Paul Dechene
@pauldechene.bsky.social
Writing about city council in Regina, Saskatchewan. Co-host of the Queen City Improvement Bureau on 91.3FM CJTR - www.queencityib.com. Columns in Prairie Dog Magazine. There will be swearing. Proceed at your own risk.
No, fuck, no. A baseball stadium would INTERMITTENTLY increase parking demand and likely NOT AT ALL IN THE WINTER WHEN YOUR BASEBALL STADIUM SITS EMPTY & WASTING CITY RESOURCES. #yqrcc
November 29, 2025 at 5:45 PM
No, fuck, no. A baseball stadium would INTERMITTENTLY increase parking demand and likely NOT AT ALL IN THE WINTER WHEN YOUR BASEBALL STADIUM SITS EMPTY & WASTING CITY RESOURCES. #yqrcc
It's budget time so at the end of our interview w/ Mayor Bachynski, we gave him a printed poster of the image below. It's the density vs services vs taxes venn diagram that @brenttoderian.bsky.social often shares around. It includes Regina-related explanatory notes. #yqrcc
youtu.be/FMwOpoT4IAw?...
youtu.be/FMwOpoT4IAw?...
November 29, 2025 at 3:51 PM
It's budget time so at the end of our interview w/ Mayor Bachynski, we gave him a printed poster of the image below. It's the density vs services vs taxes venn diagram that @brenttoderian.bsky.social often shares around. It includes Regina-related explanatory notes. #yqrcc
youtu.be/FMwOpoT4IAw?...
youtu.be/FMwOpoT4IAw?...
Well crap. List of the winners of the Finding Middle Ground housing design competition have been released. Apparently, my Besźel/Ul Qoma proposal to superimpose a second city on top of this one didn't make the cut. Congratulations to the winners, anyway.
Regina.ca/FindingMiddleGround
Regina.ca/FindingMiddleGround
November 28, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Well crap. List of the winners of the Finding Middle Ground housing design competition have been released. Apparently, my Besźel/Ul Qoma proposal to superimpose a second city on top of this one didn't make the cut. Congratulations to the winners, anyway.
Regina.ca/FindingMiddleGround
Regina.ca/FindingMiddleGround
Did I say Deloitte???? Shit. No. This report was prepared by MNP. Sorry about that. I knew that. It's right on the page there. Must have de loitte on my mind.
Anyway… MNP's one note of caution… capital spending is shooting up. #yqrcc /13
Anyway… MNP's one note of caution… capital spending is shooting up. #yqrcc /13
November 27, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Did I say Deloitte???? Shit. No. This report was prepared by MNP. Sorry about that. I knew that. It's right on the page there. Must have de loitte on my mind.
Anyway… MNP's one note of caution… capital spending is shooting up. #yqrcc /13
Anyway… MNP's one note of caution… capital spending is shooting up. #yqrcc /13
Meanwhile, operating expenses versus GDP is growing VERY slightly.
November 27, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Meanwhile, operating expenses versus GDP is growing VERY slightly.
Same is true when you compare FTEs to municipal GDP (w/ a peak during COVID that has more to do w/ a pandemic-induced GDP drop) and FTEs compared to Operating expenses.
In other words, the city is getting bigger & doing more while staffing levels aren't keeping up. #yqrcc /11
In other words, the city is getting bigger & doing more while staffing levels aren't keeping up. #yqrcc /11
November 27, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Same is true when you compare FTEs to municipal GDP (w/ a peak during COVID that has more to do w/ a pandemic-induced GDP drop) and FTEs compared to Operating expenses.
In other words, the city is getting bigger & doing more while staffing levels aren't keeping up. #yqrcc /11
In other words, the city is getting bigger & doing more while staffing levels aren't keeping up. #yqrcc /11
This chart was prepared by Deloitte for the city & published in the 2026-27 budget document as Appendix M2.
And OH! Look at that! The city's full time equivalents per 100 residents has been dropping steadily from 2016 to 2024. #yqrcc /10
And OH! Look at that! The city's full time equivalents per 100 residents has been dropping steadily from 2016 to 2024. #yqrcc /10
November 27, 2025 at 9:04 PM
This chart was prepared by Deloitte for the city & published in the 2026-27 budget document as Appendix M2.
And OH! Look at that! The city's full time equivalents per 100 residents has been dropping steadily from 2016 to 2024. #yqrcc /10
And OH! Look at that! The city's full time equivalents per 100 residents has been dropping steadily from 2016 to 2024. #yqrcc /10
Hey Folks! I just got word that the CJTR 50/50 is over $19k in the pot (winner takes half). That's some shiny jink right there. I'm not eligible to enter but YOU CAN! And it would make me enormously happy if it was a QCIB listener who won the pot, so please! Buy tix if you haven't! #yqrcc
November 27, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Hey Folks! I just got word that the CJTR 50/50 is over $19k in the pot (winner takes half). That's some shiny jink right there. I'm not eligible to enter but YOU CAN! And it would make me enormously happy if it was a QCIB listener who won the pot, so please! Buy tix if you haven't! #yqrcc
Hey folks! The 2026 Regina budget is coming. Did you know, ANYBODY in the city can sign up to be a delegate? It's easy! The registration form is here www.regina.ca/city-governm.... Deadline to register to speak to the budget is Dec 11! #yqrcc
November 26, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Hey folks! The 2026 Regina budget is coming. Did you know, ANYBODY in the city can sign up to be a delegate? It's easy! The registration form is here www.regina.ca/city-governm.... Deadline to register to speak to the budget is Dec 11! #yqrcc
You don't want to miss Light The Lights this year (Dec 2, 6pm) because IT COULD BE THE LAST! Yup. Light The Lights is also in the Appendix M13 list of possible service cuts! #yqrcc
November 26, 2025 at 2:40 PM
You don't want to miss Light The Lights this year (Dec 2, 6pm) because IT COULD BE THE LAST! Yup. Light The Lights is also in the Appendix M13 list of possible service cuts! #yqrcc
Sorry to harp on about this, but item 60 in budget Appendix M13 contemplates ending the Community Investment Grant Program. That this is being considered, however remotely, is crazy. I'm struggling to find a list of all the groups the CIGP funds b/c if you saw it, it'd blow your mind. #yqrcc /1
November 24, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Sorry to harp on about this, but item 60 in budget Appendix M13 contemplates ending the Community Investment Grant Program. That this is being considered, however remotely, is crazy. I'm struggling to find a list of all the groups the CIGP funds b/c if you saw it, it'd blow your mind. #yqrcc /1
Here are the last of the Uncontrollable Cost Increases which are all comparatively smaller and some line items are not even cost increases but rather cost decreases. #yqrcc
November 24, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Here are the last of the Uncontrollable Cost Increases which are all comparatively smaller and some line items are not even cost increases but rather cost decreases. #yqrcc
Here's Technology, Communications & Engagement, & Sustainable Infrastructure at $500k, $400k & $200k respectively. Expect to see the knives out for anything with "sustainable" in the name. #yqrcc
November 24, 2025 at 4:48 AM
Here's Technology, Communications & Engagement, & Sustainable Infrastructure at $500k, $400k & $200k respectively. Expect to see the knives out for anything with "sustainable" in the name. #yqrcc
I'm going to bundle some of these smaller sections together. Here's Winter Roads Maintenance, Grant Delivery & Sports & Rec for $800k, $800k & $600k respectively. #yqrcc
November 24, 2025 at 4:46 AM
I'm going to bundle some of these smaller sections together. Here's Winter Roads Maintenance, Grant Delivery & Sports & Rec for $800k, $800k & $600k respectively. #yqrcc
BAD layout! You keep your section headers with your section contents, no exceptions! Claire Burke would not let that pass.*
Officers of Council and Senior Leadership on contributes $300k to uncontrollable costs. #yqrcc
FOOTNOTE
* Claire taught me everything I know about printing & layout.
Officers of Council and Senior Leadership on contributes $300k to uncontrollable costs. #yqrcc
FOOTNOTE
* Claire taught me everything I know about printing & layout.
November 24, 2025 at 4:43 AM
BAD layout! You keep your section headers with your section contents, no exceptions! Claire Burke would not let that pass.*
Officers of Council and Senior Leadership on contributes $300k to uncontrollable costs. #yqrcc
FOOTNOTE
* Claire taught me everything I know about printing & layout.
Officers of Council and Senior Leadership on contributes $300k to uncontrollable costs. #yqrcc
FOOTNOTE
* Claire taught me everything I know about printing & layout.
Financial management services… this all looks like staffing stuff to me? Grand total for this dept is $1.8mil in uncontrollable costs. #Yqrcc
November 24, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Financial management services… this all looks like staffing stuff to me? Grand total for this dept is $1.8mil in uncontrollable costs. #Yqrcc
Next, Parks & Open Spaces where fleet lease rates are again the big uncontrolled expense at $1mil.
November 24, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Next, Parks & Open Spaces where fleet lease rates are again the big uncontrolled expense at $1mil.
Next up, Roadways. Big one there is adjustment to civic fleet lease rates at $1.2mil. Again, hoping to find a note on this somewhere else in the budget. #yqrcc
November 24, 2025 at 4:36 AM
Next up, Roadways. Big one there is adjustment to civic fleet lease rates at $1.2mil. Again, hoping to find a note on this somewhere else in the budget. #yqrcc
Next, Facilities. Oh, this is actually pretty mild. I was expecting bigger numbers here. Inflation impact is $1.6mil which is bad but, after last couple sections, looks like nothing. #yqrcc
November 24, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Next, Facilities. Oh, this is actually pretty mild. I was expecting bigger numbers here. Inflation impact is $1.6mil which is bad but, after last couple sections, looks like nothing. #yqrcc
Next is Conventional Transit. Big one there is the transfer to the transit replacement reserve at $3.6mil. Several councillors (you know the ones) were nosing around this line item during the budget info sessions. Expect to see transit get hammered during the budget debate. #yqrcc
November 24, 2025 at 4:31 AM
Next is Conventional Transit. Big one there is the transfer to the transit replacement reserve at $3.6mil. Several councillors (you know the ones) were nosing around this line item during the budget info sessions. Expect to see transit get hammered during the budget debate. #yqrcc
First section is Corporate Services & Expenses. Salary increases are the biggest chunk at $10.2mil. But transfer to the utility fund at $7.9mil is also quite big. I hope there is a note on that b/c I confess I don't really know how this is working. #yqrcc
November 24, 2025 at 4:29 AM
First section is Corporate Services & Expenses. Salary increases are the biggest chunk at $10.2mil. But transfer to the utility fund at $7.9mil is also quite big. I hope there is a note on that b/c I confess I don't really know how this is working. #yqrcc
I believe there are still a few city councillors who need their own copy of this poster version of the cost of sprawl venn diagram (w/ explanatory notes). I should drop those off soon. #yqrcc
November 24, 2025 at 4:23 AM
I believe there are still a few city councillors who need their own copy of this poster version of the cost of sprawl venn diagram (w/ explanatory notes). I should drop those off soon. #yqrcc
The real budget buster is the "Uncontrollable Cost Increase" line which contributes 7.45% to the mill rate increase. I'm going to skip ahead and find out what that is… #yqrcc
November 24, 2025 at 4:18 AM
The real budget buster is the "Uncontrollable Cost Increase" line which contributes 7.45% to the mill rate increase. I'm going to skip ahead and find out what that is… #yqrcc