Regina’s new mayor delivers first state of the city address

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Mayor Chad Bachynski sees Regina as a black-capped chickadee: tough, resilient and non-migrational.

“Just as the chickadee thrives through our harsh winters with resilience and spirit, so too do the residents of Regina, regardless of the challenges we face,” he said. “You are the heart of our city. You are resilient with spirit and perseverance, and you remind me of Regina’s new official bird.”

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The light-hearted reminder split through the middle of Bachynski’s first state of the city address as Regina’s mayor, delivered Thursday at the Conexus Arts Centre.

The crowd included a who’s who of city officials, local municipal and provincial politicians, community groups and business leaders, filling the room with chatter for the 57th annual event by the Kiwanis Club.

As Bachynski spoke to those in attendance, and the greater population, he offered words of encouragement regarding the state of Regina’s economy and well-being, along with a bright vision for the future.

“It’s strong, and its only getting stronger,” he said of the city’s outlook.

Bachynski outlined four key pillars that will guide his administration’s forward-looking focus for 2025: “safety, affordability, infrastructure and homelessness.”

He offered an optimistic vision of continuing to attract big events, bigger business and more new faces to live in Regina as the keys to “continue moving us in the right direction” as a city.

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“We are among the most affordable places to live and work (in Canada),” he said. “The next several years presents an incredible opportunity for Regina (and) I believe that’s a common goal of every one of us in this room — the betterment of Regina.”

Bachynski closed his speech by mentioning two fresh initiatives from Economic Development Regina (EDR), both tailored to celebrate Regina as a city deserving of notice.

First is the launch of Regina 25, a new set of awards from EDR designed to honour the most influential leaders who “embody Regina’s vibrant spirit.” Nominations officially opened Thursday in conjunction with Bachynski’s speech.

He also unveiled a new promotional campaign called Live In Regina, meant to attract people to the city as their new home over larger centres like Vancouver or Toronto.

Bachynski said the campaign is a “multi-faceted, multi-year strategy,” looking to add residents to Regina’s tax base as well as its labour market.

“My hope is that it will embrace the future of our city with optimism, inspiration and determination,” he added, “knowing that our best days are yet to come.”

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