A new strategy aimed at improving the city’s actions and priorities towards Regina’s housing crisis for the next five years is underway, as well as a plan to provide more affordable housing units led by YWCA Regina. The Regina Housing Strategy (the Strategy) focuses on addressing the need for additional housing options for residents from 2027 to 2032. It replaces the city’s existing 2013 Comprehensive Housing Strategy. Broken down into four priorities, the Strategy plans to expand the housing supply, diversify the housing supply, support people at risk and build strategic capacity. At Wednesday’s meeting, Regina Executive Committee approved the report. The committee also asked administration to explore incorporating a summary analysis of how the City of Regina can support developers, provide developers with information to advance projects and a tax increment financing plan part of its housing strategy. The tax increment financing would use future revenue from any new neighbourhood or housing development the City of Regina builds solely for that area. “My biggest piece of feedback was around advocacy, for example. We don’t control the outcomes of advocacy necessarily,” Mayor Chad Bachynski told reporters. “I wanted to make sure that we’re very clear when presenting this and approving this for the public that we’re really tying ourselves to the things that we can control and not really holding ourselves to things that we can’t control the outcomes of.” Leading up to the plan, administration engaged with 86 organizations – including community members, non-profit housing providers and the development industry - between May and October 2025 to gain insight about housing pressures. Administration also hosted a housing conference in November 2025. According to the city’s 2024 Regina Housing Needs Assessment (HNA), approximately 14,000 new housing units are needed by 2031to meet its anticipated population growth. City council will review the recommendations made by executive committee at its July 29 meeting. If approved, administration will provide an updated Regina Housing Strategy to executive committee at its Sept. 16 meeting. Rapid housing project moves forward with YWCA On Wednesday, executive committee made the recommendation to have the City of Regina enter a land sale agreement with YWCA Regina in support of developing 30 affordable housing units. The housing project - Orange Buffalo Lodge - is part of the city’s Rapid Housing Initiative 3 focused on delivering affordable housing through the federal government’s Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) grant. The City of Regina originally selected North Central Family Centre as its non-profit housing partner to lead the project. However, it was recently transferred to YWCA instead. “The YWCA taking the lead on that project, I’m incredibly grateful and happy that they’re taking that on,” Bachynski said. “I have the utmost confidence in that organization and with Melissa [Coomber-Bendtsen] at the helm to be successful in executing that project and making sure that we supply affordable units, affordable supportive housing for families as mentioned today for residents.” In addition to transferring the city’s ownership of 2710 5th Avenue to YWCA, the agreement also examines the city’s contribution, operation and conditional option to purchase the property as well. According to the report, the city has allocated $3 million of its Housing Accelerator Fund to housing units for the city. Any funding remaining will go towards supporting YWCA’s initiative. Administration is expected to report back by Q3 2027 with an updated Housing Incentives Policy. Final approval of the agreement will be presented at Regina’s city council meeting on July 29.
