Regina hoping data-driven approach to planning combats urban sprawl

With Regina’s population surging, the city plans for tens of thousands of new homes despite limited land and resources. Donovan Maess reports.

City of Regina officials are hoping a change in its growth mindset impacts where and how future developments move forward.

“We are recommending a new neighborhood phasing approach based primarily on wastewater capacity,” said manager of city planning and community Deborah Bryden during executive committee Wednesday.

“This approach removes several longstanding barriers to advancing new neighborhoods and offers greater clarity for development sequencing and responds to feedback on challenges with past approaches.”

It comes following an administration review of Regina’s Official Community Plan (OCP).

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Within that review, the city found growth timelines set in 2013 which projected Regina’s population to reach 300,000 people by 2040.

“Growth patterns over the last decade have differed,” Luke Graizer, manager of city projects said. “Regina now is forecast to reach a population of 370,000 in 2051, an increase of 136,000 people compared to the most recent census.”

“To support this growth, the study projects Regina will require roughly 68,000 new jobs and 52,300 additional housing units over the next 25 years to meet the needs of expanding population,” he added.

Administration proposed 21 revisions to the city’s current OCP to committee as its first step towards its broader plan.

“This grows [the city] in a financially responsible way,” Mayor Chad Bachynski told members. “We talk about property taxes and those increases, the cost of urban sprawl, that’s the challenge in front of us.”

“If we keep piecemealing and building infrastructure we don’t fully recover money from, we’re going to be in the same situation for years to come,” he added.

Outdated practice

Past logic applied to city planning stated that as population grows, so too does its tax base to pay for it.

Bachynski challenged the notion and blamed past councils for the practice, which he says has pushed the city to its limits.

“Growth does not pay for growth anymore,” he told reporters following Wednesday’s meeting. “It actually costs us to grow, we’re shifting away from that now.”

Administration adds the city’s past practices have led infrastructure to critical levels of strain.

“Wastewater is our biggest restriction in terms of growth, which is something we’ve all known for quite a while,” Bryden said. “But what it also did was identify several projects to help alleviate that.”

Over the next five years, Regina has allocated nearly $1.2 billion in planned capital spending.

In 2026, $223.58 million is earmarked for projects like the 11th Avenue Revitalization Project, Indoor Aquatic facility and eastern water network expansion.

• ‘Time is of the essence’: Mayor Bachynski says federal funding must be expedited

The next question on the mind of councillors is how to alleviate costs to residents.

“We only have so many dollars we can work with,” Ward 10 Coun. Clark Bezo said. “It’s only a plan until it’s funded and if we’re not funding it, then it’s not a plan.”

“We’ve identified existing issues with the levels of service within our existing community,” responded Bryden. “The projects we’ve identified and the approach to those is to support all of the things. We’re supporting the existing city, we’re supporting an intensification and we’re supporting greenfield growth.”

As recently as last week, the Prime Minister reaffirmed federal budget funding announced last November to help municipalities in maintaining infrastructure.

“Additional money might accelerate something but it’s not going to take away from the plan as we recommend it being sequenced,” acting city manager Jim Nicol added. “We are trying to take a holistic look at this for the betterment of the city moving forward.”

“And God willing, if we get more money, we may be able to accelerate things. But I don’t believe anything in terms of getting more money is going to take us off what we have seen,” he added.

Developers weigh in

Developers are chomping at the bit to get shovels in the ground for green fill projects in all areas of the city.

“Having an updated growth plan in place is important for predictability, investment, confidence and coordinated decision making across the city,” said Regina and Region Home Builders’ Association president and CEO Stu Niebergall. “At the same time, we continue to believe several important details will benefit from further discussion and refinement as implementation proceeds.”

“Clear timelines for infrastructure investment expected through upcoming master plan updates will be essential for builders and developers and investors making long term decisions,” added Dream Developments representative Diana Hawryluk.

While the home builders’ association was in favour of the changes, some local developers were critical.

Skywood is a planned residential neighbourhood in Regina’s northwest.

“Today, Skywood is being placed in the short-term tier three [phase],” said owner Evan Hunchak. “Allocation of specific areas occur year-by-year and hence why it’s grouped as short term, medium term and long term. But as it relates to the short-term lands, the Skywood lands are the very last to go.”

Hunchak adds their proposal would be pushed back several years under the proposed community plan changes.

“Our timeline would be pushed 30 years or more because there is no sewer there,” he said. “And the reason is because [it] would be at an elevation where the sewer is the last place it’s extended to.”

Bachynski recognized some of developers’ concerns.

“Everybody’s going to make their case,” he said. “This allows us to have a backstop of data. How the previous growth plan looked [before] was a result of political decisions that were made. Different developers over time were jockeying for position and ultimately piecemealing our development.”

“This flips the script. This actually goes to a service availability perspective and it’s completely changed the way we look at it. It’s a much more calculated approach,” the mayor added.

The OCP’s changes still require final council approval at next week’s scheduled meeting.