Lethbridge Minute: Issue 248

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

📅 This Week In Lethbridge: 📅

• The City of Lethbridge’s newly elected Council members were officially sworn into office at a ceremony in City Hall. The ceremony was led by the Lethbridge Police Service Pipes and Drums. Returning officer Bonnie Hilford noted the election process was transparent, with over 50,000 ballots counted by hand with the help of volunteers and temporary staff, allowing results to be finalized ahead of schedule. Hyggen expressed pride in serving a second term and praised the Council’s mix of experienced and new members, highlighting increased female representation. Some Councillors emphasized their priorities: Ryan Wolfe focused on fiscal responsibility and avoiding tax increases; Rufa Doria highlighted agriculture, affordability, and safe neighbourhoods; and Al Beeber stressed balancing essential services with the rising cost of living.
  
  
• There will be an Organizational Meeting of Council this afternoon at 12:30 pm. Key business includes the nomination of Councillor Jenn Schmidt-Rempel for Alberta Municipalities Vice-President. Council will also review the 2026 Council and Standing Policy Committee calendar, the Deputy Mayor and Acting Mayor schedule for 2025-2029, and appointments to various boards and committees. A Regular Meeting of City Council will take place after the Organizational Meeting. Council will receive several confidential reports covering multiple labour negotiations.
  
  
• A Lethbridge-based researcher is studying how heat waves and hailstorms affect Alberta’s potato crops to help farmers make better-informed decisions and reduce economic losses. Jonathan Neilson, from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, is focusing on Alberta-specific growing conditions, including unusually warm periods in May and June in 2021 and 2023. His research shows that potato plants can generally recover from early- or late-season stress, but the mid-growing season is when crops are most vulnerable. Heat and hail can impact tuber size, shape, and quality, causing issues like double sets, heat runners, and sugar-end or jelly-end potatoes, which reduce market value. Risk assessment tools are being developed to help growers predict yield losses and make strategic decisions. Future research will explore how biostimulants and soil health can enhance crop resilience. The Potato Growers of Alberta supports the research, highlighting its importance in understanding internal crop changes beyond visible damage.
  
  
• Two University of Lethbridge faculty members have been appointed Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs in federal projects. Dr. Alex Tetarenko, an astrophysicist, was named CRC in Black Hole Astrophysics, focusing on studying jets from stellar-mass black holes and training the next generation of Canadian astronomers. Dr. Amy Mack, an assistant professor in New Media, was named CRC in Digital Extremism, researching strategies to counter radicalization while promoting social cohesion. Both researchers will receive infrastructure funding through the John R. Evans Leaders Fund - $71,233 for Tetarenko and $123,345 for Mack. University leadership emphasized that these appointments reflect the institution’s commitment to advancing knowledge across diverse fields and supporting high-caliber research with both national and international impact.
  
  
• The Alberta Sheriffs’ SCAN unit has closed another problem property on Lethbridge’s south side due to ongoing criminal activity, including drug offences, assaults, and weapons incidents. Complaints about the property began in 2021, and multiple neighbours reported suspicious activity over the years. After issuing a SCAN warning letter to the property owner in November 2024, illegal activity persisted. In April 2025, a controlled police search found evidence of drug trafficking, possession, stolen property, and weapons. The Court of King’s Bench granted a two-year community safety order. SCAN will monitor the property while it remains boarded, fenced, and secured with the goal of disrupting the cycle of criminal activity. Inspector Brent Pickard emphasized that closures are intended to prevent non-residents from using the property for illegal activity.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Council is getting to work - what issues do you think they should focus on first?

Reply and share your thoughts!

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