The City of Regina wants to improve its process for issuing building permits and now it will bring in a consultant to identify where red tape can be cut.

The consultant will review the city's process for issuing the permits and make recommendations to simplify the process and shorten wait times.

"One of the concerns I hear most often from the public is how long they must wait before building permits are approved," Mayor Michael Fougere said in a press release.

The release said both developers and residents have been affected by the time it takes for a permit approval, if it's even approved.

"At a time when our building sector has slowed down, it is incumbent on the City to move these approvals through as quickly and thoroughly as possible," Fougere said.

Unsold and vacant homes in Regina continue to hover around the 10-year average, according to the latest report on the housing market in the city.

It noted that there were only 111 residential building permits issued during the first quarter of 2019 — a decrease of more than 67 per cent from the same time last year.

"However, policies such as the provincial PST on construction and the [federal mortgage stress test] will continue to dampen home sales growth," the Regina and Region Home Builders' Association said in its report.