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By Rebecca Calder<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Powered by Communities is a storytelling platform designed to highlight community-level energy transition initiatives. So, when the opportunity came to report on a place that literally has community power\u2026 how could we not discuss Medicine Hat?<\/p>\n I grew up in northern Alberta, and Medicine Hat has inhabited a spot in my imagination for many, many years. I imagined it brilliantly sunshiny, with a crisp river running through it, and antelopes leaping through its suburbs. (There is a non-zero chance my vision was inspired by the Little House books.)<\/p>\n I finally got to visit Medicine Hat this past summer, and unlike many other times, my imagination didn\u2019t disappoint. In fact, it was even better. The river valley was such an extraordinary beauty, so different to my experience of trees, trees, and more trees. I live in Edmonton now and it\u2019s beautiful \u2013 but it is familiar.<\/p>\n So, there I was in Medicine Hat in August, sun beating down on me from a brilliantly blue sky, freckles popping out on my skin in real time, momentarily forgetting I was there on a work trip. Some colleagues and I were visiting to see some of the energy conservation and microgeneration projects we at the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre had helped them finance.<\/p>\n But I was also on another mission. Not the mission to reconcile my imagination with the actuality of the place; that was a bonus. My secondary mission was to learn more about Medicine Hat\u2019s energy independence. With the City in charge of its own electricity production and distribution, they are in a uniquely flexible position to adapt to climate change and adopt energy conservation practices.<\/p>\n A long tradition of preparing for the future<\/strong><\/p>\n Medicine Hat has been producing electricity and natural gas since the early 1900s (the only municipality in North America to do so) and their ownership of the production, distribution, and retail of electricity has given them a major cost-of-living advantage over other communities.<\/p>\n In my scope as a communicator about climate adaptation and mitigation, I tend to start conversations by talking about money. Revenue and expenditures are concepts with universal appeal and tangible and often immediate manifestations of success. Medicine Hat has leveraged its ownership of the power system and the natural gas wells to grow revenues while keeping costs lower for citizens.<\/p>\n However, this system includes one major drawback: they are responsible for all the infrastructure. That means maintaining it as it ages, and expanding it as the City and surrounding areas they service grow.<\/p>\n Despite having \u201call hell as a basement\u201d (a Rudyard Kipling quote that is illegal to exclude from essays about Medicine Hat, referring to the shallow and abundant natural gas in the area), the City knows that firing generators to create electricity will not be sustainable forever. Already the warmest city in Alberta, Medicine Hat faces the results of climate change more acutely than elsewhere in the province. Temperatures are expected to rise<\/a> to about 30\u00b0C on average for two months by 2051. This still feels like the distant future, but it\u2019s only 25 years away.<\/p>\n And the City of Medicine Hat is aware of this. And they\u2019re making efforts in climate mitigation and adaptation. They\u2019ve invested in wind and solar power (especially wise as Medicine Hat is the sunniest city in Alberta). While this investment is small for now, they are \u201clooking at it from a larger scale to support our municipal electric generation,\u201d according to Adria Coombs<\/strong>, Manager \u2013 Environmental Strategy and Compliance at the City of Medicine Hat.<\/p>\n The City has developed an environmental framework<\/a> that underscores its commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability. This strategic planning document outlines clear directions for resource management and climate risk mitigation, aligning with City Council\u2019s strategic priorities and the Municipal Development Plan. A key component of this framework is the climate risk assessment<\/a>, which provides guidance on how climate change impacts Medicine Hat and informs recommendations in the Environmental Framework for future adaptation measures.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/questcanada.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Medicine-Hat-Alberta.png” title_text=”Medicine Hat Alberta” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” width=”65%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”15px” width=”70%” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”6px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”|3px|36px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Collaboration as a powerful tool<\/strong><\/p>\n To advance climate mitigation efforts, Medicine Hat is collaborating with MCCAC, the Community Energy Association, through the Prairies Cohort of QUEST Canada\u2019s Net-Zero Communities Accelerator program.<\/p>\n \u201cBy engaging in the program, the City has acquired baseline GHG data, conducted an economic impact assessment, and developed KPIs and implementation strategies,\u201d says Coombs. \u201cThis data continues to guide the City’s investment and decision-making processes for various initiatives and actions. Particularly beneficial activities for the City of Medicine Hat include those that consolidate data or connect individuals to create a comprehensive overview, facilitate information sharing, and enhance communication across departments.\u201d<\/p>\n The goal is to create a Community Energy and Emissions Strategy, further demonstrating Medicine Hat\u2019s proactive approach to managing its energy grid and supporting the community.<\/p>\n For home, and business, commercial and industrial sectors<\/strong><\/p>\n Medicine Hat has a long history of empowering its citizens, literally. Initiatives like the Clean Energy Improvement Program \u2013 which helps homeowners finance energy efficiency upgrades, and the long-standing HAT Smart program \u2013 offering rebates for energy-conscious improvements, put the power to act directly in the hands of residents.<\/p>\n Coombs is particularly proud of HAT Smart. With \u201cincentives for existing homes, new homes, water conservation, EnerGuide evaluations, and various eligible small purchase items in Scratch & Win,\u201d she explains, \u201cwe hope the HAT Smart program initially helps residents to financially support home improvement project costs. And then, ultimately helps to reduce their utility bills and energy\/water consumption.\u201d<\/p>\n