GET TO KNOW REGINA
photo credits: Regina Economic Development
Home of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Regina, Saskatchewan has become a prime destination for travelers looking for a traditionally, warm Canadian welcome, within a vibrant city. As a city growing, prosperity and pride Regina is quickly making a name for itself on national and international stages.
We welcome you to witness a place that has gone from an open prairie field to one of Canada’s fastest growing, dynamic cities. Thousands of hand-planted trees and man-made pathways and lakes have paved the way for breath-taking attractions and gorgeous landscapes.
If you look at a map of North America, you'll find Regina nestled right at the center of the continent, in the heart of the Canadian prairies. Saskatchewan is the land of the living skies and is known for breathtaking sunrises and sunsets and dazzling you with a blanket of stars in the night sky with a hint of aurora borealis – the beauty of the northern lights.
Regina is located on Treaty 4 land and within the traditional territory of the Metis. Indigenous people have lived in this region through many thousands of years. This area was one of the important places where Indigenous people would come to hunt the roaming herds of bison. They began to stack the long bison bones into large piles to honour the animals’ spirit as the bison herds were becoming depleted due to overhunting by non-Indigenous hunters. Indigenous peoples named the area oskana ka-asastēki, which roughly translates to “bone piles”. European explorers, fur traders and settlers translated this to Pile of Bones.
By 1903, Regina’s population had grown to 3,000. On June 19 of that year, the community officially became a city, with Jacob W. Smith as its first mayor.
In 1905, Saskatchewan became a province. In 1906, Regina was named capital of the new province. At that time, Saskatchewan was the fastest growing province in Canada. Regina became the home of the historic Saskatchewan Legislative Building in 1912.
The Northwest Mounted Police (now the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or RCMP) were formed in 1873 to police the western territories. In 1882, they moved their headquarters from Fort Walsh, SK to Regina. In 1920, the headquarters moved to Ottawa, but the RCMP Training Academy remains in Regina to this day.
Where the land is flat and seems to stretch far and wide, Regina is an oasis of trees, people, and buildings. What was once barren grassland, the “Queen City” is now a thriving home to more than 230,000 people. For a more in depth look at heritage in our city, or to go on a heritage walking tour of some of the Queen City's most iconic buildings, check out www.heritageregina.ca.
became a province. In 1906, Regina was named capital of the new province. At that time, Saskatchewan was the fastest growing province in Canada. Regina became the home of the historic Saskatchewan Legislative Building in 1912.
For a more in depth look at heritage in our city, or to go on a heritage walking tour of some of the Queen City's most iconic buildings, check out www.heritageregina.ca.
There’s always something happening in Regina! Check out the events calendar and find other things happening in Regina at:
Want to make the most of your time in Regina? These digital guides have something for everyone’s interests:
Regina is investment ready and a great place to do business. Get started at:
