Meet Regina mayoral candidate: Sandra Masters

Mayoral profiles: Sandra Masters, Kevin Kardash WATCH: Donovan Maess speaks to Regina’s incumbent mayor, Sandra Masters and one of her many challengers, Kevin Kardash.

Regina’s incumbent mayor faces a crowded field of 10 challengers in her quest for re-election. She insists that she has the necessary experience and the right plan to keep Regina moving forward.

Securing the mayor’s seat from Michael Fougere in 2020 – Masters became the first woman elected as the head of city council.

Four years later, after navigating the pandemic, increasingly visible homelessness and scandal at REAL – Masters assures voters that she is the right person to lead Regina for the next four years.

"I think at this particular point in time, with the progress we've made and with, at a minimum, six new councillors coming on to council, I think Regina needs an experienced mayor who has those relationships and connections and understanding of what's needed to improve the city internally as well as externally,” she told CTV News.

Reflecting on her work while in the top job at city hall, Masters highlighted efficiencies and savings her administration has found and implemented.

“There were 54 areas in just the phase one of six lines of services, we managed to do cost avoidance efficiencies or save money to the tune of $23 million so far,” she explained.

“Procurement, which has significant savings attached to it, is a bigger net to crack, so to speak. But we've also done innovation at the same time. So, we've saved $21 million on some of the infrastructure work we're doing by relining versus replacing pipes. So, at $43 million I think, Gosh, I think that's worth about 15 points of a mill rate.”

Masters also highlighted the necessary work being done on Dewdney Avenue reconstruction and water main expansions.

“While painful in construction is absolutely imperative in order to develop The Yards, which will bring more tax dollars to the city and create jobs,” she explained.

Another pillar of Masters’ approach is centered on public safety. She touts her record as proof of listening to community safety concerns.

Her record includes 46 new officers, alternate response programs, peace officers in hospitals, a newly created and expanded street team, added investments in shelter spaces and the creation of a poverty reduction strategy.

“Some folks might say, ‘Hey, you're not focusing on all of those community action tables,’ but if we can actually reduce the impacts of substance use disorder, you actually will impact houselessness, you'll impact food security, you'll impact domestic violence, you'll impact racism and discrimination,” she explained.

“Because that's initiating work, and that is a long-term goal.”

While very proud of what she’s accomplished in her four years in office, Masters is the first to admit that there’s a lot more work to do – and she hopes to have the opportunity to continue it.

“I believe in term limits and so I'm only going to run for this next term. I hope the citizens of residents Regina give me the honour again of serving and continuing the work,” she said.

“It's about safer communities. It's about infrastructure. It's about financial accountability and transparency … Residents don't like money going into a black hole with no information and no accountability. That's unacceptable."

Masters said she plans to continue her efforts to increase tax value for residents.

She argues that costs are only going up in terms of construction and if the city can leverage project funding from provincial and federal sources – it should.

"This doesn't get easier and so when we can leverage almost half of that money coming from other levels of government, when we can figure out how to modestly increase property taxes to pay for these really kind of city changing facilities, I think that's part of our duty and our obligation," she explained.

"We can't be short term day-to-day thinkers. We have to be long-term thinkers for the benefit of the city."

Residents will go to the polls to elect their mayor, city councillors and school board trustees on Nov. 13.

Information on how to vote, ward profiles and candidates can be found here.