BC Economic Fundamentals 2008-08

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Farm dominates Langley, valley

Langley`s success in agriculture can be traced back to the Hudson`s Bay Company`s farms.

Langley has flourished as a unique farming community for more than 180 years.

A 2007 Township of Langley Geomatics map showing nearly three quarters of the Township remains in the Agricultural Land Reserve is striking proof of the continuing importance of this historic way of life and livelihood to the people of this community.

http://www.canada.com/langleyadvance/news/...cf-36bdbdbe1586

 

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Canfor building energy plant in Fort St. John

Canfor is investing $13.5 million to build a new wood residue energy facility at its Fort St. John sawmill at the same time as it closes the door to the possibility of rebuilding the Prince George North Central Plywood plant that was gutted by fire in late May.
The money is coming from the $36.3 million the company expects to get from insurance payments for the plywood mill.

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/2008080...t-st.-john.html

 

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Ambulance society gives Gorge Road Hospital new lease on life

The nine lives of Gorge Road Hospital continue as the facility greets a new occupant, St. John Ambulance, next week.

The hospital -- which was almost shut down in 2001 because it was riddled with toxic mould, only to be remediated and reopened to become a kind of holding tank for seniors awaiting transfer to other facilities -- is in transformation again.

The hospital is closing 112 residential care beds, of which 52 are residential care beds and 60 are transitional care beds, with 30 of those to be moved to Aberdeen Hospital. That will leave 64 residential care beds in the Waterview unit of the hospital.

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonis...ee-283bf2944136

 

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Residents say bylaw unconstitutional

Three residents who had their properties searched due to suspicions they housed marijuana-growing operations have filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court against the Township of Langley, challenging the constitutional validity of a bylaw that allows for such inspections.

In each of the three cases, which occurred from July to October 2007, no marijuana plants were discovered, according to the petitions.

"They came forward because the Township of Langley bylaw program caused them harm. The petitioners believe that those types of bylaws are unconstitutional," said Kirk Tousaw, the lawyer representing Karen Probert, Matthew Black and Tammy Rosin in the case.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/we...8e-2a148b03e7a9

 

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Local trade boosts B.C. resorts

Combine rising fuel prices with falling U.S. tourist traffic to B.C., and you get a likely recipe for a disastrous summer for B.C. mountain resort operators.

Who wants to golf, mountain-bike or zip-line at a four-season resort if you have to spend a fortune on gas just to get there?

However, most year-round B.C. resorts report summer traffic so far has held up well, driven by new attractions, great July weather and strong business from local visitors choosing to stay closer to home this year.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/bu...1e-7286e9d9966b

 

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Is now the time to plunge into the U.S. housing market?

Just four years ago, with the Canadian dollar at a lowly 85 cents against the American dollar, Canadians winced at even shopping across the border.

But with our currency riding high, we`re no longer feeling like the poor cousins. Now, even buying a vacation home or investment property in the U.S. seems within reach.

And the stars are lining up for Canadian buyers in other ways: the collapse of the U.S. housing market has led to steep drops in home prices in prime locations like Florida.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/bu...e0-9ebbc312a452

 

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Vancouver provides model for Red Deer planning exercise

Red Deer, Alta., is halfway between Edmonton and Calgary. But in terms of a planning vision, many community leaders would like it to be halfway between Yaletown and Kitsilano.

Recently, I helped launch Red Deer`s Greater Downtown planning week, organized by the city administration and two local planning firms, John Hull Architect and Grandview Consulting.

Also participating in the program was Michael von Hausen, an internationally acclaimed Vancouver-based planning consultant, and his "swat team," which had recently returned from a similar planning exercise in Russia.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/we...95-815351d2c5f1

 

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Park`s future still undetermined

The future of some Greater Vernon parkland is still unknown.

The Vernon School District decided in early July that it will never construct a school at N`Kwala Park on MacDonald Road and the 7.46-acre site will be sold. It has been leased by the Greater Vernon Services Committee since 1986 for soccer fields and a playground.

"I`ve talked to the school district and let them know that we have an interest in the property," said Al McNiven, GVSC`s parks and recreation administrator.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similk...s/26195734.html

 

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Hotel sold for millions

One of the most familiar buildings on Kelowna`s skyline will soon have a new owner, and a new name.

The Grand Okanagan Lakefront Resort and Conference Centre was brought into the Delta Hotel fold for the cool price of $131 million.

Calgary based owner Royal Host Real Estate Investment Trust has owned the hotel since 1997, and reportedly made a profit of about $78 million from the deal, scheduled to close by Aug. 14.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similk...s/26195949.html

 

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Did water mains break off?

Was it a case of the water mains in west Maple Ridge simply shearing off because the weight of a building settling on them?

That`s one of the questions home improvement expert Shell Busey would ask after pondering the case of the water main breaks in west Maple Ridge.

At least a dozen homeowners in the area have gone through the experience in the past year in the Stanton Avenue area, west of 203rd Street,

Last week, three homes on Stanton Avenue were without water after their water mains broke. Busey said he`d like to know if the water mains passed through a sleeve in the foundation as they entered the house and if the mains or pipes just sheared or broke right off.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/tri_city_maple_...s/26164764.html

 

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Mall gives up parking spaces to house relocated restaurant

Finding a parking spot at Orchard Park shopping centre may be a bit of a pain in the butt lately, but it won`t be for long.

Construction crews are moving into the north corner of the lot to excavate, and lay the foundation for a new 6,000 square-foot Milestones restaurant.

Once all the equipment has been moved onto the site, the clog will diminish in size and there will be little disruption to shopping as usual.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similk...s/26088284.html

 

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Learning from behind the wheel

Three years ago Conrad Lefebvre noticed there was a serious dearth of tradespeople able to effectively operate heavy equipment.

Boomers were embarking on an exodus out of the workplace, while a generation of potential workers were funneling into universities to pursue degrees.

"None of the high school people were interested because it was a blue collar job," he said. "Trades were stigmatized."

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similk...s/26088274.html

 

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Kamloops still a tourist draw

Despite the strong loonie and declining U.S. economy, summer tourist season in Kamloops is booming.

It`s about half-way through the season and Lee Morris, CEO of Tourism Kamloops, isn`t overly concerned about what`s happening south of the border, pointing out the River City is doing better than other parts of B.C.

"We are a little less impacted because our U.S. market, outside of coming on a train or coming on a coach, is a fairly small percentage of our visitation," Morris said, noting there`s a small decline in the U.S. rail market.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_thompson_nic...s/26196714.html

 

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Hotel to see major repairs

The Town of Ladysmith is initiating repairs that could cost up to $233,000 on the abandoned Travellers Hotel on First Ave.

"It`s just not a structure that`s sound at the moment," said Director of Corporate Services, Sandy Bowden.

The Travellers Hotel is privately owned, but the Town is taking precautions against the building deteriorating. They`re concerned it will deteriorate so much that pieces will start to fall onto nearby buildings or pedestrians using the sidewalk in front of the hotel.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/business/26008099.html

 

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Houses for rent during the Olympic Games

People from around the globe will be streaming into B.C. for the Olympics, but many have nowhere to stay.

That was the epiphany Chilliwack entrepreneur Jarrett Vaughan had last fall when he came up with the idea of maximizing revenue potential with rental properties with a website he called 2010HouseRentals.com.

"It is no secret that there is an extreme accommodations shortage in the Lower Mainland for the Vancouver-Whistler 2010 Winter Olympic Games," he said.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/business/Houses...mpic_Games.html

 

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Cops warn of online rental scams

Bridgette Clark-Carmichael thought she`d found the perfect apartment in downtown Victoria -- a three-bedroom beauty in the Mermaid Wharf building, on Store Street, with a private rooftop patio and a waterfront view. The rent? A mere $1,300 a month.

But the 23-year-old, who had just moved to the city four months ago, was about to learn the brutal reality of apartment-hunting in Victoria: If it looks too good to be true, you`re about to get scammed.

The apartment ad was posted on Craigslist, a free online classified site, and Clark-Carmichael e-mailed the supposed owner: [email protected].

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonis...9f-8c75121ec95d

 

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Bridge jam-ups lead to Valley building boom

W ith last week`s news from TransLink that a replacement for the aging Pattullo Bridge will have tolls, it`s hardly surprising that many who live south of the Fraser River now prefer to stay home.

For once all these new bridges are built over the Fraser -- the Golden Ears currently under construction, the planned twinning of the Port Mann Bridge and now a replacement for the Pattullo -- all but the Alex Fraser and Oak Street bridges in this lower river region will have tolls.

Tolls and rising fuel costs, plus the frustration of crossing always congestion-plagued bridges, has fed a Fraser Valley recreation, sports and entertainment building boom.

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sto...c2-35db62ce298a

 

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Future of Amtrak project in doubt

Millions of dollars have been spent and the siding track has been in place for months, but the start-up date for a promised second Amtrak train linking Vancouver to Seattle remains uncertain.

Officials in Canada and the U.S. have confirmed the service will not begin until the Canadian Border Services Agency works out how it will handle additional incoming traffic from the U.S.

"We are working very closely with the Canada Border Services Agency, working back and forth on the details right now," said Scott Witt, Washington state department of transportation rail and marine director.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/st...b5-5de298f11b6e

 

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Market continues to grow

Despite exorbitant fuel costs, Jack McKellar makes the weekly trip from Oliver to Prince George to sell cherries, apples, peaches and apricots at the farmers` market every Saturday at Wilson Square.
Along with Prince George, McKellar and his business partners also park their Okanagan Sunshine truck at the Hart Mall, after which they head west to Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake and Burns Lake.
"We still make a buck," said McKellar, who sells from the George Street side of the market. "We`re the grower. The independents, they have a flat tire or something, they`re screwed."

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/2008080...es-to-grow.html

 

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Gas mania predicted to fuel B.C. economy

VANCOUVER -- The United States` pain is Canada`s gain when it comes to energy.

A new report from CIBC World Markets says electricity and natural gas prices will surge as North American utilities shift from coal-fired generation to cleaner burning natural-gas generation.

Gas prices are tied to oil prices, which are predicted to stay strong despite a recent fallback, and that means utilities seeking gas to fuel generating facilities will have to pay more -- significantly more -- than at present, and pass those costs along to customers.

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonis...0e-a805aea1b425