AB Economic Fundamentals 2008-12

[joeiannuzzi]

1208ALTA
Alberta still ranked No. 1 for investors

Alberta continues to have the best investment climate of any province and Ontario, which historically has ranked first or second, has slipped to fifth spot, the Vancouver-based Fraser Institute said in releasing its annual ranking.

Alberta was Canada`s top province, with a score of 8.5 out of a possible 10 in the institute`s annual index that evaluates the public policies it says create and sustain a positive investment climate.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...05-fbebce34f5f8

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208REDR
City hopes to make an impression along its highway corridors

The Red Deer region could see new entryway signs and more attractive shrubs along major highways under new development guidelines.

City of Red Deer and Red Deer County plan to create design standards for future development along Highways 2, 2A, 11, 11A and 595 within the Intermunicipal Development Plan.

Preliminary designs were unveiled at Wednesday`s open house inside Westerner Park`s Harvest Centre.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradv..._corridors.html

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208REDR
Riverview homeowners face hefty bills to join city services

Residents in the Riverview Park area near Heritage Ranch will have to fork out an average of $45,000 each to tie into the city`s water and sewer services.

The 24 properties along Cronquist Drive are to be annexed by the city as part of a proposal to add 7,500 acres to its boundaries.

Frank Peck, the county`s director of operations, said the city asked the county to get started on the local improvement plan in preparation for the annexation.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradv...y_services.html

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208ALTA
Fewer Albertans willing to build a life on the farm

Albertans are rapidly giving up life on the farm for towns and cities, mirroring a national trend showing an overall decline in the rural population.

Statistics Canada reports the number of people living on farms in Alberta dropped by 6.5 per cent, to 155,095, between 2001 and 2006.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/c...84-98af52836576

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208CALG
Mayor fears province will increase property tax take

Mayor Dave Bronconnier used a report examining funding options for municipalities to once again pitch that the province should stop collecting the education portion of property taxes.

"We fully expect, with some of the rumblings coming out of Edmonton, that they are once again going to take advantage of picking up more money from Calgarians on their property tax,"Bronconnier said Thursday, adding he believes there could be a five per cent increase on the $542 million collected in 2008.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/c...31-1ba30e35ed79

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208CALG
16th Ave. project hits bump

City council will be asked to back a move to expropriate a northwest home as part of the 16th Avenue widening, the latest chapter in a project that has already hit several speed bumps.

City staff say the land around 16th Avenue and 2nd Street N. W. is needed to build a laneway behind a commercial building.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/c...95-b2905bfa318e

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208CALG
Building bust the pits


Residents of a centuryold heritage building in the Beltline are worried a nearby abandoned tower site could cause structural damage to their home. Laurieanne Lynne lives in the Imperial Lofts condominiums on 11 Ave. and 1 St. S.E. and her unit overlooks a deep pit where the 30-storey Sky Tower was slated to be built along 10 Ave., a mixed-use skyscraper.

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2008/1...642331-sun.html

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208REDR
Tower can stay: board

An Eckville-based company will not be required to dismantle a 29-metre Benalto communication tower that provides Internet service after winning an appeal of an earlier Red Deer County municipal planning commission decision.

Red Deer County`s subdivision and development appeal board issued its ruling on the tower on Friday. The board noted that Powers Enterprises Ltd. had the support of a number of area residents, who counted on the tower to provide the most reliable option for high-speed Internet access.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradv...stay_board.html

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208REDR
City hopes to spend $499 million on capital projects

The City of Red Deer wants to push forward with major high-priced capital projects next year, leading to a significant increase in debt.

During a news conference on Friday, Mayor Morris Flewwelling and senior management gave details from the proposed $499-million 2009 capital budget, along with a 10-year plan, that will go to city council on Monday.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradv...l_projects.html

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208REDR
Land-use region altered

Efforts to address Central Alberta`s land-use planning issues have been given a boost by the addition of a Red Deer region in a new framework developed by the province.

In early versions of the Land-use Framework, Central Alberta was lumped into a huge Southern Region stretching south as far as the border. The new plan divides that region roughly in half and includes most Central Alberta communities in a broad strip extending to the Saskatchewan border.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradv...on_altered.html

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208REDR
Sylvan Lake to get Canadian tire `smart store`

Sylvan Lake will be among the first communities to receive a Canadian Tire "Smart store."

The town`s municipal planning commission recently approved an application for a development permit for a Canadian Tire outlet in the northeast corner of the SmartCentres shopping centre in Beju Industrial Park.

Lisa Gibson, Canadian Tire`s associate vice-president, media and public relations, said details of the Sylvan Lake project won`t be available until after Dec. 12, when the appeal period for the commission`s decision expires.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradv...mart_store.html

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208EDTN
Council trims proposed hike in own office budget

EDMONTON - City councillors heeded a request by one of their colleagues to show leadership Friday and reduced a proposed 11-per-cent increase in their 2009 office budget.

While they chopped $100,000 from the suggested hike to their $2.8-million budget, they`ll still receive an extra $213,000, a boost of 7.6 per cent.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...b5-5445f5b9b422

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208ALTA
Economic snapshot: Massive sinkhole ahead

Edmonton / Todd Hirsch has a rare combination of skills. That`s why he`s one of the most widely quoted economists in Canada.

As ATB Financial`s senior number cruncher, Hirsch spends his days analyzing, debating and explaining the latest data on inflation, unemployment, retail spending, capital investment and commodity prices.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...0dd0e8e&p=1

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208ALTA
Condo dwellers needn`t suffer in silence over noise problems

People who live in apartments generally accept a certain level of noise as part of their urban living experience.

But there are limits to the amount of noise anyone can tolerate.

When that threshold is passed, your once peaceful and tranquil home can suddenly become a source of stress and anxiety.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...03-13f5423ce967

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208ALTA
Tories vow to protect oilsands

The Harper government pledged to protect the oilsands sector from economic uncertainty as it challenged opposition parties on Friday to explain how their proposed coalition would regulate pollution from the western Canadian industry.

Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt said the long-term implications of Liberal and New Democrat policies on the energy sector could damage Canada`s economy.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/s...e0-bba71c892f22

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208CALG
Older homes hard to find

There`s a lot of talk around town about the state of the housing market and I`m certain some realtors are feeling the pinch a little as fewer transactions are taking place. But houses are still being sold and I would presume that for those with the cash or the mortgage there are some good deals around, especially compared with the market at this time last year.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/l...95-a2ca9a9fb7bf

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208CALG
`Neglected` area to help transform city

Chris Ollenberger sees himself as being in a position to make Calgary a better place to live.

You may not have heard of this young man, but he is at the head of an operation charged with redefining the look of a much maligned, controversial area of this city--a 20-block area behind the Municipal Building known as East Village.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/n...6b-be56409f49f6

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208ALTA
Banks buck the trend with expansion plans

Businesses across the country may be putting their growth plans on hold as the economy goes into a tailspin, but in Alberta, major financial institutions are forging ahead with plans to open more than two dozen new branches in 2009.

TD Canada Trust, BMO Bank of Montreal, RBC and Scotia-bank are among the majors set to open new branches throughout Alberta in 2009, with TD leading the pack with nine new branches in the works.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/c...b1-d9d6304bfee0

 

[joeiannuzzi]

1208CALG
Calgary bucks job-loss trend

Calgary and Alberta have escaped the steepest job losses Canada has seen since the recession of the early 1980s.

Statistics Canada reported yesterday that in November, the unemployment rate edged up 0.1% to 6.3% nationally, which translates into a loss of 71,000 jobs, the single-largest monthly drop in more than two decades. In Calgary, however, the unemployment rate fell to 3.7% in November from 3.8% in October.

http://calsun.canoe.ca/Business/2008/12/06/7654206-sun.html

 

[joeiannuzzi]

AB Small Town Updates: 2008-12-07