Regina Public Library doubles tax increase ask for new branch

Regina’s public library has reassessed its position and is upping its ask from the city’s taxpayers to build a new central branch in the downtown.

RPL Board chair Marj Gavigan unveiled the library’s submission to city council for the 2027 tax year. It includes a 3.99 per cent increase to the library mill rate for operations – equal to a 0.36 per cent increase to a city mill rate, or 82 cents more per month for the average household.

It’s also asking for an 11 per cent increase to the library mill rate for the central library project – equal to about 1 per cent for the city’s mill rate, or $2.27 more a month for the average household.

“My hope is that city council will acknowledge that we are fiscally responsible, that we are trying to maintain an essential service within this city at a cost that seems reasonable, and that they’ll support this,” said Gavigan, acknowledging that she doesn’t know how city council will react.

The 3.99 per cent increase for operating costs is lower than the 4.33 per cent the library thought it might need for 2027 during last year’s budget talks.

Curtis Smith, the library’s executive director of finance and strategy, said the library deferred some investments and projects and kept net staffing levels the same in an effort to lower that ask.

“There was a conscious effort to try and find some savings so that the mill rate is reasonable and what we need,” said Gavigan.

The ask to fund the central library project, however, is twice what was expected.

In 2024, city council agreed in principle to a plan that would have seen a 5.5 per cent increase each year for five years – two years were approved.

The Regina Public Library Central Branch in downtown Regina. (980 CJME File Photo)

Gavigan explained that money would go to servicing debt the city was going to secure for the project, but this spring the city chose not to do that, leaving the project off a capital list in a debt report.

So, she explained the 11 per cent is what would be needed to save enough money for a new branch building by 2036.

“Regardless of the form a new central library takes – whether we build on the current site or elsewhere, whether we lease space or purchase another building – this mill rate increase is needed to move the project forward. It will strengthen the entire system and support library service across Regina,” Gavigan said.

Many details of the project have yet to be finalized – the library will have to do more planning and consulting, but it does have about $19 million in an account right now and wants to have between $150-200 million for the build.

There has been opposition to a new downtown branch from the beginning, but Gavigan said the numbers prove the project is needed.

“Central Library (is) the heart of a system that covers the entire city, which is growing – I think (the numbers) would tell you that there are a lot of people who need this central library, and the system needs the central library. So, in whatever form it takes, central library is required,” she said.

The library is expected to present its request to Regina City Council’s executive committee on Wednesday. City Council won’t start to debate and make decisions about the 2027 budget until December.