Council OKs funding for Saamis Solar analysis

By Collin Gallant on April 8, 2025.

Council has approved $675,000 for advanced planning of the Saamis Solar Park despite calls from a local political group that all spending on the project should be stopped.

Four dozen members of the Medicine Hat Utility Ratepayers Association attended Monday’s meeting to show opposition to the entire project, while councillors voted 6-2 for the spending that the majority said would be valuable in making a final decision on the project.

Staff said finalized layout and engineering would help create a formal budget estimate, which would be key in a final investment decision potentially next fall, and add value to the project.

Mayor Linnsie Clark agreed with other councillors that the work is expected and would guide next steps on the potential $120 million expansion.

“It would be a disservice not to find out with this report, does it make financial sense or not?” she told council and the gallery. “I hope we can keep an open mind when it does.”

About 50 members of the Medicine Hat Utility Ratepayers Association attended the meeting, many wearing matching T-shirts declaring “Stop Saamis Solar.”

“It’s almost like they’ve already made the decision that they want to move forward,” MHURA president said Sou Boss after the meeting. “They’re not paying attention to what the public is saying – they don’t want solar – and that’s incredibly disappointing.”

Administrators say the work was expected when the project was purchased this winter, and will provide project specific construction estimate, and update council on other regulatory factors.

It is due back in about five months.

“It is added due diligence that will provide us the information we need to make a decision,” said Coun. Alison Van Dyke, vice chair of council’s energy committee.

Couns. Andy McGrogan and Shila Sharps voted against the motion after questioning staff about timelines for the potential creation of a Municipally Controlled Corporation, something suggested last fall, to operate the energy division. Coun. Cassi Hider also wondered about the MCC issue, due back at council this year.

“It’s too bad that we’ve put ourselves into tight timelines, but if this is what we need to do to get more answers for our community, then it’s what we have to do,” she said.

City administrators say the project could provide low-cost energy at times of peak demand in the city each summer. It could also offset carbon levies at the city’s gas-fired generators, but industrial carbon levies are currently at issue in the federal election.

But, MHURA claim the project will be a money loser and burden Hatters with higher taxes and utility rates.

Money for the study will come from the city’s net-zero transition reserve fund.