Medicine Hat Council approves utility relief program

Utility customers in Medicine Hat, Alberta are set to receive some much needed relief.

All nine councillors unanimously approved a total of $33.1 million for a cost pressure relief program. The motion was put forward by Councillor Shila Sharps.

Every residential utility account holder in the city will receive a $400 payment on their bill for September and $200 in both October and November.

“And we do have other mechanisms to provide support. They’re beyond this sort of narrow- at the moment it’s narrow. That doesn’t mean the discussion doesn’t continue. But I think in all ways we have other ways to help with cost pressure relief and we should continue to explore those,” says Councillor Ramona Robins.

Councillor Robert Dumanowski was in support of the funding, “I would like to see a doubling up of payments early on and I think this motion achieves that. So I want to thank you, Councillor Sharps, for putting that forward. I’m in full support.”

Small and medium sized businesses will also receive a payment of $1,000 dollars in September and $500 in both October and November. The cost of the program will be around $6.1 million and the payments will show up on the September 18th billing cycle.