Regina Minute: Issue 65

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

📅 This Week In Regina: 📅

• On Tuesday, at 1:00 pm, there will be a meeting of City Council. The agenda includes a final decision on fronting the cost of major wastewater upgrades to service new residential development in the city’s northwest. The plan would see the City pay upfront for infrastructure work that will eventually be reimbursed by developers as neighbourhoods like Westerra continue to expand. The upgrades are needed to support thousands of new homes, but without early funding, development would stall. City officials say delaying these projects would lead to rising costs and risk slowing Regina’s long-term growth strategy.
  
  
• Council will also discuss a request from the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District (RDBID) to secure nearly $1 million in federal funding to build “The Skuare,” a $1.5-million temporary outdoor event space in downtown Regina. Planned for the former Gordon Block site, the Skuare would feature food trucks, a beer garden, rooftop deck, pop-up shops, and space for live entertainment. RDBID has already secured a $920,000 grant from PrairiesCan and plans to use $295,000 from a previously approved City grant to complete the project. However, federal rules require the City of Regina to sign the funding agreement on RDBID’s behalf. Council's Executive Committee unanimously supported the request, but it now needs Council’s final approval. The Skuare would operate spring through fall and host special events, including winter festivals. Construction is expected to begin this summer, with an opening planned for the fall.
  
  
• On Thursday, at 4:00 pm, there will be a meeting of the Audit and Finance Committee. The agenda includes the City of Regina’s 2025 First Quarter Forecast, which projects a $9.92 million deficit in the General Operating Fund due to lower revenues and higher expenses, including shortfalls in investment income and municipal surcharges, as well as overspending on snow removal and transit. The Utility Operating Fund is forecasted to run a smaller $399,000 deficit, mainly due to increased contracted service and postage costs. Reserve levels are also a concern, with the General Fund Reserve expected to fall $4.2 million below its recommended minimum. Capital project spending was low in Q1 due to late budget approvals, but is expected to ramp up, with a total of $354.2 million forecasted to be spent in 2025. Overtime costs are projected to exceed the budgeted amount by $476,000. The report also updates the status of past audit recommendations, with a 60% completion rate and 13 recommendations overdue.
  
  
• A new report recommends that the City move forward with a privately backed proposal to build a downtown baseball stadium. The study supports an offer from Shaun Semple, the new owner of the Regina Red Sox, who has proposed a public-private partnership that would reportedly reduce City costs and speed up construction without adding taxpayer burden. The stadium would replace aging Currie Field and anchor a broader downtown revitalization plan. The consultants argue that partnering with Semple would deliver better value and faster timelines than building the facility through traditional municipal funding. Mayor Chad Bachynski and other Councillors have previously voiced support for the project in principle. The City is now expected to deliberate further based on the report’s findings. Stakeholders say the stadium could boost downtown activity and draw more residents to the city’s core.
  
  
• Regina police and bylaw officers dismantled a tent encampment next to Carmichael Outreach, displacing about 30 people. The removal was requested by the private lot’s owner, and while it occurred peacefully, many residents expressed frustration at the lack of alternative housing options or visible social services support. Advocates criticized the City’s response, noting that although Regina received $3.5 million in federal funding for an encampment strategy, a coordinated plan was still not evident during the eviction. While a City-hired strategy coordinator is set to begin work soon, community organizers were left to assist residents during the removal. Some displaced individuals had plans, but many were unsure of where to go next. Concerns were also raised about safety in existing shelter spaces and the lack of trust in current systems. A new emergency shelter in the Heritage area is expected to open by the end of July.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Have you ever struggled with red tape in Regina?

Maybe it was a frustrating battle to set up a business, a long wait to get a permit, or a confusing experience trying to pay a parking ticket. 

Your stories help shed light on where the system is failing and where it needs to improve.

Send us your experiences - the good, the bad, and the downright frustrating - by replying to this email.

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