Policy Priorities

Economic Development

Regina is landlocked in the perfect place. We are surrounded by rich natural resources, excellent post-secondary institutions, and robust supply chains which drive our economy and home, and support industry around the world. Great local economies and cities have a vision that is shared, and a collaborative policy framework and community that work together to achieve it. To create a thriving and diversified economy, I will push to:

• Advance initiatives that revitalize the downtown with a focus on residential density, public safety, public spaces, and arts, culture and commercial amenities.
• Ensure we have adequate industrial land, infrastructure, utility rates and service agreement fees to attract value added industry, with a focus on value-added agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation and logistics. We are a dryland farming and plant protein powerhouse. By enriching our supply chain and moving up the value-chain to attract and support value added processing, and food ingredient manufacturing, we can feed the projected 8b population by 2030.
• Develop Regina as a living lab where sustainable solutions, infrastructure investment, and innovation solutions are tested, scaled, accepted and exported around the world. With collaborative research focused on policy and economic opportunity between the city, post-secondary institutions, and industry we can make Regina a green economic powerhouse. In addition to an abundance of solar and wind resources, our traditional energy supply chain has the expertise, product and workers to rapidly advance the green economy. If we can harness this opportunity in a winter city, which sustains a robust energy and mining sector, it can be done anywhere in the world.
• Support the visitor economy and the events, concerts, conventions and trade shows that enrich our culture and community. I will support a fund to attract, host and activate events that support local businesses and residents.
• Create a one-stop shop service for businesses and entrepreneurs at City Hall to provide permitting, licensing and business services in manner that treats our businesses like clients.
• Use city procurement to support local industry, indigenous owned businesses, and ensure our city services, and municipal infrastructure benefit from, and support world class talent and companies here at home.
• Work with Economic Development Regina and the provincial government to attract the talent we need to drive our economy, and support the families that will accompany them, so new workers and investors become long-term residents.

Dynamic

Together, we can design, activate, and plan a city that is rich in culture, community, and amenities. From our artistic and sporting assets to the social events that bring us all together, let’s make Regina more dynamic:

• Support a new Indoor Aquatic Center with recreational and competitive facilities, and which contains healthy, age-friendly and fun amenities, while pushing for provincial investment.
• Establish a fund to attract concerts, events, conventions and trade shows to our city. These events build economy, culture and enrich our community.
• Refurbish broken and old city assets by partnering with community groups, businesses and non-profits. Taking inspiration from Buckets & Borders (https://bucketsandborders.com/) who has rebuilt basketball courts at Sheldon Williams Collegiate, Scott Collegiate and introduced a new court at the Regina Food Bank with community dollars and vision, we can address failing artistic and sporting amenities through partnerships. The model has the city provide the assets, the community partners fundraise and refurbish, and the city maintain the asset long-term.
• Support with in-kind services and city resources, the Regina Folk Festival and critical city events, so that our creative arts and culture flourish.
• Work to increase the number and quality of gathering and public spaces that are accessible, age friendly and safe.
• I commit to keep Scarth Street a pedestrian corridor, and to explore additional opportunities to create dynamic, fun and safe car-free areas within our city.
• Ensure we have a world-class downtown library that is a space for equity, inclusion, learning, cross cultural collaboration and economy.
• Advance an interconnected community with biking and multiuse pathways and lanes that connect us and create a healthier Regina.
• When providing city services or providing resources or space to partners and service providers, push for collaboration and collocation to ensure an efficient use of resources and creating dynamic collaborative spaces.
• Implement the City of Regina Cultural Plan.

Sustainability

Regina was established in a treeless grassland. Our predecessors had the foresight to hand-plant over 500,000 trees, build a lake, and design a community rich in greenspace. Today, we can take that same can-do spirit and vision to create a city that is well positioned to fight climate change while building climate resiliency. I will support:

• A Department of the Environment to support environmental policy, zoning and bylaw creation and environment and climate resilience initiates. The department will oversee and support urban forestry and parks with tree planting, timely tree trimming and arborist services, while supporting the development and maintenance of communities to ensure they are climate resilient, and enjoyable. The office can inform development, bylaw and zoning policies to protect our green space, address dust, noise, and population concerns, and ensure that future generations benefit from a clean and beautiful community.
• Develop Regina as a living lab where sustainable solutions, infrastructure investment, and innovation solutions are tested, scaled, accepted and exported around the world. With collaborative research focused on policy and economic opportunity between the city, post-secondary institutions, and industry make Regina a green economy powerhouse.
• Implementing the City of Regina Energy & Sustainability Framework. Through zoning, bylaws, land-use planning, investment, partnership and advocacy we can focus on:

1. 1. Retrofit existing buildings: 69% of GHG emissions in Regina come from this area.
   2. Support net-zero greenfield buildings: new buildings, and the systems within them (heating, cooling) have an opportunity to be designed and built in a manner that supports sustainability.
   3. Fuel switching and heating: Efficient uses of district heating, heat pumps, and renewable energy can save money and reduce GHG emissions within our city.
   4. Renewable energy generation: Supporting individual, collective, community and city owned renewable energy initiatives will decrease emissions, and over the long-term save money.
   5. Reducing vehicle emissions & active transportation: The transportation sector makes up 23% of emissions in Regina. We cannot avoid all vehicle usage, but we can support electric vehicle infrastructure. A well thought out and resources active transportation and transit network can reduce congestion and emissions, while promoting healthy lifestyles and mixed-use neighborhoods.

• Look for ways to electrify the public transit service, while increasing timelessness and service with a smaller more efficient fleet of vehicles.
• Protect our existing green space, including the Holy Rosary Park space, the Lakeview Par 3 and former St. Pious School playground area.
• Identify opportunities for conservation, including turning the city owned grasslands on the site of the old Craig Golf Course into a nature preserve. By protecting one of our last remaining pieces of grasslands, we can create a space to teach children about conservation and have a space for birdwatching and nature in the heart of our city.
• Enhance the budget for tree planning and maintenance.
• Provide financial and in-kind resource to support reforestation and new green spaces, taking inspiration from the Cathedral Village Forest Project (https://cathedralvillage.org/forestproject/)