Regina
CPR divisional point became provincial capital; RCMP Depot Division trains every Mountie here since 1885. Government and Crown corporations anchor economy. By 2026: scaling infrastructure as Saskatchewan grows toward 1.4M target.
Regina exists because the CPR needed a divisional point on the prairies. Founded in 1882 where Pile of Bones Creek met Wascana Creek, the settlement was named for Queen Victoria—Regina is Latin for 'queen.' The following year it became capital of the Northwest Territories, and when Saskatchewan joined Confederation in 1905, Regina remained the provincial capital.
The city's other founding institution arrived in 1885: the North-West Mounted Police established their training headquarters here, and the RCMP Depot Division remains the national training academy for all Mounties. Every RCMP officer passes through Regina. The Heritage Centre draws tourists to see the institution that helped settle—and police—the Canadian West.
Regina's economy runs on government, Crown corporations, and the resource extraction that dominates Saskatchewan. SaskTel and Saskatchewan Government Insurance provide stable employment; the provincial legislature anchors the downtown. Beyond government, the city serves as a distribution hub for the agricultural hinterland—canola, wheat, potash, and oil flow through here. Saskatchewan's GDP hit $80.5 billion in 2024, up 3.4% from 2023, with exports reaching 161 countries.
By 2026, Regina faces the capital city's perpetual question: can it become more than an administrative center? With 1.23 million people now calling Saskatchewan home—on track for the provincial goal of 1.4 million by 2030—Regina's infrastructure must scale with population growth. The city where every Mountie trains may need to train something else: workers for the diversifying economy beyond resources and government.