Lethbridge Minute: Issue 298

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

📅 This Week In Lethbridge: 📅

• The Community Issues Committee will meet tomorrow at 1:30 pm, and its agenda includes the monthly financial update from Excite Lethbridge, which has been required to report its operating results to Council every month since October 2025. The reports for June and July show a loss from Excite's operations of $442,861 over the first seven months of 2026, or $680,920 once the old pavilions are included, before City grants. In July alone, Excite brought in $215,211 in revenue against a budgeted $519,375, and its operating loss of $226,263 for the month was more than double the budgeted $98,884. The City has paid Excite $1,056,195 in grants so far this year, which leaves the society showing a net surplus of $390,075 for the seven months. Excite's forecast for the full year projects an operating loss of $1,384,128 and a loss of $451,600 on the old pavilions, both larger than budgeted. Even after the City's full $1,564,214 grant, the forecast expects Excite to finish 2026 with a $256,714 deficit, against a balanced budget.
  
  
• The Community Issues Committee will meet tomorrow at 1:30 pm, and its agenda includes a presentation from the Sobriety and Healing Activity-Based Recovery Program (SHARP) Society asking the City for interim bridging funds. The Society runs weekly activities for Lethbridge residents recovering from substance use disorder, and is requesting $2,000 in one-time funding to cover nine weeks of programming from October 23rd to December 31st, with a decision needed by October 22nd. SHARP Society says its services are now in jeopardy after it was turned down for the City's Community Event Support Grant in the last two intake periods, as that grant is not designed to fund ongoing weekly programming. Paying for the last 32 weeks of programming on its own has severely depleted the money it raised through fundraising, according to its request. The City previously awarded the group $1,955.71 in October 2025 for 12 weeks of programming and $966 for its one-year celebration in June 2026. The Society argues that its activities reduce EMS calls, emergency room visits, and crime across the city.
  
  
• Mayor Blaine Hyggen wrote a column noting that City Council reaches its first year in office on October 27th, the anniversary of its 2025 swearing-in, and names the coming capital budget as one of this Council's milestones. The Community Issues Committee has heard presentations on proposed projects for the 2027-2036 Capital Improvement Program covering Transportation & Transit, Community Services, Corporate Services, Excite Lethbridge, the Lethbridge Police Service, and the Lethbridge Public Library. No final decisions have been made, and Hyggen says the Committee will debate the draft plan during the week of November 16th to November 20th, with its recommendations going to Council at a regular meeting in December. The capital budget will set an approved four-year budget for 2027-2030 within the 10-year plan. The Mayor also makes the case for a proposed $287-million regional water and wastewater expansion, which would be funded through a three-way partnership of the City, the Province, and the federal government, including a $95.6-million request to the Government of Alberta. He says a provincial commitment would let construction begin in 2027 and finish by 2030, and argues the upgrades, on top of the $285 million Council approved in May for an accelerated expansion of the Wastewater Treatment Plant, are needed to support growth in Lethbridge and nearby communities.
  
  
• The Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge held its 20th annual Mayor's Luncheon for Business and the Arts on October 14th, bringing together artists, business leaders, community organizations, and arts supporters. The event recognizes the connections between the arts, business, and civic leadership, and honours contributions to the local arts community. This year's luncheon presented awards to six recipients. In his welcome message, Mayor Blaine Hyggen emphasized the role of the arts in strengthening quality of life, supporting local businesses, creating jobs, and contributing to economic growth.
  
  
• The City of Lethbridge is offering free transit service all day today for the 2026 Provincial Referendum. The City says the free service is intended to help residents participate in the referendum, which is administered by Elections Alberta. No fares are being charged today on either Lethbridge Transit or Access-A-Ride. Regular fares on both services resume tomorrow.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Alberta’s referendum is taking place today, with voters weighing in on nine questions about immigration and the Constitution, as well as a tenth on whether the province should explore separation from Canada.

You must cast your ballot at your assigned voting place in your electoral district, so click below to find your voting location and check what identification you need to bring:

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

This week's sponsor is you! We don't have big corporate backers, so if you like what you're reading, please consider making a donation or signing up as a monthly member.

Having said that, if you are a local business and are interested in being a sponsor, send us an email and we'll talk!