Regina Minute: Issue 62

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

📅 This Week In Regina: 📅

• On Wednesday, at 9:00 am, there will be a meeting of the Executive Committee. The Committee is being asked to approve a $15,000 Special Event (Major) Grant for the Autism Resource Centre’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, planned for April 2026. Funding would come from $6,550 in the 2025 General Operating Budget and $8,450 from the Executive Committee Grants Reserve. If approved, this grant would fully allocate the 2025 budget for the Special Event stream. The Autism Resource Centre had requested $50,000 to support the event, which has a total projected cost of $72,000. The adjudication committee recommended the lower amount due to limited community access, as the event will be ticketed with free admission for members and caregivers only. While the event supports the City’s strategic goals around inclusion, its overall community impact was assessed as modest. The Committee noted that the Centre could still hold the event at a reduced scale if full funding is not secured. They also advised the applicant to seek additional sponsors or grants to help meet their budget.
  
  
• The Executive Committee will also review a series of potential administrative updates to the City’s Heritage Incentives Policy. These updates are intended to improve clarity for applicants and efficiency for staff while keeping the policy’s core objectives unchanged. Key amendments include the prioritization of first-time applicants and designated properties, clearer rules around retroactive applications, and new timelines for application submission and agreement execution. Repeat applications from inventory-listed properties will now trigger a designation process to support long-term conservation. Applicants are encouraged to submit conservation plans, and in cases where a property loses designation or is demolished, repayment of received incentives may be required. The policy also allows the Deputy City Manager to approve minor amendments in the future without requiring full Council approval. The changes will take effect in 2026 and follow a significant increase in applications since the policy was last updated in 2022.
  
  
• Finally, the Committee will review a set of improvements to support the transition of a permanent emergency shelter in the Heritage neighbourhood. These include paving nearby alleyways, expanding the City’s debris team services, and contributing to a new railway fence installation. The improvements are designed to enhance neighbourhood cleanliness and safety without providing direct financial compensation to nearby property owners. Administration reviewed multiple compensation models but is recommending against them, noting that other Canadian municipalities typically use non-monetary support and Good Neighbour Plans instead. The City is finalizing such a plan alongside community partners and the shelter operator to ensure coordinated safety and outreach services. Funding for alley paving and increased cleanup service will be included in the 2026-27 budget, with other improvements already covered under the shelter capital project. A peer-led street outreach initiative is also being piloted with the Heritage Community Association to assist with community maintenance and engagement.
  
  
• The Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant, which serves both Moose Jaw and Regina, is preparing to expand fluoridation to Regina’s water for the first time in decades. Construction will begin in 2026, after the $325 million Renewal Project is finished. Moose Jaw has fluoridated its water since the 1980s and recently upgraded to a modern liquid system. Once Regina’s system is operational, Moose Jaw may connect to it, as it will have greater capacity. The system involves a chemical feed that adjusts fluoride concentrations within regulated limits. The project is part of the larger Buffalo Pound Renewal Project, with final designs nearing completion and construction tendering planned for late 2025.
  
  
• Speaking of those ongoing upgrades, the City of Regina has introduced temporary water conservation measures due to low water supply caused by the work being done at the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant. These measures, expected to last only a few days, ask residents and businesses to voluntarily reduce water use by avoiding lawn watering (except new sod), delaying filling pools and hot tubs, limiting vehicle washing, and using water-saving habits at home. The City is also conserving water internally by not filling public pools, turning off spray pads, halting park irrigation, and postponing street sweeping and city vehicle washing except for health and safety reasons. Emergency water wells are being used to maintain service, though some discolouration of water may occur. The plant’s $325.6 million renewal project started in 2022 and is expected to finish by early 2026.
  
  
• Parents and students are speaking out against proposed changes to Regina Public Schools' elementary band program, fearing it will harm the quality of music education. The current program, led by 14 specialized teachers, serves 1,600 students and includes in-school classes, workshops, and festivals. The Division is restructuring its elementary band program due to budget constraints, though the program is not being cut entirely. This restructuring follows the ratification of a new contract between the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation and the Ministry of Education, which delayed budget finalization and increased financial pressures. The division faces a $2.4 million deficit based on current provincial funding, and some band teachers have already been reassigned to find efficiencies without layoffs. CEO Mark Haarmann explained that band funding comes from broader education budgets, making the program’s current form unsustainable amid rising costs and contract changes. Despite increased provincial funding, much of it is allocated to capital projects and does not cover inflation or contract-related expenses. Community groups and supporters have expressed concern, with petitions opposing the restructuring. Final budget decisions will be made by the board of trustees on June 24th. Haarmann emphasized the need to balance many competing demands with limited resources while continuing to support band programs for grades 6 to 8.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Who is your favourite Regina City Councillor - and why?

Is it because of their voting record, how they engage with the community, or something else?

Take a moment to reply and share your thoughts with us.

Your feedback helps us understand which Councillors are truly representing the interests and values of Regina residents.

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