Councillors Question Rationale Of Provincial Priorities Act

SafeLink Alberta’s North Railway location in Medicine Hat. The facility was approved for a federal grant to support daytime shelter services applied for through the municipal government prior to the province vetoing the funds. (File Photo)

Frustration is being expressed by city committee members regarding on the ability of the province to now veto federal funding to the municipality while adding to the administrative work and time to access grants.

Following the passage of the Provincial Priorities Act, the Alberta government has added administrative complexity and delay to the process of Medicine Hat’s access to federal funding, a city committee heard last week.

“It’s made it significantly more challenging to us to get funding we require from the federal government,” stated Coun. Stu Young during the meeting. “I want to understand the benefit because all I’m hearing right now is the negative.”

The committee heard it took four months for the province to give a response to a funding application last year following the federal approval of an operating grant for day shelter services at the city’s SafeLink centre.

That funding was ultimately denied by the province.

Alberta passed the legislation in 2024 which came into effect last year. The legislation requires any new, renewed or amended agreement between municipalities and federal government valued at more than $100,000 be approved by the province. Funding over $5 million requires provincial cabinet approval.

The provincial approval process is only triggered after the federal government grants funds, committee members heard.

 While Young stated he wished to avoid rhetoric regarding the SafeLink funding specifically and finger pointing directed at the province, he did question the rationale of the legislation which makes grant application significantly harder.

“They don’t give us more money. They just have a veto on it,” said Young during the meeting.

Coun. Brian Varga also questioned the process after hearing the federal funds approved for Medicine Hat now just getting reallocated to another community.

“Is that fair? Once it’s been allocated by the feds to come to us that there’s a roadblock put up to not get that funding,” Varga stated during the meeting. He later added, “I’m scared to find out what the next thing is going to be that we apply for that they are not going to give us money for.”

The province’s ability to kybosh federal funding to Alberta municipalities could also negatively impact programs the city is looking to access involving the Saamis Solar project.

The second reading of a more than $60 million debenture bylaw which will help pave the way for the Saamis Solar project to continue its development is scheduled for Monday’s regular council meeting. An in-camera discussion on SafeLink is also on the agenda.