SK Economic Fundamentals 2008-11

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1108SKTN
Mayor says all systems go for major projects

The global credit crunch has yet to derail any municipal projects in Saskatoon, says Mayor Don Atchison.

However, he thinks it may be more difficult to acquire additional financing from banks, many of which are tightening their lending practices in the current economic climate.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...d4-1cf762357891

 

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1108SKTN
Building boom in Saskatoon on record pace

Building in Saskatoon -- and in Saskatchewan -- is still going up.

To the end of October, the city of Saskatoon had issued 3,215 permits for a total value of $550 million, up from 3,214 permits equalling $389.8 million in the same period of 2007.

"Right now where we`re sitting, at the $550 million, is the biggest that number has ever been here," said Bob Baran, manager of the city`s building standards branch.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...57-5673d9e97d2d

 

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1108SASK
Numbers add up for Sask.

Premier Brad Wall celebrated the first anniversary of his election victory Friday and savoured statistics indicating there were 17,100 more people employed in the province since the Sask. Party took over.

"They`re very good,`` Wall said, when asked about the Statistics Canada numbers released Friday indicating the number of people employed in the province had increased to 521,600 last month, compared to 504,500 in October of last year.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...9f-830ae002e9ea

 

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1108SASK
Clean energy a breeze in Sask.: firm

Creating energy from the elements is becoming an option for Saskatchewan homeowners or business owners.

Solar Outpost, a Saskatchewan-owned and operated clean-energy company, has seven private energy projects provincewide to complete before the brunt of winter arrives -- a mixture of geothermal, solar and wind energy alternatives -- for homeowners and businesses.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...aa-37185de50f64

 

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SK Small Town Updates: 2008-11-09

 

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1108SASK
Oilsands worth $1.5 trillion: think-tank

OTTAWA -- The wealth in Canada`s oilsands, even taking into account the recent plunge in world oil prices, is nearly $1.5 trillion, more than four times the $342 billion officially estimated by Statistics Canada, argues a Canadian think-tank in a report released today.

That works out to a $34,591 increase in the wealth of Canadians to $243,950 for every man, woman and child, according to the analysis by the Canadian Centre for the Study of Living Standards.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...ce-2101001e8193

 

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1108RGNA
Building in Regina cools down

Housing construction activity continued to cool down from last year`s torrid pace, with 87 total starts in October, down 43 per cent from the 153 units started in October 2007, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

For the year to date, Regina`s total starts of 1,181 are down four per cent from 1,230 starts during the same period last year.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...9c-94a167b72e14

 

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1108SASK
Sask. Party policies fall short for cattle, hog industries

Quick. Who is Saskatchewan`s agriculture minister? Chances are even people who know the answer will have trouble correctly spelling Bob Bjornerud.

In a province noted for the high profile of its agriculture industry and its agriculture minister, Bjornerud has not had much time in the spotlight during the Saskatchewan Party`s first year in office.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...15-be2892e00240

 

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1108SASK
Provincial economy staying on track

Wildly fluctuating oil prices -- which have hit $147 US per barrel and plunged to below $60 US this year -- make it difficult, if not impossible, to forecast government revenues in a commodity-based economy, like Saskat-chewan`s.

But Finance Minister Rod Gantefoer isn`t complaining too loudly, especially since many of his provincial counterparts are dealing with deficits and economic slowdowns these days.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...ce-0da23465d6e2

 

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1108SASK
Health spending to reach $5.4B

Saskatchewan`s health-care spending is expected to reach $5.4 billion in 2008, or $5,393 per person, according to a report released Thursday by the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI).

The province`s total health spending (private and government) per capita is greater than the national average of $5,170, but represents only 9.1 per cent of the province`s gross domestic product (GDP).

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...98-bc9e9404be7e

 

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1108RGNA
City, airport need more taxis: study

More licensed taxis are one of the recommended remedies for easing transportation headaches to and from the airport.

The City of Regina and Regina Airport Authority jointly hired an independent consultant, Hara Associates, to conduct a study of ground transportation services at the airport and provide recommendations for improvement.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...ae-f74a4f01a14c

 

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1108SASK
Sask. will lead Canada in economic growth: forecast

Buoyed by a diverse mix of mineral resources and agricultural commodities, Saskatchewan will lead the country in economic growth this year and next, according to the Conference Board of Canada.

The 5.2-per-cent increase in real gross domestic product (GDP) in 2008 and the expected 3.6-per-cent growth in 2009 show the province`s continued strength in the face of the global financial turmoil, the Conference Board said Thursday.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...7c-beb5ee387422

 

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1108RGNA
Regina Inn undergoes major restoration

The Regina Inn Hotel and Conference Centre opened all of its newly renovated doors to the public as part of its renovation launch event Thursday.

The hotel recently completed a major restoration, upgrading 95 suites on the building`s top five floors.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...46-8ecefeb3bbf9

 

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1108SASK
Gov`t rejects NDP call for natural gas rebate

REGINA -- The Saskatchewan Party government should use its hefty bank account to help residents depleting their own savings to pay for high natural gas costs, the NDP said Thursday.

In the wake of news that Saskatchewan is forecasting a record $2.3-billion general revenue fund surplus this fiscal year, the Opposition said the government could learn a lesson from Alberta -- where a natural gas rebate program kicks in when two of the three regulated natural gas companies start charging rates above $5.50 per gigajoule.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...f3-62d4f932fa6f

 

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1108SKTN
Eastview mall sold, cafe closes

The Eastview Shopping Centre on Arlington Avenue has been sold to First West Properties Ltd. of Calgary for just over $3 million.

The strip mall has 13 retail tenant spaces taking up about 26,000 square feet.

First West has plans to renovate the mall, although those plans are still being completed, says First West president Eric Wesling.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...b3-1a0732c0811b

 

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1108SASK
Mineral tax credit program returns

The provincial government has reintroduced the Saskatchewan Mineral Exploration Tax Credit program, which was discontinued by the previous NDP government two years ago.

The provincial program offers a non-refundable, 10 per cent tax credit to Saskatchewan taxpayers who invest in eligible flow-through shares issued by mining or exploration companies after April 1, 2008.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...6e-14e44e24356d

 

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1108SASK
Sask. bucks national trend

Saskatchewan bucked the national trend by having double-digit increases in both motor-vehicle sales and manufacturing shipments, according to a report from Statistics Canada on Friday.

Despite record-setting gas prices this summer, Saskatchewan saw an increase of 14.3 per cent in sales of new motor vehicles when comparing September 2007 to September 2008.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...e3-35d6e24366ec

 

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1108SASK
Things are looking up -- for now

Not one given to excessive displays of emotion, Finance Minister Rod Gantefoer was unusually chipper on Wednesday, almost ebullient.

And why not, given the message the honourable member from Melfort had to deliver to the people of Saskatchewan.

It was Gantefoer`s happy task to present the province`s mid-term financial report and most of it was unalloyed good news for the province`s taxpayers.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...c8-1a3c38df8ee7

 

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1108SKTN
Plans on track for Bruce plant

SASKATOON -- A Saskatchewan nuclear power plant would contribute $4 billion to the economy and generate 20,000 direct jobs during its construction, the president and CEO of Bruce Power told a business crowd in Saskatoon Friday.

Duncan Hawthorne said the plant would cost $8 to $10 billion in total to build, and ultimately employ 1,000 people full-time, many of those university graduates. It would also contribute about $240 million annually to the provincial economy. "We`re talking about a very, very significant impact to Saskatchewan`s economy."

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...c2-78df109a958d

 

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1108SKTN
Labour crunch hits local firm

The owner of Diesel Services Group Saskatoon is short on diesel mechanics and is looking for a quick fix to his labour problems through federal Labour Market Opinions (LMO), but has had little success as of late.

Percy Hoff said year-to-date labour sales are down $600,000 and looking outside the country for temporary foreign workers was halted when a recent LMO application was rejected.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...c1-efdedbb391aa