(Courtesy: Ric McIver Facebook)

By Eli J. Ridder | @EliRidder

Alberta’s Bill 18 increases federal funding odds for Medicine Hat, says minister

Apr 16, 2024 | 4:00 PM

Medicine Hat is more likely to receive federal cash through proposed legislation that requires approval from the Alberta government for deals with Ottawa, municipal affairs minister Ric McIver said Tuesday.

“There is upcoming no money flowing to Medicine Hat, and there’s the problem,” McIver told CHAT News.

“The problem that we are trying to solve is that there’s less money coming to Alberta than comes to other provinces on a per capita basis.”

Municipalities, universities, school boards and other so-called provincial entities would need approval from the United Conservative government under Bill 18, legislation inspired by Quebec’s approach.

The new rules aim to push back against the federal Liberal government overstepping into provincial jurisdiction, Premier Danielle Smith said before introducing the bill in the legislature.

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McIver said the requirements would help the province direct money towards Alberta’s priorities and investments as opposed to those of the government.

“Alberta’s getting a bad deal, which is the whole reason for Bill 18,” he said.

“We don’t want anything special, we want fair treatment like Quebec gets, like other provinces get.”

Medicine Hat’s application to the federal Housing Accelerator Fund, that identified nine local initiatives to encourage more housing supply over the short and long term, was denied in March.

McIver said the housing program was a good example of Ottawa injecting taxpayer cash inside the province without consultation.

“The federal government has handpicked eight communities to get some money and the other 220-plus communities in Alberta currently are getting zero,” he said.