City committee to review changes to business licensing fees

By Medicine Hat News on April 3, 2025.

@MedicineHatNews

A city committee is set to hear a report today into unsightly properties, and review changes to business licence fees that raised the ire of some business owners earlier this year.

Coun. Shila Sharps called for the review at council following complaints that licence fees rose up to 80 per cent in some cases upon renewal.

That report is on the agenda of council’s development and infrastructure committee, which she chairs.

General commercial licences, issued to about city 1,500 businesses each year, rose from $116 to $200 as of Jan. 1 after the change was approved as part of the 2025-26 city budget.

Contractor licences rose from $206 to $400, while restaurants with alcohol-service and bar licences increased as well (to $400 and $800).

At the same time, fees for about 1,900 businesses were lowered, according to city financial documents, including those for home-based and regional business (both lowered to $200), and out-of-town contractors (to $900). The department reduced the need for multiple licences in some cases.

The city’s planning and business development department collected about $750,000 in business licence fees in 2024, and estimates the changes will bring in about $100,000 more in 2025.

That, combined with other fees, permit and inspection charges, only covers about half the department’s $5.7 million annual budget.

The committee is also scheduled to hear an update on city efforts to increase and co-ordinate enforcement on unsightly and vacant properties. Recent updates have pointed to progress on several dozen properties considered long-term vacant in the city.

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