Regina’s 2025 Budget: City Officials Push for Record Tax Hike Amid Years of Underinvestment
Regina residents are being asked to foot the bill for years of financial mismanagement and underinvestment as the city proposes its highest tax increase in over a decade. With an 8.5 per cent property tax hike and 5.82 per cent utility rate increase on the table, the average household could see an additional $320 in expenses per year—and many are questioning whether City Hall has done enough to prevent reaching this breaking point.
At a budget briefing, City Manager Niki Anderson defended the drastic increase, stating, “We are at a critical juncture to continue providing essential services and quality of life for our residents.” However, her admission that Regina has been "playing catch-up" raises serious concerns about the city’s long-term financial planning.
Why Has Regina Fallen Behind?
Anderson acknowledged that past administrations have kept mill rate increases artificially low, failing to invest adequately in city services and infrastructure. But rather than addressing this issue incrementally, city officials are now shifting the burden onto residents all at once.
Of the proposed 8.5 per cent tax hike:
- 1.9 per cent will fund civic operations, with Anderson warning that any reductions could lead to service cuts—yet offering little transparency on what efficiencies have been explored.
- 4.59 per cent is being funneled into external service partners, including:
- 2.25 per cent for Regina Police Service, which has yet to present its full budget,
- 2.21 per cent for the Regina Exhibition Association Ltd. (REAL), despite ongoing concerns about its financial sustainability,
- 0.13 per cent for Economic Development Regina, whose impact remains debatable.
- 2 per cent is earmarked for previous council commitments, including an indoor aquatic centre and east-side water network expansion—projects that many argue should have been better planned within existing budgets.
Taxpayers Left Holding the Bag
The city’s 2025 operating budget sits at $841 million, with $334 million coming from property taxes alone. While officials cite population growth as a key reason for the increase—Regina has expanded 7.7 per cent since 2019, with projections to reach 290,000 people in 2025—it remains unclear why growth has not translated into greater revenue streams rather than increased burdens on taxpayers.
Meanwhile, the budget allocates:
- $33.9 million for public transit expansion,
- $21 million for the 11th Street Revitalization project,
- $6.3 million for a new fire station on Chuka Boulevard,
- Four hectares of new park space across the city.
While these investments are necessary, the broader question remains: why was there no foresight to manage these needs more sustainably?
Regina’s “Competitive” Mill Rate Argument Falls Flat
Officials have attempted to soften the blow by comparing Regina’s tax rates to other major cities, arguing that the city’s increases have been lower than those in Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver.
However, this argument ignores the reality that Regina residents already face rising costs in other areas, including utilities, groceries, and housing. Furthermore, citing tax rates in cities with stronger economies and larger tax bases does little to justify a sudden and dramatic increase for Regina.
Budget Deliberations Begin March 17—Will Council Push Back?
Regina City Council is set to begin five days of budget deliberations on March 17, where elected officials will determine whether this tax hike is truly the only way forward.
While city leaders insist that these increases are necessary, residents deserve a full accounting of how financial decisions have led to this crisis—and whether alternative solutions have been fully explored.
Will council rubber-stamp this budget, or will they demand more accountability? Regina taxpayers will be watching closely.
Stay tuned for further updates.