REGINA — The Canadian Home Builders’ Association has ranked the City of Regina first in the country in a benchmark housing study comparing 23 municipalities.
The study ranked cities using a variety of factors that impact housing affordability including: providing tools and features to improve quality submissions; ensuring approvals are done in an expedient manner; and housing costs stemming from government charges that get passed on to buyers/renters.
Regina received the top rank for its application approval timelines, ninth for keeping government fees and charges affordable, and 11th for the structures and processes available to developers.
“This study confirms the impressive collaboration efforts between the city and the Regina and Region Homebuilders’ Association (RRHBA) in fostering our community’s economic prosperity,” said Mayor Michael Fougere in a press release. “It’s a good progress report for the continuous improvements the city has been making with the development industry.”
“We are proud of the collaborative approach we have developed with the city administration and city council,” said Stu Niebergall, president and CEO of the Regina and Region Home Builders’ Association. “Our joint commitment to work together, and address difficult issues, has often resulted in better outcomes for housing affordability and Regina citizens, while keeping the economic engine of residential construction moving forward.”
The study also listed several areas of improvement the city says are being addressed by the following upcoming initiatives.
- Tools that allow applicants to track their applications’ status online.
- A new online portal that will enable applicants to submit applications online.
- Refining guiding documents, such as neighbourhood plans, to further clarify policy.
- Focusing on growth-related engineering studies to support a growing city.
- The continued collaboration with partners, including the RRHBA on servicing agreements.
- Development Levy and Intensification Fee Policies
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