REGINA — Regina city council has shot down approving prime ice time for adult recreational hockey.
Coun. Mark Burton (Ward 4) presented a motion during Wednesday’s council meeting, requesting access effective Dec. 1, for adult recreational hockey slots from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Friday, and Saturday and Sunday from 7:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Last year, several senior hockey teams’ ice times were changed after Young Guns Hockey Academy and Brandt Centre — operated on the property of Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) — struck a deal allowing the group to control ice time not already allocated to the Regina Pats.
Burton’s motion argued hockey is the only sport in Regina with adult recreational hours extending past 10 p.m., while most other sports end by 9 p.m.
“The vast majority of these players are in their 40s and 50s. These are the people who are working, they have families, [and] they’re coaching kids. While an adult can play past 10 p.m., they have kids who need to sleep by then,” said Burton.
However, the timing of the motion raised concerns among hockey groups.
“A motion of this nature at this time of year would be catastrophic to the organization’s traditional programming, impacting over 2,000 local families, and more potentially provincially,” said Amanda Hungle, executive director of Hockey Regina Inc. (HRI).
Hungle said HRI uses more than 11,000 hours of rink time at 13 indoor facilities in Regina, including practices, games, tournaments and events.
With teams and leagues already committed to schedules from October to February, she said the process would now become disruptive.
Instead, Hungle suggested discussions on scheduling should take place during the offseason.
City administration noted it is reviewing policy on ice time allocation in collaboration with other Western Canadian cities.
REAL will also work with the city on ice time policy for rinks located on its site.
Administration stressed, however, that the work cannot be resolved for the 2025-26 hockey season, and changing the current schedule to accommodate senior men’s hockey would affect its ongoing work.
“We would end up creating a cascading effect of challenges and scheduling challenges if we were to make changes today,” said Mayor Chad Bachynski during a media scrum.
The motion was defeated 8-3.
City administration will report back to council in Q2 2026 with recommendations on improving the policy.
Bachynski admitted the solution does not guarantee every hour of ice time will be addressed.
