Young Seeking To Give Back to City That Gave to Him

Council candidate Stuart Young credits the Medicine Hat community for helping lift him out of a difficult situation as a teen and putting him on track to be successful.

“I came here as a messed-up kid. I was 16 years old and had nothing and I met people here who changed my life. I want to make sure every kid has those same opportunities,” Young said.

If elected, Young wants to start giving back to the community.

“I came to Medicine Hat as a 16-year-old kid. I was experiencing homelessness at the time,” explained Young. “A friend sent me to Medicine Hat to a camp and it was a skateboard camp. . .I met some incredible people who had a profound impact on my life.”

He returned to the city as an 18-year-old and began working with the Medicine Hat Skateboard Association and where he was encouraged to continue his schooling.

That led to attending classes at Medicine Hat College, the University of Alberta and work at large oil and gas firms.

“My job, from business perspective, has been to support very large projects, support our senior leadership when it comes to culture and people,” said Young.

It’s the culture at hall which Young says he wants to improve.

“Leadership at city council – we have absolutely lost trust with the citizens of Medicine Hat,” he said.

And it will be his priority to address that issue if elected.

Having a plan for success but not the work environment to carry it through is an issue fatal to an organization, Young said.

“Ultimately, culture will eat strategy for breakfast,” he said.

Attracting and retaining businesses to the city is also a priority.

“Working with the city isn’t something easy to do,” Young said is something he hears often and he wants to see what other municipalities are doing which appear to be streamlining the process.

Understanding the city-owned utilities, maximizing value from it and ensuring energy bills are affordable is also a priority for Young.

Supporting families and youth in the city is something also close to his heart.

“I believe the health of our youth shows the health of our city,” he said, also stating that while municipal government can’t solve all the problems, “a strong city hall makes a difference.”

When it comes down to real or perceived issues of transparency, Young said it again comes down to the loss of trust of citizens with city hall and better communications.

Young said whether it’s on a skateboard or in a boardroom, he’s experience has allowed to relate to people across the board. Something he believes will make him well suited in dealing with different personalities and bring them together.