The Regina & District Chamber of Commerce has submitted the following statement to City Council regarding the 2026–27 Budget Deliberations:

The Regina & District Chamber of Commerce appreciates the City of Regina’s more transparent and structured approach to the 2026-27 Budget Deliberations. The multi-step forecasting, the release of detailed assumptions, and disclosure of service-level implications provide residents and employers with a clearer understanding of the significant financial pressures the City is facing.

Even with this improved process, Regina’s business community remains deeply concerned about the proposed 15.69% property tax increase, compounded by significant utility rate increases and the potential for major service reductions. Businesses are facing rising costs across every input – labour, insurance, borrowing, and materials – and cannot absorb dramatic increases in municipal operating costs without real impacts to hiring, investment, and competitiveness.

A nearly 16% mill rate increase cannot be viewed as consistent with a commitment to affordability. Even at 9%, the increase is well outside what is being considered in comparable Canadian cities, which are holding to the 0–6.7% range. We urge Council to adopt a substantially lower and more realistic rate.

The Chamber supports the City’s commitment to maintaining essential services, investing in community safety, and addressing long-deferred infrastructure needs and deficits. These investments are foundational to a competitive and livable city. At the same time, Regina effectively has one pre-existing taxpayer. Without meaningful tax-base growth, the burden of rising costs continues to fall on the same residents and employers year after year – a model that is not sustainable.

Expanding the tax base also strengthens budget stability and predictability – the level of certainty residents and businesses expect from a well-managed, investment-ready city.

The scale of the proposed increases is already influencing business and household decisions. Employers and residents are evaluating relocation options, and surrounding RMs and bedroom communities are growing their tax bases by offering a more affordable environment. Regina cannot afford to lose further economic activity to neighbouring jurisdictions.

To support affordability and long-term fiscal stability, the Chamber recommends the following actions to grow the tax base and strengthen Regina’s competitiveness:

1. Modernize non-residential development charges by shifting from per-hectare fees to a building-based (GFA) model to keep large-footprint employers in the city and strengthen the long-term tax base.
2. Ensure the City Auditor function is accountable for improving cost effectiveness and efficiency.
3. Collaborate with the Regina Chamber to expand private sector investment in Regina’s infrastructure and services.
4. Implement a Regina version of Saskatoon’s C09-014 Business Development Incentive to attract new industries and expand the tax base through performance-based investment attraction.
5. Explore the use of a Community Revitalization Levy (CRL) as a dedicated funding tool to support strategic City Centre Core projects, allowing future tax uplift generated within the zone to be reinvested directly into revitalization and redevelopment.
6. Partner with private industry, government, and community organizations to develop long-term, sustainable entrepreneurial hubs that foster innovation, business growth, and new investment.
7. Establish economic development zones aligned with Regina’s strategic priorities to attract investment, activate under-utilized land, and support growth in areas where new development can most effectively expand the city’s tax base.

Good policy grows the tax base – it fuels economic activity, attracts investment, and supports long-term prosperity. The Chamber is committed to helping Council develop the policies Regina needs to succeed.

With a renewed and bold direction outlined in our 2025–28 Strategic Plan, the Regina Chamber will be bringing forward more advocacy, more analysis, and more constructive policy recommendations aimed squarely at strengthening Regina’s competitiveness and expanding the tax base.

We ask Council to approach this work with openness – to reviewing new approaches, collaborating across sectors, and considering solutions that move beyond the status quo. Regina’s current challenges demand long-range thinking and a willingness to adopt tools that position the city for steady, sustainable growth.

We look forward to working together on policies that deliver stability, opportunity, and enduring economic strength for Regina.

Sincerely,

Mike Tate
Chief Executive Office
Regina & District Chamber of Commerce