Regina city council to debate COVID-19 relief fund, renaming City Square Plaza

Regina City Council will look at providing some relief to businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Council, which will meet Wednesday at 1:30 p.m., will vote on a recommendation to have a $2-million COVID-19 relief fund made available. The money would come from the General Fund Reserve.

It would provide financial support to businesses in the form of grants. Those grants would range from $1,000 to $25,000 which businesses could apply for.

The program would be a phased approach, with first one starting in August and running until Dec. 31. The first phase will mainly support the most immediate and critical needs the business community is facing, particularly as they begin to reopen. Forty per cent of the program funding will be allotted to phase one.

The second phase will run for all of 2021 and will focus on a long-term strategy to diversify the economy and create sustainable opportunities to meet the changing marketplace. Sixty per cent of the program funding will be allotted to phase two.

Council will also take a look at expanding mail-in balloting ahead of the fall election. The expansion would allow mail-in voting applications to be mailed, faxed or other means to the city without a voter appearing in person. Applicants would need to have their voter’s registration form signed and witnessed by an eligible voter.

There will also be a notice of motion brought forward to rename City Square Plaza after former mayor Pat Fiacco.

Fiacco served four terms as mayor from 2000 to 2012.