Regina Minute: Issue 97

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

📅 This Week In Regina: 📅

• There are no City Council or Committee meetings this week. The School Boards/City Council Liaison Committee will meet on February 10th and the Executive Committee will meet on February 11th.
  
  
• Regina Public Schools has launched an expanded in-school food initiative in partnership with the Regina Food Bank, aiming to reach 19 public elementary schools. The school division says hunger is a major barrier to learning and expects the expanded breakfast, lunch, and snack programming to improve students’ ability to focus. As of January, new programming began at Arcola, Connaught, Dr. George Ferguson, Glen Elm, Kitchener, Seven Stones, and Thomson schools. Five more schools are set to join this month, and another seven in March. Funding comes from the federal National School Food Program and the Government of Saskatchewan, which signed a $15.8 million agreement last year to support school lunch programs over the next three years. Regina Public Schools says it will work with the Food Bank, division nutritionists, Regina Food for Learning, REACH, and other partners to maximize resources and potentially expand further with additional donations. The Food Bank says 35% of Saskatchewan children live in food-insecure households.
  
  
• Lorilee Davies has been officially sworn in as Regina’s Police Chief, becoming the first woman to lead a major city police service in Saskatchewan. Davies, who first joined the Regina Police Service (RPS) in 1996, had previously served twice as Acting Chief and has worked across uniform and investigative divisions while helping develop the RPS Truth and Reconciliation strategy. Her appointment follows the suspension and termination of former Chief Farooq Sheikh, with Davies having served as Acting Chief since April 2025. Mayor Chad Bachynski and former Chief Evan Bray highlighted her extensive experience, community-focused approach, and the significance of her appointment for both the police service and young women aspiring to leadership roles. As Chief, Davies plans to prioritize relationship-building with the community and strengthening trust through positive interactions, emphasizing a collaborative approach involving all RPS employees.
  
  
• The City of Regina is considering extending Wascana Parkway to Prince of Wales Drive to ease traffic congestion in the southeast, but the plan is raising environmental concerns. The proposed route would pass through the 171-acre McKell Wascana Conservation Park, owned by Ducks Unlimited, which features wetlands, native prairie, walking trails, and an amphitheatre. Conservation groups warn that the road could threaten wetlands, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity, with impacts on insects, birds, and mammals, as well as creek flows and recreational access. The City emphasized that no final decision has been made, and stakeholder consultations are ongoing, with construction only proceeding if the project is feasible and funded by Council. Ducks Unlimited says any road alignment should avoid the wetlands to protect both nature and community access.
  
  
• Regina saw a nearly 40% increase in housing starts in 2025 with 1,687 new units driven largely by policy changes and funding incentives. The City fast-tracked developments by updating zoning bylaws, speeding up permits, and using the federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), which has also supported over 1,000 upcoming units and a Community Land Trust for affordable housing in North Central. Mayor Chad Bachynski reported 2,820 building permits issued in 2025. Most new construction is occurring in greenfield neighbourhoods like Westerra and Coopertown, while infill development remains slower. The Regina and Region Home Builders’ Association projects 1,300 to 1,700 new homes for 2026.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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