Grant Hunter is the MLA for Taber-Warner and Alberta's first Associate Minister of Water. He was sworn into this newly created cabinet position on May 16, 2025.alberta+1
Political Background
Hunter has represented the Taber-Warner riding since 2015, when he was first elected on the Wildrose ticket in the former Cardston-Taber-Warner riding. He was re-elected in 2019 (after the riding was renamed Taber-Warner) and again in 2023, currently serving his third term in the provincial legislature.unitedconservative+2
He also serves as the Chief Government Whip for the UCP caucus, a leadership role requiring him to maintain party discipline and build relationships with colleagues to coordinate legislative initiatives.westwindweekly+1
Career and Experience
Hunter holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration, and spent most of his professional life as an entrepreneur with deep experience in small business operations.alberta+1
Previous Cabinet Service (2019–2022): He served as Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction for two and a half years, during which he led Alberta's red tape reduction strategy. Under his leadership, Alberta improved its rating from an F to an A on the Canadian Federation of Independent Business Red Tape Report Card—the first time the province had achieved a grade higher than a D.unitedconservativecaucus+1
Portfolio Development (2022–2025): Before his current role, Hunter worked on economic development initiatives in Southern Alberta, serving as Parliamentary Secretary for Agri-food Processing. He was instrumental in the Highway 3 twinning project, a 230,000-acre irrigation expansion, and the Lethbridge Exhibition Centre expansion. He also spent two years building an agri-food processing super-cluster in the region.unitedconservative+1
Current Role: Associate Minister of Water (May 2025–Present)
This is a newly created cabinet position within the Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas, supervised by Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz.alberta+2
Key Mandates and Responsibilities
Hunter oversees several major provincial initiatives spanning multiple ministries:
Water Storage and Infrastructure Planning:
Ensuring completion and public release of the Water Storage Opportunities Study in 2025, which assesses approximately 100 potential sites for future dams, reservoirs, and other water infrastructure across Alberta.bowislandcommentator
Developing a ranking of water infrastructure projects based on cost-effectiveness and feasibility.bowislandcommentator
Drafting a white paper assessing the applicability of major water infrastructure projects to Alberta's specific geography and hydrology.bowislandcommentator
Developing a long-term, province-wide water storage plan to increase water availability and enhance Alberta's resilience to floods, droughts, and long-term water supply challenges.bowislandcommentator
Irrigation and Agricultural Water:
Coordinating with the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation (RJ Sigurdson) to complete ongoing irrigation modernization commitments and explore options for additional investment in irrigation expansion and optimization.bowislandcommentator
Inter-Basin Water Transfer Solutions:
Supporting inter-basin transfer solutions to secure reliable water supply for the Town of Milk River. Specifically, Hunter has proposed a line from Middle Coulee near Warner (in a different watershed) to the Milk River, reducing dependence on U.S. water infrastructure via the St. Mary River.bowislandcommentator
Integrated Municipal Water Program:
Working with the Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors (Devin Dreeshen) and the Minister of Municipal Affairs (Dan Williams) to accelerate development of an integrated water program facilitating increased water treatment and distribution for residential, industrial, and agricultural use across Alberta.bowislandcommentator
Wetland Policy Review:
Reviewing Alberta's Wetland Replacement Policy and Program to reduce regulatory and financial burdens on agricultural producers while maintaining effective wetland stewardship and environmental outcomes.bowislandcommentator
Aquatic Invasive Species Management:
Implementing recommendations from the Provincial Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force in preparation for the 2026 watercraft inspection and decontamination season.bowislandcommentator
Water Licensing and Co-operatives:
Conducting a study on water licenses and water co-operatives.bowislandcommentator
Regional Significance
Hunter's appointment reflects his deep experience in Southern Alberta, where water management is critical. Southern Alberta contains 70% of Canada's irrigation land, and approximately 60 specialty crops are grown in the region. His focus on water conveyance to dry areas and water security aligns with the region's agricultural importance and long-standing challenges with water availability.youtubewestwindweekly
He is a husband, father of five, and grandfather, with strong community ties to the Taber-Warner region.leadinginfluence
- https://www.alberta.ca/associate-minister-of-water
- https://www.alberta.ca/premier-cabinet
- https://unitedconservative.ca/mla/grant-hunter/
- https://unitedconservativecaucus.ca/grant-hunter/
- https://westwindweekly.com/news/2025/05/29/mla-grant-hunter-bringing-experience-and-expertise-to-new-cabinet-roles/
- https://bowislandcommentator.com/news/2025/12/18/hunter-tasked-with-advancing-provincial-water-interests-in-mandate-letter/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNGVlGAG53k
- https://leadinginfluence.com/hon-grant-hunter-taber-warner-13/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/alberta/comments/1onxo15/taberwarner_hunter_grant_recall_petition/
- https://bridgecitynews.ca/grant-hunter-on-new-role-as-associate-minister-of-water/
- https://www.assembly.ab.ca/members/members-of-the-legislative-assembly
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Hunter
- https://www.facebook.com/grant.hunter.161/
- https://ca.linkedin.com/in/grant-hunter-a37a77105
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IybEiPD2b2E
- https://www.facebook.com/GrantHunterAB/
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