Regina mayor eyes ‘pathway to single digits’ for proposed 15.6% tax hike

On the heels of Saskatoon passing its budget Friday that saw a number of cuts reducing its initially proposed property tax hike by around 1.5 per cent, the mayor of Regina is hopeful his council will do the same.

In Saskatoon, city council walked away from the chamber knowing residents will fork over 6.7 per cent more in property taxes next year.

Councillors also approved new spending to add police on transit, back affordable housing incentives and add one new full-time zookeeper position.

While Saskatoon has wrapped up its budget discussions and looks to the future, Saskatchewan’s second-largest city is soon to be beginning its own budget talks.

In late November, Regina’s city administration announced its record-high proposed budget of 15.6 per cent for 2026.

The city’s administration says that maintaining its current service levels in 2026 will require a shortfall of almost $52 million. For an average home assessed at $324,000, that would translate to a monthly increase of around $33.

In order to balance the books, council is faced with either a tax increase or service cuts.

Get breaking National news

City administration compiled a list of 131 options for councillors to debate on that would reduce the mill rate by as much as 18.5 per cent if all were approved — or a total reduction of around $71.56 million.

This is similar to the process councillors in Saskatoon faced last week, where they went line-by-line on 108 options to reduce its mill rate.

• Carney shuffles cabinet, names new ministers to replace Guilbeault
• Algoma Steel to lay off 1,000 workers over ‘unprecedented tariffs’
• Canadian air passenger traffic to U.S. down for 9th consecutive month
• Canada secures membership in EU defence industry pact, Carney says

• Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation hopes to include more First Nations in upcoming pipeline discussions
• The driving danger ramps up in December
• Whitecaps Carl Valentine
• Climate Science: What’s the difference between weather and climate?

However, some of the options to be in front of Regina’s councillors are more drastic, such as stopping transit, closing community centres and public pools, firing workers and terminating a fire station project that broke ground last month.

Regina Mayor Chad Bachynski says not every option set to be in front of council is favourable to him.

• The hottest Cyber Monday home tech deals on Amazon Canada
• Indigenous groups remain split on Alberta’s pipeline pact with feds

“Seeing the stark reality of some of the more extreme referrals in terms of what’s been put on the table for cuts, I think, has demonstrated that there’s some things that are likely gonna be pulled off the table pretty quickly,” Bachynski told Global News Monday.

For Bachynski, cuts are on the horizon, as he said his benchmark for tax increases is under 10 per cent.

“I see a pathway to single digits for us,” he said. “But again, that’s going to be a debate that we’ll have to have with council as well.“

Like Saskatoon, a large share of Regina’s budget is put towards funding police services.

Saskatoon approved an increase in its police force’s budget by 8.6 per cent, marking an increase of $12 million. Regina’s police force is proposing a smaller increase of 2.2 per cent, or an increase of $7.3 million

This money is primarily going towards police salaries along with “other increases” around civilian members and support staff, said Bachynski.

Regina’s city council is planning to begin budget deliberations on Dec. 15.