Medicine Hat Council to advocate for urban electoral boundary reversion

Posted on January 15, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

Southern Alberta Newspapers

Council will submit an application this week to change the city’s current electoral boundaries to represent a more “urbanized” riding of Medicine Hat voters.

Coun. Bill Cocks confirmed that council will present its submission to the Alberta Electoral Boundary Commission on Jan. 16, and will advocate a return to similar electoral boundaries from the past.

“We are the sixth largest city in the province and should have an MLA that represents the urban core of this city, as much as the many ridings in Edmonton and Calgary,” said Cocks.

Cocks explains council is seeking a return to former electoral boundaries of the two ridings, Cypress Medicine Hat and Medicine Hat, where the boundary line was along Carry Drive.

“We certainly have lots in common with Cypress County, albeit it’s a rural riding, but that’s a big part of our service community,” said Cocks. “Brooks on the other hand is also a city and its interests are not always in direct alignment with ours.”

The decision to seek a boundary change underwent a partisan political process and Cocks assured council and the public that all political sides were represented throughout.

Cocks will meet with the Electoral Boundary Commission online at 2 p.m. on Jan. 16.