Regina looks to delay Saskatchewan Drive, Scarth Street Mall projects until 2027

A pair of high-profile construction projects meant to improve the City of Regina's downtown are likely to be delayed until at least 2027 due to rising costs.

The Saskatchewan Drive Corridor Project dates back to 2019, while plans to revitalize Scarth Street's pedestrian mall began earlier this year.

Both projects were set to begin construction in 2024. Now, if the delays are approved as part of the City of Regina's upcoming budget, it will be years before they get underway.

Eric de Waal, the City of Regina's director for the city centre and community standards, said the proposed delay is the result of inflation and increased construction costs. 

"The budget that we've proposed here for this year has forced us into a situation where we have to reconsider some of the timing on these key projects," said de Waal. "This isn't really news to folks across Canada. Everybody's dealing with this in municipalities."

De Waal said the delays will allow the city to accumulate the budget that it needs to complete the projects as they were intended.

"We don't want to go ahead and do something that would be diminished as a result of of a budget," he said.

"We still want to implement it properly." 

WATCH| Budget woes plague the City of Regina as two projects are delayed: 

Budget woes plague the City of Regina as two projects are delayed

1 year ago

Duration 1:35

Two major projects meant to revitalize Regina's downtown are being delayed, due to inflation and soaring construction costs. The revamp of Saskatchewan Drive was meant to be a priority due to its aging infrastructure and increasing traffic. Meanwhile, the Scarth Street Mall could be transformed from a pedestrian-only space to include vehicle traffic.

Scarth Street

The section of Scarth Street between 11th Avenue and 12th Avenue has operated as a pedestrian walkway in downtown Regina for nearly 50 years.

One of the options on the table for Scarth Street's future would reintroduce vehicles, according to a tender document issued in 2022. 

While a report was supposed to be made to city council this fall with a recommendation for the redesign, that appears to now be off the table. 

Damodar Anant, owner of The Book End on Scarth Street, told CBC he welcomed the delay.

He said the city should focus on things like roads. 

"Regina council should prioritize filling potholes, rather than spending taxpayers money on a project that won't be very fruitful," he said.

Another business owner disagreed. 

Miren Elorti, who owns Press'd, said she wants to see vehicles welcomed back to Scarth Street. 

Her business, which suffered over the COVID-19 pandemic, thrives on online sales. 

"So our couriers complain a lot about it, that it's hard to find parking, they have to pay for parking just to pick up the order, so I think it would boost our sales," Elorti said. 

She wants the city to do it as soon as possible. 

Saskatchewan Drive

Regina has said that the push to update Saskatchewan Drive is a priority due to increasing traffic levels, lack of safe pedestrian areas, and aging and deteriorating infrastructure. 

The idea would be to "transform" Sask. Drive into a "grand avenue" that would feature robust landscaping, street furniture and enhanced design.

It's supposed to be completed in three phases, with each portion of the work corresponding to a section of the road.

The final phase of the Saskatchewan Drive project would incorporate upgrades on the Albert Street underpass, which has a history of flooding.