Regina Minute: Merry Christmas, Denver Direct, and a Mobile Testing Unit

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

This Week In Regina:

• It’s Christmas on Wednesday. Thank you to every single one of our readers and supporters who reached out, donated, volunteered, or shared our content this year. We appreciate every single one of you and hope you have a wonderful holiday season filled with friends and family. Merry Christmas!
  
  
• We don’t often use these weekly emails to explicitly ask for support, but we’re in the middle of our year-end fundraiser, and we’ve set a goal to raise $10,000 by December 31st. This is a critical time for non-profits, and reaching our goal will ensure we can continue the important work we do. If you value what we bring to the table and want to see us keep going, please consider making a donation today. Every bit helps, and we’re deeply grateful for your support. You can contribute by clicking here. Thank you!
  
  
• There are no Council or Committee meetings this week. Regularly scheduled meetings will resume in January.

Last Week In Regina:

• The Regina Police Service (RPS) has introduced a Mobile Testing Unit (MTU) to enhance its ability to address impaired driving, particularly during the holiday season. The MTU allows officers to conduct breathalyzer and oral fluid tests on-site, eliminating the need to transport impaired drivers to the police station. The MTU is expected to be especially useful during the festive season, a time when impaired driving incidents are more prevalent. RPS also relies on trained drug recognition experts to assist in testing and prevention efforts.
  
  
• It was announced that, starting in May 2025, Saskatchewan will have a new daily direct flight from Regina to Denver. The flight will be operated by SkyWest on behalf of United Airlines. This new route is a joint effort between the provincial government, Regina Airport Authority, and United Airlines, and aims to boost economic growth by increasing access to the US and beyond. The new service adds to the Regina airport’s growing list of direct flight options, which includes a recently introduced route to Minneapolis.
  
  
• A recent report revealed that homelessness in Regina has quadrupled since 2015, with the 2024 point-in-time count showing 824 individuals experiencing homelessness, up from 488 in 2021. The crisis is further exacerbated by high rates of mental health issues and substance use, with a significant portion of those affected having interacted with the foster-care system. A full report with more details will be released in January.