How Chad Bachynski became Regina's mayor with just $12,000

Alexander Quon · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 05, 2025 7:34 PM EST | Last Updated: March 6

Regina's caller politician says helium is impervious that it doesn't instrumentality wealth to win successful politics.

Financial records tabled astatine Regina metropolis assembly connected Wednesday amusement Bachynski's run spent a small much than $12,000 during the 2024 municipal election.

"$12,000 is simply a batch of money, it truly is," Bachynski said connected Wednesday.

"What I learned is the outgo for a billboard, a outgo for a tiny batch of signs — it's not insignificant, it does adhd up. But what we besides showed is with a beardown squad and a beardown strategy, I deliberation we showed connection of rima tin spell a agelong way." 

The 38-year-old Bachynski had nary governmental acquisition earlier deciding to tally for mayor. 

Against a tract of 10 different candidates — including incumbent Sandra Masters and sitting councillor Lori Bresciani — Bachynski spent acold little than the different large candidates portion earning 31.5 per cent of the ballot successful November's election.

Bresciani's second-place campaign spent $24,000 and earned earned 24.9 per cent of the vote.

Masters's run spent $62,000 and ended up placing third, earning 23.1 per cent of the vote. 

Bill Pratt, who placed fourth, spent $43,000 and earned 12.1 per cent of the vote.

Bachynski said neither his triumph nor the stark opposition successful the campaigns' expenses are not surprising.

"I was conscionable taking vantage of each accidental to effort and get successful beforehand of people," Bachynski said. 

Crowded field, large dollars

Thomas Day, Bachynski's run manager and present main of staff, said helium didn't person immoderate governmental acquisition erstwhile Bachynski approached him to tally the campaign. 

"The politician and I worked unneurotic astatine SaskEnergy," helium said. "Truth beryllium told, I told him 'Hey, I've never had campaign acquisition before,' and helium benignant of joked and said, 'Well, I've ne'er tally for politician before. So let's learn this together."

Bachynski said helium believes their inexperience was an advantage. 

Day said they didn't attack this run with a dollar fig successful mind. 

"One of our guiding principles was to beryllium outgo effectual because, astatine the extremity of the day not knowing however the process worked, we weren't definite if we were going to beryllium capable to rise $100 or $10,000," Day said.

The bounds for however overmuch candidates could walk successful the municipal predetermination was $73,859 for mayoral candidates and $12,236 for assembly candidates.

An investigation of fiscal disclosure records shows Bachynski's run was outspent successful astir each category, lone spending much than the 3 different large candidates successful slope charges and fundraising charges.

Masters's run spent $19,000 connected advertizing — with billboard advertisements on the Ring Road and different areas of the metropolis — while Pratt spent $13,000 connected the aforesaid category. Bachynski spent $299. Those figures don't see tract signs.

Bresciani spent $5,700 connected advertising. Her largest disbursal was astir $12,000 connected signs.

Masters spent nearly $25,000 connected signs, portion Pratt spent $2,700.

Pratt's largest disbursal was nearly $13,000 to rent a abstraction connected Hamilton Street downtown for his run headquarters.

Day said the Bachynski run was focused connected a week-by-week approach.

"This week we request to get flyers for erstwhile we commencement doorway knocking, and hey, present we've earned capable wealth that we tin bargain immoderate tract signs," Day said.

Day said helium was ne'er amazed by the effect from the public. Instead, each caller instrumentality astatine their disposal was an "encouraging" sign, helium said.

Campaign disclosure

According to the City of Regina report, lone 2 of the 63 candidates successful the municipal election — Chidi Igwe successful Ward 1 and Talha Khan successful Ward 2 — failed to record their expenses by the deadline.

As a result, those 2 could look fines of up to $10,000 if they are prosecuted and convicted. They volition besides not person a $100 deposit back.

Clerk Jim Nicol said prosecution is simply a past resort.

Nicol said a much elaborate study connected the lessons learned from the 2024 predetermination run volition spell to assembly aboriginal this year.