MLA Report: Budget 2025 – Delivering for Medicine Hat

By Justin Wright on March 19, 2025.

As your representative in the Alberta Legislature, I’m pleased to report that Budget 2025 delivers significant investments directly benefiting Medicine Hat and area residents.

Infrastructure and Transportation Investments

The City of Medicine Hat will receive substantial funding for critical infrastructure. The Wastewater Treatment Plant Flood Protection Project has been granted $3.25 million to enhance our resilience against flooding events.

Through Municipal Affairs funding, $5.52 million will support overlaying Dunmore Road, Allowance Avenue, Stanfield Way, and Altawana Drive. This investment will also rehabilitate Les Little Way and Woodman Avenue, reconstruct 6 Avenue, and provide seal and micro-surfacing for several roads throughout the city.

An additional $3.8 million in Municipal Affairs funding will rehabilitate 3 Street Southeast, including improvements to stormwater utilities, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, wheelchair ramps, and bike facilities.

I’m also pleased to announce that our region will benefit from the 2025 Provincial Construction Program with $43 million allocated over the next three years for highway and water management projects in the Cypress-Medicine Hat constituency.

This includes the Highway 3 twinning project, 21 km of repaving between Highway 1 and north of Highway 41A near Dunmore, Highway 41 grade widening south of Cypress Hills Provincial Park, and upgrades to Highway 41 in southeast Alberta.

The program also includes lighting improvements at the Highway 1 and Highway 3 intersection in Medicine Hat, as well as water management projects like the Cypress Dams-Ambrose Flats reservoir dam rehabilitation and Elkwater flood handling.

These investments will strengthen our community’s resilience against extreme weather events while upgrading essential services. The combined $9.32 million in municipal infrastructure support will help our city address priorities while keeping property taxes manageable.

Supporting Community Organizations

Several community organizations are receiving vital provincial support. The Women’s Shelter has been awarded $1 million through the Community Facility Enhancement Program to improve their facilities and services. Medicine Hat Family Services will receive additional funding through Recovery Alberta to expand their mental health and addiction support services. Furthermore, $125,000 has been allocated to the City through the Regional Economic Mitigation Program to help address economic challenges.

Mental Health and Addiction Recovery

I’m proud to announce that the Recovery College is now fully operational. This initiative, supported by $3.6 million in provincial funding over three years, represents a significant advancement in our approach to mental health and addiction services.

Recovery Colleges offered through Medicine Hat Family Services here in Medicine Hat is a unique approach by providing courses and discussion groups led by both professionals and individuals with lived experience. What makes this service special is its accessibility-it’s open to all Albertans aged 16 and over, requires no referral, and is completely free of charge.

Public Safety and Environmental Conservation

Working alongside the Medicine Hat Police Service, the Alberta Sheriffs successfully shut down a property that had become a hotspot for drug activity, addressing neighbors’ concerns and improving community safety.

Our government is also investing in environmental conservation, with $250,000 allocated to the Southern Alberta Land Trust in January 2025. This builds on previous conservation investments in our region, including $185,100 for Bullshead Creek in 2024. Additionally, the South East Alberta Watershed Alliance has received $149,000 for their “Adapting to Future Climate Extremes” project, which will help our region prepare for changing environmental conditions.

Healthcare Improvements and Provincial Tax Relief

I’m happy to share that Budget 2025 includes funding to increase the number of ICU beds at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, which will enhance critical care capacity for our region and ensure that more patients can receive the highest level of care closer to home.

Beyond these local investments, Budget 2025 delivers meaningful tax relief for Medicine Hat families. The new eight percent personal income tax bracket for income up to $60,000 is being implemented two years ahead of schedule, saving individuals up to $750 and families up to $1,500 annually.

The budget also makes record investments in health care ($28 billion) and education ($9.9 billion), ensuring that Medicine Hat residents will benefit from improved services in these essential areas.

The budget also allocates $6.8 billion for physician compensation, an increase of over $1 billion since 2022, demonstrating our government’s commitment to attracting and retaining doctors throughout Alberta, including here in Medicine Hat.

Economic Strength and Fiscal Responsibility

While making these important investments, Budget 2025 acknowledges economic challenges including potential U.S. tariffs and changing resource revenues. The budget includes a $4 billion contingency fund to address unforeseen challenges and maintain Alberta’s position as the province with the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in Canada.

Our government is focusing on economic diversification, with investments like the $55 million TIER program helping businesses reduce emissions, develop new technologies, and create good-paying jobs.

Working Together for Medicine Hat’s Future

These investments represent real progress for our community, creating jobs, strengthening our infrastructure, protecting our environment, and supporting our most vulnerable citizens.

I recently hosted a town hall with Premier Smith where many of you shared thoughts on local priorities. These conversations guide my advocacy for Medicine Hat in the Legislature.

It’s an honor to serve as your MLA, and I remain committed to working with all stakeholders-from government partners to community organizations, businesses, and engaged citizens-to build an even stronger Medicine Hat.

I welcome your feedback on Budget 2025 and how these investments will impact your family. My office remains open to your questions and concerns as we continue working together to make Medicine Hat and Alberta the best place to live, work, and raise a family.

Justin Wright is the MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat

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