Mandatory sprinkler systems in new residential builds voted down by Regina city council
Mandatory sprinkler systems in new residential builds voted down by Regina city council
Mandatory sprinkler systems in new residential builds voted down by Regina city council
Mandatory fire sprinkler systems in new residential builds and the Arcola Avenue corridor study were some of the items on Regina City Council’s agenda for its Wednesday afternoon meeting.
City council voted down a motion that would have mandated fire sprinkler systems in new residential builds.
The motion was defeated in a 9-1 vote.
Landon Mohl was the sole councillor to vote in favour of the mandatory residential sprinklers, telling council the cost of installation is a very low price compared to a person’s life.
“Please choose to save people’s lives,” he said to council moments before the vote.
A total of 16 groups were scheduled to speak about the recommendation. The majority opposed the motion.
Chris Guerette, CEO of the Saskatchewan Realtors Association, attended a rally outside city hall before expressing her opposition at the council meeting.
Guerette said the industry is already facing challenges that are driving up housing and building prices. Adding a residential sprinkler mandate will only had to affordability concerns, she said.
She said the industry is regulated by the national building code for a reason, and highlighted that a national task force struck down the idea of mandatory automatic sprinkler systems in 2019.
“This is a classic example of not enough consultation with the appropriate experts in terms of bringing in policy that impacts housing dramatically,” Guerette said.
“I’m sorry there’s no municipality in Saskatchewan that can replicate that process right now in an effective, cost efficient way.”
It’s expected mandatory fire sprinkler systems would add around $5,000 to new residential builds in some scenarios.
Mayor Sandra Masters said the amount of pushback from industry stakeholders helped educate council in its vote. Evidence shows new builds and new neighbourhoods are less likely to experience house fires, she said.
“Safety is of paramount importance,” Masters said.
“There’s already a commitment within the Fire Master Plan to educate and work with homebuilders to talk about educating new home buyers about the opportunity to install sprinklers.”
City statistics show 10 people died in house fires from 2017 to 2021. None of those fires were in new builds.
ARCOLA AVENUE CORRIDOR STUDY
City council unanimously passed a motion in favour of the Arcola Avenue Corridor study.
The Arcola Avenue corridor study laid out a sweeping list of proposed improvements to roadways in the southeast part of Regina that would amount to a total estimated cost of around $76 million.
Two recommendations from administration were discussed in regard to the study.
The first was that council would direct administration to include a consultant’s long term recommendations in future planning of the project.
The second was having administration bring a supplementary report to council during the next budget consideration.
That would include planning to redistribute $42.3 million from long to medium term project planning to speed up the process of the project and also possible financial implications that could come with speeding up the project.
Between 2016 and 2020 there were 639 collisions reported to police on Arcola Ave. between Park St. and Chuka Blvd.
Jack Huntington, a spokesperson for a number of housing units that back onto Prince of Wales Drive, addressed council on Wednesday.
He said the group opposes the extension of Prince of Wales Drive.
“We believe that this is an expensive option that has significant obstacles that would need to be dealt with before any approval should be considered,” Huntington said.
Huntington said there would be a number of long-term consequences to extending roadways near residential communities, such as noise and pollution and that it would negatively affect the resale of properties in the future.
The roadway extension would also conflict with the McKell Wascana Conservation Park, which is a large undisturbed nature reserve, he added.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino is defending the RCMP’s yearslong and undisclosed use of spyware capable of accessing cell phone and computer microphones, cameras and other data as part of dozens of major investigations. Testifying before a parliamentary committee on Monday, Mendicino said the national police force's use of these tools has only be permitted in 'the most serious offences.'
Saskatoon police say a woman who had been reported missing is facing charges in the United States related to unauthorized use of identification and in Canada related to parental abduction and public mischief.
Sources close to the government's proposed $5.3 billion dental care program say the Liberals are planning a temporary solution that involves giving money directly to patients in order to keep their promise to the NDP while they work on a more permanent answer.
The organization that runs the Montreal Pride Festival says it is conducting an internal investigation after it abruptly cancelled the city's official Pride parade on Sunday -- hours before it was to begin.
A suspect already in handcuffs has allegedly managed to overpower a Toronto police officer and steal their SUV, sending police on a wild early morning chase.
A Manitoba woman who abused and killed her daughter in one of the province's most notorious crimes has been granted escorted temporary absences from prison.
A Calgary man and woman face 33 charges for alleged drug possession in addition to alleged firearm possession that police say was for the purpose of trafficking drugs.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino is defending the RCMP’s yearslong and undisclosed use of spyware capable of accessing cell phone and computer microphones, cameras and other data as part of dozens of major investigations. Testifying before a parliamentary committee on Monday, Mendicino said the national police force's use of these tools has only be permitted in 'the most serious offences.'
Ontario hospitals are upholding their mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies for employees as staff shortages mount to a 'crisis' with more emergency departments temporarily closing over the weekend.
Ontario's health minister said Monday that six hospitals had to close departments -- including ERs -- over the weekend, but argued that the situation wasn't unprecedented.
Ottawa's Confederation Line LRT will be closing early on a total of 10 days this month as crews perform maintenance on the tracks, with reduced service planned on parts of the line for two other nights.
A mom in Chilliwack, B.C., says she was terrified after her children were exposed to an unknown irritant at a local playground that caused their skin and eyes to burn.
A conspiracy theory about 'new world order' is not a valid argument in a recent foreclosure case involving a home in Vancouver, a judge in British Columbia ruled.
Quebec's chief coroner has ordered a public inquiry into the death of 26-year-old Abdulla Shaikh, who is suspected of killing the three men at random last week.
The organization that runs the Montreal Pride Festival says it is conducting an internal investigation after it abruptly cancelled the city's official Pride parade on Sunday -- hours before it was to begin.
Montreal police are investigating the suspicious death of a man discovered in a bin during recycling collection in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Monday morning.
The deputy mayor of a southern Newfoundland town says his community is running out of food as it remains cut off from the rest of the island due to the worst forest fires the province has seen in more than 60 years.
Halifax has cancelled 75 bus trips due to a lack of transit staff, and the union representing the drivers says staffing levels will likely get worse before they get better.
A weather front sprawling out of Ontario and Quebec is leading a low pressure system across the Maritimes Monday through Tuesday. Rain, drizzle and fog are expected in the region with some areas experiencing heavy rain for a period of time.
Brantford Police have issued an arrest warrant for a man and are asking the public for help identifying a second man following a police chase which resulted in multiple collisions and the two suspects evading arrest.
