Regina city council confirms residential building restrictions around airport

Regina city council has approved zoning changes restricting residential development to the west and south of the Regina International Airport.

The change effectively stops the construction of the Harbour Landing North project, which aimed to develop a residential neighbourhood expansion close to the airport. 

The vote, a repeat of the third reading of the bylaw change after it failed to pass unanimously during a city council meeting on March 26, passed 10-1. 

Only Coun. Sarah Turnbull voted against the motion. Just before the vote, Turnbull introduced an amendment to defer the decision until after the federal election and more consultation with home builders. That amendment failed.

The vote concluded more than a year of discussion and debate over the zoning regulations, which were centred around noise from incoming and outgoing aircraft.

The zoning change still allows for commercial and industrial development within the restricted area, which Regina airport president James Bogusz has said he supports.

In an interview on Monday before the vote, Bogusz said he was hopeful it would go through and the airport's future development wouldn't be hindered by the prospect of residential noise complaints.

"We recommend strongly that Regina continues to enable lots of residential development. It's a huge benefit to the airport for passengers, great for our economy, great for our tax base. We just want them in the right place," he said.

"This airport generates almost a billion dollars into the local economy per year. It is vital that we find compatible land uses, like employment generating uses, to be built near the airport."

Stu Niebergall, the CEO of the Regina and Region Home Builders Association, said on Monday that his primary concern with the new zoning was how it impacted the broader picture of home building in the city.

"We are very concerned that we are running into a time when we are running out of service lots to be able to construct new homes," he said. "If we do not see some new neighbourhoods approved, you know, in the spring of 2025, Regina really does run the risk that, pushing out to the end of 2026, 2027, we actually may have virtually no new spots for new housing to go into."