AB Economic Fundamentals 2008-08

[joeiannuzzi]

Whyte Avenue cafe owner dreams of Wi-Fi for all

EDMONTON - An Old Strathcona cafe owner hopes to blanket the area and eventually much of the city with what`s apparently Edmonton`s first free wireless Internet network created by a private group.

Eric Warnke of Free WiFi says the group has set up at least seven locations since June from which people can access the Internet with laptops, cellphones, new iPods and other equipment, averaging 400 to 500 individual users a month.

"People view (the Internet) as an essential service; people make a point of going out to cafes with their laptops to study," he says.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...e1-7cd5c8b546a6

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Joslyn oilsands mine takes step forward

CALGARY - Total Canada`s Joslyn north oilsands mine took a step forward after the federal government on Friday struck a joint-review panel to consider a formal regulatory application.

The review panel, which will be formed in conjunction with the provincial government`s Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB), paves the way for a full-blown public hearing later this year.

The announcement comes after Total Canada president Mike Borrell earlier this spring complained that the extended timelines would push the startup of the project past its original 2014 completion date.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...d1-26277e6e9312

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Depersonalize when selling

At first, I didn`t believe all those home stagers who say that before you put your house on the market, you should strip it of your personality. Pshah, I thought. That advice is for people who have no taste, no style. They haven`t seen my home -- or yours. Who wouldn`t appreciate our family photos, book collections (some of my books still have the "used" stickers from college), and mementos of our travels?

When Lisa LaPorta, co-host of HGTV`s Designed to Sell, finally convinced me otherwise, the news felt like a body blow.

"Home buyers don`t want to know you better," she said. "Depersonalizing a home lets buyers imagine themselves in it."

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...59-36e90cf30816

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Bighorn councillors wary of residential development

A residential development proposed along the eastern border of the municipal district of Bighorn has politicians concerned the municipality might get all of the problems and none of the benefits. The Rockwater Heritage Ranch, owned by Alberta Mining Corp. Group, is proposing a residential development of roughly 68 units on 320 acres in Water Valley, near the northwest edge of the municipal district, located about 50 kilometres west of Calgary.

The remainder of the property, a roughly 310-acre parcel of deeded land and an 8,200-acre grazing lease, located in the M.D. of Bighorn, would be used to allow the ranch to continue operating and provide recreational opportunities for residents.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/c...1b-5add2af7f59e

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Market would make a good neighbour

Last week`s column questioned the reasons in making a decision about the most appropriate location to buy a house or condominium, which brought a number of responses from readers. Most agreed on the factors of the equation but others added a few more of their own.

Schools and access to public transit scored high on people`s lists, but being close to a shopping mall is also important to some people.

An elderly friend recently retired to Victoria and she says a big plus there is the opportunity to live in a condominium that allows her to walk to the shops every day.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/l...1e-6e9bab96f5ee

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Resale housing market takes summer holiday

At least there is something normal about the resale market -- the number of new listings is levelling out.

The number of homes coming to the MLS market usually peaks around May and then starts to decline as the year progresses.

After going crazy for the past couple of years, that`s what has happened this year, says Calgary Real Estate Board.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/n...82-78789e09c027

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Wheels turning for commuter plan

Park the car and take the bus or train.

The Calgary Regional Partnership -- an association of 18 communities and one First Nation representing a total of 1.2 million residents -- has had transportation and transit initiatives as a key element in its drive to develop a well-rounded regional land use plan.

Now, thanks to $2 billion from the provincial government, officials of this decade-old partnership have the ability to begin to develop a regional transportation system that will connect higher population centres around Calgary.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/n...c6-494460f392a9

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Rental condos ease vacancy crunch

New condo units coming online in Calgary will continue to put pressure on the rental market in the next year, says Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

But the balance between the number of units for rent and the demand from potential tenants, will remain healthy, say rental industry officials.

Vacancy rates stood at two per cent in Calgary in April, up from a low 0.5 per cent during the same time last year, says CMHC.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/n...c0-f501d8ecc57b

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Inner-city project postponed

Construction on the second phase of The Bridges -- one of the largest redevelopment projects in Calgary`s history -- will likely begin next spring, says a city official.

The second phase, originally scheduled to start sometime this year, is waiting for the three builders involved to secure the necessary permits, says Colleen Roberts, project manager at The Bridges.

The project is a city-owned development located in Bridgeland on the site of the demolished Calgary General Hospital, just northeast of downtown across the Bow River.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/n...d1-a81ea785fc6c

 

[Mauro]

This is very interesting data but does anyone know where to find the definitive source of this data? I`d like to see the "official published data" myself.
The data in this news article seems to be wrong when compared to the Realtors Association of Edmonton data found at Housing inventory softens in Edmonton area

Housing market conditions in Edmonton continued to ease up in the second quarter of 2008, as excess inventory, in what is still one of Canada`s highest priced housing markets, forced a period of necessary moderation, according to a House Price Survey and Market Survey Forecast report released by Royal LePage Real Estate Services.
Inventory levels, which increased in the last 12 months, led to a softening of Edmonton`s housing market, characterized by a decrease in year-over-year average price appreciation for all housing types surveyed during the second quarter.
Looking ahead at the second half of 2008, the average house price in Edmonton is forecast to decrease by 0.5 per cent to $337,000 by the end of year. Unit sales are projected to decrease by 18.2 per cent to 16,700 units sold during the same period.

http://www.camrosecanadian.com/News/413911.html

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Wasp nests bring out swarms of exterminators

It`s the height of wasp season, and business is buzzing at Birch Fumigators and Tree Spraying.

The company gets as many as 40 calls daily to remove wasp nests. Employees at Birch and other exterminators say they can barely keep up with demand.

"It`s been hot out a lot. The nests are getting larger and larger," Birch owner James Baxter said.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...23-b2b85f61eb0f

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Owner faces 29 charges in fire

The owner of an illegal rooming house in which two tenants died in a fire has been charged with 29 fire code violations and faces fines of up to $435,000.

At a pre-arranged meeting Saturday, Calgary fire inspectors served Tan Yeng Li with multiple charges stemming from the July 31 northwest blaze.

Investigators found no fire alarm system, storm windows nailed shut from the outside and padlocked doors. Li was collecting rent from eight men crammed into the two-storey house listed as single-family residential at 1810 1st St. N.W.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/s...86-1b8c146f8dd0

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Affordable homes come to town

Affordable housing in the Lac La Biche area is believed to be scarce, but so were the people last week at an open house for the area`s newest affordable housing development. Domain Properties recently held an open house for their new affordable housing development, but nobody showed up to the information session.
Danita Axenchuk, land developer with Domain Properties, isn`t worried about the lack of attendance. She sees it as almost a good thing, since nobody came out to object to the plans, which could see construction beginning this fall..

http://www.laclabichepost.com/news/2008/0805/news3.htm

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Beetle battle key to protecting Foothills

Officials at the heart of the fight to keep the mountain pine beetle at bay in the Kananaskis say their success is essential to prevent the bug from spreading further through the eastern slopes area.
Joanna Byers, Alberta Sustainable Resources Development (SRD) pine beetle information officer, said the Province has to focus on efforts in Kananaskis to ensure the beetles don`t spread to areas such as Bragg Creek or Turner Valley.
"The work that`s happening here is to protect further spread to areas like the Bragg Creek area," she said.

http://www.westernwheel.com/news-beetle.htm

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Province provides funds for flood damage

The Town of Okotoks will be able to get some help from the provincial government to cover damages from the May flood as the Province announced $107 million in disaster funding for damage caused by wildfires and floods.
Nancy Weigel, Okotoks` municipal communication manager, said the Town has already applied for $1.5 million from the province. She said the application is still pending approval and the Province was slated to send someone to Okotoks on Tuesday to evaluate the Town`s damage report.
"It hasn`t been approved yet, but we do have a representative coming out to survey the damage," said Weigel.
The Province has earmarked $13.7 million for flood damage in southwestern Alberta, and the cities of St. Albert and Lethbridge. The bulk of the funding will go to damages sustained in municipalities along the mountain foothills as far south as Pincher Creek.

http://www.westernwheel.com/news-flood.htm

 

[joeiannuzzi]

First Calgary Savings banking on new Okotoks branch

Okotoks` financial services sector is continuing to grow as one of the province`s top credit unions is looking to expand into Okotoks.
First Calgary Savings will open a branch in Okotoks next year as part of a mixed commercial/residential development in the downtown area.
While construction is expected to begin next month, Debbie Pratt, First Calgary vice-president of sales and marketing, said an opening date hasn`t been set.
"I suspect it will probably be in the fall of next year, that`s the best I can say right now," she said.
With a host of financial institutions already calling Okotoks home, she said there`s plenty of business to go around in the growing Okotoks community.

http://www.westernwheel.com/news-saving.htm

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Undevelopable lot to get new life at Lions campground

Plans are in the works in Turner Valley to move and expand the Hells Half Acre Campground to a spot overlooking the Sheep River Valley and sitting over top of an active sour gas pipeline.
Turner Valley Mayor Dona Fluter said the campground, operated by the Foothills Lions Club, is a boon to the community because it brings in tourism dollars and the club redirects proceeds back into local programs.
Foothills Lions Club president Tyler Bray pointed out that the new campground makes good use of the land, which is limited due to the grid of oil and gas pipelines running beneath the surface of the nine-acre property. The level, treed and grassy setting is north of the river at the corner of Main Street and Decalta Road.
"A lot of the land has pipelines going through it — so you can`t build normal construction on this location," said Bray. "There are some major pipelines that run underneath the property. The major lines we can`t build on top of."

http://www.westernwheel.com/news-lot.htm

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Lots of Hat homes on the market

According to Medicine Hat Real Estate Board president Lorne Krause, residential listings have increased dramatically this year and subsequently reduced the pressure for buyers looking for a new home.

"When you have an awful lot of product on the market, it`s giving the consumer choices that they haven`t had over the last few years," said Krause.

A total of 2,466 listings were placed since the beginning of 2008, compared to 1,786 at the same time in 2007, he says. The average sale price is up to $261,170.

http://www.medicinehatnews.com/content/view/41146/27/

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Suntanning nude neighbour could hike value of your property

Dear Mr. Civics,

I live in an upscale townhouse in a nice neighbourhood. My problem is my next door neighbour. She`s a professional woman, quite striking actually, who seems to go through men like I do socks. But more alarming is the fact she sunbathes completely nude in her backyard on Saturday afternoon. From my upstairs bedroom window, I can see her clear as day. Should I call the police?

Signed Prudence Biddy

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...89912c0&p=2

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Fringe Festival fits Inglewood like a glove

It appears the Calgary Fringe Festival has finally found itself a home.

That`s the verdict from organizers, patrons and area merchants regarding this year`s edition of the Calgary fringe, where hundreds of theatre-lovers spent the past week hoofing up and down 9th Ave-nue in Inglewood to catch one of 25 different shows.

"I like it (in Inglewood)," said Bowness resident Cliff Persaud. "It revitalizes the community a little. How often are we going to come to Inglewood?

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/s...11-90b03d844251