Ontario Economic Fundamentals 2008 Q2

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Toronto losing its appeal to tourists, report warns

TORONTO - The Libeskind designed Michael Lee-Chin Crystal may be providing Toronto with the architectural cachet many hope will help bring about a tourism renaissance. But the Royal Ontario Museum`s chief executive officer said yesterday that all the litter, dead trees, graffiti, cracked pavement and posters plastered across the cityscape detract from major attractions and leave visitors with an impression that Toronto is a metropolis in decline.

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/to....html?id=510965

 

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Go rail service may be a go in Guelph

GO rail service could be coming to Guelph.

GO Transit decided last week to start a study of what it would take and how big the customer base would be.

There could eventually be a train every 20 minutes during rush hour -- heading to Toronto in the morning and back to Guelph and beyond in the evening -- and every hour outside of rush times.

But it would take years to get to that point. For now, GO Transit has hired engineering consultant R.J. Burnside to do an environmental assessment, which could take until early 2009.

http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/327059

 

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Price rise of new homes slows in March

OTTAWA–Growth in new housing prices slowed for a second straight month from a year ago in March, continuing a downward trend that started in September 2006.

Across Canada, contractors` selling prices rose 6.1 per cent between March 2007 and March 2008, a slightly slower pace than the 6.2 per cent 12-month increase posted in February.

Prices rose 0.2 per cent between February and March.

http://yourhome.ca/homes/article/424680

 

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Another councillor, another transit plan

A city councillor has come forth with yet another plan aimed at solving Ottawa`s commuter frustration.

Kitchississpi Coun. Christine Leadman will unveil her vision for Ottawa`s transit future, something she says the latest plan fails to do. Leadman said she is frustrated with the lack of vision in what has come to be known as "Option Four," which council adopted last month and presented to residents.

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndReg...546891-sun.html

 

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Ex-van plant site rebirth planned

The former site of the Pillette Road van plant has been sold to the Rosati Group, which hopes to attract research and development, light assembly and logistics operations.

The 160-acre property will be renamed the Grand Central Business Park, company co-owner Tony Rosati said Monday.

"We`re launching a campaign today," Rosati said. "We have been working with a few interested parties for parts of the property. Our goal is to redevelop it into a business park that will attract the transportation sector, because of the opportunity with the rail access in the back, as well as logistics, light assembly as well as research and development.

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/sto...65-85a350e31e2e

 

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City looks at Lister neighbour

The city is fast-tracking a heritage analysis on another building in the Lister Block project to protect it from collapse.

"We don`t want to see the same fate that occurred to the Balfour building to happen with the Thomas building," Tim McCabe, general manager of planning and economic development, told council yesterday.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/367960

 

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Is Greenbelt expansion blessing or curse?

A Paris resident helping to mount a door-to-door campaign to make Brant County a part of Ontario`s greenbelt says residents feel development is ruining the local landscape for future generations.

"When you knock on those doors, people say development is out of control," said Mike Toll, a petition organizer and member of Sustainable Brant, a grassroots organization that works to protect farmland and natural areas in the county. "People on the street I talk to think it`s the right thing to do."

Toll and other members of Sustainable Brant have, in recent weeks, been circulating a petition among county residents, asking them to sign on in support of making the municipality a part of the greenbelt, a 1.8-million acre swath of southern Ontario land protected from urban development. The provincial Liberal government created the greenbelt - which borders the eastern edge of Brant County - in 2005 in an effort to protect environmentally sensitive and agricultural lands.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDi...ohn+Paul+Zronik

 

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100 years of banking on the downtown; Scotiabank applauds recent changes in core

Bad times, good times and strange times: the downtown Scotiabank has seen them all in 100 years on Colborne Street.

An after-hours party at the bank last week marked a century in the downtown core for the historic institution with current and former managers, workers and customers.

Leading the party was the branch manager who showed up for a three-week fill-in job and ended up staying for almost 20 years.

"I had done the head office thing and was planning to move back to branch banking in Peterborough but they just kept asking me to stay a little longer," says Trevor Carre.

Carre said he and his wife grew to love the community and soon put down roots in Paris.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDi...th=Susan+Gamble

 

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Taking aim at idling cars; Orillia councillors back proposed bylaw to reduce pollution

Get used to the three-minute rule.

City politicians have backed a proposed bylaw to restrict the amount of time motorists can let their vehicles idle.

"It`s a positive step forward in terms of reducing pollutants and protecting people`s health," Marina Whelan, health hazards manager for the Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit, said after Monday night`s decision.

"I think it`s a great idea," Coun. Tim Lauer said during council committee`s discussion.

But Coun. Joe Fecht predicted those who have become accustomed to automatic starters will find the new bylaw hard to accept: "They`re going to be particularly challenged."

http://www.orilliapacket.com/ArticleDispla...uth=Teviah+Moro

 

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Towers touted for city; Hundreds of units could be built near waterfront

A massive residential project planned near Barrie`s waterfront by Blue Simcoe Development has the green light for a public meeting.

The developer wants to build two huge towers - 25 and 24 storeys - and townhouses. There would be 590 total units, for 1,075 people, on 8.6 acres of land between Lakeshore Drive and Bradford Street, south of High Street.

The project includes ground-floor commercial space on the buildings facing Bradford and a restaurant on the first tower`s top floor - along with more than 950 parking spaces.

Barrie councillors agreed last night, with no discussion, to send the project to a public meeting. It will be held June 23.

http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDi...auth=BOB+BRUTON

 

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Three new garages in Waterloo`s parking strategy

WATERLOO

A new parking strategy for uptown Waterloo includes paid on-street parking and up to three new parking garages.

One of the garages could be built at Caroline Street South and Willis Way by 2013 at a cost of $18.7 million. It could have up to 750 spaces.

The garage might open the way for a Westin luxury hotel in the core.

But city hall staffer Doug Robertson said a formal proposal has yet to be presented to the city.

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/349415

 

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Planners don`t like Lakeview condo project

May 13, 2008 09:54 AM - City planning staff has come out strongly — for the second time — against a high-rise condominium proposed for the Lakeview area, setting the stage for what could be a heated battle before the Ontario Municipal Board.
Mayor Hazel McCallion says she welcomes the fight.
"I`ve no fear of the OMB. They`re legislated by the Province to put in place Ontario`s smart growth policies and this development doesn`t meet the conditions," she said.

http://mississauga.com/article/13984

 

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Agency gets $380K to fight labour crunch; Local employment centre to fast-track professional immigrants into jobs

A St. Catharines-based employment agency has received funding from the province to help fast-track skilled newcomers into professional jobs in such areas as health care and engineering.

The Employment Help Centre received $380,000 of a $27.4-million immigrant job program package announced Monday in Toronto by Ontario Citizenship and Immigration Minister Michael Chan.

Ottawa pledged $8.1 million toward the program as part of the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement.

The money will help the Queenston Street centre run its immigrant employment bridging program.

Services to help immigrants will include:

Language assessments.

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/Article...h=MONIQUE+BEECH

 

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Water taxi not likely to return before next year; No time or money to revive service this summer: treasurer

It`s been years since skyrocketing insurance premiums shut down a Port Dalhousie water taxi, but Port Dalhousie Coun. Len Stack wants the service to be revived.

A boat that ferried pedestrians across Port Dalhousie harbour between the east and west piers hasn`t been in operation since "a significant increase in liability insurance premiums" put the operator out of business in 2004, said a report from city treasurer Shelley Chemnitz.

The city thought it was a valuable service, because it allowed people to park on the east pier and take the water taxi across the harbour to the lakeside community`s entertainment district, the report said.

"Staff issued a request for proposals to secure another operator for the 2005 summer tourist season," Chemnitz wrote.

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/Article...MARLENE+BERGSMA

 

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Strong housing market could be sailing into rougher waters: builders` association president; Expansion of Greenbelt, affordable housing could drive up home prices, Mark Basciano says

Niagara`s housing market is healthy, but trouble could be on the horizon, says the president of the Ontario Home Builders` Association.

The problems won`t come from the home building industry itself, said Mark Basciano, but from other elements of the economy.

"Things are good and the industry is stable," Basciano said at a Niagara Home Builders` Association dinner at Hernder Estate Wines in St. Catharines Tuesday night. "But we are seeing some downturns in the manufacturing sector that have resulted in job losses in places like Windsor. That hasn`t happened like that here yet, but it could. And if it does, it would have a serious impact on us."

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/Article...=GRANT+LaFLECHE

 

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Brant urged to permanently close section of River Rd.

A consultant is recommending Brant County permanently close a section of River Road because of the instability of land in the area.

A February 2007 landslide near Newport and River roads led the county to close the same section of River Road on an emergency basis in May last year. It has remained closed since.

An environmental assessment study recently prepared for the county by Urban and Environmental Management Inc. recommends permanently closing the road between 111 River Rd. and 85 River Rd., as well as undertaking improvements to the nearby Houlding bridge to address slope instability issues near the structure.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDi...ohn+Paul+Zronik

 

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Beware of scam artists, say police

Provincial police are warning people to be wary of home repair and driveway paving scams after a couple of men tricked an elderly woman earlier this week.

The two men visited the woman`s home and offered to take care of small repairs, as well as fix her roof. They asked for and received payment in advance of the work being done, Brant OPP said.

They returned to the home after receiving payment and acted as if they were doing repairs but no work was done, police said.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDi....aspx?e=1026774

 

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City peers across boundary; Orillia councillors debate servicing deal to kickstart proposed Severn subdivision

Plans for a subdivision in Severn Township at Orillia`s northwestern boundary have sparked a discussion about whether the city should get in the business of servicing its neighbours.

And it`s also prompted some city politicians to ask if it makes more sense to make a land grab instead.

Mark Rich Homes Ltd., owned by local developer Angelo Orsi, is planning to build condominiums on a 90-acre parcel north of Highway 11, nestled between Burnside Line and Hurlwood Lane.

But the project, which could also involve commercial development in the future, depends on hooking up to city sewer and water.

http://www.orilliapacket.com/ArticleDispla...uth=Teviah+Moro

 

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Residents fear being forced out; Silver Swan may be levelled to make way for luxury townhomes

Sitting on his weathered deck, 15 feet from where waves on Pumpkin Bay rock his small fishing boat on a bright spring morning, John the Butcher is not complaining.

Well, maybe just a little.

The trumpeter swan that tramps ashore to munch the grass at the Silver Swan Villa Motel keeps yanking the petunias out of the swan-shaped planter on the lawn near his deck.

But that`s a small price to pay for living on the water.

For all the tenants in the 21 housekeeping units at the ramshackle property on Davey Drive, the price is right.

http://www.orilliapacket.com/ArticleDispla...uth=Colin+McKim

 

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City`s economic future is starting to coalesce

An action plan is rolling out in the afterglow of the city`s unprecedented economic summit two weeks ago.

Hamilton Chamber of Commerce CEO John Dolbec said many influential people have stepped forward to ask how they can help with the drive to revitalize the city.

"We`ve been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and ambition coming from the summit," he said.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Business/article/368626