Expanding Citywide Housing Options

The City is reviewing and updating our planning policies and zoning regulations to remove barriers to housing development and enable the delivery of housing options that meet the needs of our growing city.

We are currently reviewing our Neighbourhood Plans to ensure alignment with recent Zoning and Official Community Plan amendments and Council direction to support diverse housing options city-wide. Engagement includes the Ideas Tool below and updating stakeholders like Community Associations during this process. We recognize there is a lot of content being reviewed so if groups prefer an in-person conversation, please email planning@regina.ca.

This phase of engagement concludes on August 23, 2024.

Background

This work is part of the City’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Action Plan which includes 11 initiatives designed to increase local housing supply. For more information on the City's HAF Action Plan, please visit: https://www.regina.ca/home-property/housing/housing-accelerator-fund/

The five initiatives aimed at expanding citywide housing options include:

Enable high-density housing development within the City Centre.

Enable mid- and high-rise development along urban corridors and main transit routes.

Advance the development of missing middle housing in central neighbourhoods.

Support the provision of greater housing diversity in established neighbourhoods.

Reduce Council approval for housing related Discretionary Use applications.

The City is advancing these initiatives in three phases over the next six months.

To keep informed of our progress, please sign up at the top right-hand corner of this page. For additional details on the phases of this work, please read the posts in our News Feed below.

This phase of engagement concludes on August 23, 2024.

Background

The five initiatives aimed at expanding citywide housing options include:

Enable high-density housing development within the City Centre.

Enable mid- and high-rise development along urban corridors and main transit routes.

Advance the development of missing middle housing in central neighbourhoods.

Support the provision of greater housing diversity in established neighbourhoods.

Reduce Council approval for housing related Discretionary Use applications.

The City is advancing these initiatives in three phases over the next six months.

To keep informed of our progress, please sign up at the top right-hand corner of this page. For additional details on the phases of this work, please read the posts in our News Feed below.

Question & Answer

If you have questions about how these changes will affect you and your community, you can ask them here.

Once the city council finally approves the zoning bylaw amendments necessary to qualify for the HAF, what will be the areas of focus for city planning to improve housing availability for residents? When will the city actually proceed with development plans for the Railyard and Taylor field revitalization projects? These plans were used to sell everyone on building a new stadium and nothing has been communicated about these proposed plans ever since.

Ian Leverington asked 25 days ago

In addition to the adoption of the zoning bylaw amendments, the City is currently reviewing potential programs to support the development of housing in key areas. This includes inner-city neighbourhoods that are currently facing acute housing challenges and are good candidates for in-fill and higher-density developments. Both the Railyards and Taylor Field sites are undergoing continued studies as to how to best utilize these city-held lands.
When will council be considering/amending the OCP and localized neighbourhood and area plans and updating the city’s infill development standards?

cesler asked about 1 month ago

City Administration are aiming to bring a report to City Council in September regarding any amendments to Neighbourhood Plans. Evaluation of the City's development standards (including infill standards) will begin in Fall 2024.
Can you share with me why the city of Saskatoon received $41.3 million and the city of Regina recieved $35 million?

324katepwa asked 3 months ago

The Housing Accelerator Fund program has a scoring system that assigns dollar values based on several factors including the number of units proposed to be built. They also have a series of affordable housing bonuses available. Because the number and type of units proposed will vary from city to city, their HAF funding will vary as well.
The city of Saskatoon initiative 6 is addressing supportive housing - does the City of Regina address supportive housing?

324katepwa asked 3 months ago

While none of the City of Regina's HAF initiatives directly address supportive housing, several of the initiatives help to remove some of the obstacles to their development.
Regarding the HAF maps that the city has drawn up, though the maps are low in resolution, I noticed that the zoning for the Lakeshore Mall site and the stretch along Hillsdale St across from the park has changed from the Hillsdale Neighbourhood Land-Use Plan. The area is now zoned Mixed Use (ML/MH/MLM) with a maximum height for the zone, no longer discretionary, at 15-30m. A 30m height provides for 9-story high-rise towers. The HNLUP limited the height to 20m for the area, and I thought it was preserved by an amendment passed by a Council vote of 6-4 to keep the Wascana Overlay restriction on heights for certain areas which included Hillsdale Avenue and the Lakeshore Mall site. It would mean that the height restriction was to be 13m (for 3-4 stories). Developers could still ask for a variance but they need to follow the old discretionary protocol and do consultation with the public. My question is, what is the plan for this area? Which height overlay - 15-30m or 13-20m - will carry the day?

Richard Ast asked about 2 months ago

Apologies for any confusion the maps have caused. For clarity, current zoning for the Lakeshore Mall site is MH. In this zone, the maximum permitted height is 20 metres, however, where a Neighbourhood Plan outlines a height threshold it supersedes the zoning regulations.

The amendment to the Wascana Height Overlay was approved by City Council in April 2024 and now requires all development over 20 metres, within a defined area, to be referred to the PCC for comment. In summary, any proposed development on this site would be reviewed for compliance with both the Neighbourhood Plan and zoning. Any proposal over 20 metres in height would require special planning permissions and would include a process for public consultation.
Source: Regina HAF Action Plan Initiatives (as amended) - Appendix A "Initiative 2: Enable mid-and high-rise development along urban corridors and main transit routes identified in the Transit Master Plan" ...."This will include adjustments to zoning and development standards to permit six storey development within 200 m of main transit routes and four storey development within 800 m of main transit routes." First of all where did the City come up with these new expanded right of use distances from the routes? 200 metres is equivalent to 2 football fields linked and 800 metres to 8 football fields linked. Secondly, these. 200 & 800 metre distances are allowing huge buildings to be built next to single family homes on narrow residential streets. It begs the question; has the City done the necessary provision of sewer and other infrastructure preparations for this higher intensification of dwelling units? Third, I have read in the City's HAF plans that the main transit hubs will have 800 metre radius zones that will allow the 4 storey buildings. Why would that be the plan if the main transit routes already allow the 800 metre allowance? There appears to be a contradiction in your script. Fourth, why has the City not provided its citizens and taxpayers with the opportunity to be able to have public meetings either at any City building or online? This HAF process is a radical shift from past extensive consultations with us and I only see this as a complete sellout to the city residents that will have to deal with the big mess being created. Last but not least, why hasn't the City provided a current 2023 Annual report on its Comprehensive Housing Strategy (2013) on its website? The Annual Report listed dates back to 2019. You would think that if Regina has to undertake such radical bylaw and policy changes there would be a 2023 report on its state of housing to justify it.

Rider Prider asked 3 months ago

The direction to amend the City’s HAF Action Plan and permit additional height for multi-unit development within 200m and 800m of main transit routes was given by City Council on November 22, 2024 (see Accelerating Housing Motion – MN 23-9 in the ‘Documents’ section in the sidebar of this page).

A 200m distance is approximately 1-2 standard city blocks (a five-minute walk), and 800m is approximately 6-8 standard city blocks (a ten-minute walk). These distances are consistent with urban planning best practice to support additional density near higher frequency transit lines and stops. While the direction from City Council was to permit up to four storey development within 800m of main transit routes, Administration is recommending that 800m of transit hubs be used instead. This will reflect a similar approach taken in other cities where density is concentrated around subway stations or bus rapid transit stops (this is the approach being taken in Saskatoon).

Given the specific direction from City Council on November 22, the focus for Administration has been to provide information to residents and ensure they have an opportunity to ask questions and stay up to date on the project. Direction for the changes came during the regular Council and Committee meeting process, including posting the reports publicly and providing interested parties with an opportunity to participate as delegates. The initial direction was approved at a public Council meeting in November; with bylaw changes outlined in subsequent reports made public and discussed in public during meetings of the Regina Planning Council and Council earlier this year.

City Administration regularly monitors population and housing data to inform policy development and recommendations to City Council. As part of the HAF Action Plan, the City is currently undertaking a Housing Needs Assessment that will provide additional information to guide future work related to housing.

Infrastructure and servicing required for developments will continue to be reviewed, as part of the normal review practices.
The City of Saskatoon has the infromation about the HAF on their front page. The City of Regin's be heard is very hard to find. Can you move the BeHeard to the front page?

324katepwa asked 3 months ago

City Administration is working to revise and update the City's website, including easier access and more prominent links to the HAF project information and the BeHeard page.
I have had several developers reach out to me. The first thing they tell me is they are on the opposite side of HAF. My response to them has been - not you are not - we are all want to set Regina up for success. I am very concerned with the labels and the branding to create division all over $35 million dollars. We are better than that to be divided by money. What will you do to repair the damage being done by name calling and labeling and ensure we set the city of Regina up for Success?

324katepwa asked 3 months ago

Thank you for your comments. We understand there are often different perspectives involved regarding development and change of our city. We encourage all citizens and stakeholders to be respectful of one another as we have these important discussions.
Will the City of Regina please organize an in person community engagment meeting the first week of June? The City of Saskatoon is doing public engagment meeting for the communities. Leaving the community association out to the conversation - is disrespectful to the knowledge communities have to build a successful Regina. We would like a public meet prior phase 3.

324katepwa asked 3 months ago

We understand that the Expanding Citywide Housing Options initiatives impact neighbourhoods. The changes are being applied citywide based on consistent principles and Council’s direction. For this reason, our communications have focused on informing the public about implementation of the initiatives rather than discussions with individual neighbourhoods.

To date, Administration has provided information about the Expanding Citywide Housing Options to community associations via the City’s community consultants and attended community association meetings when requested, including both Whitmore Park and Cathedral Village CAs. We have also shared updates through the City’s social media accounts and via email to those who have subscribed to the BeHeard page.

Phase 3 amendments will be considered by Regina Planning Commission on May 28 and by City Council on June 12. Councillor Stadnichuk hosted a public meeting on May 21 for residents interested in attending. Administration will provide the presentation online as soon as possible.
Thank you for loading the maps on your website May 9th about the Housing Accelerator Fund. Would it be possible to increase the clarity of the maps as if you try to inlarge they are not clear. Also could you layer the map with the 200m and 800m to show areas that the city will allow 4 story and 6 story development? I also want to share the lanuage that is on the website is very high level. The City of Saskatoon has done an incredible job - making the effects the changes this grant will create relateable to communities.

324katepwa asked 3 months ago

Thank you for your comments. We are working to provide a higher resolution map and will send an update to subscribers once it is uploaded.