'Impact on your life': Public outreach for Regina electoral boundaries underway
The City of Regina is asking residents to give their opinion about the latest electoral boundaries changes.
A public information was held on Monday at City Hall. Among the attendees was Tria Donaldson, a resident of Ward 3.
“I didn’t know that the review was happening so I was kind of surprised when I saw the proposed boundary changes and I really wanted to come and learn more about it and the impact it might have on municipal government here in Regina,” she told CTV News.
According to the city, boundary changes are mandatory when the city’s population varies more than 10 per cent or after three municipal elections.
The city’s last boundary review was in 2018.
“In particular there were four wards that had seen a significant change in their population, those being Wards 2, 4, 7 and 8,” city clerk Jim Nicol said.
“That necessitated the review because it was pushing them out of the plus or minus 10 per cent variance from the average population.”
Each ward on average contains around 23,000 residents.
The neighbourhoods of Greens on Gardiner and Harbour Landing have grown tremendously, according to Nicol.
Meanwhile, areas near the city centre, such as the north central or arcola areas have seen a population decline.
The process is mandatory, however, Donaldson believes that the process could be done better.
“I’m in that weird little part of the city where they never really know where to put us,” she said.
“I’m coming from a perspective of turnout. A lot of times the core neighbourhoods, north central, arcola area we see a lower voter turnout and getting those folks engaged into municipal politics, an area of government that really does affect their lives, can be challenging when there is changes that happen in terms of which councillor is representing them, which ward they’re in. So, my worry is down the line, if you’re making changes how are you going to ensure people feel engaged in their city council.”
For Donaldson, she hopes to see less change surrounding wards in the city’s central areas, as a way to help election turnout.
“I think when we’re talking about things like ward boundaries it can seem nerdy or it might not actually matter to folks,” she explained.
“But municipal government is the level of government that has the most impact on your life.”
Another public information session on the city's ward boundaries will be held on Thursday, March 23 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the cafeteria in Henry Baker Hall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.