Chamber Link Nov 2013

ChamberLink

The Official Business Magazine of the Regina & District Chamber of Commerce

CELEBRATION IN
RIDER NATION
101st Grey Cup

In This Issue
Photo credit: Saskatchewan Roughriders

SATTC
International Tradespeople in SK
Doug Elliott
HOUSING IN REGINA

JIM HOPSON
GREY CUP REFLECTIONS

November 2013
Volume 15
Issue 9

ChamberLink 1

We’re now

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NORTH WEST
464 McCarthy Blvd. N.
777-0654

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EAST
3615 Quance St. E.
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SOUTH
4420 Albert St.
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November 2013 Volume 15, Issue 9
ChamberLink, the official business magazine
of the Regina & District Chamber of Commerce, is published ten
times a year. ChamberLink is distributed to all chamber members,
their representatives and approximately 1,600 non-member businesses. Total circulation is 4,000 copies.

2013 Board of Directors
Gord Archibald, Chair
Brian Drayton, Vice Chair
Dan Broderick
Bill Coulthard
Bob Kasian
Randy Lear

Content
5 ChaiR’S MESSAGE
6 SATCC
Int Workers In Regina
8 JIM HOPSON
Grey Cup Reflections
9 GREY CUP
Festival Schedule of Events
10 DOUG ELLIOTT
Sask Trends Monitor

Larry Mything

14 FROM THE DEAN

Lorne Pavelick

17 WAGE SUBSIDY PROGRAM

Bob Taylor
Nadia Williamson

17 MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

Tyler Willox

18 NEW MEMBERS

Keri Ziegler

18 NOVEMBER EVENTS

Staff
John Hopkins, Chief Executive Officer
Lisa Deans, CMA, Chief Financial Officer
Jeanette Tonita, Events Manager
Amanda Baker, BFA, Member Relations Manager

* Views expressed in ChamberLink are those of

contributors and
individual members and are not necessarily endorsed by, or policy
of, the Regina and District Chamber of Commerce.



Printed by:

Aimee Sudom, BComm, BA, Communications Officer
Margaret Semeniuk, Director of Membership Sales
Denine Lacerte, B. Ed., Employment Coordinator
Bree Paul, Receptionist
Kali Bourhis, Policy Analyst

reginachamber.com
Editorial Comments:
306.757.4644
For Advertising Inquiries
306.757.4658
Please address inquiries to:

Regina & District Chamber of Commerce
2145 Albert St, Regina, SK S4P 2V1
T (306)757-4658
F (306) 757-4668
E [email protected]

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Tyron Brackenridge #41

Mission: Zero safety glasses
available at missionzerocnib.com
and Saskatchewan Co-op retailers
$10 from each pair benefits the Saskatchewan CNIB
Eyewear meets requirements of CSA Z94.3
Polycarbonate lenses absorb 99.9% of UV light

FROM THE CHAIR’S DESK

Regina’s In The Spotlight

The phenomenal economic benefit that a
host city receives is invigorating for both
the business community and the community at large. For example, the 100th Grey
Cup Festival brought in $133.1 million of
economic activity to the province of Ontario, with $94.7 million of that occurring in
the host city of Toronto. Our government
resources will also benefit, with tax revenue
generated by the same event totaling close
to $25.3 million.

Gord Archibald
Chair, Regina & District
Chamber of Commerce

W

elcome to Regina!

This will be a common greeting that will
soon fill the air, along with the excitement
of star CFL players, pep bands and good
natured sports rivalry hitting Regina when
the 101st Grey Cup and all its festivities enter our city.
Diehard fans from all across the country will
converge in Regina, some to support their
favorite team’s hard fought efforts on the
gridiron to get into the finals but many will
come simply because the Grey Cup is one
of the best professional sports celebrations
in the world.

The intangible benefits of national events
such as the Grey Cup and the successful
hosting of the Junos earlier this year are,
of course, harder to quantify. Nevertheless, they resound thoroughly throughout
the hearts and minds of individuals which,
for some, will be their first experience in
Regina. These newcomers will experience
a taste of the hospitality and friendliness
that our prairie city is known for and will
return home to spread the word about our
progressive city.
The pride the city will feel will also be evident. Over the past decade, Regina has experienced a surge in growth that has resulting in new high rises, new residential areas,
a revitalized core and new businesses. This
is something Regina can proudly point out
to these visitors as evidence of our progress
and the promise of a bright future.

As part of the fastest growing economy in
Canada, Regina, as a city, has been in the
national spotlight for a number of years.
This has attracted the interest of many individuals and businesses, some of whom have
moved to the city and made it home. This
surge in interest has been particularly beneficial in attracting national events, such as
the Grey Cup and the Junos.
It would be great to continue this momentum. By continuing to attract national
events, such as the upcoming 2014 North
American Indigenous Games, we will continue to benefit from increased tourism
spending, investment in special events infrastructure, tax dollars and successful large
scale events that organizers can look at and
say, “Wouldn’t Regina be an amazing place
to hold our event.”
Finally I would like to extend congratulations to Chamber CEO John Hopkins for
his Canadian Chamber award as executive
of the year for communities with more
than 100,000 in population at the Canadian Chamber’s annual general meeting.
This award recognizes the terrific job John
has done on behalf of the Regina business
community. Well done John!
Thank you for your continued support and
have a wonderful time at the Grey Cup festivities.

The CFL is a great blend of homegrown
and international athletes often highly involved in the community, game day tickets
in all price ranges and 101 years of exciting
Canadian football. One of the great examples of how the sport has been embraced by
Canadians is the Grey Cup parade, a truly
entertaining experience highlighting the
pride of the host city, after which fans from
all across the country join the walk to show
off their hometown spirit with Rider fans,
no matter the host city, the largest procession of them all. It, along with the innumerable special events held throughout the city,
should not to be missed.

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Bringing International Tradespeople To SK
by The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission

S

askatchewan is facing the issue of
too much work and not enough
skilled tradespeople for the jobs available.
A good problem, but a problem nonetheless. There is more than just one solution to
the issue, and multiple approaches must be
taken to address the need for skilled people.
The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and
Trade Certification Commission (SATCC)
is a large part of the solution. The mandate
of the SATCC is to develop and execute
an apprenticeship training and certification
system to meet the needs of industry.

The core business of the SATCC is to develop and train our own local apprentices.
However, with the rising needs of skilled
tradespeople in industry, there is a need for
additional people who are already trained
and ready to work.
Many internationally trained workers have
the necessary skills and face a work shortage in their own countries. Saskatchewan
industry can provide them not only jobs,
but careers.
The SATCC provides one of the links between skilled internationally trained tradespeople and the employers looking to hire.
As an employer, you want to know you
are hiring someone who can do the necessary work. In Canada, the Interprovincial
Standards Red Seal Program provides the
assurance that someone has been properly
trained, has the experience, and is certified
to do the work. Every country has a unique
certification system. So, what qualifies in
Canada?

working in the compulsory apprenticeship
trades of electrician, plumber, refrigeration
mechanic and sheet metal worker, prior to a
person doing any work in the trade.
In the SATCC’s voluntary trades, this service is certainly available, but not necessary. It is recommended for the worker
who would like to have his or her previous
training and certification recognized once in
Canada.
The first steps of the assessment can be
completed prior to someone arriving in
Canada. The internationally trained worker fills out the SATCC’s Form 9, and also
sends his or her certificates and transcripts,
employer letters verifying apprenticeship,
or trade experience hours with the required
fee. After the assessment takes place, eligible applicants receive a letter deeming
them eligible to work in Saskatchewan and
challenge the certification exam. The letter
the applicant receives can be used to show
potential employers that they have recognized skills and training in a particular trade,
which helps secure an offer of employment.
Once in Saskatchewan, if in a compulsory
trade, the person submits a copy of his or

her work permit to the SATCC, along with
an Apprenticeship Contract. After working one year with a special permit card, the
person is eligible to complete a Form 2, pay
the fee, and write the Interprovincial Journeyperson exam. In a voluntary trade, the
person may complete a Form 2 upon arrival
in Saskatchewan, pay the fee and write the
exam after submitting a copy of his or her
work permit.
Remember that the necessary immigration
procedures still apply. Please see the following links for more information:
Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SNIP) - http://www.economy.gov.
sk.ca/sinp
Citizenship and Immigration Canada http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/
index.asp
To learn more about SATCC services for
internationally trained workers, see the
following link: http://www.saskapprenticeship.ca/client-groups/internationallytrained-workers/ or contact us at 1-877363-0536.

This is when the SATCC provides its services. The Assessment unit at the SATCC
has long provided services locally – determining if people are eligible to write
the journeyperson exam, and if trade time
hours may qualify.
Now the unit is also providing assessment
services for internationally trained workers before they even come to Canada. An
assessment must be completed for those

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Photo credit: SATCC

New Legislation
Protects Foreign Workers
The Government of Saskatchewan has
introduced new legislation to ensure
Saskatchewan continues to be a destination
of choice for immigrants seeking a good place
to live and work.
The Foreign Worker Recruitment and Immigration
Services Act, proclaimed October 11, 2013,
protects foreign workers from exploitation
and mistreatment during the immigration and
recruitment process. Employers also benefit
from greater transparency in services provided
by recruiters and immigration consultants.
Under the Act, recruiters and immigration
consultants must be licensed by the
Government of Saskatchewan before providing
services to Saskatchewan employers or
immigrants moving to the province. Both
employers and foreign workers must give their
signed consent in advance to all services and
fees. Only employers pay costs associated with
recruitment. Neither recruiters nor employers
can charge recruitment fees to foreign workers.

7455 Foreign Workers ad(7.5x10)-2.indd 1

As of November 12, 2013, Saskatchewan
employers are required to register with the
provincial government before making a job
offer to a foreign worker – whether through
a federal or provincial immigration program.
There is no cost, and the registration remains
valid for up to two years. Employers already
registered through the Saskatchewan Immigrant
Nominee Program are automatically registered
under the new Act.
Providing better protection for foreign workers
means more skilled immigrants will come here
to live and work. That’s good for employers and
good for our growing economy.
For more information on the Act and how to
register, go to www.saskimmigrationcanada.ca
or email [email protected].

ChamberLink
2013-10-24 2:58 PM7

Grey Cup Reflections with Jim Hopson
by Aimee Sudom, R&DCC

T

he Saskatchewan Roughriders are an
institution embedded within the fabric
of our city and province. Most Saskatchewanians have many fond memories that revolve around the evolving CFL game. From
the days of Lancaster and Reed, the U.S. expansion years or the recent resurgent years
of Rider Nation many of us have grown up
with our lives intrinsically linked to the ups
and downs of the Roughriders.
Jim Hopson, CEO and President of the
Roughriders, was raised in the shadows of
Mosaic Stadium and has a history with the
‘Riders that most of us can only dream of.
“I was born and raised during the ‘50s in the
North Annex...this was not even part of the
City of Regina at the time, so I have really
seen the evolution of the city and the stadium.”
As a young fellow, Jim was caught up in
the excitement of the Roughriders bringing home their first Grey Cup. “One of my
favorite memories I have of the Grey Cup
was in ’66, I would have been in high school.
That was the first Grey Cup the Riders won,
so I do have great memories of that time.
It was a huge celebration in the city, Ronnie
(Lancaster) and George Reed were the heroes, of course. I remember being with my
school friends as I was in Grade 10 at the
time. People were up and down Albert St.,
parading and honking their horns.”
By ‘73, Jim was hitting that same turf himself as a ‘Riders guard and offensive tackle,
experiencing the excitement of the game
with those same childhood football idols.
This was when he experienced playing in the
Grey Cup, as a young player.
“The first Grey Cup I attended was the one I
played in, which was the ‘76 Grey Cup. Grey
Cups back in the ‘60s and ‘70s were played
in Toronto and Vancouver. In ’76 the Riders
made it to the Grey Cup, which was played
in Toronto. I was thinking that we were going to win, but we snatched defeat from the

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jaws of victory when we lost late in the game
and Ottawa beat us. It is not a great memory,
but it is a memory.” Jim chuckled.
Jim was not able to experience all of the
revelry during the ’76 Cup being a player
intent on the game plan. “As a player, you
are focused on practice and rest. We stayed
at the Royal York downtown so you would
see some things such as the horse Calgary
brought. That was the only Grey Cup that I
experienced firsthand until they brought the
Grey Cup here in ’95.”
Other Grey Cups also bring back many
memories for Jim. “I remember watching
the ’89 Grey Cup and Dave Ridgeway’s kick.
Pretty good memories of ’66 and ’89 not
so good of ’76. And then of course, great
memories of ’07 with our first victory in a
long time in Toronto. As Team President,
that was a tremendous win for us. The whole
year was tremendous for us. Then of course,
I have the memories of ’09 when we lost the
game in Calgary. Should have won it, but we
didn’t,” Jim recounted.
Though the ‘Riders have been in the Grey
Cup twice during Jim’s time as CEO and
President, this is the first Grey Cup festival
that the Riders have hosted during his tenure.
“Last time the Grey Cup was played in Regina, I was on the management board as a
special adviser of the Alumni and I attended
as a spectator. Grey Cup before I was a fan
sitting in the stands with the other fans. I’ve
gone from fan, to more than fan, to President and CEO of the ‘Riders and vice chair
of the Grey Cup. It has been quite an evolution for me as well.”
Though Jim has been heavily focused on
the ‘Rider regular season, the realities of
the impending Grey Cup and all its festivities are materializing with each flag raised
and tent set up. “I have always been excited
about Grey Cup but it is always out there in

a distance where we are planning towards it
and are more focused on our regular season
games and on being successful to get our
team into the Grey Cup. Now I see the tents
are going up downtown and it is becoming
more real.”
None of this would have been a possibility
if it weren’t for the legions of fans transformed into volunteers, supporting and
raising the banner for the numerous events
that will be happening during the Grey Cup
Festival.
“The committee chairs and volunteers and
hundreds and hundreds of people have put
in an amazing amount of time and now it
is starting to really happen, businesses are
starting to decorate, events are starting to
sell out or are sold out. So it is becoming
very real for us. Now it is about making
sure that we have everything ready for the
big game itself, hosting, security, parking,
bussing, concessions, all the details that will
make it great,” Jim enthused.
“Beyond the city of Regina, even the Province of SK, a lot of our volunteers are coming from outside the city. People are literally
taking their holidays and coming to the city
just to volunteer. There are volunteers that
are also coming from beyond the province
and coming from across Canada. We even
have some from the United States who want
to come back. The Grey Cup is always a unifying experience that gives us a common tie
and a common purpose.”
Of course, history loves to see the hometown team get to and win the big game. But
as those who have bonding during countless
hours of excitement over the trials and tribulations of the game, the 2013 Celebration in
‘Rider nation will also be about hometown
pride and a celebration of togetherness as
the nation gathers to celebrate the most storied sporting event in our nation, the 101st
Grey Cup.

GREY CUP SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Mosaic Underground

Wed Nov 20 Saturday Nov 23
11 am – 7 pm

Mosaic Festival Village
Downtown City Square
Plaza

This “underground”
party will feature live
entertainment, special
appearances and cool
contesting.

Free

Tent

Nissan Family Zone

Wed Nov 20 –
Saturday Nov 23

Mosaic Festival Village,
Downtown, City
Square Plaza

This family friendly
celebration will include
inflatable fun, special
appearances, carnival games,
cook-offs and the amazing
juggling act Duo Lumix.

Free

Telus Street Festival

Wed Nov 20 Saturday Nov 23

Mosaic Festival Village,
Downtown, City
Square Plaza

Autograph opportunities,
interactive fun for CFL fans,
plenty of games and exciting
live entertainment every
night.

Free

01st Opening
Ceremony

1

Wed Nov 20
noon – 2:00 pm

Mosaic Festival Village,
Downtown, City
Square Plaza

Kick off celebrations!

Free

Riderville

Wed Nov 20 to Sun
Nov 24

Credit Union
EventPlex, Evraz Place

Riderville - a “Celebration in
Rider Nation”

Please see CFL Hospitality Rooms pricing

CFL Hospitality

Thurs Nov 21 - Sat
Nov 23

Credit Union
EventPlex, Evraz Place

Featuring the Lion’s Den,
Stamps House, Touchdown
Manitoba, the Double Blue
Bash, Tiger Town

Team Party Pass (sold out)
Individual Day Passes (all room access: available at the door
while supplies last)
Thursday $35, Friday $40, Saturday $40

ibson’s Finest CFL
Player Awards

G

Thurs Nov 21 6:30
pm - 9:00 pm

Conexus Arts Centre –
200 Lakeshore Drive

The Gibson’s Finest CFL
Player Awards recognizes
outstanding achievement
at this exciting awards
ceremony.

Premium Awards Ticket: $150 + applicable fees (includes
Leader-Post Party)
Awards Show Tickets from $40 - $80 + applicable fees
Ticket information:
http://101greycupfestival.ca/tickets

Leader-Post Players

Thurs Nov 21 - Post
CFL Players Awards

Conexus Arts Centre –
200 Lakeshore Drive

Enjoy delicious food,
featured drinks &
entertainment while mingling
with CFL Greats.

Admission Included With Premium Ticket

Molson Canadian Live

Thurs Nov 21 7:00
pm - 11:00 pm

Brandt Centre – 1700
Elphinstone Street

Hedley is a four piece multiplatinum pop group from
Vancouver, BC.

Tickets from $39-$69 + applicable fees
Ticket information:
http://101greycupfestival.ca/tickets

CFLAA Legends

Fri Nov 22 12:00
pm – 2:00 pm

Queensbury
Convention Centre

A Celebration of CFL
Alumni

Ticket price: $150 + applicable fees
Ticket information:
http://101greycupfestival.ca/tickets

Molson Canadian Live

Fri Nov 22 7:00 pm
– 10:00 pm

Brandt Centre – 1700
Elphinstone Street

Canadian Band celebrating
their 25th Anniversary

Tickets from $39-$69 + applicable fees
Ticket information:
http://101greycupfestival.ca/tickets

Canadian Football

Fri Nov 22 7:00 pm
- 11:00 pm

Travelodge Hotel &
Conference Centre

Proceeds go to the Canadian
Football Hall of Fame and
Museum

For tickets and more information please contact info@
cfhof.ca or (905) 528-7566

he Safeway Grey Cup
Parade

T

Sat Nov 23 9:30
am start

Begins at the Legislative
Building, follows the
Green Mile and finishes
at Regina Centre
Crossing

A parade to celebrate the
Grey Cup

Free

cotiabank Gala –
Taste of the Nation

S

Sat Nov 23 5:00 pm
– 11:30 pm

Casino Regina & Delta
Hotel

An evening of CFL spirit,
comedy & music featuring
Host Brent Butt & a
performance by Juno awardwinner, Serena Ryder

For ticket inquiries, please send your contact information to
[email protected]

Molson Canadian Live

Sat Nov. 23 7:00 pm
- 11:00 pm

Brandt Centre – 1700
Elphinstone Street

American musical act with
hits such as “Get Your Game
On” and “Rock the Boat”

Tickets from $39-$69 + applicable fees
Ticket information:
http://101greycupfestival.ca/tickets

Pre-Game Party

Sun Nov 24 12 pm –
5:00 pm

Credit Union
EventPlex – Evraz
Place

Cabaret-style celebrations
including performance by the
Sheepdogs

$25 + applicable fees
Ticket information:
http://101greycupfestival.ca/tickets

Countdown To Kickoff

Sun Nov 24 12:00
pm - 5:00 pm

Queensbury
Convention Centre

Features a Tailgate Grill,
End Zone Edibles and
Saskatchewan entertainment

Ticket price: $150 + applicable fees
Ticket information:
http://101greycupfestival.ca/tickets

Practice Field Party

Sun Nov 24
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Mosaic Stadium –
Practice Field

Biggest Practice Field Party
of the year!

Free

101

Sun Nov 24 5:00 pm

Mosaic Stadium at
Taylor Field

101st Grey Cup Game

Get ready to pack Mosaic Stadium!

Rooms
(including Riderville)

Awards Post Party

Champion’s Concert
Series - HEDLEY

Luncheon – Presented
by Sask Lotteries
Champion’s Concert
Series – BARE NAKED
LADIES

Hall of Fame Party

Champion’s Concert
Series – BIG & RICH

st

Grey Cup

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF
REGINA’S HOUSING STOCK
by Doug Elliott, Publisher
Sask Trends Monitor

T

his is the sixth in a series of articles about the 2011
census data for Regina city. This month we are looking at
some of the characteristics of the city’s housing stock.
These data are from the National Household Survey
(NHS), which is the name that Statistics Canada is using
for the voluntary part of the 2011 census. The quality of
the data from the NHS is suspect because of the switch
from a mandatory to a voluntary survey. This is, however,
the only source of data available about these aspects of
the population so we have no choice but to use it.
Housing-related data from other sources is plentiful. We
have housing starts and completions (CMHC), the value
of residential building permits (city records), rental rates
and vacancy rates (CMHC), and the state of the resale
market (Regina Realtors). The NHS supplements these
statistics with information about the stock of housing in
the city and some measures of suitability.
Age and Type
In 2011, there were 85,935 occupied private dwellings
(see box for definition) in the city and surrounding
metropolitan area. This works out to an average of 2.4
persons per dwelling. The number of dwellings increased
by an average of 1.4% per year from 2006 to 2011 which
is faster than the 1.2% rate of growth in the population.

Definitions
Statistics Canada defines an “occupied private dwelling” as a
separate set of living quarters with a private entrance either from
outside or from a common hall, lobby, vestibule or stairway inside the
building in which a person or a group of persons is permanently
residing. The entrance to the dwelling must be one that can be used
without passing through the living quarters of someone else. Most
basement suites would therefore be classified as separate dwellings.
Each apartment in a building is a separate dwelling.
The Regina census metropolitan area or CMA is the city plus the
surrounding “bedroom” communities such as Pilot Butte, Lumsden,
and Balgonie. These statistics are based on where you live not where
you work.

This means that a) the number of dwellings is keeping
pace with the population growth and b) the number of
persons per dwelling has declined slightly.
The single detached dwelling dominates housing in
Regina as it does in the province as a whole. In 2011,
69% of dwellings in the city were single-detached
dwellings. The second most common kind of dwelling,
accounting for 17% of the total, was an apartment in a
low-rise building, that is, in a building with fewer than
five storeys. Another 5% of dwellings are apartments in
high-rise buildings. Figure 1 shows that there has been
little change in mix of housing types over the past ten
years. From 2006 to 2011, row houses, semi-detached
houses, and low-rise apartments became more common
but are still pretty rare.
Compared with Saskatoon, single-detached houses are
more common in Regina. Saskatoon has more row
houses, duplexes, and apartments.
The construction boom over the past few years has added
Figure 2: Age of Dwellings (year
constructed), Regina CMA

Figure 1: Type of Dwellings, Regina CMA

2001

71%

2006

69%

22%

2011

69%

22%

22%

2001

11%

2006

10%

2011

9%

0%
0%

20%

40%

Single detached dwelling

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60%

80%

Apartment

100%

Other

38%

44%

36%

41%

33%

20%

7%

13%

39%

40%

60%

19%

80%

Before 1946

1946 to 1970

1971 to 1990

After 1991

100%

SPECIAL CHAMBERLINK FEATURE BY SASK TRENDS MONITOR
a significant number of newer dwellings to the city’s
housing stock. Figure 2 shows the age of dwellings based
on the year of their original construction. Fully 12% of
dwellings in the metropolitan area (the equivalent of
10,000 units) were built after 2000.
Tenure
In 2011, 71% of dwellings were owned by the occupant.
This is an increase from 69% in 2001 so almost all of the
increase in the last ten years has been among owneroccupied dwellings. The majority (58%) of those owned
homes have a mortgage. One in nine dwellings (11%) is
part of a condominium.
Regina homes are more likely to be owned than those in
Saskatoon – 71% compared with 69%. Condominiums are
more common in Saskatoon than Regina – 16% compared
with 11%.
Condition
Respondents to the NHS were asked if their dwelling was
in need of any repairs (and not to include any desirable
renovations). The possible responses were:
• No, only regular maintenance is needed
(painting, furnace cleaning, etc.);
• Yes, minor repairs are needed (missing or loose
floor tiles, bricks or shingles, defective steps,
railing or siding, etc.); or
• Yes, major repairs are needed (defective
plumbing or electrical wiring, structural repairs
to walls, floors, or ceilings).
This is a somewhat subjective measure of housing
condition but useful nonetheless.

Given the increase in the number of new dwellings, one
would have expected a decline in the number of dwellings
in need of repairs. Figure 4 shows that this is not the case.
From 2006 to 2011, the proportion of houses in need of
repairs grew from 36% to 38%. There was also an
increase in the proportion of dwellings in need of major
repairs. Apparently the quality of the city’s housing stock
has deteriorated, at least from the perspective of the
occupants.
The proportion of Regina dwellings in need of major
repairs is higher than in Saskatoon (9% vs. 6%). This has
typically been the case over the years and may a
consequence of Regina’s famous “gumbo”.
Suitability
In spite of the fact that families are smaller than they used
to be, dwellings are not. The average Regina dwelling had
6.7 rooms in 2011 compared with 6.5 ten years ago.
The number of bedrooms in a dwelling combined with the
number, age, and sex of the persons living there can be
used to derive a measure of crowding or what CMHC
calls housing “suitability”. For example a married couple
with two teens could make do with a two-bedroom house
if the children were of the same sex but (according to the
standard) would require three bedrooms if they were of
different sexes.
In 2011, about 4,200 Regina dwellings or 5% of the total
were classified as crowded. Crowded conditions are much
more common among rented dwellings where 11% are
crowded compared with 3% for owned dwellings.
Crowded housing is slightly more common in Saskatoon
than in Regina.

Figure 3: Tenure of Dwellings, Regina CMA

2001

32%

2006

37%

30%

2011

0%

31%

40%

30%

40%

2001

8%

2006

8%

28%

30%

41%

20%

Figure 4: Condition of Dwellings, Regina
CMA

29%

29%

60%

80%

100%

2011

9%

29%

Owned without mortgage
Owned with mortgage
Rented

0%

10%

Needs major repairs

20%

30%

40%

Needs minor repairs

ChamberLink 11

Figure 5: Percent of Dwellings that are
Crowded, Regina CMA, 2011

Figure 6: Percent of Dwellings that are
Unaffordable, Regina CMA

12%
11%

2001

10%

21%

8%

2006

6%

20%

5%

4%
3%

2011

2%

0%

Owned

Rented

All dwellings

Affordability
The NHS provides some financial information about
dwellings and the income of those who live in them. In
particular, respondents report their rent or mortgage
payments and those who own their dwellings are asked to
estimate their market value.
The market value of the average owner-occupied dwelling
in Regina was $328,000 in 2011. The equivalent figure in
2006 was $158,000 so the average price has doubled over
the five years. The average dwelling in Saskatoon had an
estimated market value of $346,000 in 2011.
By comparing household incomes with the payments for
housing, Statistics Canada develops a rough measure of
affordability. In the measure, a dwelling is considered
unaffordable if their major payments (rent, mortgage
payments, taxes, and utilities) exceed 30% of household
income before taxes. The average of these major
payments for Regina dwellings was $11,000 per year in
2011 so household income would have to be more than
$33,000 for such a dwelling to be classified as affordable.
Just over one fifth of Regina dwellings (22%) were
classified as unaffordable in 2011. This compares with
20% in 2006 and 21% in 2001 so housing affordability
has deteriorated in the past five years but not as much as
one might have expected because incomes have grown
quickly as well as housing costs.
Unaffordable housing is somewhat more common in
Saskatoon where 25% of dwellings are classified as
unaffordable.

ChamberLink12

22%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Compared with 22% overall, affordability is more of a
problem among renters (44%) than among homeowners
(13%), particularly if they are mortgage-free (6%). Not
surprisingly, those with lower incomes are more likely to
live in unaffordable housing. The majority (65%) of those
with household incomes under $40,000 per year are in
housing that is not affordable but a significant number
(7%) of those with higher incomes are also in housing that
is classified as unaffordable.
There is a good deal of overlap among the three quality
measures – unaffordability, need of repairs, and crowding.
Overall, we find that a third (32%) of dwellings have at
least one of these problems.
Summary
In 2011, there were 85,935 occupied private dwellings in
the Regina metropolitan area. The number is increasing
more quickly than the population. In terms of the
characteristics of these dwellings in 2011:
• 69% of dwellings were single-detached houses;
• 19% were less than 20 years old;
• 9% were condominiums;
• 29% were rental units; and
• 30% had a mortgage.
In terms of housing quality, a third of Regina dwellings
have at least one problem:
• 5% were classified as crowded;
• 9% were in need of major repairs; and
• 22% were classified as unaffordable.
In the next issue, we will look at personal income.
______________________________

Source: Sask Trends Monitor from the Statistics Canada NHS data

From the Dean of Business
by Andew Gaudes, PhD

I

tober issues of Avenue magazine in Calgary
and Edmonton, as well as WestJet’s in-flight
Since becoming Dean of the Paul J. Hill magazine Up. It’s also running in a NovemSchool of Business I have enjoyed several ber issue of Maclean’s.
conversations with Daphne Taras, Dean of
the Edwards School of Business. In each of This is the first collaboration for our Schools,
our discussions we’d go off into topics that and some would ague long overdue. While
were rich and varied…and we’d always come Daphne and I can delight in the idea that this
back to agreeing that we should explore possible collaborative initiatives that could leverage the strength and success of our undergraduate business programs.
t’s a Saskatchewan thing…

We know the students in both our Schools
are highly motivated to learn, and year-overyear perform and place among the top business schools in competitions across Canada.
In case presentations our students handily
demonstrate their knowledge, prowess, and
straight out “chutzpah” to the judges. Their
performance regularly results in jaw-dropping presentations often capped with humble
expressions of a job well done, rather than
high-fives or victory dances.
Our students are golden when pitted against
other Western Canadian business schools in
the premiere business school competition
JDC West. Our Schools have repeatedly won
individual case categories, and for the past
two years the Business School of the Year
cup has remained in our province: The thrill
of victory has now been shared by both Hill
(2012) and Edwards (2013) teams.
In all this we saw a natural fit in jointly promoting the success of our Schools and the
prosperity of our province. The result is a
full-page ad, inviting people to come to Saskatchewan for university studies in business
and for opportunity. The ad ran in the Oc-

You could say it’s a Saskatchewan thing. Go
Riders!

THE PLaCE WHERE
Y O U R C H I L D W I L L S O a R.
(aND IT’S ONLY a SHORT FLIGHT aWaY)

Saskatchewan has become synonymous with prosperity, growth,
and an entrepreneurial spirit – fostering this success are the
Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan,
and the Paul J. Hill School of Business at the University of Regina.
Our business programs instill critical thinking and problem solving in students, which has led to repeated
success in business school competitions locally and abroad. Both Hill and Edwards Schools dominate in
Western Canadian business case competitions — each attaining Business School of the Year in the past
two years at the prestigious JDC West. Our graduates are renowned for their work ethic, knowledge, and
integrity, and consistently become visionary leaders of commerce and industry around the world — and it
all starts here, in Saskatchewan. When it comes to opportunity, the sky’s the limit.

U N I V E R S I T Y

O F

hill.uregina.ca

ChamberLink14

may not have happened without our “blueskying,” it didn’t hurt being in a province
known for integrity, humility, and mutual respect that is positioned for growth.

R E G I N A

www.edwards.usask.ca

Comfortable and spacious accommodations located throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta.

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1-800-661-4879

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Executive Royal Hotel North Calgary
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Econolodge Canmore
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Best Western Plus Pocaterra Inn
1-888-678-6786
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Royal Hotel Lloydminster
1-800-661-7221
West Harvest Express Lloydminster
1-888-505-8884
www.royalhotelgroup.ca

www.royalhotelgroup.ca

Investing for the future
SaskPower is committed to investing responsibly to ensure our customers
have the power they need — today and for future generations.
We are preparing today for a smarter, more responsive electrical system
for the future. To learn more, visit saskpower.com/our-power-future

We’re adding 3,000 km of lines
to our distribution network.
That’s enough to stretch from
Regina to Montreal.

By 2017 we’ll have added more than 200 megawatts of wind
power to our network. That’s enough to power over 86,500
homes (or the equivalent of Prince Albert and Moose Jaw).

ChamberLink 15

Expert Advice
Travelling Outside the Country?
Read the Fine Print.
When travelling, most of us assume coverage through our group plan or a policy
we purchase individually, is adequate in the event of a medical emergency.
However, not all polices are created equally.

Darcy Stasuik
Advisor
Ph. 306-564-6323 Ext. 689
[email protected]

Heather Renshaw
Associate Advisor
Ph. 306-564-6323 Ext. 683
[email protected]

The Fine Print
Many policies exclude coverage for incidents related to a pre-existing condition.
This could be anything you’re taking medication for, have seen a doctor about,
or have had issues with previously; but not with the CHAMBERS PLAN.
Built into every CHAMBERS PLAN Extended Health Care package, is one of the
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For a Chambers Plan quote for your business please contact us!

Members in the news

C

hamber member Gavin Semple and
Brandt Industries’ Thanks a Billion
program made a donation of $1.75 million
to Luther College.

business this year.

Young’s Equipment Inc. celebrated its 25th
anniversary with a $500,000 donation to the
air ambulance rescue STARS foundation.

Wallnuts Expressive Catering & Wicked
Meals-To-Go, located at 232 College Ave.
East, is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Joel Pinel, owner of WOW Factor Media in
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan - won the 2013
BDC Young Entrepreneur Award contest
and the $100,000 national grand prize with
the turning point project, Equipment Edge.

Virtus Group, one of the largest independent firms of professional accountants and
business advisors in Saskatchewan, is celebrating its 50th year in business.

Sasktel had the highest customer satisfaction
rating among the country’s full service wireless companies in a JD Power & Associates’
annual survey. Sasktel, the country’s smallest full-service wireless company, polled the
highest in six of the seven categories.
Congratulations to One Stop Vacuum Centres who are celebrating their 45th year in

Congratulations to Alliance Energy on their
100th year anniversary.

Bradbury Branding & Design has been recognized twice in Graphis Poster Annual
2014, a yearly publication featuring the best
poster designs from around the world, for
their work on the Secret Gardens Tour and
New Dance Horizon’s May Day Spring Prelude fundraiser. They were also recognized
with a Silver Award in Interactive Design for
the Bradbury website in the Graphis Design
Annual 2014.

Pro AV is celebrating serving Saskatchewan
for 30 years.
Susan Barber, senior partner with McDougall Gauley LLP, was awarded the Dr. Robert
& Norma Ferguson Award for Outstanding
Service at the University of Regina’s Alumni
Association awards. Mark Stefan, investment
adviser with RBC Dominion Securities Inc.,
was also honoured with the Award for Distinguished Humanitarian & Community Service.
TD Bank Group generously contributed
$350,000 to support Aboriginal students at
the University of Regina.
Don’t see your company’s achievement here? Please
contact Aimee at [email protected] to
ensure your achievement is in the next Members In
The News.

Wage Subsidy Program
Connecting Job Seekers with Disabilities to Employers

T

he Neil Squire Society is a national
not-for-profit organization that uses
technology, knowledge and passion to empower Canadians with disabilities. The Society has developed innovative programs and
services and some of the world’s leading
edge assistive technology for people with
disabilities.

providing a wage subsidy for a minimum of
six months. During this exciting opportunity,
the Neil Squire Society will be partnering
with the Regina Chamber of Commerce; together they will help employers create a more
diverse and inclusive working environment.

Today, during its 29th year, the Neil Squire
Society is pleased to present a new wage subsidy employment program called Working
Together. The Working Together Program
is funded by the Government of Canada’s
Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities.

There is often an assumption that someone
who has a disability is unable to participate in
the workforce. By introducing this new program, and providing employers with a wage
subsidy, employers will experience the benefits of hiring people with disabilities. This
program will help eliminate stereotypes and
myths that are placed upon people with disabilities and their ability to be employed.

The Working Together Program connects
job seekers with disabilities to employers by

If you are an employer and you would like
to learn more about the Working Together

wage subsidy program please contact the
Neil Squire Society, or the Regina Chamber
of Commerce.
Neil Squire Society
306.781.6023
[email protected]
www.neilsquire.ca

ChamberLink 17

New Members
ITC Codes Marketing
Bambi Blair
icesalesrep.com/CA421

A new and innovative marketing program
that could potentially help to save a life! Explode sales $$$$, increase customer loyalty,
generate referral business and most importunately support your community. It can assist
‘someone in trauma’! Marketing and Possibly ‘Life Saving’. Are you ready? I have your
I.C.E. keytags.

The Sign Guy
Darrell Strugari
306.522.7446
The Sign Guy is Regina’s largest portable
sign company providing both letter and mini
billboard type signs. Rentals to suit your
needs for any length of time. We DO NOT
lock you into a lengthy contract. We adhere
to all city bylaws & have locations in and out
of Regina.

Groovetime Creative
Lee Jones
groovetime.ca
Your message needs to be seen and heard but
you can’t afford a big ad agency. Groovetime
Creative offers big ad agency experience,
ideas and results at freelance rates for clients
and projects of every size. Visit groovetime.
ca to view some of the province’s most
memorable campaigns and let’s groove.

Christie Lites Sales
1.800.668.2207
christielitessales.com

Christie Lites Sales provides a high quality experience through focus, relationships,
value, and most importantly, by placing our
customers first. We are a national lighting
technology company that supplies the finest
equipment and services to an extensive client
base from coast to coast, including theatre,
worship spaces, trade shows, television and
film, architectural, display installations, and
special events.

ChamberLink18

Events Calendar
Breakfast Series - “It Takes Power To Grow”
SaskPower President & CEO Robert Watson
WHEN: Wednesday, November 13th 11:30 am Registration
WHERE: Delta Regina, Lombardy Room
Prices:
$25 Member Pre-registered / $30 Member at the Door
$40 Non-member Pre-registered / $45 Non-member at the Door
(Prices include GST)

Wine and Cheese Mixer Host: AllStar Tech
WHEN: Thursday, November 28, 2013 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
WHERE: TBA - Check reginachamber.com for updates
Prices:
$15 Member Pre-registered / $ 20 Member at the door
$30 Non-member Pre-registered / $35 Non-member at the door
(Prices include GST)
Proudly Presented By:

*

Now accepting nominations for the
2014 Paragon Awards!
Go to reginachamber.com for more details.

PROUD SPONSOR

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GET IN THE GAME AT

Focus on road trips,
not market dips.

Look forward to a brighter investment horizon.
Ask us about Money for Life™ from Sun Life Financial.
Regina Financial Centre
Call, write or visit us any time.
306-757-8631
www.sunlife.ca/regina
2002 Victoria Avenue, Suite 1200
Avord Tower
Regina, SK S4P 0R7
© Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, 2013.

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