Regina
The city of
Regina is the capital of
Saskatchewan, in
Canada. It is the commercial and cultural center of the southern part of the province. The Regina City Council is the governing body of the city.
History
The city was established in 1882 and used to be the headquarters of the
Northwest Territories, which are now the provinces of
Alberta and Saskatchewan. The name of the city was taken from Queen Victoria or Victoria Regina. It was Princess Louise, the daughter of the queen who gave the city its name in 1882. In terms of both population and economics, the city grew at a fast rate until the Great Depression. After the depression, the city’s economics slowed down. During the 1930’s, the city became the breeding ground for political activism. It became well known for the Regina Riot, a demonstration that sought to challenge the economic realities during the Depression.
Economy
Regina’s
economy benefits from the abundance of
natural gas,
oil, potash, bentonite, sodium sulphite, and kaolin. The agricultural sector also plays a significant role in the city’s economy. The grain-handling cooperative giant, Viterra Inc., contributes to agricultural development in the city and the province as well. The Exxon Mobil maintained a petroleum refinery in the city for many years. The city has a good reserve of oil that is being exploited for economic purposes. The
Canadian insurance company, Crown Life also transferred its national head office from
Toronto to Regina. There are also different science and technology companies that are being hosted by the Regina Research Park. These companies conduct different types of research with the help of a variety of departments in the University campus.
Demographics
The total population of the city, according to the Canada 2006 Census, is 179,246. The most populous
ethnic group in the city are the Germans, followed by the English, Scottish, Irish, Ukrainian, French, Aboriginal, and other minorities in descending order. However, a lot people in this area have a mixed ethnic background. In general, citizens of this city refer to themselves as Reginans, disregarding the differences in ethnicity. As to the population of Aborigines in the area, the number ranks 7th in the whole of Canada. There are about 15, 685 who are considered Aborigines. According to the 2006 census, the majority of people living in the area are Protestants. Protestants comprise 41.5 percent of the population, while the Roman Catholic religion comes second with 32.3 percent. Other religions include Eastern Orthodox, Jewish, and ethnic minorities like Muslims, Hindu and Buddhists.
Places of Interest
A considerable portion of the city has been allotted as green spaces and parks. One of the places to visit during both summer and winter is Wascana Lake. The lake is the venue for skating during winter, and boating activities during summer. The central business district, Victoria Park offers ornamental ponds and green spaces. The Qu’ Appelle Valley offers winter ski resorts for winter vacations and getaways.