Regina contemplating revamped Local Improvement Program

A new Local Improvement Program (LIP) could be coming for Regina residents and the decision on whether projects go ahead could rest with them.

The city’s public works and infrastructure committee will meet Thursday to discuss the possibility of a revamped LIP. The old program was discontinued in 2014 after a wave of negative comments from homeowners came into the city.

At that time, the administration was directed to review the program and come back to city council with suggestions for a new LIP in which projects were initiated by property owners.

Mayor Michael Fougere spoke to the CJME Morning Show on the option city staff is recommending.

“The proposal is that this would be resident initiated for new infrastructure so if you’re on your local street and you, as a group of people living on the street, want to have a sidewalk put in you could do that. But it would not be city initiated it would be at the choice of residents,” he explained.

Fougere believes people could be accepting of this option provided they’re clearly aware they are the ones who would spearhead projects under the program, not the city. He doesn’t want residents to be confused about already having to pay general taxes and the one per cent dedicated tax that goes to the residential road renewal program. The LIP could go above and beyond that, but only at the wishes of property owners.

The city administration has four options for how the new LIP could look:

1. LIP that considers projects initiated by and with majority support of property owners and is limited to new infrastructure only. (recommended option)
2. LIP that considers projects initiated by and with majority support of property owners and is limited to renewal of existing infrastructure only.
3. LIP that considers projects initiated by and only with the unanimous support of property owners, for both new infrastructure and existing infrastructure.
4. No LIP.

Under the recommended option, a city report clarifies new infrastructure could include paving a gravel street or alley, adding street lighting, sidewalks, park benches or extended water and sewer services.

The committee will discuss these options and then city council will review and debate the recommendation at the regular March 27 council meeting.

If a new LIP is approved, exact funding splits between property owners and the city, along with project eligibility criteria, would be developed by administration and brought back to council in early 2019.