Lethbridge mayor Blaine Hyggen is reacting to the Government of Alberta's 2025 budget. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge mayor pleased with local investments in new Alberta budget

Feb 28, 2025 | 11:45 AM

Blaine Hyggen says positive steps are being taken by the Government of Alberta on a few key issues in Lethbridge.

The mayor is reacting to the unveiling of the 2025 provincial budget, which happened on Thursday, February 27.

The biggest highlight for Hyggen was learning that $520 million will be spent over the next three years on upgrades to water and wastewater treatment facilities in small and mid-sized municipalities.

While it is currently unknown how much money, if any, Lethbridge will get for that, he says it is “encouraging.”

On peak usage days, the City of Lethbridge says the water treatment plant exceeds 90 per cent capacity. Hyggen explains that an expansion will be critical to keep up with the needs of Lethbridge’s growing population.

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READ MORE: Alberta funding improvements, expansion for Lethbridge Water Treatment Plant

A major focus in the province’s newly-announced spending was healthcare, something Lethbridge City Council has spent many years advocating for.

“Through our advocacy work through council to the province, we spoke about healthcare and the importance of healthcare, the need for doctors, the need for specialty doctors as well. I think we were heard loud and clear,” says Hyggen.

He continues, “Is it going to be the perfect solution? I’m not sure any budget really is that way, however, it will address some of the concerns we’ve been seeing.”

The budget allocates $39 million over three years for the University of Lethbridge Rural Medical Teaching School. It is a traditional medical school program that aims to address the shortage of physicians throughout the province, particularly in rural communities.

Hyggen says funding for the medical school program is in addition to what had already been announced in 2024, meaning there will likely be room for more students.

READ MORE: New med school programs being created in Lethbridge & Grande Prairie

The government plans to spend $5 million over two years to enhance intensive care unit capacity in Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, as well as create a catheterization lab at Chinook Regional Hospital.

Another $22 million over three years will go towards renal dialysis at the hospital in Lethbridge.

Hyggen exclaims that he was thrilled to learn that $225 million will be used to plan and design three new schools in the south region.

It will still take some time to comb through the budget documents and wait for the province to reveal more specific details about new spending, Hyggen says.

Elsewhere in southern Alberta, the 2025 provincial budget allocates:

• $106 million over two years to twin Highway 3 between Taber and Burdett
• Funding for the first stage of realignment and connection of Highways 2 and 3 near Fort Macleod to support the expansion of trade corridors
• $25 million over two years for equipment and border patrol facilities under the new Alberta border security initiative
• $1 million to plan for the replacement of the Cardston Health Centre
• Funding for the development and expansion of the Blood Tribe Police Service

More details on the 2025 provincial budget are in the link below.

READ MORE: Alberta runs budget deficit while cutting $1.2B in taxes amid U.S. tariff threat

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