Regina Minute: Issue 63

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

📅 This Week In Regina: 📅

• On Wednesday, at 1:00 pm, there will be a meeting of City Council. The agenda includes proposed changes to the Procedure Bylaw to regulate how non-residents can address Council or Committees. The changes would limit non-residents who wish to speak at meetings to submitting written briefs unless a Council member supports their request to appear in person or virtually. If supported, the City Clerk would notify the non-resident, allowing them to present without needing full Council approval. The motion also directs Administration to review the delegation process and suggest improvements by late 2025, considering ideas such as scheduled time blocks for delegates, digital check-ins, pager notifications, a public viewing lounge, a child-friendly space, enhanced accessibility measures, and earlier agenda distribution.
  
  
• Council will also discuss a proposal endorsed by the Executive Committee - a one-time grant capped at $200,000 to support businesses near the new emergency shelter. The shelter is set to open in the Heritage neighbourhood by the end of July, and the proposal follows months of concerns from business owners who are worried about safety and increased property maintenance costs due to the shelter’s presence. While the grant represents a concession after long negotiations, some business owners remain uncertain about its effectiveness. If approved, the City’s Good Neighbour Plan will include this grant and other measures such as outreach services funding and outdoor shelter improvements. The grant aims to balance the needs of business owners, shelter users, and City Administration’s caution about setting compensation precedents. The plan will cover an area within 250 metres of the shelter, with oversight by a newly formed steering committee.
  
  
• The number of City of Regina employees earning over $200,000 rose to 23 in 2024, up from 18 the previous year. City Manager Niki Anderson topped the list with a salary of $317,112, followed by Police Chief Farooq Sheikh at $273,100 - both are currently on leave. The top 10 earners include senior officials from City Administration, the police service, and the Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL). Former REAL CEO Tim Reid also appeared on the list after receiving over $209,000 in salary and severance just two weeks into 2024. Other high earners included executives from the fire department, water treatment plant, and economic development agency. The City’s former CFO, Barry Lacey, received nearly $324,000 in salary and retirement-related payouts. Overall, City staff levels dropped by 200 people, while wages and benefits continued to account for nearly half of municipal spending.
  
  
• Speaking of staffing, the Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) has eliminated seven senior leadership positions as part of a restructuring effort aimed at improving its governance and financial stability. This decision follows a directive from Council to address ongoing deficits and operational challenges faced by REAL. The organization, which manages multiple major venues in the city, has been operating at a loss since 2021 and recently received an additional $15.4 million in taxpayer funding to cover deficits. REAL’s board chair emphasized the layoffs were difficult but necessary for efficiency and financial responsibility. The restructuring also comes after public scrutiny over a failed tourism campaign. Meanwhile, REAL is in the process of hiring a new permanent President and CEO to replace the interim leadership. City officials continue to assess the organization’s future and potential risks to the City as its sole stakeholder.
  
  
• And in other REAL news, Council has approved a new 90-year sublease allowing Queen City Distillery, owned by Regina Pats owner Shaun Semple, to take over the former YQR Distillery space at REAL. The $12-million project includes a premium sports bar, restaurant, music venue, merchandise shop, and distillery, all connected to the Brandt Centre. The deal wipes out YQR Distillery’s unpaid rent, reportedly worth $500,000, and grants exclusive rights to operate a sports bar at REAL. Critics, including Councillor Sarah Turnbull, objected to the lack of an open bid process, calling it a “sweetheart deal.” Despite concerns about transparency and fairness, Council voted 7-3 in favour, citing the potential for $1 million in annual lease revenue. Interim REAL CEO Trent Fraser noted the facility has sat mostly vacant for years, and REAL board chair Jaime Boldt emphasized the project is aligned with Council’s push for stable private investment on the REAL campus.

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