NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT Mayor Ted Clugston addresses a luncheon crowd at the annual State of the City Address at the Medicine Hat Lodge.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
Pledging to stay on “cruise control” with the city budget in “austerity mode,” Mayor Ted Clugston told a gathering of local business, political and social sector leaders that things are not as bad as they may seem at an annual luncheon to discuss the State of the City.
“Sometimes it takes outside eyes to realize just how blessed we are in Medicine Hat,” Clugston told a capacity crowd at the Medicine Hat Lodge ballroom.
“Outsiders are bullish on Medicine Hat, and some of them are in this room.”
Pointing to a major commercial construction boom and still-positive, if not booming, activity, the mayor worked to offset general uneasiness in the local economy and the province.
Tuesday’s edition of the annual event was the seventh delivered by Clugston. Last year’s detailed the luring of cryptocurrency and cannabis growing interests to the city. It was headlined by the surprise announcement of new hemp oil plant.
However, poor residential construction, the wind up of major commercial and public works construction, and a more cautious approach in the cannabis sector have weighed heavy on the public mindset.
Clugston said endeavours such as the Aurora Cannabis greenhouse construction were still underway, albeit on a smaller scale initially.
He said the business community, city hall and the city in general, would meet the challenges. Clugston also highlighted a forthcoming report in the city’s Business Retention Expansion Workforce Development (BREWD), and said personnel for a revamped city hall “Invest Medicine Hat” office could be announced soon.
“Economic development and growth are the No. 1 priority for this council,” he told the crowd, and as for city spending “the city elected an austerity council in 2017, and that’s what we’ll do … while encouraging the private sector.”
The crowd of about 500 was receptive at the annual address that is put on by the Kiwanis Club with the assistance of the Medicine Hat and District Chamber of Commerce.
“There are some great opportunities that are coming Medicine Hat’s way, with the advantages that have been highlighted,” said Tracy Noullett, the chamber’s president. “We can’t discount good news that we’ve already heard. We’ve had some great news and great businesses look at coming into our community. That will demonstrate that others will follow.”
Clugston reiterated his message that Medicine Hat is positioned well to outlast downbeat economic conditions in the province. In terms of accomplishments, he said that new business attraction efforts, city finances and the utility department, and homelessness initiatives garnered attention of global media outlets.
“They’re taking an interest in a city of 63,000 because there are some interesting things happening,” he said, adding that residents can still boast an advantage because of its publicly owned utility company, he said. And unique businesses, such as high-tech fields of defence, were unrecognized gems in the local economy that many would consider to be “blue collar.”
As for Aurora, and the promise of major hiring in the 1.6 million square-foot greenhouse, the facility in the Box Springs Business Park is scheduled to begin partial operations this summer.
“We’ve been assured that once the industry finds its footing – supply and demand – we’ll see full production. It really should be celebrated,” said Clugston.
He pointed to the 2022 hosting of the Canada Special Olympic Games as a rapidly approaching bright spot on the horizon, and said the near completion of the flood berm system was a sign of Medicine Hat moving in the right direction.
Also, he revealed that city council had heard about a recreation master plan in January and agreed to press forward with it, though details were not released.
As well Medicine Hat and regional partners Redcliff and Cypress County will attempt to pass in March a joint planning agreement and “collaboration framework” that could be the basis for discussions on shared services between the municipalities.
