Medicine Hat United Ratepayers Association

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Medicine Hat United Ratepayers Association Advocating for fair, affordable utilities and responsible taxes for all Medicine Hat ratepayers — now and for the future. Your City. Your Voice. Mhura.org

Join MHURA in standing up for transparency, fiscal responsibility, and accountable local government.

02/03/2026

WHY THE UNANIMOUS VOTE — AND WHY RESIDENTS ARE STILL CONCERNED 

Council voted unanimously to move forward with the $135 million Saamis Solar investment, citing mitigated risks and a third-party analysis presented as a “win-win.”

That helps explain the vote - but it doesn’t remove the concern.

Councillors were shown an optimistic case, supported by external analysis, with key details withheld from public view due to “commercial confidentiality.” Risks were framed as managed, future approvals emphasized, and the decision positioned as a necessary step forward rather than a final commitment.

When administration controls the information, limits public scrutiny, and presents a project as low-risk and time-sensitive, a unanimous vote becomes understandable, even predictable.

But history matters.

Our community has been asked before to “trust the process,” from the Manyberries gas fields to the failed solar thermal project. Assurances were given, risks were downplayed, and when outcomes fell short, the losses landed with ratepayers.

That’s why the words often attributed to Mark Twain resonate so strongly today:

“If voting made any difference, they wouldn’t let us do it.”

“It is easier to deceive people than to convince them that they have been deceived.”

These quotes shouldn’t describe our local democracy - but without transparency, independent analysis that can be publicly tested, and clear accountability before money is committed, they begin to feel uncomfortably relevant.

This isn’t opposition to renewable energy. ☀️ ⚡️
It’s a call for better governance.

Saamis Solar should be the test case for doing things differently - where confidentiality does not override accountability, and trust is built through openness, not assurances.

💬 Accountability builds trust
💰 This is long-term risk - and ratepayer money
📢 Residents deserve clarity before commitments are locked in.

Your city. Your money. Your voice.

MHURA

Watch the entire council meeting last night here:

https://www.youtube.com/live/aIX6GzLj1SU?si=X3KVS8u6QHQ87KP9

Tonight’s Council Meeting - Saamis Solar 🌞⚠️Council unanimously (Councillor Mohammed absent) voted to move forward with ...
02/03/2026

Tonight’s Council Meeting - Saamis Solar 🌞⚠️

Council unanimously (Councillor Mohammed absent) voted to move forward with the $135M Saamis Solar project - approximately $70M from Energy Transition Reserves and $65M in new debt.

City administration presented this as a “win-win, guaranteed” investment.
Many residents were left asking: how can a project of this size ever be guaranteed?

Energy markets change. Policy changes.
Assumptions change.
Ratepayers are the ones left holding the risk.

Administration referenced a third-party analysis supporting the project - yet no clarity was provided on who conducted it, what assumptions were used, or whether it will be made public.
Transparency matters. If confidence is warranted, the data should stand on its own.

MHURA raised concerns from the beginning, supported by independent third-party analysis indicating financial risk with little to no upside for taxpayers.

A fair question remains:
👉 If this project does not deliver the promised returns, who is accountable?

If taxpayers are being asked to assume the risk, then the Energy Department should share in that risk as well, not offload it entirely onto the public while guaranteeing success from the podium.

The chamber was tense. Residents showed up, voiced concern, and held signs. Many felt talked down to rather than heard. That reaction didn’t come out of nowhere.

You don’t rebuild trust by:
• Rushing a $135M decision
• Avoiding public open houses
• Withholding analysis details
• Dismissing legitimate concerns

If the City is serious about transparency and rebuilding trust, the next step must be a dedicated public open house on Saamis Solar, where assumptions, risks, accountability, and long-term impacts are openly discussed.

This is ratepayer money.
The public deserves answers - not assurances.

📢 Stay engaged. Ask questions. Accountability doesn’t end with a vote.

02/01/2026

📣 A MESSAGE TO OUR COUNCILLORS

Just last October, the people of Medicine Hat voted in a new City Council.

You were elected to represent residents,
to protect taxpayers,
and to act in the best interest of this community - not to rubber-stamp decisions already set in motion!

On Monday, February 2, you will be asked to approve a Final Investment Decision committing $131.5 million of public money and $65.75 million in new debt for the Saamis Solar Project.

Residents were not properly consulted.
There is no publicly released feasibility study.
ROI, lifespan, and long-term risk remain unanswered.

This is not a minor decision.
This is a point-of-no-return vote.

If Council chooses to proceed:

➡️ That decision will be on the public record
➡️ It will be scrutinized - now and in the future
➡️ And if there are cost overruns, reserve depletion, tax increases, or financial underperformance,
👉 Council must take full responsibility

Administration advises.
Consultants present.
But Council decides.

You are voting on behalf of the taxpayers who put you there.

Residents are watching.
Residents are showing up.
And residents will remember.

📢 If you value your tax dollars, SHARE THIS.
👥 Tell your friends, neighbours, and family.
❌ Show up and say NO to Saamis Solar as it stands.

Accountability does not end with the vote -
it begins there!

🏛️ Monday, Feb 2 • 6:30 PM • City Hall

Medicine Hat United Ratepayers Association



City of Medicine Hat

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101-1111 Kingsway Avenue SE
Medicine Hat, AB
T1A2Y1

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