Meet Regina mayoral candidate: Rod Williams

Mayoral profiles: Shawn Sparvier, Rod Williams WATCH: Donovan Maess introduces us to Shawn Sparvier and Rod Williams, who are running for mayor of Regina.

Rod Williams is running for mayor because while he believes Regina is a great city, he says it can do better.

“My platform is priorities first and affordability,” he told CTV Morning Live on Nov. 4. “I want to be able to stay in this town like so many others and we have got to keep it affordable.”

Williams is a Western Hockey League alum, spending time with the Regina Pats and winning a Memorial Cup with the Medicine Hat Tigers.

He’s been a steel worker at Evraz for over 30 years.

“My background taught me hard work and to never quit,” Williams said in a video posted to the Elections Regina website. “My plan for City Hall is to protect its citizens and its tax dollars.”

He believes property taxes are increasing at unsustainable rates.

“Ten straight years [it went up,” Willaims said during the CTV Morning Live interview. “In 2024 alone, it was 5.29 per cent. My worry is when you go four and five per cent every year, and that trend continues, it's unsustainable.”

“People better realize that where we're going. It's not good if we got to keep that back down to where we freeze for a few years,” he added.

Williams’ campaign platform is heavy on affordability and addressing a soaring cost of living for residents.

“I will work to change a culture of reckless spending and excuses for new taxes,” he said during a streamed mayoral debate on Access TV. “That practice ends now.”

He also vows to make Regina safer, friendlier and more accommodating, particularly in the downtown.

“I want to change the culture of negativity in our downtown,” Williams added during the debate. “I'll do that by talking to restaurants, business owners and all the people that have stock in downtown's best interests.”

Williams will also push for continued accountability of elected officials.

“It's disappointing so many [previous councillors] helped pass the pool,” he told CTV Morning Live. “Now, they're not running. We need that money to help fix this homelessness issues.”

If elected, it is Williams' hope that Regina remains one of the most affordable cities in Canada.

“That means living within our means,” he said.

Residents will go to the polls to elect their mayor, city councillors and school board trustees on Nov. 13.

Information on how to vote, ward profiles and candidates can be found here.