REGINA — Regina city council has delayed a final decision on a proposed 10 per cent transit fare increase after failing to reach unanimous approval during Wednesday’s meeting.
Since the bylaw did not receive unanimous support for third reading, council must vote again at its March 25 meeting before the fare increase can move forward.
The proposed increase stems from council’s decision during the 2026 budget process to generate an estimated $585,000 in additional revenue by raising transit fares by 10 per cent. The measure helped keep the city’s mill rate increase to the approved 10.69 per cent.
In late February, the bylaw to change transit fares came before council for approval, but Ward 8 Coun. Shannon Zachidniak requested the decision be delayed.
That delay will cost the city about $36,000 in projected revenue for every two-week delay beyond April 1, the date the increase was originally scheduled to take effect.
Loud opposition
Council heard from roughly 10 delegates who warned the fare increase could harm vulnerable residents and students who rely on transit.
Terri Sleeva of the Regina Citizens Public Transit Coalition said the hike could create barriers for students trying to reach school.
“Their primary focus should be on learning and personal development, not on whether they can safely or affordably reach their destination.”
Ted Jaleta, a trustee with Regina Public Schools, said transit access is essential for many students.
“For many students, transit isn’t about convenience, it’s about whether they can get to school.”
According to statistics provided by Jaleta, 50 per cent of high school students at seven collegiates in the school division depend on public transit.
“When transit becomes less affordable, schools become less accessible.”
The school board currently provides between 10,000 and 12,000 transit tickets each year for low-income students, costing about $40,000. With the proposed increase adding $4,000 to $5,000 in costs, the board may face difficult decisions, including reducing its food budget or hiring fewer support workers.
Transportation planning engineer Ellen McLaughlin also warned the increase could reduce ridership.
“Incurring lower ridership will be used to validate further cuts down the road.”
McLaughlin pointed to proposed reductions to routes and service hours included in the city’s 2026–27 budget plan.
Lower ridership could also delay investment in rapid transit, she said.
According to city administration, a 25-cent fare increase in 2015 resulted in a drop of roughly 212,000 rides that year — a three per cent decrease.
Kurtis Doney, deputy city manager of city operations, said the new increase could either lead to declining ridership or leave ridership largely unchanged.
Nathan Luhning, director of Regina Transit, said that even if ridership drops, the city could still see higher revenue without affecting long-term transit investment.
Tough decision ahead
Ward 6 Coun. Victoria Flores, who opposes the increase, said council must consider how the change would affect residents.
“We can either [go] through a mill rate [hike] [and] have a very small small increase per household [on property taxes], or we can have a much larger increase per person [for transit].”
Mayor Chad Bachynski said the decision is difficult, noting council already approved the fare increase during budget deliberations.
“Our only real mechanism is to pull from the general fund reserve.”
The general reserve fund had $16.5 million in 2025 and is forecast to reach $17.5 million in 2026, according to City of Regina chief financial officer Daren Anderson.
The city is recommending a dedicated mill rate of 0.5 per cent — about $1.3 million annually — over the next five years to help replenish the fund to its recommended minimum of $35 million.
While Bachynski said affordability was a key campaign issue, he acknowledged the city’s financial reality.
“It’s a tough pill to swallow when you get into see the math, the data and the reality of the financial situation our city is in right now.”
Some councillors support the increase, noting transit fares have not kept pace with inflation.
“There has been no transit fare increase since 2017 … Almost 10 years. Inflation for that period is 25 to 32 per cent, depending on various sources,” said Ward 4 Coun. Mark Burton.
