REGINA — As Regina city council dives further into the numbers for the 2027 budget, certain departments are anticipating notable increases in their operating requests.
SaskToday has compiled the largest proposed increases outlined in the City of Regina’s 2027 preliminary forecast service report.
Corporate Level Transactions
A notable jump in service-level requests comes from the city’s corporate-level transactions, which are anticipating an $11.1-million increase in their budget.
Corporate-level transactions oversee revenue, rentals, expenditures and interest when dealing with partners for grants, debt and other financial matters.
A significant portion of the budget increase includes $6.7 million for the Indoor Aquatic Facility (IAF) dedicated mill rate and $5 million for ongoing contributions to capital projects.
In total, corporate-level transactions are requesting roughly $81 million for the 2027 budget.
Regina Police Service
The Regina Police Service (RPS) is asking for a $5.6-million increase from 2026 to 2027, bringing its total budget request to $86.8 million.
No information is currently available on the RPS proposed budget overview.
The RPS is one of several partners with the city that will present its budget during deliberations in December.
Council can reject an initial budget request, after which partners may return with the same funding request or propose a reduced amount.
Transit
Regina Transit is seeking a $5.1-million increase for its 2027 budget, bringing the total to $32.9 million.
In its report, transit notes that expenses continue to increase for parts, fuel and technology.
“Journeyman mechanics are also difficult to attract, resulting in increased contracting-out costs to ensure vehicles are safe and reliable. Increased costs are also occurring for ongoing Paratransit and technology contracts.”
Combined, fuel adjustments, transit maintenance and grease and lubricant costs account for a $1.3-million increase in expenses.
Transit is also looking at increasing services for Paratransit and expanding routes to include Westerra.
Regina Fire
Regina Fire and Protective Services (RFPS) is seeking a $3.4-million budget increase for 2027, bringing its total to $41.4 million.
A large portion of the department’s budget change is related to $4.8 million in salary changes approved by the city.
However, the increase in expenses is being partially offset by $1.2 million in savings from corporate revenue allocation.
RFPS is also hoping to add one fire inspector at a cost of $100,000, as the city’s population growth is adding pressure to the department’s response coverage, including inspections and code enforcement.
In 2025, RFPS answered more than 13,000 calls, including 1,066 emergent overdose responses.
Transportation
The city’s transportation department, which encompasses alley services, road and active transportation services, traffic and road safety, and winter road maintenance, is seeking a $1.4-million budget increase, bringing its total to $30.7 million.
Transportation is proposing a $100,000 decrease in the alley services budget.
The city is looking to increase road and safety funding by $600,000 for salary changes to meet the demands of the traffic safety workload.
A centralized digital system is also required to streamline workflows, improve service reliability, unlock efficiencies and ensure safety compliance.
Meanwhile, road and active transportation services are requesting a $400,000 increase for new fleet equipment and fund allocations.
As for winter road maintenance, transportation is asking for an additional $400,000, primarily for an accessibility plan for snow removal.
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In total, departments are asking for $30.3 million more in the 2027 budget, bringing the total to roughly $400 million.
