Advocates call for gov’t support as social housing complex sits empty in North Central Regina

Hundreds of vacant social housing units in North Central Regina remain fenced off. Organizers urge government to open them. Sierra D’Souza Butts reports.

Community organizers are advocating for more social housing as more than a dozen units are set to be demolished in North Central Regina.

Numerous people gathered in front of the Wascana Street Complex on Thursday, sharing their concerns about 400 social housing units being vacant in the city.

“I’m fortunate enough to have a home and everything, but a lot of my cousins, a lot of my family, a lot of the people living on the street that are my relatives, they don’t have that,” Joseph Klyne, a mentor for the non-profit organization Growing Young Movers, said tearfully.

Located between Wascana Street and 5^th Avenue, the complex consists of 24 units and is managed by the Regina Housing Authority – a social housing program.

The Government of Saskatchewan said a portion of the building was torn down in 2024 after fire damage. Following an inspection, the remaining 15 units were deemed unsafe and has now been slated for demolition.

“We will explore options to revitalize the site to better serve housing needs in the community,” read a statement by the Ministry of Social Services.

Mandla Mthembu, one of the various community organizers, said the provincial government should be providing more social housing options that is currently available.

“We need a commitment from the government to repair, to upkeep, to maintain social housing units so that it’s always available for those need,” Mthembu said.

“In the past, we’ve had federal and provincial acts that built a certain of social housing that made it adequate, had social housing that was kind of on the rate of the population here in the province. We don’t have that commitment.”

With the weather becoming colder, Peter Gilmer, an advocate from the Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry, said it is dangerous for those who are unhoused.

“All levels of government should make this a priority. However, the provincial government in particular right now has an obligation,” he said.

“Saskatchewan Housing [Corporation] units fall under Saskatchewan government jurisdiction, and they need to be doing a better job to make sure that we’ve got the upkeep necessary to get people into these units as quickly as possible.”

The Saskatchewan Housing Corporation provides housing to low income families across the province.

In a statement to CTV News, the Ministry of Social Services said it has launched two initiatives focused on revitalizing Regina’s North Central Regina neighbourhood, which include a flat rent rate program and an affordable rent-to-own program.

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“The flat rent rate program provides greater flexibility to serve a wider range of households in need of affordable housing such as couples with extended family or other dependents, and grandparents with grandchildren who are dependents,” read the statement.

“In September 2024, the Government of Saskatchewan, City of Regina, and Silver Sage signed a Memorandum of Understanding for an affordable rent-to-own program. Saskatchewan Housing Corporation is transferring up to 10 provincially owned family units to Silver Sage to administer the program.”

In addition, the province said a total of $88 million from the 2025-26 budget will go towards ensuring provincially owned‑rent ready units are available across the province.

From that, $9.2 million in new funding is planned to repair and renovate 285 multi-year housing units, including 154 in Regina.

The remaining $1.5 million is planned to begin developing 165 housing units in Regina.