REGINA — Regina’s executive committee is exploring new options to tackle nuisance and derelict properties.
In Jan. 2025, council approved a recommendation for city administration to explore a property subclass for nuisance and abandoned properties, while establishing a bylaw enforcement for repeat offenders.
On Wednesday, administration recommended Regina’s executive committee not approve a new subclass.
In speaking with Edmonton, which currently has a derelict residential tax subclass, Kurtis Doney, deputy city manager of city operations, said creating a subclass wouldn’t have an impact on demolitions.
“We don’t think implementing [a subclass] is going to increase the amount of demolitions for derelict properties if that’s the objective.”
Having a subclass would also require one full-time employee to handle inspection and assess properties for property tax classification processes.
Understanding the current cost implications the city is facing with its 2026 budget, Ward 3 Coun. David Froh asked if city staff could absorb this work.
Daren Anderson, City of Regina chief financial officer, said the city usually explores if it has the capacity to tackle additional work.
“We do not have the capacity at this time in our assessment group.”
Edmonton’s subclass penalizes derelict properties with a three times the normal tax rate for a residential property, according to their website.
While this may seem like additional revenue for the city, Tanya Mills, City of Regina’s director of assessment & property revenue service, explained this wouldn’t be the case.
“Property subclass does not generate more revenue for the city. What we do is we would be increasing the tax contribution from those properties and increasing the tax revenue from the remaining properties“
City administration also provided an update on its more proactive approach to identifying nuisance and derelict properties.
Since taking a swifter approach in 2024, the city has demolished approximately 90 properties.
Chad Freeland, the city’s bylaw department manager, said for 2025, the city is looking at a total of potentially 64 demolitions.
Additionally, 65 properties as of Wednesday have complied with the bylaw enforcement.
Regina’s executive committee decided to table the report for further discussions in February.
