Borrowing costs for Saamis Solar Project in front of Medicine Hat City Council on Monday

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Several other items also make up a relatively busy agenda.

A recommendation is in place from the Administrative Committee to resume the Rural Renewal Immigration Program on May 4, 2026.

The employer-driven program supports the attraction and retention of skilled workers in the region and is administered by the City.

Immigrants seeking permanent residence in Canada apply to the Rural Renewal program to connect with employers to receive a letter of endorsement from the community.

The Town of Bow Island is included in the program, but Cypress County and the Town of Redcliff withdrew in February 2025 due to what the agenda shows as limited interest from businesses within their jurisdictions.

The initial program was approved as part of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program on Jan. 16, 2023, and was valid for three years until Jan. 13, 2026.

An additional two-year extension has been requested, with a decision to be shared by April 1, 2026.

Medicine Hat City Council had previously paused its participation in the program in February 2025.

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READ: Medicine Hat opts out of Alberta’s rural immigration jobs program (Feb. 18, 2025)

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The Medicine Hat Police Service successfully received a grant from the Alberta Government’s Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Services for Digital Evidence Management Systems in the amount of $380,340, split over three years from 2026 to 2028.

The funding will support the cost of body-worn cameras.

The agenda notes that the Alberta Municipal Government Act requires municipalities to prepare a comprehensive financial plan that includes all anticipated revenues and expenses.

This item was not part of the previously approved City of Medicine Hat budget, so an amendment is being recommended.

The City’s Public Services Division recommends approval of the Downtown Enhancement and Safety Grant program.

Administration was directed by the Council in 2024 to look into downtown challenges related to safety, security and property concerns and provide a report to the Council to develop a downtown safety grant program to support business owners with permanent property improvements that enhance security and crime prevention measures.

The proposed program would provide a 50 per cent matching grant for eligible pre-tax costs for permanent property improvements to enhance security and crime prevention.

Funding would be capped at $5,000 per applicant, and the minimum application would be $250. The grant is intended for businesses with a downtown boundary.

Administration says $70,000 would be available for the program in 2026 and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

An additional $30,000 would be allocated to improve downtown cleanliness through a service agreement with a third-party provider.

The report says the program is designed to address safety, security and property concerns, as well as perceptions among some residents that the downtown is unsafe and less welcoming to visitors.

Manager of Recreation Scott Richter will provide Council with the 2025 Community report on the State of Parks and Recreation.

The Parks and Recreation Master Plan in 2022 identified 51 action items to implement over a seven-to-ten-year period.

This report tracks progress on these recommendations and outlines how to achieve the goals.

A Dishonoured Payment Bylaw would see the fee for dishonoured payment reduced from $44 to $10 effective April 1, 2026, which would align with the federal regulations that cap this fee charged by federally regulated banks.

Several information items will be reviewed early in Monday’s meeting, including the 2025 Annual Summary of Utility and Taxation Collection.

It’s on the agenda for a first reading.

The public portion of the meeting starts in Council Chambers at 6:30 p.m. on Monday.

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Medicine Hat City Council Meeting YouTube – March 2, 2026

by Jesse Gill

Borrowing costs for Saamis Solar Project in front of Medicine Hat City Council on Monday

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