Lethbridge Minute: Issue 230

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

📅 This Week In Lethbridge: 📅

• Council has approved two major upgrade projects for the City’s water treatment plant, backing borrowing bylaws that will significantly expand budgets for the work. Council gave first reading to amendments that increase the water plant redundancy project budget from $14 million to $42.3 million and boost the voltage upgrade budget from $7.5 million to $24.9 million. The projects aim to strengthen the plant’s reliability by adding a new high-rate clarifier and replacing aging electrical systems, transformers, and main feeds. City officials say these improvements are crucial as some equipment is more than 40 years old and becoming harder to maintain. The upgrades are also seen as vital first steps to support population and economic growth in Lethbridge and nearby communities. Cost overruns are linked to inflation and high demand for similar work across Alberta.
  
  
• Council voted 7-2 to let the Citizens of Lethbridge Urban Chicken Club (CLUCC) present their urban hen proposal at a future Safety and Social Standing Policy Committee meeting. The decision came after Councillor Mark Campbell brought forward a motion to give the group a chance to speak, after the Agenda Review Committee denied their earlier request. An amendment will see health experts invited to share information about the potential benefits and risks of urban chicken farming. CLUCC says local interest in backyard hens is growing, similar to programs allowed in other Alberta cities like Calgary and Edmonton. While some Councillors supported the move as a way to let community voices be heard, others, including Councillor Rajko Dodic, raised concerns about health impacts. The final date for the presentation has yet to be set.
  
  
• The City of Lethbridge’s Online Safety Toolkit has been moved to the Lethbridge Police Service website and expanded to include new content aimed at preventing online risks for families, youth, and educators. Originally launched in October 2024 under the Building Safer Communities initiative, the toolkit now offers practical resources on topics such as cyberbullying, gang recruitment, online exploitation, and parental controls. Two new sections - “In the News” and “Youth Zone” - highlight current digital risks and provide youth-focused safety tips. LPS Const. Chris Andrade noted a rise in online-related incidents among youth and stressed the importance of giving families access to proactive safety tools. The centralized resource aims to simplify the process for parents seeking trustworthy information about online threats. 
  
  
• Applied research groups like Farming Smarter near Lethbridge are set to benefit from new provincial funding announced this week. At the Farming Smarter field school, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson unveiled a one-time $3.2-million grant that will support 12 applied research associations across the province. Farming Smarter will receive $500,000 from the grant, which will help expand its research and upgrade equipment. Executive Director Ken Coles says the funding is a rare boost that will allow the group to branch into new work, including specialized potato studies and additional contract trials. Sigurdson highlighted Alberta’s critical role as an agricultural exporter, calling research vital to meeting global food demand, which could grow by up to 85% by mid-century. Farming Smarter ran 161 trials and studied 24 crops last year, showing the region’s innovation in advancing farming practices.
  
  
• The Holy Spirit Catholic School Division has approved new attendance boundaries in preparation for its new westside Lethbridge school set to open in fall 2026. After consulting with families and staff, trustees voted to adjust the catchment areas for both North and West Lethbridge schools. Starting September 1st, 2026, St. Teresa of Calcutta will serve students from Legacy, Blackwolf, and part of Uplands. St. Paul’s boundary will shift north to 5 Avenue N, while École St. Mary will expand south of that. On the west side, St. Patrick Fine Arts will include Ridgewood and Heritage Heights, Children of St. Martha will add Indian Battle Heights and Willowbrook, and Father Leonard Van Tighem will convert to a junior high to support the new elementary school. The division says it will work closely with families to ensure a smooth transition for students and staff.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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