City Notebook: Aurora slows down but adds to its labour guess
By COLLIN GALLANT on November 23, 2019.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
When it all shakes out, announcement from Aurora Cannabis means its Medicine Hat facility will be completely operational later than scheduled.
But, the company is also now stating twice as many jobs in their final vision for operating in Medicine Hat.
A statement says 800 jobs could result for the company that’s building the 1.6 million square-foot growing facility in the city’s northwest.
That’s after an oft-repeated figure of 400 to 500 has been cited over the past two years
Chatter in the community often produces fish tales; 400 jobs becomes 400 to 450, and you might as well round up from there to 500.
The company says this week that 450 was a first wave of hiring, but an estimate of final workforce was always 800. A survey of several folks who’ve paid strict attention says it’s the first time the figure has been floated publicly by the company, but no matter.
The blockbuster announcement was first made in April 2018, and there have been a few adjustments since, the most notable being that it was expanded mid-stream to add another 400,000 square feet of space.
People will also recall that the company has an option to buy commercial property across the street from the greenhouse in the Box Springs Business Park.
Christmas calendar
Cheery weather greeted merrymakers on Friday night downtown at the CCDA’s Midnight Madness and at Medalta.
The Christmas Market at Medalta, which was unintentionally left off last week’s Yuletide calendar in this column, continues today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Medicine Hat Public Library’s annual book sale also continues Saturday in the basement of the First Street branch.
Business bits
Sorting through the news from company’s with a connection to Medicine Hat sometimes produces interesting bits.
For example, the majority owners of Florida-based infrastructure giant Mas-Tec, which acquired and rebranded Big Country Energy Services a few years back, are the new part owners of the Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Miami. Brothers Jorge and Jose Mas are joined by David Beckham in that endeavour.
Following up
The Alberta government will for the second time in three years ask the public about time change.
Meanwhile, Hamilton beat Edmonton in the Eastern Final to arrive in Sunday’s Grey Cup, while longtime East division team Winnipeg won the West.
Winnipeg, the city, is in the middle of Canada, but Ontario is considered central Canada. Meanwhile most of the area known as northern Ontario is well south of southern Alberta.
Is it any wonder why Canadians can’t agree on time change or inter-provincial trade?
A look ahead
In Medicine Hat’s own budget process continues behind closed doors this week. The utility division budget was presented to council’s closed session prior to its Nov. 18 meeting. That document, including proposed fee changes, will be officially brought forward on Dec. 2. The updated municipal document is due at the final council meeting of the year, on Dec. 16.
100 years ago
A movement of northern Ontarions to split from southern regions of the province was growing after a fall election produced a minority Farm-Labour government, the News reported in November 1919.
“The movement has gained such proportions it is now impossible to ignore,” stated reports from the movement’s epicentre, the town of Cobalt.
In Medicine Hat a “citizens committee” endorsed Mayor Brown be elected for another term in office in upcoming annual municipal elections.
“The policy of industrial expansion, which is having an increase of population to the city and shores up the burden of taxation, is the only policy to adopt,” Brown told a meeting that also saw Alds. Boyd and Huckvale endorsed.
The recently formed Dominion Labour party announced its slate and platform that argued inducements to industry only meant increases to taxes paid from workingmen’s wages. Endorsed were Ald. Hole, Mrs. L. McArther (for council) and Rev. Morrow (for mayor).
The Canadian government gained full control of its naval policy.
The town of Walsh increased its Victory loan subscriptions by $5,000 and doubled its subscribers despite poor crops in 1918 and poorer crops in 1919, the News lauded in an editorial.
British airmen dropped five tons of explosives from aircraft on Afghan villages to tamp down a series of cross-border raids into India.
Collin Gallant covers city politics and a variety of topics for the News. Reach him at 403-528-5664 or via email at cgallant@medicinehatnews.com
