Agriculture & Food

Agri-food thrives in Canada’s sunniest city.

Home to Canada’s largest irrigation district and Alberta’s largest greenhouse cluster, Medicine Hat is strategically located on the TransCanada Highway and Canadian Pacific Mainline in the South Saskatchewan River valley.

Unique among Canadian communities, the City of Medicine Hat owns and operates all its utilities, including gas and electricity, allowing us to offer the most competitive tax and utility rates in all of Western Canada.

4.7%

Of All Jobs

In Southeast Alberta currently work within the agricultural industry - a key driver of our local and regional economy. 

330+

Days of Sunshine

and over 2,500 hours annually makes Medicine Hat Canada's sunniest city - ideal for greenhouse operations and crop yields.

44%

Of Greenhouse

square footage in Alberta is located within a 20-minute radius from downtown Medicine Hat - the largest cluster in Alberta

Sector Spotlight

Medicine Hat and region is Alberta’s number one producer of lentils and chickpeas.

Medicine Hat and the surrounding region has over $1.6 billion worth of livestock and poultry

Medicine Hat and region is home to Alberta’s largest greenhouse cluster, the fourth largest in Canada. 

Medicine Hat and region supports 3,600+ family and commercial farms

Medicine Hat and region supports year-round vegetable production, especially tomatoes and cucumbers

Medicine Hat and region is surrounded by 11.6 million acres of crop and pastureland. 

Alberta’s agricultural sector is foundational to the province’s economy, contributing $10.3 billion in GDP in 2023 and employing over 83,000 Albertans. The province offers high-quality primary products and is the third largest exporter of agri-food products in Canada

Invest Alberta

investalberta.ca

Regional Infrastructure

With extensive access to primary agriculture production, core infrastructure and logistics, and a growing and qualified workforce, the region currently supports the primary agricultural industry, as well vertical integrations, subsectors and support industries. End-to-end operations exist for the production, processing, and packaging of raw vegetables and primary crops, various snack foods, essential and seed oils, and various meats (primarily beef, pork, and poultry). When combined with lower land, utility, and labor costs, the Medicine Hat region is a prime investment destination for business’s looking to expand value-added industries.

 

Medicine Hat and region is home to 65% of Canada’s irrigated land base as part of the St. Mary River Irrigation District, which is Canada's largest irrigation district.  

Medicine Hat College's C4i is developing an Agriculture Applied Research Program that will focus on advances in technology, production, sustainability, and labour. 

Medicine Hat boasts prime transportation links, including major highways, mainline railway access, a regional airport, and access to Calgary, Vancouver, and the U.S. border. 

Local greenhouses grow.

Local greenhouses have experienced consistent growth and continue to expand. Watch this recent CBC story featuring a segment on Big Marble Farms - one of the region's largest greenhouses. 

Learn more

Investment Opportunities

Medicine Hat and the surrounding region offers several attractive investment opportunities within the agricultural sector. Here are just a few of the most attractive areas: 

  • Value-added food processing, co-packing, pilot production, and small batch facilities 
  • Greenhouse and controlled-environment agriculture leveraging 
  • Cold-chain logistics, LTL solutions, consolidation and distribution hubs, and agri-export infrastructure
  • Ag-tech x aerospace startups in robotics and automation, irrigation optimization, and sustainability
  • Grain and oilseed crops such as pulse crops, grains and cereals, oats, barley, and mustard 
  • Livestock farms and meat processing facilities given Alberta's role as Canada's leading beef cattle producer 

Reach out to our Economic Development department to speak with one of our agricultural investment attraction experts to discover your next opportunity. 

You're in Good Company

A Growing Future

From pulse crops and greenhouses to livestock and processing plants, Medicine Hat is a leading region in Alberta’s agricultural base. Our city combines world-class resources, skilled talent, low costs, and a pro-business utility model - making it one of Canada’s most compelling locations for agricultural and agri-food investment.

Let’s build the future of energy together. Contact Economic Development Medicine Hat to explore opportunities.

Contact Us

Contact Us

533 First Street SE
Medicine Hat, Alberta
T1A 0A9
403-977-0146
Email Us

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