Often called the Oasis of the Prairies, the Alberta town of Medicine Hat is a “community of choice” that is perfect for families. And there’s lots of work, especially for power engineers. The town of 61,000 is a pleasant, economical place to bring up a family and enjoys a growing, diversified economy. It’s a very nice place to live. Download our Medicine Hat pdf.
250 oilfield services companies
Medicine Hat lies on the South Saskatchewan River, about about 3 hours by car east of Calgary. It’s in Alberta, which means the towns fortunes are tied to energy (it’s also known as “the Gas City”) and pipelines. All the major players in the oil and gas service sector have operations here. About 250 companies in the region supply goods and services to the oilfield industry.
Other industries include construction aggregates, clay (for building materials), agriculture, and a manufacturing sector that employs nearly 2000 people. Notable companies include Cancarb, Criterion, Plainsman Clay and Goodyear Canada – one of the largest employers in the manufacturing industry in the city. Mini-spares and ATV tires are manufactured for customers in North America and the Pacific Rim.
Medicine Hat is also famous for its army base, also a large employer. Prince Harry has been a visitor here.
Medicine Hat for families
Medicine Hat residents are said to have more recreational facilities per capita than most other cities in Canada. This town of just 60,000 has:
- 92 kilometres of hiking/biking trails
- 250 hectares (618 acres) of parks.
- 6 golf courses
- 3 indoor and 4 outdoor pools
- 6 indoor ice arenas
- Soccer fields
- Baseball diamonds
- Tennis courts
- A skateboard park and BMX track
If you enjoy ice, water or sun, there’s a sport for every season.