The city has also demonstrated their commitment to the future through embracing environmental sustainability. They now have a variety of initiatives and incentives to encourage property owners and builders to make energy conscious-upgrades when building and renovating. They are also working hard to futureproof their own infrastructure – for example, as part of their Energy Transition Strategy, they are actively working to reduce emissions from their power generation business by evaluating the potential of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies. “There’s a green energy revolution happening here in Canada, and specifically southeast Alberta is really a hotbed for renewable energy,” says Joe Cartwright, Director of Business Transformation for the City of Medicine Hat. “At the City of Medicine Hat, we want to be part of that.” Froman energy perspective, the City of Medicine Hat has always been a unique municipality. Natural gas was first discovered in the city in the late 1800s, when the Canadian Pacific Railway came through and started drilling for water wells. Their drills accidentally struck gas west of town, heralding the exploration that mapped out one of the largest gas fields in North America. In 1903, the city embarked on a program to supply all residents with gas, which was the beginning of the city-owned utility. Today, the City of Medicine Hat still owns and operates its own gas and electric utilities. They currently generate almost all their own electricity by burning natural gas, a process known as thermal generation. “In an SEPTEMBER 2022
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