Heritage Regina’s response to City Council’s decision regarding Crédit Foncier.

Heritage Regina acknowledges City Council’s decision to proceed with Option 1 for the Crédit Foncier Building, allowing the Tyndall stone façade to be dismantled and stored for potential reuse in the future. While this approach preserves the possibility of reconstruction or thoughtful incorporation into a future development, it falls short of the strongest heritage outcome—retaining the façade in place, as supported by the Victoria Park Heritage Conservation District guidelines.

Council’s decision keeps a narrow path open for the façade’s return, even if that opportunity lies ten or more years ahead. This is important, as the Crédit Foncier Building remains a significant contributor to the historic character and cultural memory of Regina’s downtown.

However, this process has also made clear that Council has a long way to go in consistently upholding its own bylaws and heritage policies. The Victoria Park Heritage Conservation District was created to prevent exactly this kind of incremental loss, and the repeated erosion of its protected  places in  the district—and the city’s cultural identity—at constant  risk.

Heritage Regina will continue to advocate for stronger adherence to the City’s heritage bylaws, clearer processes, and decisions that honour both the spirit and the letter of Regina’s conservation commitments. We expect that the dismantling and storage of the Tyndall stone will be conducted to the highest standards, with full documentation and transparent oversight, so that future restoration remains a real and viable possibility.

We remain committed to working collaboratively with Administration, the property owner, and the broader community to ensure that the heritage value of this site is not lost but ultimately reintegrated into a revitalised and meaningful place within the downtown.