The City of Regina is unexpectedly facing an expense of $232,259 owed to the Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL).

The amount is attributed to commissioned consultancy work undertaken by the city’s catalyst committee.

The expenditure primarily comprises $213,000 for consulting services. These services were specifically focused on urban planning and economic modelling, areas that the city has identified as crucial for its future development. The remainder of the sum is earmarked for various expenses, including travel, printing, and miscellaneous costs associated with the project.

Presented to the audit and finance committee on Tuesday, city administration says they will allocate funds within the 2024 general operating budget to cover the unforeseen expenditure.

Mayor Sandra Masters said she doesn’t know how the bill didn’t get paid.

“We know that the council assigned that work and created a community committee in 2022, and all of that work was done. The committee report was deleted in March 2023,” she said. “It’s been an outstanding number for some time. I’m not sure why it wasn’t in the budget.”

The unexpected bill stands apart from the preliminary 2023 year-end deficit of $2.7 million in the general operating fund, also revealed in Tuesday’s report. The deficit, as explained, is primarily attributed to escalated winter road maintenance costs, exacerbated by a series of significant snow events.