Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Weekday service was replaced by the Saturday service schedule. Saturday service utilizes base routes that cover most of the city. The service reaches major destinations, including hospitals, commercial areas and employment areas. This results in a reduction of the frequency of buses from Monday to Friday during peak periods from 15-minute service to 30-minute service. Route 40 Albert Express and 60 Arcola Express will continue to run on weekdays. Service on Saturdays will run on a Sunday service schedule. Sunday and holidays will remain at the same service level.

Regina Transit has increased cleaning protocols to proactively prevent the spread of COVID-19. At the end of each day, all conventional and paratransit buses are being fogged using a hospital grade disinfectant by trained cleaning professionals.

Transit pass and ticket sales will be suspended until further notice, therefore the Transit Information Centre on 11th Avenue will be closed to public effective Saturday, March 21, 2020. Current pass holders will have their passes placed on hold and will receive an option to add an additional month free onto their R-Card upon reactivation. If customers choose to cancel their pass and receive a refund, this can be completed by calling the RideLine at 306-777-RIDE (7433).

As a result of the Province of Saskatchewan’s decision to suspend classes, starting Friday, March 20 the special high school service for students travelling to the following high schools were suspended: Balfour, Campbell, Sheldon Williams, LeBoldus, Miller, Riffel, and Winston Knoll.

Residents are encouraged to visit TransitLive.com to see real-time schedules and bus routes near their locations. They can also call the RideLine at 306-777-RIDE (7433) for more information.

This includes:

• All ice arenas including Brandt Centre and the Co-operators Centre
• Neil Balkwill Civic Arts Centre
• North West Leisure Centre
• Sandra Schmirler Leisure Centre
• Sportplex (Fieldhouse & Lawson Aquatic Centre)
• Neighbourhood Centres (Glencairn Neighbourhood Centre, Core Richie Neighbourhood Centre, Cathedral Neighbourhood Centre, South Leisure Centre)
• Community-Operated Centres (Arcola East Community Centre, Uplands Community Centre, North East Community Centre, Eastview Community Centre, Argyle Park Community Centre, Regina Senior Citizens Centre)
• All Regina Public Library locations
• Douglas Park Washroom Facility
• Regina Floral Conservatory

Registered programs and swimming lessons are cancelled starting Tuesday, March 17, until further notice. Customer accounts will be automatically credited for future use or refunds.

Leisure Passes will be automatically suspended until the facilities re-open. To thank our Leisure Pass customers for their understanding, the City of Regina will provide two free weeks of Leisure Pass use upon reactivation. Customers who choose to cancel will receive a pro-rated refund. Any questions or concerns will be addressed by calling 306-777-PLAY (7529).

City and community programs that run out of schools are also cancelled. Unless information is otherwise provided by the Government of Saskatchewan or school boards, schools will be open for school activities only including the mâmawêyatitân centre.

The City of Regina encourages residents to get outside and stay active while maintaining physical distancing, therefore park spaces and pathways remain open to the public.

With over 830 hectares of park space, residents can enjoy our open spaces while maintaining physical distancing measures in place to ensure the safety and well-being of our community. When accessing our parks, keep a physical distance of a minimum two metres (six feet) from other park users. Residents are also advised to wash their hands and avoid shared surfaces like handrails and pedestrian crosswalk buttons.

• Flushing anything other than pee, poo, and toilet paper down the toilet can clog pipes and create sewer back-ups, which can be costly for both homeowners and the City.
• Wipes may be “flushable” but they don’t break down like toilet paper does. Toilet paper will disintegrate after it’s flushed, but so-called “flushable” wipes retain their shape and strength, causing blockages in pipes.
• For the same reason facial tissue, napkins and paper towel  be flushed down your toilet. They do not break down as toilet paper does, and lead to clogs and sewer back-ups.
• Wipes, paper towel and all other items used as a toilet paper alternatives should be bagged and disposed of in your garbage cart.
• Help us to help you to prevent the plug in yours and our sewer (wastewater) collection system.

The City is suspending all payment collection activity on overdue utility accounts, and no water service will be shut off for residents with outstanding account balances or who are unable to pay. Residents are also encouraged to contact the City to discuss a customized payment plan that will provide the financial flexibility they need.

As an added measure to ease financial concerns for residents, the City is proposing to postpone the deadline to pay 2020 property taxes. Tax notices will be issued on schedule in May but property owners will have until after September 30 before penalties are applied.

Residents may also sign up for Budget Billing and the Tax Installment Payment Program Service (TIPPS) online at Regina.ca. Both services enable residents to pay for their utility bills and property taxes in smaller installments deducted monthly from their financial institution.

Cancelled meetings include:

• Public Works & Infrastructure Committee – March 18, 2020
• Priorities & Planning Committee – March 18, 2020
• Development Appeals Board – March 24, 2020
• City Council – March 25, 2020
• Accessibility Advisory Committee – April 6, 2020
• Community and Protective Services Committee – April 8, 2020
• Regina Planning Commission – April 8, 2020
• Regina Appeal Board – April 9, 2020
• Mayor’s Housing Commission – April 14, 2020

The next scheduled cycle of meetings will commence on April 15, 2020, subject to an assessment of the COVID-19 status over the next four weeks.

To ensure accurate input of your application and to prevent delays in the review. Please follow the guide below:

• Subject: (must contain) Address, Application number (if applicable), New Application OR Revision
• Body of email:  Include any additional clarification.
• Attachments:
• Attachments must be labelled accordingly.
• Ensure all documents are clear and legible.
• Include as many documents as possible in one complete email.
• For plans more than 25MB, separate documents/plans and submit more than one email. Subject line as follows: Example: 123 Main Street, email 1 of 2. 

Once your permit is approved, email permits@regina.ca and you will be contacted to make credit card payment over the phone.

Once your permit is paid, your permit will be emailed to the applicant/owner/contractor for a signature. A signed copy must be scanned and sent back to permits@regina.ca

The City understands the challenges that COVID-19 will present to the industry and is prioritizing changes in how we work in order to provide support and continuity. If you are aware of a permit application that is expected to be delayed due to COVID-19, please advise the City so we can plan our capacity accordingly.

Existing service level standards remain in place unless communicated otherwise. As the situation is evolving, we will update our website regularly if there are service limitations.

Questions? Reach out to our permit file support team by calling 306-777-7551, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

We are looking at innovative ways of doing business to ensure our service levels remain intact and the construction industry can continue to operate with as little disruption as possible during this uncertain time. These tools include innovative technologies such as FaceTime, Skype or photos where appropriate.

Scheduling inspections remains the same. Please call 306-777-7000.

The health and safety of our employees and the protection of our community are our top priorities. Our environment is changing quickly. We appreciate your patience as we navigate through this together and explore ways to continue supporting the local economy and construction activity this season.

Any updates or changes to service levels will be posted on our website regularly. If you have questions, reach out to our permit file support team by calling 306-777-7551.