Regina Minute: Loud Vehicles, Mayoral Candidates, and Reconsidering Library Funding

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

This Week In Regina:

• There are no Council or Committee meetings this week. Action at City Hall will resume on September 10th.
  
  
• Councillors are reconsidering their decision to guarantee up to $119 million for a new Central Library due to rising costs for other projects. They are concerned about the financial impact of an $84 million cost overrun on the new Indoor Aquatic Facility and other capital projects. A motion to review the library funding will be discussed in September, with some Councillors arguing that the library project was approved prematurely. The reconsideration will require at least six Councillors' support to proceed.
  
  
• It’s Labour Day! Most City of Regina services will be closed or operate on reduced hours. Civic offices and the leaf and yard site will be closed, while the landfill will be open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. Regina Transit will run on a Sunday schedule, and Paratransit will operate from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm. The North West Leisure Centre and Sandra Schmirler Leisure Centre will be open from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and the Sportplex - Fieldhouse will be open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Last Week In Regina:

• Regina has approved plans for a second Costco store in the Westerra neighbourhood, located at 8701 Dewdney Avenue. The new store will feature over 1,200 parking spaces and a fuel station. Public feedback was strongly supportive, with 91% responses favoring the development. The store is expected to reduce traffic at the existing location, create local jobs, and attract additional retail to the area. This move is seen as a potential boost for the underdeveloped Westerra neighborhood, which has lagged behind growth expectations.
  
  
• Regina residents have been reporting what they believe are gunshots, particularly near the Saskatchewan Legislature, often late at night. However, the Regina Police Service suggests these noises are likely from vehicles with modified exhaust systems rather than actual gunfire. The police have noted an increase in such complaints, requiring substantial resources to investigate, but often finding the source to be loud cars rather than firearms. To address noise concerns, Saskatchewan Government Insurance has implemented a new policy capping vehicle noise levels, with enforcement measures for non-compliant vehicles. Despite these measures, police face challenges in addressing the issue due to the transient nature of the disturbances and the difficulty in catching offenders in the act.
  
  
• Four candidates have now declared their intentions to run for Mayor. The latest two are Kevin Kardash and Shawn Sparvier. Kardash is focused on increasing community safety, supporting local businesses, and advocating for tourism. Sparvier said he is prioritizing health, proposing a new hospital and a community sweat lodge, alongside efforts to lower recreational facility costs and add more traditional Indigenous culture to the city. Both candidates join current mayor Sandra Masters, seeking re-election, and newcomer Brandon Abtosway, who advocates a “back to the basics” approach. The election is set for November 13th, with voter registration deadlines approaching.