November / December 2025
A great city needs a shared vision, and an effective City Council and public service needs a shared commitment. Our new Council released our 2026-29 Strategic Plan. It provides a roadmap to align all our actives and resources towards a shared vision and vibrant community.
We start our plan with a service promise to residents “We commit to service that is consistent, efficient, collaborative and provides value for money”.
Our vision is “By 2030, Regina is growing, benefiting from trusted leadership, efficient operations, vibrant culture, well maintained assets and regional success”. The way we will do this is through our mission as council to “responsibly manage public resources and deliver services that support a safe, vibrant and sustainable community for all.”
The City of Regina’s new Strategic Plan is grounded in a strong commitment to fiscal responsibility, aiming to keep municipal property taxes within the lowest 25 per cent among comparable Canadian cities. To be clear, Regina is currently a low tax jurisdiction, but we want to ensure we remain competitive, as affordability is a competitive advantage. We also made a commitment to ensure our infrastructure investments, maintenance and quality of life support a growing and diverse community. I remain committed to addressing our infrastructure deficit and investing into an exceptional quality of life.
The entire strategic plan, including a detailed balance scorecard with key performance indicators, workplans, and alignment with existing city policy can be found online www.regina.ca, but below is a brief snapshot.
We have 4 Strategic Priorities:
Infrastructure – Modernized, safe infrastructure supporting existing communities, and future growth.
Vibrancy – Places, spaces and program enabling community connection, city pride and wellbeing.
Livability – Intentional planning and development that enables communities to thrive.
Prosperity – An enviable local economy drawing on the contributions of public, private and social sectors in the creation of jobs and innovation.
These priorities are further supported by three core principles: Reconciliation, Environmental Sustainability, and Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA).
These principles inform City Council’s decision-making and guide Administration’s work. Each priority is defined by a broad goal statement and is supported by outcome statements that further outline City Council’s direction. To support these priorities, Administration has developed Action Plans which include initiatives that help achieve the outcomes of each priority and measures that track progress.
I hope this shared vision contributes to public trust, increases operational efficiency, and reflects the diverse interests, expectations and aspirations of our city.
US General Dwight D. Eisenhower famously said, “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable”. He meant that rigid plans are often worthless because the situation is always unpredictable, but the process of planning is vital because it forces you to consider contingencies and prepares you for whatever may happen. In my short time on Council, I absolutely agree with him.
I see no reason we can’t be Canada’s most livable city – where we have more time, connection and opportunity.
Have a great fall,
Dave