Riverside School site on Nov. 3, 2025. Curtis Cruickshank/CHAT News

By Jesse Gill

CITY HALL

Medicine Hat City Council expected to make decision on Riverside School demolition and several other items on Monday

Dec 8, 2025 | 2:48 PM

Medicine Hat City Council will meet on Monday, Dec. 8, at 6:30 p.m. for their public meeting with several items on the agenda.

A delegation with a mid-year report is expected from Jace Anderson, the executive director of the Medicine Hat Destination Marketing Organization Society, and Tourism Medicine Hat.

City planners will also present at a public hearing during the meeting, and a decision on the demolition of Riverside School at 201 Second St. NW is expected.

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READ: Medicine Hat council is set to make a decision to demolish the former Riverside School building (Nov. 12, 2025)

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2026 UTILITY RATE BYLAW AMENDMENTS

The Energy Utility Rate Bylaw Amendments will return to council after they were postponed during the Nov. 17 meeting.

The Administrative Committee is recommending that the City Council approve the 2026 Utility Distribution Systems Operating Revenue and Expenditure Budget Amendments and Capital Budget Amendments.

The proposed document shows that the 2026 gas and electric utility rate changes that are proposed will vary by customer class.

It states that the average 2026 residential monthly utility bill includes a proposed year-over-year increase of $2.25 for electric utility services and $0.81 for gas utility services for a total utility increase of $3.06, including Municipal Consent and Access Fee (MCAF) impacts for residential customers.

Most commercial customers would see an average increase of $22.53 to their monthly bill, and large commercial customers would see an average increase of $818 per month.

The 2026 energy utility rates are subject to the first reading of Bylaw No. 4864 and Bylaw No. 4865, the Electric Utility and Gas Utility Bylaws.

If approved, second and third readings would be presented for consideration at the Dec. 15, 2025, council meeting.

2026 ENERGY PRODUCTION

Also, back before council is the 2026 Electric Generation Operating Revenue and Expenditure Budget Amendments, 2026 Electric Generation Capital Budget Amendments, and 2026 Natural Gas Production Operating Revenue and Expenditure Budget Amendments.

The documents before the council said that operation models have been updated for Electric Generation and Gas Production to reflect the most recent commodity price forecasts, emissions compliance costs, Asset Retirement Obligation and sustaining capital maintenance schedules.

It adds that changes in market commodity prices impact a broad category of revenue and cost of sales in the operating budgets.

2026 LAND AND REAL ESTATE BUDGET AMENDMENT

The documents read that the 2025-2026 land budget supports land development, sales, and leasing activities anticipated in the current economic environment.

It adds that forecasting the timing of residential, commercial, and industrial land sales is challenging due to economic, market, and external uncertainties.

The report includes actual 2025 sales and revised 2026 projections in the budget assumption update in the land operating budget.

The department had committed to updating the land capital budget following completion of the Land and Real Estate Strategy.

Council received the strategy as information on June 2, 2025.

Since then, the department has reallocated capital to existing projects where appropriate, based on project needs.

Completed projects will be closed out at year-end, and the remaining budget for projects not expected to proceed in the near term is being relinquished as part of this proposed budget amendment.

BYLAW 4867 TO AMEND THE PROCEDURE BYLAW

The documents read that the Nov. 3, 2025, motion of Council requires amendments to the Procedure Bylaw to change the name of the Administrative and Legislative Review Committee to the Administrative and Legislative Review and Government Relations Committee and duly establish the Council Employee Committee.

In addition, through the Nov. 3, 2025, resolution, Council appointed Mayor Clark as an ex officio member to each standing committee, which also requires adjustments to the Procedure Bylaw.

Administration determined that it would be prudent at this time to add provisions to enact the Oct. 6, 2025, Council resolution as it relates to a standing committee.

The Nov. 17, 2025, motion of Council resulted in amendments to the time of council meetings and orders of the day.

The document added that further amendments to the Procedure Bylaw arising from the Municipal Inspection will come forward at a later date.

CITY REPRESENTATION ON THE INTER-CITY FORUM ON SOCIAL POLICY

It is being recommended that Council appoint Councillor Bill Cocks as the City Representative on the Inter-City Forum on Social Policy (ICFSP).

The document states that the ICFSP acts as an inter-governmental vehicle for information-sharing, networking and advocacy for and among Alberta cities and other major urban areas, and the people who live in them.

It adds that the purpose is to address social policy, program and service issues that are of concern to Alberta urban municipalities.