City of Regina changes zoning to increase housing

REGINA – Regina City Council has approved amendments to its zoning bylaw in order to make more housing available throughout the city.

The amendments, which support new housing applications in spring 2024, are being advanced as part of Regina’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Action Plan, a release said.

“Increasing Regina’s housing supply to align with our growth is critical. Through these bylaw amendments, we are encouraging higher density developments and creating more opportunities for diverse housing options,” Regina Mayor Sandra Masters said in a statement.  

The bylaw changes allow more housing units to be built in neighbourhoods, increase permitted building heights on mid- and high-density sites and remove parking minimums across the city.

In June 2023, the city applied to the HAF with an action plan aimed at approving 1,100 additional housing units by the end of 2026, the release said, and in November 2023, council directed city administration to bring forward bylaw amendments to permit additional housing development citywide. 

The amendments approved by council are the first phase of work updating planning policies and zoning regulations and remove barriers to housing development, the release said, with additional phases to be advanced in 2024.