Regina Minute: Houselessness Crisis, Overpass Upgrade, and the Taylor Field Site

Regina Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Regina politics

This Week In Regina:

• The Regina Planning Commission will meet on Tuesday at 4:00 pm. The agenda includes several zoning amendments.
  
  
• The Executive Committee will meet on Wednesday at 9:00 am. The Committee will discuss several Special Event Grants for 2025 - including $35,000 for Canada Day celebrations, $15,000 for the 25th Annual National Indigenous Peoples Day event on June 21st, and $17,000 for the Regina Farmers’ Market for its 50th anniversary events on May 28th and August 2nd. The Committee will debate reducing the paid parking hours for parking meters from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm to 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, discuss accessible taxi service improvements, and potentially approve a new four-month post-secondary transit pass for postsecondary students. The Accessibility Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday at 3:00 pm. No agenda is available for this meeting yet.
  
  
• Regina is taking steps to redevelop the former Taylor Field site, which has remained vacant since 2017. The 15-acre property will be divided, with a community park planned for the south and residential blocks in the north. City Council approved $1 million from the Land Development Reserve to support the project, which will include an indoor aquatic facility expected to open by 2028. To attract developers, the City will subdivide the residential section, aiming for a mixed-income neighbourhood. Infrastructure upgrades and road development are set to begin in 2026.

Last Week In Regina:

• Regina City Council has declared a "houselessness crisis" and will seek provincial and federal support to address the issue. The motion, introduced by Councillor David Froh, passed in an 8-2 vote, citing a significant rise in the city's unhoused population. The City will push for emergency funding, advocate for a housing-first strategy, and request the Government of Saskatchewan to make vacant housing units available. Additionally, Council has tasked Administration with outlining the financial needs to implement Regina’s homelessness plan by fall 2025. A similar motion in 2023 was previously defeated.
  
  
• Mayor Chad Bachynski joined a delegation of Mayors from Canada, the US, and Mexico at the 2025 Mayors Trade Summit in Washington, DC, urging federal leaders to lift tariffs and uphold free trade agreements. The summit focused on the economic impact of US-imposed tariffs on industries such as manufacturing, local job markets, and global competition. Bachynski emphasized the uncertainty tariffs create, leading to stalled investments and hiring freezes. The Mayors issued a joint statement calling on national governments to prioritize communities by ending the trade war and ensuring stable trade relationships. Bachynski also highlighted Saskatchewan’s key role in North American trade, particularly in energy, agriculture, and resources. The impact of their advocacy on White House policies remains uncertain.
  
  
• Work has begun on the $17.6-million upgrade of Regina’s Albert Street North overpass, starting with traffic restrictions on the southbound lanes. The project involves demolishing and rebuilding both overpasses to modernize aging infrastructure and prevent damage from oversized vehicles. The southbound overpass will be replaced in 2025, with work on the northbound overpass beginning in March 2026 and completion expected by October of that year. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with periodic closures on Ring Road and detours in place. The City plans to minimize disruptions through night and weekend work and will meet with affected business owners to gather feedback.