SE Alberta Chamber welcomes Medicine Hat review of business licence fees

The organization has raised concerns about increases introduced in 2025, saying some businesses faced increases significantly above inflation and beyond the historical range of annual adjustments.

The Chamber has called for municipal benchmarking, greater consultation with businesses and industry, and a more gradual approach to implementing fee increases.

“This decision demonstrates that Council has heard the concerns of the business community and recognizes the importance of maintaining a competitive environment for entrepreneurs and investors,” Chamber president Aaron Fleming said in a statement.

“We appreciate Council’s willingness to undertake further review, and consider how business license fees compare to those in other municipalities and the cost of delivery, as well as the goals of the municipality before moving forward.”

The Chamber’s policy recommendations include evaluating fee increases, consulting with industry and organizations, phasing in increases over time and assessing service delivery costs.

It also wants the City to conduct municipal comparisons to assess competitiveness and provide greater transparency around fee-for-service costs.

The Chamber has also called for public engagement and appeal costs to be prevented from disproportionately affecting development and business fees.

The organization says establishing a formal fee philosophy could provide greater consistency and predictability in future fee decisions.

It says the approach should balance municipal revenue requirements with economic development priorities, including attracting, retaining and expanding businesses.

“Businesses understand the need for municipalities to recover costs and maintain services,” Fleming said.

“At the same time, fee structures must support the City’s strategic objective of fostering a dynamic, thriving and growing community economy. Competitive business costs are an important factor in attracting investment, encouraging entrepreneurship, and supporting existing businesses as they continue to navigate economic uncertainty.”

The Chamber also welcomed the proposed reductions to business licence rates beginning in 2027 and the continued review of multi-year licensing options.

It says those changes could improve affordability and reduce administrative work for local businesses.

The Chamber says it plans to participate in future consultations with city administration and council as the revised fee structure is developed.

The goal, it says, is to ensure the final structure reflects local business conditions, municipal competitiveness and long-term economic growth objectives.

by Jesse Gill

SE Alberta Chamber welcomes Medicine Hat review of business licence fees

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