Regina Minute: Tree City, Prekindergarten Recommendations, and a Potential Shelter Location

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

This Week In Regina:

• There will be a Special Meeting of City Council on Tuesday at 1:00 pm. The purpose of the meeting is a public hearing to address a rezoning application at 535 E Douglas Avenue. The proposed new development would include 90 housing units and a day care.
  
  
• A City Council meeting will take place on Wednesday at 1:00 pm. Council will look to amend Regina's Reserve Policy to allocate surplus amounts from tax-funded reserves first to reserves in a deficit, prioritizing the General Fund Reserve and then the Asset Revitalization Reserve until they meet their minimum balances. Any remaining surplus will be transferred to other tax-funded reserves based on Administration's recommendations and Council's approval.
  
  
• The City Centre Core Development Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday at 2:00 pm. The Committee will discuss two Business Improvement District Reports - one from the Warehouse Business Improvement District and another from the Downtown Business Improvement District.

Last Week In Regina:

• The City of Regina has revealed the potential site for a new emergency shelter at 1420 and 1440 Albert Street. This $7.5-million purchase will be debated by Council on June 12th. The City has been leasing temporary shelter space at the Nest Health Centre, which will expire in 2025. If approved, the new shelter will have the same capacity as the current New Beginnings shelter, housing 55 people. The City plans to engage with residents and businesses near the proposed location to address any safety concerns.
  
  
• The City of Regina has been recognized as a Tree City of the World by the United Nations for the fifth consecutive year. Regina's urban forest, comprising over 500,000 trees, contributes to flood prevention, natural cooling, and significant CO2 removal, supporting the City's goal of becoming 100% renewable by 2050. The Tree City program, which began with 68 cities, now includes over 1,200 cities globally, with 22 in Canada.
  
  
• A report by the Provincial Auditor recommended improvements to the Regina Public School Division’s (RPSD) prekindergarten program for vulnerable three and four-year-olds. The audit found that 21% of prekindergarten spaces were unutilized in 2023-24, while over 70 children were on waitlists. It suggests that RPSD analyze enrollment and waitlists to optimize space usage and address barriers such as transportation.