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As Regina’s city council debates its new budget, one of the city’s busiest community organizations warns that proposed funding cuts could leave thousands of residents without a safe place to turn during moments of crisis.
Al Ritchie Community Association executive director Denis Simard said the organization is among roughly 140 community programs listed as possible cuts in the city’s budget package, a move he said would have consequences far beyond individual organizations.
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A volunteer sorts donated clothing at Al Ritchie, one of roughly 140 community programs listed as potential cuts in Regina’s budget deliberations. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)
“We had a woman show up here in the last year, she walked through the doors and said, ‘I was just raped,’” Simard said.
Simard said Al Ritchie serves as a neighbourhood hub and frontline safety net, providing food, clothing, free programming and crisis support to residents who may not know where else to go.
He said emergencies like sexual assault or homelessness often do not begin with a call to police or paramedics, but with someone seeking a safe and trusted space.
Simard said removing community organizations would not eliminate those crises, but would instead shift them onto already-strained emergency systems.
“Police are going to get more phone calls, ambulances are going to get more phone calls, the hospitals are going to fill up more,” he said.
Volunteers organize food donations inside the Al Ritchie Community Association’s pantry, which serves thousands of Regina residents each year. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)
According to Simard, Al Ritchie is on pace to reach approximately 50,000 visits this year, with residents accessing food, clothing, and free community programs. He said demand has grown rapidly as housing costs, food prices and utility bills continue to rise.
As winter sets in, Simard said the risks increase for people experiencing homelessness or unstable housing.
“He had no real coat, no gloves, his hands were black from frostbite, and he’d lost most of his toes,” Simard said, recalling one recent interaction during the extreme cold snap.
Simard said staff and volunteers regularly provide cold-weather gear, food and wellness checks to people living nearby, particularly during periods of extreme cold.
He said the timing of potential cuts is especially concerning as the city enters the coldest months of the year and the holiday season, when demand for support typically increases.
Simard said Al Ritchie receives about $120,000 annually from the City of Regina, an amount he argued is small compared with the scale of services the organization provides. He said the association relies heavily on volunteers, donations and community partnerships to meet growing demand.
He also questioned whether cutting community organizations would result in meaningful savings for the city.
“For the dollar they’re going to save by not giving it to us, it’s going to cost them four to seven dollars,” Simard said.
City administration included the list of roughly 140 possible cuts as options for council to consider as it works to reduce a projected tax increase. Council has not finalized which, if any, reductions will move forward.
Simard said he understands the financial pressures facing the city, but argued community organizations should be viewed as essential partners rather than optional services.
“Where they will fail the most is heart,” he said.
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