The City of Regina is planning $8.2 million in upgrades to Mosaic Stadium next year, drawing from reserve funds as the city gets set to host the Canadian Football League championship in November 2027.
A new city report lays out the work for the home of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, which will welcome the 114th Grey Cup on Sunday, November 7, 2027. The game marks the fifth time Regina has hosted the big event.
The investment is on top of $1.5 million the city has already committed to help the Roughriders run the Grey Cup Festival. City council approved that spending in a 6-2 vote last week, though exactly where the money will come from has not been decided. Council will settle on pulling from reserves or adding it to property taxes when it meets in December 2026.
The latest upgrades show the city is sticking with its nearly decade-old facility. Mosaic Stadium opened in 2017 after a $278 million build, backed by an $80 million grant from the Government of Saskatchewan, a $73 million city contribution, and $25 million from the Saskatchewan Roughriders, with the remaining $100 million covered by debt repaid through ticket fees. The city still puts roughly $11.5 million each year toward that debt, with paydowns expected to run until about 2045.
The stadium is operated by REAL District, the arm’s-length city corporation that runs several public venues. The 2022 Grey Cup brought more than 26,600 visitors to Regina and spurred $43.8 million in local economic activity, according to deputy city manager Jennifer Johnson.
Not everyone on council is comfortable with the extra spending. Ward 8 Coun. Shanon Zachidniak and Coun. Sarah Turnbull voted against the $1.5 million festival contribution. Zachidniak said property owners already feeling squeezed likely would not support it. Still, the majority of council backed the plan, signalling the city is all in on showing off the stadium and drawing the national spotlight back to Regina.
