Regina—Wascana

Regina—Wascana is an urban riding covering the southern and eastern portions of Saskatchewan's capital city. Bounded by Albert Street to the west, the Canadian Pacific Railway to the northwest, Victoria Avenue to the north, and Range Road 190 to the east, the district contains many of Regina's most recognizable landmarks—including Wascana Centre, a 930-hectare urban park built around Wascana Lake that houses the Saskatchewan Legislative Building, the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, the Conexus Arts Centre, and the Saskatchewan Science Centre. The University of Regina occupies a prominent footprint within the park. The riding's eastern edge takes in the city's commercial "big box" retail corridor along Victoria Avenue East.

With an average individual income of approximately $48,553, Regina—Wascana had the highest income of the three Regina federal ridings at the time of the 2016 census. The riding's linguistic profile is predominantly English-speaking at 78.3%, with smaller communities speaking Mandarin (2.3%), Tagalog (2.0%), French (1.6%), Punjabi (1.3%), and German (1.3%). The demographic mix spans a wide economic range—from student housing near the university to affluent suburbs in the east end where homes can approach $1 million, alongside modest neighbourhoods where properties sell for well under $100,000.

Candidates

Michael Kram (Conservative) Raised in south Regina and a graduate of Dr. Martin LeBoldus High School, Kram holds a Bachelor of Science in computer science and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Regina, with additional economics studies at Carleton University. He spent 20 years in the information technology sector, including contract positions with the Department of National Defence. After losing to longtime Liberal incumbent Ralph Goodale in 2015, Kram defeated Goodale by over 7,000 votes in 2019—ending a 26-year Liberal hold on the seat.

Sean McEachern (Liberal) A University of Regina graduate, McEachern worked as Special Assistant to former Finance Minister Ralph Goodale before spending 12 years at the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, including five years as Director of Policy and Communications. At the time of the campaign he served as Executive Officer to a Deputy Chief Monitor with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine.

Erin Hidlebaugh (NDP) A community organizer and advocate residing in Moose Jaw, Hidlebaugh worked as Community Connections Coordinator for Moose Jaw Pride. She brought a background in journalism, communications, municipal government, and non-profit work to a campaign focused on expanded health care coverage, long-term care reform, Indigenous rights, and a guaranteed livable income.

Mario Milanovski (PPC) Milanovski represented the People's Party of Canada in the riding, campaigning on the party's core platform of reduced government spending and personal freedoms.

About the Riding

Regina—Wascana's economy is driven by government, education, and commercial services. As the seat of provincial government, the riding benefits from a large public-sector employment base concentrated around the Legislature and surrounding government offices. The University of Regina enrols approximately 16,000 students and is a major employer in its own right, with research strengths in energy and environment, Indigenous education, and social policy. The riding's eastern commercial corridor along Victoria Avenue is one of the busiest retail zones in southern Saskatchewan.

The riding held outsized significance in Canadian politics for decades as the constituency of Ralph Goodale, who represented the area from 1993 to 2019—serving as Minister of Finance, Minister of Public Safety, and Government House Leader under multiple Liberal governments. His defeat in 2019 by Kram marked a tectonic shift in the riding's political orientation and underscored the broader Conservative sweep across Saskatchewan. Kram's 2021 campaign sought to consolidate that realignment.

Housing affordability and suburban development in Regina's east end were persistent local issues heading into 2021, as the city expanded rapidly into new neighbourhoods. Health care access—particularly wait times at the Regina General Hospital—also featured prominently on the campaign trail, alongside concerns about pandemic recovery and the economic trajectory of Saskatchewan's resource-dependent economy.