Regina: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today called on the City of Regina and the provincial government to fully release stadium reports, some paid for with tax dollars.

The CTF asked the City of Regina for copies of the February 14, 2008 executive committee report on Mosaic Stadium, the March 2007 Mosaic Stadium audit and conceptual designs which were commissioned by the Roughriders. The city refused to disclose most of the information.

In a written response dated July 22, Mayor Pat Fiacco said that after discussing the issue with the Roughriders, the city has “taken those representations into consideration and have decided not to release the information.” In addition, two booklets submitted as part of the audit “have been withheld from release in full because of pending policy or budgetary decisions.”

“It is contemptible that the city would withold information so key to the stadium debate, but it is outrageous for Mayor Fiacco to say the debate itself is the reason to hide that documentation,” said CTF Saskatchewan Director Lee Harding. "How can taxpayers know if a new stadium is necessary without knowing what shape the current one is in or what renovations the Roughriders wanted? And why wasn't the Riders' conceptual design included in the province's stadium report either?"

The CTF also requested the full text of the stadium report that was commissioned by Crown Investments Corporation (CIC) for $70,000. However, it only received the same summary recently made available to the public. In a letter dated July 17, Ron Styles, president and CEO of CIC, admits this summary "excludes certain confidential financial information and commentary prepared for the government of Saskatchewan" that is present in the full report.

The CTF is appealing to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner to have the documents disclosed. The city's letter can be read by clicking here, and CIC's response by clicking here.