Saskatchewan Economic Fundamentals

[joeiannuzzi]

Wilkie pilot project to test electricity extraction method

SASKATOON -- A junior oil company sitting on a known heavy oil deposit near Wilkie has struck a deal with a private U.S. firm to do a pilot plant of its process where an electrical current will be used get the oil to flow to surface.

Deloro Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, listed on the TSX Venture exchange, is a company with not much history and only about $75,000 monthly in revenues from some natural gas wells in the Kindersley area. However, it does have 3,765 leased acres of land in the Wilkie area that sits over top a heavy oil deposit, estimated to contain 63 million barrels.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...1f-594285482d4a

 

[joeiannuzzi]

City tax hike pegged at 8.6%

Saskatoon residents have been expecting another property tax hike this year -- and on Wednesday they found out just how high it might be: A whopping 8.61 per cent.

That would be the largest increase since 1982, when municipal taxes rose 9.3 per cent, civic officials told reporters during a press conference unveiling preliminary estimates for the 2008 operating budget.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...3a-415178b97ae7

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Sask. workers have the drive

According to data from the 2006 census, the commute times of Saskatchewan workers are growing along with the province`s urban centres.

Saskatchewan residents travel farther to work, use transit less often, walk less frequently, increasingly work outside the home and work at different sites each day on a growing basis compared to census data from 2001.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...94-43075e6ff306

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Hudson Bay board plant to close

Weyerhaeuser will put 170 people out of work with its plan announced Wednesday to put its oriented strandboard plant in Hudson Bay on indefinite shutdown.

The move is another blow to the province`s forestry industry even as the Saskatchewan Party government dangled the possibility the shuttered Prince Albert pull mill might reopen.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...91-947e8f26ef5e

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Small loss, but big gain

Canadian Western Agribition posted a small loss in 2007, but made big strides in expanding its presence in the local and international livestock marketplace, CWA`s annual general meeting was told Wednesday.

Shannon McArton, president of the not-for-profit organization, said the $1,200 loss on revenues of $2.85 million is "about break-even,`` but below what the organizers were hoping for.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...e1-00eda10417a6

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Construction season coming

Major work is planned on Second Avenue West this summer.

"With the development of the north we have more and more vehicles using Second Avenue than ever before," said Coun. Fred Matheson as to road repair in budget deliberations on Friday.

"The traffic is both ways and the weights are equal both ways," said Mayor Jim Scarrow.

Problems with water-main breaks on Second Avenue West this winter were not entirely surprising for the city.

"There were some problems with cast-iron pipes up in that neighbourhood that were of the same vintage," said Colin Innes, director of public works, of water mains on 28th Street near Sixth Avenue West. There was a section removed there in the summer of 2007.

http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=122678&sc=4

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Nurse recruitment talks set

REGINA (SNN) -- While the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) and the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) are locked in contract negotiations, parallel talks will begin Monday to develop strategies to recruit and retain nurses.

Marlene Smadu, associate dean of the college of nursing at the University of Saskatchewan, will facilitate the face-to-face meeting between ministry officials and representatives from SUN, SAHO and the health regions.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...0f-085eca82b40b

 

[joeiannuzzi]

House prices in Saskatoon rise another storey higher

Saskatoon house prices appear to have eclipsed Edmonton`s prices in the first three months of the year, but a local real estate sales manager says average family income here can`t pay for Edmonton-level house prices.

Royal LePage`s national quarterly report notes "thriving Saskatoon" saw year-over-year house prices on the west side of the city jump 66 per cent in the past year.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...d2-1dd207a82e90

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Sask.`s economy second to none

REGINA -- Another forecast has Saskatchewan pegged to lead the nation in economic growth this year.

Hot on the heels of last week`s Canada West Foundation forecast of 3.6 per cent growth in 2008, RBC is projecting the same 3.6 per cent increase in real gross domestic product (GDP) this year -- tops among the provinces and ahead of perennial front-runner Alberta at 3.3 per cent.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...12-411558335095

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Support for Station 20 gains local momentum

Organizers of the proposed Station 20 West development in Saskatoon`s inner city always knew the neighbourhood was enthusiastic about the project -- but since the provincial government`s recent decision to take back $8 million in funding, they`ve discovered a cheering section that stretches much further.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...1a-3b3ee87a653a

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Playing catch-up in Regina

Regina housing prices are continuing to go through the roof, with year-over-year increases ranging between 40 and 60 per cent, according to the latest quarterly report by Royal LePage.

For example, the average price of a bungalow in Regina jumped 50 per cent to $237,000 in the first quarter of 2008 compared with the same period last year, said the report released Thursday.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...05-c34ec7b25e9d

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Neighbourhoods to get noise barriers

Life is going to get a bit quieter for some homeowners in College Park and Greystone Heights, thanks to a shared $3-million investment from the city, province and federal government.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...e2-7d9bfaee7d32

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Northern landfills study planned

The provincial government is giving a $50,000 grant to the organization of northern municipalities to study issues around landfills and waste disposal.

The funding to New North follows the government`s acceptance of all of the recommendations from the coroner`s inquest into the death of Kenton Carnegie in northern Saskatchewan in 2005.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...43-82dd1b4d29d1

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Mosaic to spend billions

REGINA -- Mosaic Co. will expand its three potash operations in Saskatchewan by five million tonnes during the next 12 years at a cost of $3.15 billion US, the Plymouth, Minn.-based fertilizer giant announced Friday.

The expansion plan, which includes projects announced last May, will bring Mosaic`s potash production to 15.5 million tonnes annually by 2020 -- an increase of about 50 per cent from the current 10.4 million tonnes.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...ad-7dabea2dd245

 

[joeiannuzzi]

`Saskatchewan is on a roll`

Employment in Saskatchewan jumped by 5,400 jobs last month and hurdled over the half-million mark in the process, according to Statistics Canada data released Friday.

The 5,400-job increase was based on 500,100 people being employed in March, compared to 494,700 in March of 2007.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...62-193b17996cca

 

[joeiannuzzi]

High gas prices here to stay: expert

SASKATOON -- A petroleum industry analyst says Saskatchewan drivers haven`t seen the end of rising gas prices this spring, but he predicts prices won`t rise much beyond the $1.23.9 per litre price that greeted most drivers Friday morning.

That was a five-cent jump from the mid-week price.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...d0-7ae8bd3a8dae

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Government announces record plan for road work

The Saskatchewan Party took a step towards keeping one of their campaign promises this past week, with an announcement of major highway construction for 2008-09.

A record budget of $513 million has been allotted for more than 1,400 kilometers of construction and maintenance projects in the province.

According to Highways and Infrastructure Minister Wayne Elhard, some of those projects will benefit residents of northwest Saskatchewan.

"We have some work to do on Highway 26 north of St. Walburg," he said.

http://www.meadowlakeprogress.com/This%20W...ess/388286.html

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Regional meeting held to discuss hydro dam

Area municipalities including towns, cities, Indian nations and rural municipalities met on Thursday, March 27 in Melfort to discuss the Fort a la Corne hydro project.
"The project itself, I think, is going to benefit our community as well as the surrounding communities," said Chief Wally Burns of the James Smith band.
"The job creation, I think we`re looking 1,500 to 2,500 people."
Saskatchewan Finance Minister and Melfort MLA Rod Gantefoer attended the meeting, although he did not make a public address during the meeting.
"Certainly, in principle, the project has a lot of attractiveness. It certainly is environmentally friendly. It`s going to, potentially, generate badly needed power going forward," said Gantefoer.

http://www.melfortjournal.com/Front%20Page/389098.html

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Town considering implementation of architectural controls

A package was submitted to council regarding architectural controls within some areas in the Town of Nipawin.
Included in the package were copies of home designs from Deneschuk Homes Ltd., as an example of the exterior styles of homes that could be permitted with common architectural controls. Also included were copies of the architectural controls/design guidelines, such as the City of Yorkton Riverside Terrace subdivision, which are being incorporated with a developer and approved by the developer and city and the Town of Warman The Legends subdivision, which also appear to be incorporated with a developer`s wishes.

http://www.nipawinjournal.com/News/389170.html

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Thousands back Station 20 West

The sidewalks framing the future location of Station 20 West were home to Saskatoon`s largest demonstration in recent memory.

Between 2,000 and 2,500 people gathered on the lot at the corner of 20th Street West and Avenue L on Saturday morning to demonstrate disapproval of the provincial government`s recent cancellation of $8 million in funding for the development.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...a5-437ad03f3694