Lethbridge Mayor Blaine Hyggen is voicing his disappointment in the announcement of the Alberta Budget 2023. (File photo: LNN)

By Sarah Jones

Lethbridge Mayor vocalizes disappointment in wake of Alberta Budget 2023

Mar 2, 2023 | 11:17 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Initial reaction for the Alberta Budget 2023 has been met with disappointment from Lethbridge Mayor Blaine Hyggen.

On February 28, 2023, the province unveiled its Budget 2023. The UCP government indicated it would secure Alberta’s future by strengthening health care, addressing affordability, growing the economy, supporting job creation, and keeping communities safe.

Read more: UCP unveils budget it says secures Alberta’s future

Mayor Hyggen says he was shocked to see that several initiatives that Lethbridge City Council had recommended did not make the cut.

Hyggen said, “In general, we saw a lot of broad funding. So, that can certainly help our residents in many ways, but unfortunately, some of the more important Lethbridge community needs that council has been advocating for, for quite some time, are unfortunately absent from this budget.”

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Most surprising to Hyggen was the lack of funding for a catheterization lab at Chinook Regional Hospital, which he stipulates would have cost nearly $12 to $13 million to establish plus an estimated $7 million in operating costs per year.

Read more: Health care budget aims to tackle wait times and doctor shortage

Currently, Lethbridge and area patients seeking treatment at a catheterization lab are required to go to Calgary, which can be taxing on ambulance services who are transporting patients back and forth.

Hyggen continued, “To be quite honest, I thought it was a no-brainer that we were going to get that. It’s a health thing, it’s going to help Medicine Hat, our surrounding areas, Lethbridge, and take the taxation off of Calgary, meaning less transfers there. So, again I’ll say it, and I’ve said it two or three times already, very disappointing, very disappointing to see that.”

While funding may not come from the provincial government, Hyggen noted he plans to speak with local doctors later this week to discuss a plan moving forward with a catheterization lab.

Another essential project that received very little funding according to Hyggen was upgrading the water and wastewater treatment plants.

In Lethbridge, about 20 to 21 percent of treated water goes towards supporting other regions in the area, and without funding for an upgrade, the city is facing capacity at the treatment plant.

Read more: Alberta budget includes $23 billion for infrastructure

Hyggen explained, “In order to expand or to welcome business into our community we need to have some work done on our water treatment plant as well as the wastewater, and so for that reason, I was quite sure that this would be in the budget.”

“What we did see, is about a third of what we would require to do our work, is what was provided for the complete province. So, I’m not sure where that’s going to go. Another disappointment,” he added.

Some positives from Budget 2023 saw additional support for addiction and mental health initiatives, with a new facility focused on recovery to open in Lethbridge within the next few months.

Read more: Province to invest in mental health, addictions, social housing

The city will also receive a total of $9 million towards supportive housing in Lethbridge, and an additional $3 million for the destination project Phase Two plan for the University of Lethbridge, which will go towards upgrades.

Hyggen said, “Some of the projects that were specifically identified for Lethbridge, and I’ll be very honest, I thought it was missing a page because it was just a few things. One was $11.2 million for the expansion of a renal dialysis program at Chinook Regional Hospital. My understanding [is] it’s some life-cycling that is needed there, so although it is something that is extremely important. Little frustrated that was the top thing that we got.”

Read more: Provincial investments aim to bolster public safety

Altogether, the City of Lethbridge is feeling left out of the Alberta Government’s Budget 2023, as important and vital projects were seemingly looked over in the eyes of the Lethbridge Mayor.

Hyggen concluded, “I looked at some of the other communities and what they had on the sheet, and what they were given for the Budget, and I will say that I was, again, my favorite word, disappointed.”

Read more: Budget’s affordability measures total $2.3B this year

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