April 2025 Mayor's Column

I want to begin by extending my gratitude to all those who contributed to support for the families impacted and displaced by the devastating house fires on the westside last weekend.

I also want to thank our emergency services members who responded to this call, as well as all the others they deal with to keep our community safe. On that note, our Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services (LFES) team issued a follow-up reminding residents to stay clear from active emergency scenes. 

During this recent fire response, onlookers and vehicle traffic significantly disrupted and delayed access for responders from LFES, Lethbridge Police Service and utility partners. One driver collided with a police vehicle while distracted by the fire, and utility crews were hindered in reaching the area to shut off gas lines. 

It is essential for the community to do its part to support emergency responders by:

• Avoiding active fire and emergency scenes
• Keeping roadways clear for emergency vehicles. If lights are flashing behind you, safely move to the side and make room for emergency vehicles to pass
• Following all detours and instructions from emergency personnel. 

Please follow this advice. Every second counts during an emergency. With strong winds common in Lethbridge, the risk of fire spreading quickly increases – making rapid response even more critical. 

Earlier this week, mayors and representatives from almost 30 small to medium-sized Canadian cities were here in Lethbridge for a conference hosted by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA).

There were mayors from coast to coast to coast here to hear and share some of the challenges and successes many cities in Canada have been facing for years. It was a wonderful event to showcase how communities can come together to find real solutions to the hardest problems.

A future goal for the CCSA is to create a playbook for communities to share. The standards will provide municipal leaders with a consolidated range of options from which they can choose, based on their regional realities. They will help unlock vital government support, as well as reduce the growing polarization concerning this crisis. I look forward to seeing how further strategies can be supported.

As the ever-changing impact of US tariffs continues to play out, the City of Lethbridge is committed to protecting our local economy by working with our regional partners to attract new investment, support continued growth and expansion and retain and support existing business.

As an organization, the City spent approximately $2.5 million last year on goods and services from the United States. This represents less than four per cent of the City’s annual procurement spend. Read more on our response here.

As property tax notices will be issued in early May, we are inviting property owners to make the switch to our secure and convenient e-billing system. Join the more than 4,700 property owners who have already made the switch – double the participation from last year.

Why Choose E-Billing?

• Receive tax notices directly to your email
• Access archived copies anytime for your records
• Stay organized with instant notifications

How to sign up:

1.     Log in to MyCity at www.lethbridge.ca/MyCity

2.     Register your property using the roll number and unique access code from your assessment notice

3.     Enjoy convenient, paperless notifications and access to archived assessment and tax records

For more information, please visit www.lethbridge.ca/taxes.

Working together to set Lethbridge up for success is the focus of a new partnership agreement between the City of Lethbridge and the University of Lethbridge. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) focuses on operational strategic goals, reinforcing the long-standing partnership and shared commitment to the Lethbridge community.

This MOU provides a guide to future collaborations, while also celebrating the shared history. We’re excited to see what we can create together to benefit the community now and into the future. Read more here.

Congratulations this month to:

• The Lethbridge Hurricanes Hockey Club for their exciting season and playoff run – which is still going! Go Canes Go!
• The Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame, who are preparing to host the 2025 Banquet and Induction Ceremony at the Lethbridge & District Exhibition Agri-food Hub on Friday, May 9. Thank you to the LSHOF for their phenomenal efforts toward preserving the legacy of sport in our city. As I have said before, for a city our size we have produced an incredible number of amazing athletes, coaches, builders, volunteers and Olympians. Ticket information here

• National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, a time dedicated to recognizing the invaluable contributions of Emergency Communications Officers across the country. These professionals, often the first point of contact in critical situations, play a pivotal role in the safety and well-being of our community. Read more here

I want to remind our residents that we have many ways for community members to stay informed. They include:

• This Mayor’s monthly column for the City website and the Lethbridge Herald that highlights the great things happening in our community
• Our City of Lethbridge website, which includes the news subscription and closures pages
• City Council and Standing Policy Committee meetings, which are open to the public. Agendas are published here a week ahead of each meeting
• All Council news at https://www.lethbridge.ca/news/categories/council/
• Recaps of each Council meeting with Council Highlights
• Our City of Lethbridge engagement website at GetinvolvedLethbridge.ca, which seeks feedback and has information about coming projects
• 311, via call or chat, to have your questions answered

As always, please be safe and kind to one another – and go Oilers go!