Latest news with #JimNicol
CBC
22-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Regina city council votes to cut nearly $1.6M from this year's budget
Social Sharing Regina city council voted Wednesday to cut $1.55 million from the 2025 municipal budget, honouring a commitment it made in March to fund a 0.5 per cent reduction in the city mill rate. The move came after a decision during the 2025 budget debate to lessen the city's 7.33 per cent increase — the biggest hike in over 10 years — to this year to its mill rate, which is the amount of tax payable per $1,000 of taxable assessed value. The city had originally proposed saving the money by terminating 34 external consultants and "out of scope" management-level positions, but that plan was scrapped after a backlash. Instead, council tasked city administrators to return in May with a number of cost-cutting options for them to vote on. "We committed to bringing you a menu of options," said Regina city clerk Jim Nicol told council on Wednesday. "We looked at this very carefully so that they would be feasible, acceptable and doable." Ward 3 Coun. David Froh said there are "no perfect cuts." "I certainly have an expectation that the people of Regina aren't interested in us reducing our mosquito control services or our dust suppression," he said. Council found the $1.55 million in savings after being presented with 13 different city programs and budgets. The largest cost savings by far came from the carbon tax payments the city stopped having to make on its electricity and natural gas bills after April 1, when Prime Minister Mark Carney reduced the consumer carbon tax to zero per cent. That accounted for $600,000, or 39 per cent, of the total shortfall. The next largest cut was to the transit fleet reserve, which funds the replacements of city buses and other vehicles. Its budget for 2025 was cut by $500,000, from a total of $6.2 million. The city's budget for natural gas, its workplace improvement budget and its facility retrofit budget were each slashed by $100,000. The city cut a further $80,000 by reducing the frequency of custodial services in non-public spaces like city hall, transit facilities and fire stations. Another $26,000 was saved by deferring a cybersecurity audit. And the mosquito control budget did end up being cut by $44,000, to arrive at the $1.55 million goal. "It was a list [of] items that were not a major impact to services," Mayor Chad Bachynski said after the vote. "We recognized the services that would maybe have a more visible impact to residents than others." Along with Flores and Bachynski, Couns. Clark Bezo, Mark Burton, Victoria Flores, David Froh and George Tsiklis voted in favour of the framework. Couns. Dan Rashovich, Shobna Radons and Sarah Turnbull voted against it. Turnbull attempted a different suite of cuts. She wanted to reduce the transit fleet reserve's budget by only $250,000, and make up the difference by cutting the external and professional services budget, which funds external consultants to work on special city projects, by the same amount. That option, which was only supported byTurnbull and Radons, was rejected. City council also voted unanimously to accept the donation of a storage building by the Regina Ski Club at Kinsmen Park, and enter into a lease agreement with the Regina Rugby Union for their clubhouse.
CTV News
14-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
‘Better late than never': Regina takes next step towards redevelopment at former Taylor Field site
City councillors have taken the next step towards redevelopment at the former home of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Executive Committee Wednesday passed a motion to apply for federal funding through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) and enter into a cost sharing agreement with the federal and provincial governments. Tearing down one roadblock which has stood in the way of plans at the site. 'The lack of infrastructure is the current barrier to growth and redevelopment of this land,' Acting City Manager Jim Nicol told committee. CHIF supports drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and solid waste projects. The federal government says the fund will enable increased housing supply and densification and sustainable community growth by increasing the capacity and efficiency of new and existing infrastructure systems to ensure reliable essential services to people living in Canada. Administration estimated costs to install necessary infrastructure to support future housing at $20.9 million. If approved, the city could be eligible for $10.5 million from Ottawa and the province, while the city would cover the rest. 'The project will facilitate redevelopment and provide a proxy at least seven acres of fully serviced residential land,' Nicol explained. The step is a long time coming for Regina. The Saskatchewan Roughriders played their final game at the former Taylor Field in 2016. It was then demolished a year later. But what to do with the area after the stadium's life has been a topic of conversation since 2009 - with the past four city councils, dating back to former mayor Pat Fiacco, discussing a myriad of possibilities – including housing. 'Better late than never,' Ward 2 City Coun. George Tsiklis said. 'There is a reason [council] lost trust with the electorate. This is one of the big reasons.' 'Shame on us,' he added. 'We're going to turn that patience, and maybe some frustration of waiting, into excitement now,' Mayor Chad Bachynski told reporters after the meeting. 'As somebody who grew up here and saw Taylor Field was there and then has seen the years of it being nothing. I think it's great,' he added. 'I think it's an important thing for the city to see a very valuable, desirable area of our city actually get developed.' Final design has not yet been determined, but administration believes other projects in the area, like the new indoor aquatics facility, will made the new neighborhood a desired destination. 'Knowing the city is making a large investment in the indoor aquatics facility, the hope is the aquatics facility is coming online when the park is coming online and when 10th Avenue is finished,' Director of Land, Real Estate and Economic Development for the city, Chad Jedlic explained. 'That it really provides a boost into the housing and the desirability of the housing in that neighborhood.' If the grant is approved, Ottawa stipulates projects must be completed by 2033. Given the funding is earmarked for below ground infrastructure, the city would need to find someone to develop the site, once it is ready. The application requires final approval at the city council's May 21 meeting. After getting unanimously approved by executive, it is expected to go ahead with little debate.
