels that can be changed in and changed out, or we can actually have competing solar manufacturers side by side and see what they’re products are producing for power,” said Tracy Stroud, manager of business development at the college, who adds it will have benefits for not only companies, but students and staff.

Stroud says the grid will be used as a learning tool for students and businesses, and will also produce energy. The majority of the energy produced will power the charging stations, but any excess energy produced could be used to help power the Cultural Centre.

“Renewable energy is such a strong and growing component of Alberta’s economy,” said Henning. (It’s) not a replacement, but it is an addition to the other good things we do.”

Community Futures Entre-Corps received $186,300, which will be used to expand its current business incubator to include Brooks and the County of Newell. The Medicine Hat business incubator was established earlier this year, and has helped 47 entrepreneurs in Medicine Hat with assistance and mentorship in the first six months.

The incubator in Brooks was established six months ago, and has assisted 20 entrepreneurs, and the organization says it plans to use the funding to hep hire staff to help grow the incubator.

“Brooks is a community of approximately 14,000 people, and there’s a lot of opportunity there, and a lot of business,” said Sean Blewett, general manager of Community Futures Entre-Corp. “We know working closely with the immigrant community that there’s a lot of entrepreneurial spirit in those communities, and we look forward to supporting entrepreneurs across southeastern Alberta.”

Two other communities in southeastern Alberta received funding through the CARES program.

The Town of Oyen received $50,000 towards a feasibility study for its new logistics park, while Empress received $17,500 to help develop a tourism strategy for the village.