By Jessie Weisner

Invest Medicine Hat describes ‘transformational’ year to City Council

Mar 4, 2019 | 8:06 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Invest Medicine Hat released it’s annual report, describing 2018 as transformational for the city and the surrounding region. It says investment attraction projects generated approximately 456 new jobs and over $150,000,000 in direct investment.

“Obviously an amazing year, last year, 2018,” says Mayor Ted Clugston.

CEO Ryan Jackson presented to City Council on Monday, displaying their part in multiple major investments in the City and area.

In March of 2018 cryptocurrency mining company Hut 8 announced it would invest $100,000,000 to build a 42 megawatt data centre in the city. It’s now completed, resulting in about 40 jobs and a stream of revenue for the City’s electric utility.

Just one month later in April, Aurora Cannabis announced the world’s largest purpose-built cannabis production facility would be built in the City. Aurora Sun will employ roughly 450 people, and will increase annual GDP by $20,000,000, according to Jackson.

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In December of 2018 Cancarb announced starting in spring 2019, it will undertake a $40,000,000 expansion project resulting in nine new full time jobs.

In addition, notable commercial projects began in 2019, including Travois Ale Works, Grit City Distillery, Stringham LLP’s office building, Pilot Flying J’s travel centre, Seymour Pacific Development’s apartment complex in Southlands and two new hotels.

The report says Invest Medicine Hat also increased its reputation as a business authority in Alberta, increasing its reach with its news letter, as well as increasing traffic on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram from 2017.

Two new opportunity assessments were completed in 2018, highlighting controlled environment agriculture, CBD production and procession, and crafting malting and hops production as promising industries in the region.

Throughout the year, Invest Medicine Hat promoted these industries to potential investors.

Jackson also highlighted City Council’s contribution, saying it couldn’t have been done without their support.

“None of this happens without the collective effort from everybody,” said Ryan Jackson, CEO of Invest Medicine Hat. “It was a lot of very hard work done by a lot of very good people.”

“I have to give Mr. Jackson a thank you for recognizing how hard city staff and city council worked on those major deals,” says Clugston.

As for the future of Medicine Hats development, Jackson said there’s been an upward trend in technology industries, specifically related to agriculture.

“There could be a few more things on the hopper as well,” says Clugston “So I don’t know that 2019 will match 2018 but we could see some interesting things again in 2019.”