REGINA — The Regina Public Library will have to decide on options to move ahead with the Central Library Renewal Project (CLRP).
The CLRP has been in the works for 17 years, as the current central location is dealing with aging infrastructure.
In 2024, council committed up to $119 million in debt for the CLRP. However, no debt room was available at the time, and other pressing capital projects requiring debt could leapfrog the library project.
The situation occurred last December after council approved debt funding in the 2026 budget to support upgrades to the Wastewater Treatment Plant, addressing the city’s growth and the urgent need to expand wastewater capacity, as stated in the Official Community Plan (OCP).
In January, the Regina Public Library paused its request for proposals (RFP) for a developer for the CLRP.
With the CLRP on hold, city administration has recommended several options for the RPL to generate funding at Wednesday’s council meeting, including:
- A 10 per cent dedicated library mill rate starting in 2027 (would generate approximately $127 million by 2033 and $154 million in 2034);
- A 20 per cent dedicated library mill rate starting in 2027 (would generate approximately $125 million by 2031 and $164 million in 2032);
- RPL could renovate its current central library with $18.5 million in its reserve and money accumulated from a 5.5 per cent dedicated mill rate;
- The RPL would request the city acquire debt for the CLRP in its 2027 budget and a corresponding dedicated library mill rate to cover the debt servicing costs;
- The RPL could seek donations, apply for grants and consider where it could charge for services to fund the CLRP.
RPL board chair Marj Gavigan said the board will consult with library administration on next steps.
“Looking at a lot of the material and the consultation reports that have been done in the past, and seeing what’s still appropriate, what maybe needs to be refreshed down the road.”
Gavigan admitted having concerns with some of the options, as they are not guaranteed.
“For city admin to recommend increasing the 5.5 per cent mill rate or having it for longer than five years, we have to ask for that every year. So there’s no guarantee that the city council next year would approve it. There’s no guarantee after 2028 that there’s not a different council that chooses a different path.”
The RPL had spent more than $2 million advancing the CLRP, including a request for quotation, but Gavigan said the project would not have to return to step one.
“There’s lots of good work that’s been done that can still be used. But it doesn’t mean choosing a different way of achieving a new central library renewal.”
However, Gavigan said choosing a new direction for the CLRP could set the project back by up to two years.
As for the current branch, Gavigan said there are several risks, including aging boilers, which make the RPL hesitant to invest more money.
“We are reticent to put a lot of money into a building that’s really end of life, and we don’t know how long we’ll need it for or what would be prudent to keep it for.”
Despite Wednesday’s setback, Gavigan remains hopeful.
“[The] central library is not going away. Regina Public Library is not going away. There are people who are committed to making sure that we have accessible and relevant library services and programs in the city.”
In a base-case scenario, up to $113 million in debt capacity could be available for the CLRP by 2030.
However, this scenario depends on the city securing funding for the Northwest Regional Lift Station, along with additional debt capacity for the Regina Exhibition Association Limited and the city’s credit and debit limits.
