MLA REPORT MARCH 2026- Budget 2026: Real Investments for Cypress-Medicine Hat

On February 26, Finance Minister Nate Horner rose in the Alberta Legislature to present Budget 2026. I want to be straightforward with you: this is a challenging budget. Alberta is forecasting a $9.4 billion deficit, driven by weak oil prices, unprecedented population growth, and economic headwinds outside our borders. Minister Horner was direct about that reality — and so will I.

But a difficult fiscal environment does not mean standing still on the things that matter most to people in Cypress-Medicine Hat. It means making choices. And this budget makes the right ones for our region.

The Big Picture

Alberta is not cutting core services, and personal income taxes are not going up — in fact, last year’s income tax cut remains in place. The government is absorbing the fiscal pressure rather than passing it on to households already dealing with rising costs.

Province-wide, Budget 2026 includes a $28.3 billion three-year capital plan, with major investments in health care ($4.9 billion), K-12 education ($3.3 billion), municipal infrastructure ($7.1 billion), and provincial highways ($2.7 billion). These aren’t numbers on a page — they translate directly into projects in our backyard.

Highway 3 Twinning: A $152 Million Commitment

The single largest direct investment in our constituency is $152 million over three years to twin Highway 3 from Seven Persons to Medicine Hat. This 36-kilometre project covers right-of-way acquisition, utility relocations, and full construction of the twinned alignment.

This is a major safety and economic win. Highway 3 is a critical east-west corridor connecting agricultural and industrial centres across Southern Alberta. Twinning it means safer travel for our families, faster movement of goods, and a stronger foundation for economic growth in the region. This project has been a long-standing priority, and seeing it funded at this scale in Budget 2026 is genuinely significant.

Expanding Health Care in Medicine Hat

Budget 2026 brings meaningful health care investments to our community. The Medicine Hat Regional Hospital will see expanded Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity — something local health care advocates and families have called for, and a direct response to the pressures our regional hospital faces serving a large geographic area.

Budget 2026 also continues to advance the urgent care centre for Medicine Hat — an investment first committed in Budget 2025, when $15 million in province-wide planning funds were allocated for eight new urgent care centres, with Medicine Hat named as one of seven communities. This remains an active priority. Urgent care centres are designed to handle the more than 35% of emergency department visits that are for non-life-threatening conditions, relieving pressure on Medicine Hat Regional Hospital’s emergency department. I will continue to advocate for expedited timelines and a confirmed site as planning milestones are met.

Province-wide, the health capital plan is $1.3 billion larger than Budget 2025. Locally, that translates into a health care system better equipped to serve Cypress-Medicine Hat residents today and into the future.

New Schools and Education Infrastructure

Growing communities need growing schools, and Budget 2026 delivers. In our broader region, several school projects are confirmed:

•  Holy Trinity Academy (Medicine Hat) — A replacement K-9 school with 950-student opening capacity, serving families in our constituency.

•  New Middle School in Redcliff — $20.5 million for a new 7-9 school serving the growing Redcliff community.

These investments reflect the reality that our communities are growing and our schools must keep pace.

Medicine Hat College: Centre for Community Wellness

Medicine Hat College receives $2 million in capital investment to fund the Centre for Community Wellness project, providing modern and integrated learning spaces. This investment strengthens MHC’s ability to train the health and wellness professionals our region needs — and keeps talented graduates here in Medicine Hat.

Municipal Funding: Medicine Hat and Cypress County

Through the Local Government Fiscal Framework, Medicine Hat receives $9.2 million in capital funding for the 2026 fiscal year, and Cypress County receives $2 million. This funding flows directly to local priorities — the infrastructure decisions closest to home are made by the people who live here.

An Honest Assessment

I won’t pretend the broader fiscal picture is comfortable. A $9.4 billion deficit is serious, and the government’s plan to work back to balance will require continued discipline. Alberta’s challenge is real: population growth has outpaced revenue, and global markets are volatile.

What I can tell you is this: the investments secured for Cypress-Medicine Hat in Budget 2026 are the result of ongoing advocacy — making the case at every opportunity that our region’s infrastructure, schools, and health care needs deserve to be heard in Edmonton.

Highway 3 twinning. ICU expansion. New schools. College investment. Municipal funding. These aren’t small items — they are meaningful commitments that will shape this region for decades.

As always, my office is here to answer your questions about Budget 2026 and how provincial programs can support you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Justin Wright, MLA — Cypress-Medicine Hat

Phone: 403-528-2191  |  Email: cypress.medicinehat@assembly.ab.ca