The City of Medicine Hat's 2025-26 budget document has received the Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the third consecutive budget cycle.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
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The 2025-26 municipal budget has been awarded the Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, which recognizes the Medicine Hat budget for excelling as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide and as a communication tool.
The award program began in 1984 as a way to encourage and assist local governments to prepare budget documents to the highest quality, and has recognized more than 1,800 county, state, city and special districts across Canada and the United States.
“This achievement continues to demonstrate our organization’s dedication to excellence in financial planning and reporting,” said Jilian Campbell, CFO. “It’s a reflection of the ongoing efforts of our staff to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability. We hope this recognition reassures the community of our commitment to clear, accessible and responsible financial stewardship.”
This is the city’s third consecutive budget term for the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award.
According to budget documents, Medicine Hat is facing revenue pressures in the 2025-26 budget due to an historic budget gap, foregone property tax revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic, declining investment revenues, reduced fine revenues and development fees.
This equates to a 5.6 per cent tax revenue increase in both 2025 and 2026.
Commercial utility rates, on average, will increase by five per cent, and industrial utility rates, on average, will increase by four per cent during this time.
Residential utility rates will increase by one percent on average, and in 2025 utility rates have remained lower than the 2024 rates of other Alberta cities.
The city’s budget document can be accessed online at medicinehat.ca/en/government-and-city-hall/current-and-previous-budgets.aspx
The GFOA, founded in 1906, represents public finance officials throughout North America and offers several awards and scholarships designed to encourage sound financial reporting.
As well, the CFOA provides professional development training opportunities to the provincial and local level of government, and offers a Certified Public Finance Officer certification program.
