Citizens too late to force referendum on Regina stadium

People behind a petition calling for a vote on a new stadium in Regina have already missed the deadline that would force the city to hold a referendum.

Under the rules for a referendum, a citizen-initiated vote must go through a process of validation and examination before any question is posed in the upcoming municipal elections, set for Oct. 24. A petition calling for such a vote must be submitted by July 1.

Regina's Mayor, Pat Fiacco, and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wallannounced July 14 that an agreement had been reachedto build a $278-million stadium in time for the 2017 football season.

A question could still be included on the Oct. 24 ballot if Regina city council wanted to hold a referendum.

The stadium deal is on the agenda for a city council meeting Monday.

Some opponents of the plan say the city should focus on other infrastructure needs, such as affordable housing.

"There already is a stadium. We're emotionally attached to it in this city," said stadium opponent Florence Stratton, referring to the existing Mosaic Stadium. "It may need some refurbishment but it's there. And now the city wants to spend millions on the new stadium. That money should go into affordable housing."

Stratton called the housing situation in the city a crisis.

"There's enormous suffering and misery in this city because of the lack of affordable, particularly rental housing, but now there's suddenly money to build a stadium when there isn't money for housing," she said.

One of the people running for mayor, Marian Donnelly, said she would prefer the plan had more community support.

"You want to have community support before you go down the path of increasing taxes and adding service fees, facility fees to ticket prices," Donnelly said.

The city of Regina plans to increase property taxes byfive per cent, over a number of years, and maintain the increase for decades, to cover its costs of building and maintaining a new building.

A facility fee is also part of the fundraising plan.