Regina has always been amongst the most affordable cities to live in. We know the cost of living is getting more expensive, particularly for renters. Regina is growing at a record pace. Our population is becoming more diverse, requiring different types of housing.
The 2024 Housing Needs Assessment identified that Regina could need approximately 14,000 new homes by 2031 to keep pace with population growth. That is equivalent to the entire housing stock of Moose Jaw. We also know that Regina has an unhoused crisis in our city. We have an acute lack of affordable housing.
Housing is an important part of how Regina grows, and with our population continuing to increase, the types and number of homes our city needs are evolving too. If we fail to plan for growth, we risk limiting supply and increasing cost, and we risk urban sprawl.
The city has developed a new Regina Housing Strategy to guide its approach to housing over the next several years. The Strategy identifies the city’s role, what we will do, and our goals across the housing continuum, from homelessness and emergency shelters through transitional and supportive housing, affordable and market rental housing, and homeownership.
The Strategy is organized around four key priorities:
The City does not directly provide or operate housing. Housing is delivered through a combination of provincial housing programs, non-profit and community organizations and private-sector housing providers.
What the City can do is help create the conditions that support housing development. This includes land-use planning and zoning, infrastructure, development processes, housing incentives, partnerships and advocacy to other levels of government. The City’s Housing Incentives Program, for example, offers tools including capital grants and tax exemptions to support eligible housing development.
The Strategy identifies 36 actions aimed at increasing housing options, reducing barriers to development, improving City processes and supporting new housing. In some cases, we are being very bold and creative, including creating a Land Bank, where properties and homes that the city has acquired can be provided to affordable housing providers, including Community Land Trust. We are developing Taylor Field and Yards Land. In other cases, we have major work to do, including supporting more infill development in existing areas.
I am doing a best practice scan looking at where municipalities have a more active role in housing, particularly supporting Housing First, where the most vulnerable unhoused are supported with housing and supports. There are some cities who are empowered and funded by their provincial government. Housing First saves lives, money, provides dignity, and addresses encampments, and along with income support, treatment, and more housing, is a proven approach.
Some properties in Cathedral are included in Regina’s updated floodplain maps. The maps were developed by the Water Security Agency using updated data, modelling and flood-risk assessments. Some properties have been added to the floodplain, some remain within it and others are no longer included. We found a good balance of using science, and practical solutions, including building codes and zoning to ensure we plan and mitigate flooding, and protect the viability of our communities.
The new mapping uses a 1-in-200-year flood as the planning standard. This does not mean a flood of this size is expected once every 200 years. It means there is a 0.5% chance of a flood of that magnitude occurring in any given year.
For Cathedral residents whose properties are within the updated floodplain, no immediate action is required. Existing properties can continue to be used and maintained. The regulations are most relevant when considering future development, redevelopment or rebuilding. For areas like the Cathedral Community Gardens, we can now move forward our building shed within the new rules.
The updated flood maps do not affect current property taxes or assessments. Insurance coverage is determined by individual insurance providers, so residents with questions about their coverage are encouraged to contact their provider directly.
If you live in Lakeview and want to know whether your property is included in the updated floodplain, you can review the maps and find more information at Regina.ca/FloodPlain.
Please look for my budget and community town hall later in November.
Dave