Saskatchewan Economic Fundamentals

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Better bus service eyed

Saskatoon Transit hopes to go high-tech with several improvements, including global positioning systems (GPS) and traffic signal activation, proposed in a report going before the city`s administration and finance committee today.

Transit manager Jeff Balon said the projects aim to improve customer service and motivate more people to use public transit. One of the key areas Saskatoon Transit will focus on is scheduling. The report states one of the most common complaints received about the bus system relates to schedule adherence.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...f4-64c828e5212d

 

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Councillors OK extension for Station 20 West project

Proponents of the beleaguered Station 20 West project heard some encouraging -- and unanimous -- words of support Monday from city councillors.

Spectators broke into applause after council`s executive committee voted quickly to give the project at least another year to begin construction before the city takes any steps to buy back the reclaimed inner-city land it sold to organizers for $1.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...3b-1f39f3c2ecc8

 

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Province studies investment contract

REGINA -- The provincial government`s investment arm posted a profit of $11.5 million in 2007, but the Saskatchewan Party wants to halt further investments of public money into private companies.

The problem, however, is the government is not quite sure how to do it.

The province has a contract with a private sector firm that calls for at least $25 million to be disbursed annually for investments until the end of 2011.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...d6-c880f1d52689

 

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Sask. growth lower than forecast

REGINA -- Saskatchewan posted 2.8 per cent economic growth in 2007, putting it right in the middle of the pack among the provinces, Statistics Canada says.

While that`s healthy growth, it`s a far cry from the 3.8 per cent to 4.6 per cent growth estimated recently by private-sector economic forecasters.

And even Statistics Canada admitted Saskatchewan`s real gross domestic product (GDP), which measures the volume of economic output, doesn`t reflect the "soaring" price of commodities in the past year or so.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...6d-e22d38280402

 

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Tax evasion nets company big fine

SASKATOON -- A Kindersley-based oil company that falsely claimed deluxe vacation packages and hunting safaris has been fined after pleading guilty to tax evasion.

Skylight Energy Resources Ltd. has to pay the Canada Revenue Agency $176,824 after an investigation conducted by the agency discovered several false claims.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...6f-707c33aa542f

 

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Condominium conundrum

The trickle is turning into a flood for condo conversion applications before Regina City Council.

After roughly a year without a single application, councillors approved one application at the end of March and another three applications at Monday night`s council meeting. Another 12 applications are being processed by city administration.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...62-6f7734b2b77e

 

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Co-op membership has privileges

Sherwood Co-op is coming off a record year that`s expected to translate to more than $1 million in payments to its members.

Because of the retail co-operative`s strong showing in its 2007 fiscal year, Sherwood will be able to make its first general cash repayments to members for the first time in more than 30 years, according to general manager Mike Schindel.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...49-7e3c3da342ec

 

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Keeping watch in Nisbet Forest

Waste dumped by unknown people in the Nesbit Forest distorts the dazzling beauty of the site, said a resident of the area.

David Rondeau, 39, has found glass, metals and household items dumped in the forest near Crutwell village between Highway 55 and the North Saskatchewan River where he lives.

Rondeau, who moved to this area six years ago, had tried to clean up some of the rubbish but he is further upset that it includes hazardous materials.

http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=130264&sc=4

 

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Regional colleges want more money

Regional colleges say they need more provincial funding to pump desperately needed trained workers into Saskatchewan`s booming economy.

In a letter sent this month to the Saskatchewan Party government, the Association of Saskatchewan Regional Colleges said members were "shocked" at the level of funding they were allocated for technical and trades training in this year`s provincial budget.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...9d-f9e0e6825f9c

 

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Richmound school closing

MAPLE CREEK -- A last-ditch attempt by Richmound residents to stop their school from closing has failed.

The school, which is located approximately 21 kms from the Alberta border, will close as planned at the end of June.

It is the fifth school that the Chinook School Division has closed in the last two years. Tompkins School came under review last year, but remained open after having grades discontinued.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...16-67b694d0038c

 

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Regina among top 50

A number of cities did better than Regina -- including some Saskatchewan ones -- when ranked as the top 50 best places to live in Canada in a newly released survey by MoneySense magazine.

Saskatoon comes in as the 17th-best place to live in the country, the highest of any Saskatchewan city. Swift Current is next highest at 22 and Regina is at 23. Estevan comes in at 34 while Yorkton hit 43.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...04-bf578d5df33e

 

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Big revenues pose challenge for Wall

Premier Brad Wall said Tuesday his Saskatchewan Party is just beginning to grapple with an interesting problem -- what to do with a shower of money that shows no signs of stopping.

Wall told reporters Tuesday he agrees with the assessment of Finance Minister Rod Gantefoer that the trends underlying the high resource prices filling government coffers and driving the provincial economy aren`t going to substantially change anytime soon.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...f0-05fd54439f19

 

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Higher prices could increase investment

With observers watching and waiting to see whether sky-high oil prices will last, the real impact on Saskatchewan of such gargantuan pricing levels has perhaps not yet been felt.

Oil prices have recently neared US $120 a barrel and at least one well-respected analyst, Jeff Rubin of CIBC World Markets, has projected the price hitting $225 a barrel by 2012.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...ab-04cc48a628ab

 

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Fewer getting EI in Sask.

SASKATOON -- More people are working and fewer are receiving Employment Insurance (EI) benefits in Saskatchewan, Statistics Canada says.

Saskatchewan has seen the sharpest year-over-year drop among all provinces in the number of people receiving Employment Insurance.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...1f-ebe4c1ee3129

 

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SaskPower posts profit

SaskPower posted a $138-million profit in 2007, thanks to record peak load, customer hook-ups and service applications, and is expected to show another $130-million profit in 2008.

But the utility`s record results don`t necessarily mean that SaskPower customers will be spared a rate increase in 2008.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...40-d48bfebd1a9a

 

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Feds contribute funds for railway crossings

Two railway crossings near Biggar have received federal funding for safety upgrades.

Nearly $600,000 has been earmarked to upgrade the Woods Road and Crozier Road railway crossings in recognition of Rail Safety Week, Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar MP Carol Skelton announced Tuesday. The MP said people who live near the railway tracks and drive over them regularly will benefit from the changes.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...95-02efcb5fb748

 

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Condo investor apologizes, rescinds eviction notices

A Calgary-based investor with controversial plans to convert an Arlington Avenue apartment building into condominiums came to Saskatoon this week on what he called a "damage control" mission.

In an interview with The StarPhoenix on Tuesday, Tom Shumlich of Harbour Rock Development Corp. said he has apologized to civic officials and rescinded an eviction notice delivered to tenants of the building last week.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...fe-13812573aad4

 

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Carrier plant still producing: supervisor

Although production is down at the Prince Albert plant of Carrier Forest Products, there have been no layoffs or closures.
"Here we`re operating at the moment," said Woodland supervisor Ed Kwiatkowski of the facility, located about 11 kilometres outside of Prince Albert.

http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=130726&sc=4

 

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Catholic school division raises tax rate

The Prince Albert Catholic school division has approved its 2008-09 budget, which will have its ratepayers seeing a slight tax increase.

"With the property tax rebate from the province, the net increase for our ratepayers will be 4.27 per cent," said Tim Jelinski, director of education.

"On a house with an assessed value of $100,000, property taxes will increase by $70.60."

http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=130642&sc=4

 

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Renovations recommended

SASKATOON -- An independent consultant is recommending the Saskatoon Health Region spend $1.2 billion over the next 10 years to improve the condition of its buildings and take a bite out of its $474-million repair and maintenance backlog.

In a 2007 assessment of hospitals, long-term care homes, administrative buildings and other facilities, consultant VFA Canada found 58 of 66 region buildings, or 88 per cent, are in fair shape or worse. In fact, most were classified as "poor."

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...75-3d15cd8df966