Lethbridge Minute: Issue 225

Lethbridge Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Lethbridge politics

📅 This Week In Lethbridge: 📅

• There will be a City Council meeting on Tuesday at 12:30 pm. The City is seeking Council approval to accept and spend a new one-year provincial grant of $396,405 aimed at helping low-income residents access affordable transit. This funding includes $282,472 carried over from a previous grant surplus and $113,933 in new funding for 2025/2026. The grant supports the City’s Fee Assistance Program, which subsidizes recreation, cultural activities, and transit passes for those in need. Demand for the program is increasing due to rising living costs, with low- and middle-income households struggling more than the provincial average. Without this additional provincial funding, the program would face significant strain, potentially requiring increased municipal funds, stricter eligibility, or program suspension. The City plans to use the combined municipal and provincial funding to meet growing community needs through 2026, with further options to be explored for future years.
  
  
• Council will make a decision on the City’s proposal to create a bylaw establishing a new Community Requirements Appeal Board, a quasi-judicial tribunal to hear appeals of orders issued by the City, such as those related to property standards and bylaw enforcement. This new board would take over appeals currently decided by City Council, streamlining the process. The members of the existing Subdivision and Development Appeal Board would be appointed to the new board, as they already have relevant experience and mandatory provincial training in quasi-judicial hearings. If approved, Board members will receive honorariums covered under the existing operating budget. This change follows a governance review aimed at improving City decision-making processes.
  
  
• The Governance Standing Policy Committee has voted unanimously to maintain the current street sweeping program levels that were reduced in 2020. The changes included cutting the number of sweepers from seven to five and removing services like windshield notices and some summer sweeping. Despite a reduced budget - dropping from over $1.5 million in 2019 to about $1.37 million in 2024 - the City has tried to maintain pre-2020 service levels. Transportation staff reported that some neighbourhoods were missed in 2021 due to budget constraints. The Committee also supported continuing right-side snow plowing for winter 2025-26, with a trial subscription-based windrow clearing service. Snow plowing is significantly cheaper than full removal, but the City faced a $500,000 deficit in 2024 due to multiple heavy snowfalls.
  
  
• The Lethbridge Wellness Shelter and Stabilization Unit has officially opened its newly expanded facility, offering space for up to 200 individuals experiencing homelessness. The 16,000-square-foot building includes improved features such as a raised security area, additional washrooms, and expanded storage for personal belongings. Alberta’s Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services, Jason Nixon, emphasized that while the shelter is not a long-term solution to homelessness, it plays a crucial role in connecting people to meaningful services. Operated by the Blood Tribe Department of Health since 2023, the shelter now has dedicated space for spiritual and cultural programming, which CEO Derrick Fox says supports healing and recovery. The expansion was made possible through $5 million in provincial funding and a land donation from the City of Lethbridge.
  
  
• Two Southern Alberta MPs have been reappointed to key roles in the Conservative Party’s shadow cabinet. Lethbridge MP Rachael Thomas will serve as Shadow Minister for Canadian Identity and Culture, continuing her previous work on Canadian Heritage. She emphasized the importance of protecting Canadian values such as freedom and democracy and pledged to fight against Liberal censorship. Foothills MP John Barlow will remain Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food, highlighting the sector’s economic value and criticizing Liberal policies like the carbon tax and fertilizer regulations. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre announced the appointments as part of his plan to push for affordability, safety, and national unity. He stated that the new team will work to lower taxes, reduce inflation, and restore public safety. Both MPs expressed strong commitment to standing up for their constituents and Canadian interests.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Join the Common Sense Lethbridge Facebook group to stay informed about what’s really happening at City Hall and connect with others who want to bring transparency, accountability, and common sense back to local government. 

Be part of the conversation, share your ideas, and help shape the future of our city.

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