Debates, discussions and final decisions.
After four long days of deliberations, Regina City Council approved its 2025 budget.
The General Operating and Capital Budget was locked in with minor amendments on Thursday, dropping the proposed mill rate of 8.50 per cent to 7.33 per cent, which equates to $14.65 a month for the average household.
Broken down, Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) will receive $11, 215, 244, which is 1.73 per cent of the mill rate after an amendment was made by Ward 7 Coun. Shobna Radons on Tuesday that would see REAL receive a reduction of $300,000 from their proposed ask of $11,515,224.
Economic Development Regina will receive $2,100,000 which boils down to 1.73 per cent of the mill rate, and the Provincial Capital Fund will be granted $2,719,000 for operations.
The Regina Police Service made their 2025 budget presentation on Monday, seeking $122,461,200 for operations, a reduction of $800,000 from its initial ask made in February.
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Police outlined revenues from other sources total $13,544,000, resulting in a net operating budget of $108,917,200, which includes a one-time payment of $623,300 from the Community Policing Initiative Reserve to fund alternative officers in 2025.
Mayor Chad Bachynski also making an amendment that passed 10-0 which would approve funding of $650,000 for design work in 2025 for the second floor of the Regina Police Service headquarters, contingent on the Board of Police commission’s approval to withdraw from the Regina Police Service General Reserve.
It would also include the request of up to $4,000,000 for completion of the project during development of the 2026-2027 budget.
Following the approvals of the General and Operating Budget, council was quick to jump into the Utility Operating and Capital Budget, which was approved unchanged.
The utility rate will increase by 5.82 per cent, resulting in $10.00 a month for the average Regina household.
The final big-ticket item included reviewing the mill rate requests for the Regina Public Library (RPL), who made their plea to council earlier this year.
The RPL board identified a mill rate request of 0.99326, which represented an increase of 4.58 per cent of the operations and an additional dedicated mill rate increase of 5.5 per cent to assist with costs for the Central Library Renewal Project.
After a long debate and receiving some procedural clarification that held up the meeting, council decided to vote on both increases individually, however both were approved.
With the combined increase to the mill rate, utility rate and library levy, the average Regina Household will pay $26.41 per month.
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