The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the Regina Public Library to cut wasteful spending on its Writer-in-Residence program that pays established authors up to $35,000 to spend most of their work week on their own writing projects.

“The Regina Public Library is asking families to pay more in taxes while it cuts $35,000 cheques to an author to spend most of their time on their own projects,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director. “That’s a subsidy with slightly more steps.”

The Regina Public Library Writer-in-Residence program cost taxpayers $33,204 in 2025 and $35,240 in 2024, according to documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

The program “provides opportunities for members of the community to get assistance and advice from an established Canadian writer, while allowing the writer to devote time to a specific writing project.”

The program requires the writer to spend at least 16 hours a week meeting the public requirements of the position. One of the requirements is to “read manuscripts and confer with Regina writers on their work.”

The rest of the time can be “devoted to personal projects.”

The writer had an average of 15 consultation meetings per month in 2024-25 and 7.8 per month in 2025-2026 so far, according to the documents.

The current Writer-in-Residence published more than 20 novels.

The library is requesting a 4.33 per cent mill rate increase next year. This would represent a more than $1.2-million tax hike in 2027.

The library has increased taxes nine out of the last ten years.

“Twenty novels in, this author doesn’t need Regina taxpayers footing the bill for their next one,” Haubrich said. “The library needs to cancel this program and drop its tax hike.”