'A reasonable compromise': Council forgives Riders of over $1 million in unpaid rent

Regina City Council forgave the Saskatchewan Roughriders of more than $1 million in unpaid rent payments at their meeting Wednesday.

In total, the team owed the city $3.5 million as part of a contract to occupy Mosaic Stadium.

“Through COVID, the CFL was completely shut down,” City Manager Niki Anderson told councillors. “That wasn’t a choice.”

Anderson said negotiations to find a deal that works for both sides had been ongoing since April.

The deal reached saw the city forgive $1.33 million while the Riders would pay the remaining $2.2 million debt.

“They are paying for the spaces they used,” Anderson said.

“Would the Riders accept this as a reasonable compromise?” asked Ward 3 Coun. David Froh.

“Both parties have agreed this is a reasonable compromise,” Anderson responded.

A potential offer was before city council in October, prior to the election, but city councillors asked administration to try and seek a better one for the city and to ask team leadership to appear in the chambers to answer questions.

It was learned Wednesday Riders’ brass did not accept the invitation to answer questions from councillors under advisement from lawyers.

The city manager also outlined to council if they did not approve the terms, it was possible the Riders would seek legal action against the city.

“In addition to the time and expenses related to going to trial, the result may be worse than the offer currently in front of you,” Anderson explained.

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Only Ward 8 Coun. Shanon Zachidniak and Ward 6 Coun. Victoria Flores voted against the offer before council Wednesday.

“What I’ve heard from residents is they are not in favour of writing off the debt,” Zachidniak said. “Especially knowing it’s not a financial capacity question.”

“It’s a middle ground that’s actually higher on our side of the middle ground,” commented Ward 9 Coun. Jason Mancinelli. “We get two-thirds of the payment out of it.”

“I’m not willing to champion a fight against the Riders,” he added.

Anderson also said the Riders have the funds to repay the negotiated terms immediately.

Outstanding motions

Also before council were a dozen outstanding motions put forward by previous members before the election.

As CTV News reported Monday, councillors followed through with the withdrawal of several items, including a reconsideration motion regarding the new indoor aquatic facility.

Regina Mayor Chad Bachynski speaks to reporters following a city council meeting on Dec. 11, 2024. (Donovan Maess / CTV News) Mayor Chad Bachynski says it’s not out of the question for newly elected members to bring forward their own motions on any of the issues they disposed of.

“If there is something to look at, it would be, ‘Let's make sure we craft a motion that is conducive to the conversation we want to have,” he told reporters following the meeting.

Other outstanding motions withdrawn by councillors included establishing respectful communication towards the city manager and staff, dissolving the human resources sub-committee of city council, reconsideration of a previously voted down homeless shelter location and rink ice time conflicts.

The motions were put forward by a variation of former and re-elected councillors.

Four other motions were tabled to the Jan. 29, 2025 council meeting, while a motion establishing civic Indigenous framework was tabled to April 2025.

Preliminary debate was had regarding amendments to the city’s flag raising protocol. However, the motion was eventually tabled to January.

Council also unanimously approved a plan to apply for federal funding to address encampments and homelessness.