Masters, Trudeau discuss federal funding, reconciliation, supportive housing

A previously planned business trip to Ottawa for Regina Mayor Sandra Masters and city officials turned into a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The two, along with other federal ministers, met Monday to discuss a wide range of topics.

“We had discussions about the infrastructure programs that the federal government is currently funding, like the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant. We could not be doing it without the infrastructure money from the federal and provincial governments,” Masters explained.

“Also, (we talked about) initiatives we’re working on here in the city like reconciliation, supportive housing and a few other options, just around the different levels of government working together on moving some initiatives forward for economic recovery.”

Masters said it was the first time in a couple of years city officials have been able to meet face to face with their federal counterparts because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The meetings were excellent,” said Masters.

Masters added they also had a conversation with representatives of Minister of Transport.

“We also had a meeting with Transport Canada to discuss that we’re a logistics and transport hub here in Regina, so having some discussions here with him about having a hydrogen hub and talking about how we can work into those initiatives for the national trade corridor, which Regina sits on and how we fit into all of that,” she said.

Masters feels Regina is not lost in the conversation when it comes to the federal government.