Revitalizing Regina’s Downtown
Downtown Regina is the commercial and cultural heart of the city. It is a hub of business activity, retail, restaurants and home to unique arts and community spaces that attract residents and visitors year-round.
Improving our downtown matters
What happens downtown impacts all Regina residents – a thriving downtown keeps the local economy, culture and community strong. The taxes generated downtown also fund citywide services such as road repairs, policing and public recreation programs that residents rely on every day. Improving downtown benefits everyone!
How do we make this vision happen?
The City is working proactively to address challenges downtown by collaborating with partners to find solutions that work for people in our city. Together we can make Downtown a place where people want to invest, work, live, visit and connect as a community year-round.
Revitalizing downtown requires creative thinking and strategic investments to improve public spaces, increase safety and attract a mix of business and housing development for a vibrant, complete neighbourhood. The City is taking action through these key focus areas:
The City offers a range of dedicated incentive programs to support the vision of a vibrant downtown by promoting investment in housing, commercial businesses and arts and culture.
City Centre Incentive Program
The City Centre Incentive Program (CCIP) provides grants and tax exemptions for property owners and businesses to support façade enhancements, attract new tenants into vacant buildings and spaces or to redevelop vacant lots.
Office to Residential Conversion Pilot
This pilot program provides capital grants for projects that convert existing commercial space to residential housing.
Housing Incentives Program
The Housing Incentives Program provides support for construction of market price and affordable housing as well as rental repair projects and pre-development work.
Heritage Incentive Program
The Heritage Incentive Program provides support for the rehabilitation and maintenance of heritage properties across the city, fostering heritage conservation and increasing awareness of the cultural importance of preserving our shared history.
Community Investment Grants
Community Investment Grants are available to fund special events and community non-profit organizations to deliver programs and services in the areas of culture, social development and sport and recreation.
Community Non-Profit Tax Exemption Program
This program supports services and community non-profit organizations in financial need that advance City priorities, have a clear community impact and respond to community needs.
Addressing safety is a priority for creating a vibrant downtown. The City supports several dedicated initiatives to improve safety for everyone who works, visits and lives downtown.
Regina Police Service Alternative Response Officers
Alternative Response Officers (AROs) provide community policing services and patrols within the downtown area. Special constables work in conjunction with police officers, delivering public safety programming, investigative and enforcement support.
Regina Police Service (RPS) also has a satellite location on the main floor of the Cornwall Centre which provides a homebase for the AROs.
Street Team
The Regina Street Team serves the community by addressing non-emergent situations using a compassionate, timely and safe approach to community wellbeing.
Transit Safety
Downtown is a central hub for Regina’s transit system. Regina Transit is committed to safety for riders at all times of day.
- The Safe Bus program is available to help anyone who is lost, injured or in need of help at any time during service hours.
- The Night Stop programs allow passengers to request drop-off closer to their destination, between regular bus stops along the route after 6 p.m.
Clean Team
The Regina Downtown Business Improvement District Clean Team helps clean up the streets downtown for visitors, residents and workers to enjoy. They support overall safety and provide help with downtown events.
Parks and Roadway Maintenance
City crews maintain all City parks, public spaces and streets through construction and repair in the summer and winter maintenance for ice and snow. This work keeps our parks and streets safe for drivers, transit users, cyclists and pedestrians throughout the year.
The City is updating the Downtown Action Plan in 2026 to support the future vision for the neighbourhood. We are engaging with community, business and cultural partners to understand the best way forward to revitalize Downtown Regina.
Downtown Capital Projects
The City is investing in upgrades to both underground and above-ground infrastructure to support future business and housing development. Construction is prioritized to replace aging infrastructure while improving options for people to get around and create more attractive and welcoming spaces for residents, businesses and visitors.
11th Avenue Revitalization Project
This project is upgrading aging underground infrastructure to accommodate future growth while making changes to the streetscape. While the street is now open, the project is still in progress and upgrades will continue in 2026.
Scarth Street Revitalization Project (Future Project)
Community engagement with residents, local businesses and cultural organizations formed the basis of a new conceptual design for Scarth Street. The vision is to create a space where people want to visit and connect beyond the workweek and throughout the year.
Central Loop Trail (Future Project)
The first phase of the Central Loop Trail project will create a pedestrian and bike pathway system to connect downtown and Wascana Park.
Saskatchewan Drive Corridor Improvement Project (Future Project)
This project is still in the design phase and will be focused on replacing aging infrastructure and transform a key traffic corridor, improving connectivity and safety while supporting investment and redevelopment.
The City collaborates with our community partners through funding, incentive programs and engagement initiatives. We also meet with community and business organizations regularly to share plans and ideas for shaping a vibrant downtown.
Regina Downtown Business Improvement District (RDBID)
The RDBID is a non-profit organization that provides a range of business and community services to improve and promote downtown Regina.
Featured project - The Skuare
The Skuare is an innovative, temporary outdoor event space to make use of the former Burns Hanley and Gordon Block sites across from Victoria Park. It will be the first of its kind in Saskatchewan.
Globe Theatre
Globe Theatre is a unique and nationally renowned theatre that has fostered the work of Canadian artists in Regina’s downtown for decades. It is Canada’s only permanent theatre-in-the round, offering a truly intimate and creative performance experience.
Feature project – Prince Edward Building renewal project
The Globe Theatre is a significant cultural destination that attracts visitors and talent from across the country. The Globe Theatre completed a major renovation in 2025 with a grand re-opening before celebrating their 60th season.
Regina Public Library
The Regina Public Library’s Central Branch has been a touchstone of community, culture and learning in Regina’s downtown for nearly 115 years.
Featured project - Central Library Branch Renewal
The Central Library Branch renewal project is an important investment to support community connection and culture in the downtown.
