Regina Minute: Issue 72

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

📅 This Week In Regina: 📅

• Two former City of Regina employees, Ly Pham and Audra Young, have filed a civil lawsuit against the City over a severance dispute following their termination on April 30th. Both were on fixed-term contracts - Pham as Chief of Staff and Young as Indigenous Relations Director. They allege that they were denied remuneration and benefits owed under their contracts. Pham earned nearly $192,000 last year, while Young earned about $183,000. Their legal claims seek damages for breach of contract, legal costs, and interest. The terminations coincided with the firing of City Manager Niki Anderson, who was placed on leave the same day. 
  
  
• Property value assessment appeals in Regina have surged by 188% since 2021, with 1,088 appeals filed this spring compared to 576 four years ago. Most appeals (62%) come from commercial or industrial property owners, while the rest are residential. The latest revaluation, required every four years by Saskatchewan law, showed a 1.2% overall increase in property values, with residential values up about 4% and commercial values down roughly 5%. Due to a large backlog, City Council extended the deadline for the Board of Revision to complete appeal reviews from July 28th to October 24th. The City’s tax base includes about 80,000 residential and 3,800 commercial or industrial properties.
  
  
• Former Regina Police Chief Troy Hagen, who led the force from 2008 until his retirement, passed away at the age of 67. Hagen dedicated over 39 years to the Regina Police Service and played a key role in community initiatives like the Regina Intersectoral Partnership (TRiP) to protect vulnerable children and families. Hagen was honoured as an Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces in 2014, reflecting his commitment to policing. Colleagues remembered him for his ability to resolve issues without grievances and his strong community involvement, including volunteer work with Prostate Cancer Support Regina. Hagen also held leadership roles provincially and nationally among police associations. His family, the police service, and the wider community mourn his loss, with plans underway to honour his legacy.
  
  
• Council has approved the closure of North Railway Street and part of Cameron Street to prepare for construction of the new Indoor Aquatics Facility (IAF) set to begin in early fall. According to a City report, the closures are necessary to accommodate the facility and potential adjacent open space, noting that North Railway Street had never been upgraded to standard urban conditions and primarily served private parking lots. The portion of Cameron Street being closed no longer serves its original purpose following the demolition of Taylor Field. As part of the broader Taylor Field Redevelopment plan, the City intends to extend 10th Avenue to restore part of the original street grid and improve multi-modal transportation between Elphinstone and Albert Streets.
  
  
• Attendance at the 2025 Queen City Ex dropped by about 27% compared to 2024, with 74,655 visitors this year versus 102,182 last year. Organizers cited factors like the Roughriders playing an away game, the timing of Saskatchewan Day, and the pause of popular community events as reasons for the decline. Despite lower attendance, revenue remained relatively stable thanks to new partnerships, including the popular Thrill Zone and West Coast Amusements as the midway partner. The event’s all-Canadian lineup of performers was well received. Planning for the 2026 Queen City Ex is underway, and organizers are collaborating with partners to improve the event and seeking public feedback through surveys. They aim to address small issues identified during this year’s event to enhance the overall experience next year.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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