Regina city council approves 2022 budget featuring 3.4% mill rate increase
Global News
Regina city council approved the city's 2022 budget on Friday afternoon after three days of deliberations and debates at city hall.
How much will taxes be next year for citizens of Regina?
Those questions are now answered after Regina city council gave the stamp of approval for the city’s 2022 budget late Friday afternoon.
Council voted 8-3 to approve the budget. Landon Mohl (Ward 10), Lori Bresciani (Ward 4) and Terina Shaw (Ward 7) were the councillors who voted against the budget as presented for approval.
There are some changes compared to city administration’s proposed budget from late November, including a reduction in the mill rate increase.
City administration had recommended a 3.49 per cent property tax hike prior to budget deliberations. However, council was able to reduce it to 3.40 on Friday.
The reduction was a result of $243,000 in leftover funds from the Regina Police Service’s capital budget, which was approved on Wednesday by city council. Police chief Evan Bray said Wednesday that this was possible thanks to funding secured for their aerial support unit and the purchase of an airplane for the aerial team.
“They ended up getting funding to close off the balance of the plane, so with the funding from SGI and the government, it was reduced by almost a quarter of a million dollars regarding the capital contribution carry-forward. So we were able to apply it to the mill rate,” explained Mayor Sandra Masters in Friday’s post-budget media availability.
The approved mill rate means the average homeowner with an assessed home value of $315,000 will pay about $6.15 more per month or just under $75 more per year.
The GST break on restaurant meals went into effect on Dec. 15; it concludes on Feb. 15.
Residents of two communities in Toronto are calling on the city to take action after several coyote attacks and dozens more sightings in the area since the beginning of the year.
Rand Teed, a Canadian certified addictions counsellor, among other titles, shares his thoughts on years of educating youth on substance abuse.
Large sections of the crowd booed the American national anthem ahead of the game, which the U.S. won 6-1 thanks to a four-goal third period.
Officials warn that this new snow will add to the snowfall amounts received this week, causing significant weight on roofs.
The New Westminster Police Department is asking people to help find a high-risk missing person who was last seen on Thursday morning.
Quebec provincial police say they were called to the crash on Thursday afternoon as a winter storm brought heavy snow across the province.
Igloo coolers are being recalled in Canada and the U.S. after reports of severe injuries, including fingertip amputations, caused by a faulty tow handle that can pinch fingers.
After two months, Canada's federal tax holiday ends on Saturday. Industry groups, however, are divided on whether or not the move was a success.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Seattle seized over a pound of fentanyl crossing the border from Canada, just days after Canada announced it's 'fentanyl czar.'
The future of Ukraine is the top item on the agenda at the Munich Security Conference after a call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin this week.
It came after defence lawyers had grilled Toronto Police Service Const. Ryan Kotzer over “disparaging comments about black people” in an unofficial 51 Division police chat group.
AlainRoy says he 'absolutely loves' his two Tesla cars and all the tech features they offer, but the Quebec resident says he can't stand driving them anymore.