Community organizations in Regina are breathing a collective, yet cautious, sigh of relief after the city's 2026 budget spared two key funding streams from the chopping block. However, the final outcome reveals a stark contrast in fortune between programs vital to neighbourhood vitality and heritage preservation.
A Budget Forged from Tough Choices
Following intense deliberations in mid-December, Regina's city council approved a 10.9-per-cent increase to the municipal mill rate. While historically high for local taxpayers, this hike was notably lower than the 15.69-per-cent increase initially flagged as necessary to maintain 2025 service levels. To bridge this gap, councillors scrutinized a wide array of potential cuts, placing several community-focused programs in jeopardy.
Community Investment Grant Program Secures a Future Boost
Among the items considered for reduction was the Community Investment Grant Program (CIGP). This program provides essential operational funding to Regina's zone boards, which oversee 27 active neighbourhood community associations. After hearing compelling delegations advocate for the CIGP's value, council not only rejected cuts to its $5.58-million budget but committed to a significant change.
Starting in 2027, the CIGP will receive increases tied to annual inflation. This marks the program's first funding boost since 2012, a move hailed by recipients who have long contended with rising costs on a static budget.
Denis Simard, executive director of the Al Ritchie Community Association, called the decision a potential catalyst for renewed dialogue. "We are excited about the potential," Simard said. "The idea that there's something being added to the pot is really what's interesting. It opens up a conversation we've been trying to have."
However, Simard tempered the victory with criticism of the budget process itself, describing it as "anxiety-inducing" for groups that found themselves on the initial cut list without clear communication. "There is a sense of relief knowing we won't be cut, but there's also a question about how easy it was for us to make it onto that list," he noted.
Heritage Incentive Program Faces Deep Cuts
The news was far less positive for the Heritage Incentive Program. This initiative offers financial support to property owners for the maintenance and upkeep of designated heritage homes and buildings. While the program avoided complete elimination, city council agreed to a severe reduction, slashing its funding by almost half.
This cut presents a significant challenge for preserving Regina's architectural history, potentially placing a heavier financial burden on owners of heritage properties and risking the deterioration of culturally important structures.
Looking Ahead: A Call for Authentic Engagement
For community leaders like Denis Simard, the budget outcome underscores a need for a more collaborative relationship between the city and the non-profit sector. He hopes the commitment to future CIGP increases signals a shift toward more meaningful partnership.
"I think the change that needs to happen over the course of the next few years is re-engaging with the non-profit sector in an authentic way that allows us to be an actual voice for our communities so that we can better represent them," Simard stated.
The finalized 2026 budget, therefore, leaves Regina's community landscape on uneven footing: neighbourhood hubs can plan for modest growth, while the guardians of the city's tangible past face a new era of constraint.
