News profile1. What are your thoughts on city ownership of Saamis Solar, and what direction would you want to see council take with ownership of renewables?
I have read almost every position piece and article on Saamis Solar, and seen as many of the public presentations that have been made available to see. And if I am voted onto City Council, I would still need to see what I haven’t been told about the project in order to make up my mind one way or another. The current city council seems to be mostly supportive of Saamis Solar, yet many taxpayers are against it. The divide between the two sides is vast and that is telling. However, the city has already spent a great deal of money on the cost and impact, just as our ancestors had to spend money upfront to establish gas plants over 100 years ago – which helped form Medicine Hat’s future as The Gas City. However, before we spend much more, the next council will need to be briefed on the entire project before a decision can be made to go forward or not.
2. What are your thoughts on the future of the energy division, specifically the concept of turning it into a municipally controlled corporation?
Medicine Hat should keep the status quo with its energy department. That said, at all times, the City has to answer to its residents and taxpayers. As such, it is important that attention be paid to the bottom line of our city’s energy business, due to the fact that the power generation unit (GENCO) operates within a volatile commodity market. For now, GENCO’s assets remain a profit maker for the city, and the expectation is that it will remain profitable for at least the foreseeable future. But those profits will not last forever. Profits and losses happen quickly within a volatile commodity market, so The City of Medicine Hat must continue to keep an eye on the investment, and perhaps be ready to sell it one day. But that day is not now.
3. How would you look to balance taxation with the operation costs of running a city, as well as the services provided to residents?
Every family in Medicine Hat is trying to do more with less these days. The cost of living continues to go up, yet the amount of money that we’re all being paid doesn’t seem to increase. City Council may have to look to businesses to start doing more with less as well, and work harder to make each dollar go as far as possible. That could be as simple as turning off the lights when rooms are not in use. All that said, the next City Council needs to find ways to increase the money coming in through business taxation and keeping costs low, and that would be something I focus on if I’m elected.
4. How would you approach economic development and any need to incentivize business to come to Medicine Hat?
Medicine Hat is uniquely located on the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) and the Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3). We have a fairly well-balanced weather climate. The City offers tax incentives to businesses. And the people of Medicine Hat are some of the best in Canada. It’s not always easy to convince people to bring their company to a city, but the members of City Council need to approach more businesses and invite them to come and see what we have to offer. That may involve cold-calling company presidents and selling them on our city. The Mayor and Council need to spend time selling the community to attract more investment. You can always make a deal sweeter through incentives, tax credits, grants and specialized programs, but first you have to convince someone to consider locating their business in Medicine Hat.
5. With the proposed north-side location for a permanent homeless shelter off the table following public concerns, what do you think are the essential priorities that a shelter location must provide?
Safety. The most essential priority it needs to have is to allow people using the facility to feel safe. A shelter location needs to offer a person a safe space to call their own, even briefly or for a night. It should also offer protection from danger, bad weather, or other harm. And it needs to provide food and a place to wash up and feel fresh. It can also be a place where mail is delivered and people can get online. Sadly, finding a location that meets the need of the people who’ll rely on a shelter and the people of Medicine Hat is proving to be a problem, due to the NIMBY – not in my backyard – issue. The proposed Mustard Seed building on Saamis Drive NW did meet one of the criteria…to keep The Mustard Seed away from people’s homes and neighbourhoods. Too many people who lived near the last location had problems with rampant theft, illicit drug use and even sexual acts. But by putting it all the way out there, it was locating it too far away from where the people who would access it primarily are. So there’s still a lot of work to be done. Sadly, one location that might work for everyone and people keep bringing up, the old Arena, isn’t an option due to the environmental contamination that has been discovered at the site.
6. A lot of focus during this election campaign has been on property taxes in Medicine Hat, though a majority of residents do not own property. What can or should the city be doing to ease cost-of-living issues for those who do not own property, such as renters?
Renters face cost-of-living issues primarily through high, and rising, rental costs, which can be increased by a landlord once a year at their discretion in Alberta as there is no rent control. I recently met an elderly woman that – when faced with a rental increase of $950 per month – had to find the money to pay as she had no other choice. And last year an also elderly neighbour of mine was faced with an increase of $450 a month, and due to the few places she could move to in Medicine Hat with her pets – and she said she considered living in her car – was also forced to pay the increase. As the current Alberta government opposes rent control, believing it harms housing supply, there are few options available for people who are facing large increases. One is Rent Supplements that are available from Medicine Hat Community Housing. Their Rent Supplement Program helps make rental accommodation more affordable by subsidizing rent. Neither of the two women I spoke with knew about this supplement, but they know now. The city should be making it better known, so no one has to choose between staying in their home or living in their car.
7. What are your thoughts on proposed recreational facilities such as the Southside Outdoor Aquatics Centre and Brier Run Sports Field? How much focus would you want the city to put toward adding recreational facilities?
I am all for a new Southside Outdoor Aquatics Centre and Brier Run Sports Field in Medicine Hat. Most of the people I have spoken with say they want it, and it will be great for the mental health of our residents as it will give them more exercise options and places to go for recreation. That said, yes!! The city should focus a lot of attention on adding recreational facilities. But as much as I would like to have started construction already, any new facilities need to make sense. Especially financially. That said, can you imagine if a new Aquatics Centre was built by the highway. And, it didn’t just have a pool, but an amazing wave pool waterpark! I’m talking about the type of place that made families stop after they were originally just planning on driving through Medicine Hat. And after a day at the park, maybe they go out for dinner to one of our fine restaurants and then decided to stay the night in one of our many superb hotels. That waterpark is now the type of place that’s more than encouraged as it brings business to our city. And why can’t we build something like that in conjunction with Medicine Hat College? They have the space, the parking, and they are located by the highway. By working together with the institutions we have in our city, we can make Medicine Hat better, more profitable and bring in more tourists. That’s the type of focus we should put toward adding recreational facilities.
