Expanding Citywide Housing Options

The sidebar of this is page has been updated to make it easier to find information on the project.

There are now sections for:

• Project Documents - Background on the HAF and the City's HAF Initiatives, a summary document to address some frequently asked questions about the Expanding Citywide Housing Options project, and a high-resolution map of the Primary and Secondary Intensification Areas (proposed)
• Council Reports - All reports and motions that have come before City Council on the HAF and the Expanding Citywide Housing Options work
• Presentations - Copies of all presentations that have been given to Regina Planning Commission and City Council. There is also a newly uploaded presentation (PDF and recording) to provide an overview and update on the work to date.

A map outlining the proposed Secondary Intensification Areas being advanced in phase 3 has been added to the image gallery in the sidebar of this page.

Mapping it out

Maps that outline Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw changes approved by City Council have been added to the image gallery in the sidebar of this page. These include:

• Summary of changes to low-density zones (phase 1)
• Summary of changes to existing mid- and high-density zones (phase 1)
• Summary of newly adopted Primary Intensification Areas (phase 2, part 1)

For the upcoming Phase 3 work (Council direction to permit four storey development within 800m of main transit), Administration is currently mapping an 800m walking distance to transit hubs and determining what streets/properties will be included in the walksheds with consideration for localized street and block patterns. The transit hubs can be seen on the Primary Intensification Area map.

Councillor Stadnichuk hosted an information session for Ward 1 residents. City staff provided an overview and update presentation on the HAF and the City's Expanding Housing Options work followed by a Q+A session moderated by the Councillor. There were 30-40 residents in attendance from multiple wards who participated in a thoughtful discussion about the Expanding Housing Options project and the City's broader HAF Action Plan.

On April 10, 2024, Regina City Council approved the second set of amendments to The Regina Zoning Bylaw, 2019 and the Official Community Plan to support implementation of the HAF planning initiatives and advance the direction of Council. These included:

Official Community Plan Amendments

• Introduce Primary Intensification Areas within 200 metres of main transit routes, where multi-unit residential or mixed-use developments with up to 20 metres of building height will be permitted
• Align existing definitions, policies and maps in Part A of the Official Community Plan with the City’s other strategic documents for defining main transit routes (e.g. Regina Transit Master Plan).

Zoning Bylaw Amendments

• Introduce overarching zoning provisions within the Primary Intensification Areas to permit multi-unit residential or mixed-use development with up to 20 metres of building height
• Reduce the Wascana Height Overlay Zone to only the portions of Albert Street, Broad Street, Hillsdale Street and 23rd Avenue immediately adjacent to Wascana Centre and amend the discretionary use provisions to apply to development over 20 metres in height.

Regina City Council will hold a public hearing in relation to the proposed bylaws on Wednesday April 24, 2024. Please see the public notice for additional information.

The Regina Planning Commission will be considering the next phase of amendments to the Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw on Tuesday March 26, 2024 as part of the Expanding Citywide Housing Options project. The report outlining the recommended amendments, which include permitting 6-storey multi-unit dwellings to be built within 200 meters of main transit routes and eliminating the Wascana Centre Overlay, can be found here.

City staff were invited to a Whitmore Park Community Association board meeting to provide information on the Expanding Housing Operations work and answer questions. The meeting was attended by Councillor Stadnichuk and 1- to 15 residents from both the Whitmore Park and Hillsdale communities.

City staff were invited to the Cathedral Village Community Association annual general meeting to provide information on the Expanding Housing Options work and to answer questions. The meeting was attended by 15 to 20 people including board members and residents.

In November 2023, Council approved the Accelerating Housing motion directing Administration to amend the City’s HAF application and prepare necessary bylaw amendments to permit additional housing units to be developed in all neighbourhoods and increase density in proximity to transit. At that time, Council indicated a desire to advance this direction to support housing development for the 2024 development season.