Lower utility rate increase passed, Regina budget talks continue

Things moved slowly Monday at Regina City Hall during the fourth day of 2024 budget deliberations, but councillors were able to make a few decisions.

The utilities budget passed, including an amendment to lower the water rate increase that had been proposed.

The original increase, which had been approved in principle by city council during budget talks last year, was four per cent. That would have meant another $6.60 a month on the water bill for the average user.

But councillors decided to lower that by one per cent to a three per cent increase – lowering the dollar value for the increase to $5.70 more per month for the average user.

In the new year, garbage pickup fees will be moved to utility bills from property taxes to join recycling fees, and the green bin fees will start being charged. For all that, another $8.52 for the smaller 240-litre garbage bin and $16.13 for the larger 360L bin will be added to utilities.

With the three per cent base rate increase, bills will go up to $14.22 a month for those will the smaller bin and $21.83 a month for the larger bin.

An amendment to increase the rebate available to people with lead pipe connections was discussed; it would have increased the available money to $350 per household from the current $100.

Right now, the money is meant to pay for water filters, but the increased amount would also have been meant to cover the cost for affected people to purchase bottled drinking water. That amendment did not pass.

Council also passed a reduced ask to increase the city’s debt limit.

Earlier this year, council had approved a plan to ask the Saskatchewan Municipal Board for an increase to the city’s debt limit to $780 million. The board indicated to the city it was uncomfortable with that and asked the city to lower its request to $660 million.

Council approved the new debt limit request with relatively little discussion.

The councillors then continued on with budget discussions Monday evening, once again tackling the capital and operating budget.