While mayoral hopeful Sandra Masters has revealed many parts of her platform during the civic election campaign, she is releasing the entire document called “Moving Regina Forward” on Friday.
The plan she envisions has many initiatives to it including:
- Work to attract investment both public and private in sectors of strength such as agri-food and technology.
- Explore opportunities related to biofuel and renewable energy developments.
- Eliminate the 29 per cent intensification levy. As a City we need to lead growth, rather than penalizing renewal with a burdensome improvement tax.
- Review Economic Development Regina’s Entrepreneurship Plan; Move to activate and fund.
- Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, duplication, and frustration in public-facing services. Develop clear processes that are customer focused and reduce red-tape so approvals and progress can happen quicker.
- Adopt a local procurement policy quickly to help support our local businesses as they recover from COVID-19.
- Create a plan for a new downtown library and multi-use cultural facility to replace the current facility within 10-years.
- Create a plan for a new aquatic center, one that serves competitive programs and our residents with a recreational space with slides and a wave pool that our citizens can enjoy 365 days a year.
- Develop a plan to further connect our city pathways and wayfinding so citizens can be connected to all areas of Regina.
- Be ready with a plan, coordinated with business and organizations, to safely reactivate our tourism and hospitality sector, with a focus on events.
Masters says as Reginans prepare to vote in the November 9 civic election, they need to ask themselves a question.
“Do you feel like you are better off today than you were eight years ago?” Masters said. “I think if you objectively look at back and reflect you will come to the conclusion that a change is needed.”
For herself, she says when she looks to herself now as to where she was eight years ago, she feels herself and many others are stuck in a rut.
“I’m standing still like the rest of the people.” Masters said. “If someone can tell me what’s happened in the last eight years to elevate our city, our sense of pride or our economic well-being, I would be happy to look at it, but it feels completely status quo.
This is the first foray Masters, , who is a former three-term chair of Regina Exhibition Association Limited and currently works for Richardson Agriculture as credit manager for the Prairie provinces, has had in the world of civic politics. She says the last few weeks have been tremendous as she speaks to Regina about how it can be better.
“It’s been fantastic and completely energizing.’ Masters said. “The people of Regina are excited about the opportunities for the future, they are fantastic, they are hopeful, they are hard-working and they want to get back to loving Regina.”
