August 16, 2024 | Advertise with us

Be campaign ready.

Presented by

Regina council debates $85 million increase to new aquatic centre

Regina city councillors spent a good portion of their time this week debating the proposed new cost of a new aquatic centre.

City officials said that the expected cost for a new aquatic centre would now cost $245 million, up from an original $160 million estimate. Nearly $44 million of the increase is the result of inflation on construction costs, while $40.5 million is the result of design scope clarity.

Last year, the council voted to replace the Lawson Aquatic Centre. At the time, Mayor Sandra Masters said the cost would likely go up, “I suspect, given that it will be a 50-year asset, that we will take out debt to complete the project in its entirety.” A new aquatic centre was one of Masters’ primary promises in her 2020 bid, and something she feels is important for her re-election bid this fall.

Current Ward 3 Councillor Lori Bresciani raised concerns over the proposed spending increase, saying, “The worry, I think, is where does this end?”

Council members ultimately decided to punt the decision to a October 2 meeting, which will be just weeks away from the November 13 municipal election in Regina.

Sponsored by the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association

Learn more about the great work the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association and its members are doing at saskheavy.ca.

Federal Labour Minister declines binding arbitration request from CN Rail

Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon has turned down CN Rail's request for binding arbitration in their labour dispute with Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC).

This decision comes just a week before a potential lockout could halt the rail network. MacKinnon emphasized that both CN Rail and TCRC need to negotiate in good faith to reach a new agreement. He mentioned that federal mediators are still available to help with the talks.

MacKinnon expressed confidence that with continued effort, an agreement can be reached soon. He stated that the government supports the collective bargaining process and believes that a fair deal can be made at the negotiation table.

In a statement, CN Rail spokesperson Jonathan Abecassis said the company is "disappointed" with the minister's decision. He mentioned that the company has made four offers since January.

The Canada Labour Code allows the minister to send parties in a labour dispute to binding arbitration, which would stop a work stoppage.

With harvest beginning, Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit and several Saskatchewan organizations and businesses have spoken out in recent days to share their concern about the negative impact of a rail strike.

Sponsored by Insurance Brokers Association of Saskatchewan

Constituency Profile Series: Sponsored by Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA)

SUMA represents over 80% of Saskatchewan residents —cities, towns, villages, resort villages, and northern municipalities—that come together as one urban voice.

We’ve been here since 1905, advancing collective member interests with various government bodies, improving local governance, and fostering municipal growth. We are the urban hubs where you live, work, and play. We're where your children go to school, where you attend medical appointments at the clinic, and where you stop for coffee.

We are URBAN. To learn more visit www.suma.org.

Each week leading up to the 2024 election, The SKoop Political Briefing will highlight a constituency that has nominated a candidate from at least both major parties. Today, we look at Saskatoon Centre. This constituency is entirely urban in Saskatoon, and includes neighbourhoods like Downtown, Caswell Hill, and Westmount.

The incumbent: Betty Nippi Albright was first elected in 2020 for the NDP. Nippi Albright is from Kinistin Saulteaux Nation. She is active in the Saskatoon community and has served on many boards. 

The challenger: Dale Hyrniuk was named the Saskatchewan Party candidate earlier this week. Hrynuik is a local businessman in Saskatoon and an active party member. 

The takeaway: This is a safe NDP seat. The NDP have held this riding for decades. Former members include David Forbes, Janice MacKinon, and Eric Cline. In the 2020 election, Nippi-Albright won this riding with 59% of the vote. 

More news and info

• Regina Food Bank opens new location with choice model, a first in Canada (CTV News)

• More than 4,400 patients have used Regina’s Urgent Care Centre (Regina Leader-Post)

• Anticipated cabinet shuffle may boost support among a minority of voters, poll shows (CityNews)

• Pierre Poilievre promises to defund the CBC after $18.4M bonus amount (Toronto Star)

2024 Election Candidate Tracker