Regina Minute: Issue 114

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

📅 This Week In Regina: 📅

• We're hosting a Pints & Politics event, in conjunction with our friends at the Saskatchewan Institute! We're going to keep things simple and just have some casual drinks, with no formal agenda, as an opportunity for everyone to get together with like-minded people, meet some of the team, and chat about politics. There's a lot going on, so there will be plenty of conversation topics. The event takes place on Friday, June 12th. It’s free, but you’ll need to RSVP here.
  
  
• At City Hall, meanwhile, there are no Council or Committee meetings scheduled this week. Council will return the following week with a Development Appeals Board meeting on June 9th and a City Council meeting on June 10th.
  
  
• Regina's Executive Committee reviewed a plan to coordinate underground infrastructure upgrades - water mains and sewer lines - with surface road and sidewalk repair work already scheduled in the same corridors. The goal is to avoid digging up the same streets twice in close succession, which Administration believes would improve efficiency and reduce disruption to residents and businesses. The initiative reflects a broader challenge the City has identified in road condition reports: the need to align capital project timelines across different infrastructure categories to maximize the value of each repair cycle. No cost figures were published alongside the proposal. The Committee reviewed the plan at its May 27th meeting.
  
  
• Regina Huda School held a ground-breaking ceremony for its third major expansion, a project that would push the K-12 Islamic school's capacity past 1,000 students. The school opened in 1999 with 20 students in two classrooms and currently educates 733 students, with a waiting list at every grade level - typically 15 to 30 applicants competing for one or two open spots per grade. Principal Pamela Spock said the school expects to reach just over 1,000 students once the new building is complete and filled. School president Ayman Aboguddah credited community donations for funding all three expansions and noted the school has helped attract and retain skilled professionals in Saskatchewan, including physicians and engineers. Regina Coronation Park MLA Noor Burki, who taught at the school for 17 years, praised its academic record. Completion is expected in approximately two years. No provincial or federal funding was mentioned.
  
  
• The City is beginning what they are calling the second phase of engagement on a new Downtown Action Plan. Administration will seek input from the public during June on their plans for revitalization of the downtown area over the next 5 years, including gathering opinions on safety, infrastructure, events, and which areas should receive more investment. City staff will then report back to Council sometime in summer, with the final plan expected to be released later in the fall.
  
  
• Tourism Regina has launched a prepaid card program aimed at directing visitor spending to local businesses rather than chain retailers. The cards work like prepaid credit cards loaded with a set dollar amount; visitors can spend them at any of 60 participating businesses, including the Saskatchewan Science Centre, Conexus Arts Centre, and Everyday Kitchen. Hotel Saskatchewan has signed on to offer cards to guests who extend their stay by an additional day or two. Tourism Regina has set aside $25,000 of its marketing budget for the campaign, with a projected economic return of 2.5 times the value of cards distributed, though no evidence has been provided of this. [Editor's note: If we're getting a 2.5x return, why not spend $2.5 million, or $2.5 billion...?]

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

We are hosting a casual evening in Regina for readers interested in politics and civic issues - no formal agenda, just drinks, conversation, and the chance to meet the team and other like-minded people.

The event is free to attend; RSVP is required as capacity is limited.

Where: Birmingham's Vodka and Ale House (2635 Star Lite St, Regina)

When: Friday, June 12th, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Cost: Free (food and drinks not included)

RSVP: Required

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

This week's sponsor is you! We don't have big corporate backers, so if you like what you're reading, please consider making a donation or signing up as a monthly member.

Having said that, if you are a local business and are interested in being a sponsor, send us an email and we'll talk!