Many items addressed at long council meeting
From debating if Regina would be a sanctuary city, to changing the taxi bylaw, there was a lot to discuss at a long council meeting on Monday night.
Council approved a contribution of $250,000 for event operations tied to the Memorial Cup, as well as $1 million for renovations to the Brandt Centre. These renovations would consist of new arena boards and glass ($650,000) and new bleacher seating ($230,000).
“Once we were asked to participate in the bid with them, we knew there would be a capital investment later on,” Fougere said. “We didn’t know what that was going to be until we talked to the CHL, talked to the Pats and talked to REAL about what that would look like, and now we know what that looks like.”
Originally the request to council was for $1.3 million and it included a new sound system priced at $430,000 but that was removed from the proposal by the Regina Exhibition Association Limited prior to the council meeting.
“This is about growth of our city and who we are as a city ... we have reserves to cover this off, but the benefits to our city are incredible,” Fougere said.
“It is upgrading a 40-year-old building that needs that tender love and care and it is going to get it. I make no apologies for spending this money because it is a wise investment.”
After a great deal of discussion, council also decided to make several changes to the taxi bylaw, including how the 49 seasonal licences were allocated.
Under the original recommendation from administration, all seasonal licences would be in an open lottery system. At the executive meeting, this was changed to a 60/40 split with brokers receiving 60 per cent.
An amendment by Coun. Bob Hawkins on Monday night changed the proposal to give the lottery 60 per cent of licences instead. After passing its first two readings, the bylaw will go to a third reading in August.
“I think that works; I think it is about balance and allowing a lottery system and also giving lottery licences to brokers,” Fougere said. “We will see a report back next year to see if it is working or not and we will make changes in the future.”
Other changes to the bylaw include having a camera lens pointing out of the vehicle, having sound enabled on all cameras, and the charging of $100 to customers who soil taxi cabs with vomit or bodily fluids.
“It is safety for the drivers and the customers,” Fougere said.
A total of 14 delegations spoke to council regarding the Access Without Fear proposal put forward by Coun. Andrew Stevens. The proposal would essentially make the city a sanctuary city, allowing immigrants and refugees to access city services without having to produce proof that they are legal residents.
After hearing from the delegations and debating the matter, council chose instead to refer the motion and delegation comments to the federal minister of immigration, the provincial minister of immigration and Regina-Wascana MP Ralph Goodale.
Most of council was in favour of the intent, but not the wording of the motion. Several councillors cited Regina as a welcoming city already.
“We talk to and work with the Open Door Society about the kinds of people we are seeing,” Fougere said. “When the Syrians came, we worked as the City of Regina to help them find work and a place to live. There was never a question of if you say something wrong you will be in trouble.”