Regina Minute: Water Bills, Sinkhole Repair, and Two New Schools

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

This Week In Regina:

• There will be a meeting of the Board of Police Commissioners on Tuesday at 9:00 am. The agenda includes a discussion about the Canine Assisted Response & Educator program at the Regina Children’s Justice Centre.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 9:00 am, there will be a meeting of the Executive Committee. The Committee will discuss an additional 2024 operating grant for Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) of $4 million to pay down its line of credit. Also on the agenda is Regina’s Warehouse Business Improvement District (RWBID) Vision plan, and “kâ-nâsihtikawin” - an overarching document designed to “guide and inform every aspect of municipal work, from day-to-day operations to ongoing engagement with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people, by centering Indigenous worldviews as guiding principles that will last as long as the sun shines, the grass grows, and the rivers flow”. Finally, the Regina Appeal Board will meet on Thursday at 5:30 pm.
  
  
• The City of Regina estimates that a permanent repair for a sinkhole caused by a 1940s storm pipe could cost $15 million. The City became aware of the issue in June 2023, and a temporary fix costing $1.45 million was implemented, including a bypass system and sinkhole stabilization. A temporary fix, which involved creating a large ditch and using water pumps to redirect rainwater, has already cost $1.45 million. City officials anticipate requesting $5 million in 2025 and $10 million in 2026 to cover the permanent repairs.

Last Week In Regina:

• The Audit and Finance Committee has recommended a retroactive rent reduction for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, potentially forgiving $1.33 million of the team's outstanding rent for 2020 and 2021. This reduction is based on the Roughriders' limited use of Mosaic Stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted the CFL seasons. The total rent payments amount to $3.6 million, with the reduction contingent on the remaining $2.2 million being collected. Despite concerns from some residents about the financial impact, the City justified the reduction as part of a pre-existing contractual agreement. The motion to recommend the reduction was passed unanimously after an in-camera discussion.
  
  
• Some residents have seen higher water bills following the City's Water Meter Upgrade Project, which began in October 2022. Some are reporting discrepancies in their water usage readings despite no changes in their habits or detected leaks. The City says that the new meters, which use sound waves for accuracy, are more precise than previous models. They attribute the increased bills to factors such as seasonal watering, recent rate hikes, and added waste charges. The City is encouraging residents with concerns to use the new eWater tool for monitoring and to contact them for assistance before requesting a costly meter inspection.
  
  
• The City has selected a site on Arens Road for two new joint-use schools, an elementary and a high school, to serve the Towns and Greens on Gardiner neighbourhoods. The high school will accommodate up to 2,000 students, while the elementary school will hold 1,400 students and include 180 child-care spaces. This project was approved in the 2024 budget. There is no set start date for construction.