Lethbridge Minute: Issue 249

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

📅 This Week In Lethbridge: 📅

• Lethbridge’s newly sworn-in City Council held their 2025 organizational meeting to set schedules and appointments. Council approved the Deputy Mayor and Acting Mayor schedule for 2025-2029, with Councillor Belinda Crowson serving as Acting Mayor for the first rotation and Councillor Jenn Schmidt-Rempel as Deputy Mayor. They also adopted the 2026 Council and Standing Policy Committee calendar, which will be publicly available on the City’s website, with agendas posted one week in advance. Additionally, two members of Administration were appointed to committees: Recreation Services Manager Travis Grindle to the Combative Sports Commission and Environment Manager Mark Svenson to the Oldman Watershed Council.
  
  
• The Alberta Municipalities (ABMunis) Convention and Trade Show is being hosted this week in Calgary, from November 12th to 14th. As part of the agenda, several municipalities have put forward resolutions to provide direction on what issues ABMunis should advocate for to the Province and the federal government. Highlights include Airdrie’s call for a provincial framework for Municipal Accommodation Taxes, Grande Prairie’s proposal to equalize electricity distribution charges, and Edmonton’s advocacy on climate and transportation infrastructure. Councillor Jenn Schmidt-Rempel is running for Vice-President of the Board for cities up to 500,000.
  
  
• Mayor Blaine Hyggen says City officials are reviewing the details of the 2025 federal budget to assess how new infrastructure and housing commitments might benefit local residents. Hyggen welcomed the federal government’s $115 billion in infrastructure and $25 billion in homebuilding investments, adding that Lethbridge hopes to receive a fair share of the funding. He said that City Council will work with Ottawa in the coming months to explore available opportunities under the Build Community Strong Fund. MP Rachael Thomas offered a contrasting view, accusing the federal government of overspending and increasing costs for Canadians. She pointed to rising food bank usage in Lethbridge and criticized carbon taxes on farm equipment and construction materials. 
  
  
• A major $300-million development is planned for Lethbridge’s west side, bringing the area’s first hotel, new retail opportunities, and more than 450 residential units. The project is being led by three local firms: Sherwood Developments, Cedar Ridge Homes, and Tollestrup Construction, in partnership with the Green Acres Foundation. Developer Matthew Sherwood said the collaboration represents a “Lethbridge development by Lethbridge developers,” with a focus on keeping investment and jobs local. The 25-acre commercial component will extend the existing Crossings retail area along Whoop-Up Drive, while an additional 13 acres will include mixed-use housing for families and seniors. Cedar Ridge president Lonny Hoy said the project will employ hundreds of local workers and introduce urban-style residential options new to the city. The developers are working closely with the City of Lethbridge on infrastructure planning, with construction expected to begin in spring 2026.
  
  
• The City of Lethbridge and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local #987 have finalized a new two-year agreement for Access-A-Ride (AAR) employees after eight months of negotiations. The deal covers 50 AAR operators, who will reach wage parity with the City’s fixed-route transit employees by December 31st, 2026, while other roles, including booking agents, scheduling analysts, and dispatchers, will receive market rate adjustments. Negotiations involved mediation in mid-October, followed by a member vote approving the agreement. While some Councillors criticized ATU leadership for public comments during negotiations, they emphasized that their support reflected the critical service AAR workers provide. 

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Do you see value in being part of organizations like Alberta Municipalities, which advocate on behalf of cities and help shape provincial and federal policy?

Reply and share your thoughts!

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