CITY OF REGINA 2026 BUDGET

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CITY OF REGINA 2026 BUDGET

With Permission from Making Peace Vigil - November 27, 2025

Regina’s 2026 budget includes a potential mill rate increase of 15.69%. Some of our fellow citizens are outraged. There are even calls for a 5% reduction in the city’s mill rate from the 2025 rate.

Such a reduction would have devastating consequences:

The closure of a number of well-used city facilities including: the Cathedral Community Neighbourhood Centre, the Neil Balkwill Art Centre, Massey Pool; the Kinsman Arena, a number of skating rinks, the Floral Conservatory +++
Reducing the city’s Indigenous framework
A decrease in park maintenance
No new public washrooms
Cutbacks to snow removal
Cutbacks to Regina Transit
The cancellation of free summer children’s programming
The cancellation of programs that address Regina’s houselessness crisis and the cancellation of the grant to Carmichael Outreach to operate an overnight warming centre over the winter months.

The budget will be discussed at City Council December 15 -19.

The budget document is available here: [ https://www.regina.ca/city-government/c ... documents/ ]
Click on “Agenda Packet” under “City Council Budget - December 15, 2025 9:00 am.”

The budget comes in two parts: Regina Police Service Budget and City of Regina budget. Presentations can be made in relation to each—ie we can each make 2 presentations.

The budget is nearly 600 pages long. SEE BELOW FOR HELPFUL LINKS TO ARTICLES . . . .

What Stands Out?
Regina Police Service is asking for a $7.4 million increase over its 2025 budget. This brings the RPS operating budget up to $116,189,800. That’s a whopping 17% of the City of Regina’s operating budget, by far the biggest item in the budget.

There is no money for actually ending houselessness—that is for the construction of affordable rental housing units = units where the rent is not more than a third of a renter’s income.

What Can We Do?
The Sunday Funday group is spear-heading the development of a Peoples Budget. It will make the case for taxes—taxes are good, as well as include a call for more funding for ending houselessnes and public transit and for less money for Regina Police Service.

A town hall will be held to discuss and develop a Peoples Budget on December 6. Details to follow.

The Sunday Funday group is also offering delegation training for those who wish to speak on the budget: Sunday December 7, 1 -2 pm, Heritage Community Centre, 1770 Halifax St

We need as many people as possible presenting at the budget meetings, making the case for taxes and calling for funding to end houselessness.

If you want to register to speak to an item on the December 15, 2025 budget meeting agenda, you may do so by visiting Regina.ca/Register and submitting a completed registration form, together with a written submission before the registration deadline of 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 11, 2025.

I’ve found the following articles helpful:

Paul Dechene’s Post
[ https://www.facebook.com/story.php?stor ... 40TZZ85bD# ]

Regina’s 2026 Budget Estimate Forecasts 15.69% Tax Rate Increase For Status Quo Operations, by Larissa Kurz
[ https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstor ... r-AA1QPvCE ]

What You Need To Know About The 2026-27 Regina City Budget
[ https://www.ckom.com/2025/11/20/what-yo ... ty-budget/ ]

City Reveals List Of Options For 2026 Regina Budget Cuts
[ https://leaderpost.com/news/local-news/ ... x-increase ]

- Making Peace Vigil