SK Economic Fundamentals 2008-11

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SK Small Town Updates: 2008-11-16

 

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1108SASK
Gov`t keeping promises: Wall

The Saskatchewan Party convention that wrapped up Sunday was as much about the future as it was about celebrating the past year in power, said party leader and Premier Brad Wall.

The first convention since the party won the provincial election a year ago, it was also the first with any policy discussion since February 2006.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...4b-ae019d355ab6

 

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1108SKTN
Westview store owner handed eviction notice

A Westview neighbourhood convenience store is fighting to stay open after being handed an eviction notice by its landlords.

Westview Foods on Richardson Road has been serving the Westview neighbourhood since 2001. Unsure of its future, the store`s owner, Lynda Nelson, says she`s wary of keeping the business fully stocked -- the shelves are half-empty, pickings are slim in the confectionery and many of the DVDs the store used to rent are already packed up behind the counter.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...65-5079da6bb517

 

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1108RGNA
City approves condo conversion

City council approved applications to convert three apartment buildings into condominiums, but councillors intend to keep an eye on how such applications go forward in the future.

At Monday night`s meeting, councillors approved applications made by Edmonton-based D.R. Real Estate to convert apartment buildings at 2060 Lorne St., 2358 Rae St. and 2125 Lorne St.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...dc-a6fb670094ef

 

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1108SKTN
City council increases Saskatoon`s flood protection levy

In 1917, Canada`s government introduced income taxes as a temporary measure to finance the First World War. Ninety-one years later, Canadians still surrender a slice of their earnings.

City council appears to take a similar long view of "temporary" taxation, extending Saskatoon`s flood protection levy Monday another 10 years while hiking it 50 per cent, to $4.50 per month.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...a5-14c2fdb3e5c9

 

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1108SKTN
University of Saskatchewan opens entrepreneurship college

Imagine. Invent. Innovate.

With those three words, the new Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence challenged University of Saskatchewan students to enter a contest for conceptualized ideas based on entrepreneurship.

Apparently, the "I-cubed" challenge caught fire. In six weeks, the centre received 167 ideas from 500 students across the U of S campus.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...6f-80858aef6656

 

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1108SASK
Old scam still works

The Weyburn Police Service is warning residents of an old fraud scam used to bilk an elderly resident out of a large sum of money.

On Oct. 21, four elderly Weyburn residents were contacted by a caller who identified himself as a bank security officer. According to the WPS the caller said he was investigating irregularities in their accounts and asked them to withdraw a large sum of money and give it to him so that he could check into it.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...0a-469c3d16c6a1

 

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1108SASK
Rent-increase notice time to double

Landlords will soon be required to give tenants at least six months notice before they boost the rent, under legislation introduced Tuesday by the Saskatchewan Party government.

The revised Residential Tenancies Act -- when it becomes law -- will double the notice period for rent increases from the current three months in situations where there is a month-to-month lease.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...a7-c7e2f7834360

 

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1108RGNA
Housing debate rages on

A Regina city councillor wants to tell the province that planning for affordable housing is not the responsibility of municipal governments.

Coun. Fred Clipsham -- who represents Ward 3, which includes several inner-city neighbourhoods -- plans to put forward a motion at the Dec. 15 council meeting calling for the city to suspend its condominium conversion policy until the provincial government implements an affordable housing policy.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...aa-9dae1dfa38a6

 

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1108SASK
Sask. exports skyrocket

The value of Saskatchewan`s international exports increased 119 per cent from September 2007 to September 2008, the highest increase in the country, according to statistics compiled by Industry Canada.

The total value of export sales for September 2008 totaled $3.2 billion, compared with $1.48 billion for the same period last year.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...33-681d2b753d1d

 

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1108SKTN
Housing shortage still exists: expert

SASKATOON -- There may be 1,600 houses for sale on the Saskatoon multiple listing service (MLS) system, but there are many people who can`t afford those houses and still require shelter, says Keith Hanson, executive director of the Affordable New Home Development Foundation.

He says governments and the housing industry must ask themselves what the need for housing is, and find ways to measure that need.

"I think we`ve got a big job ahead of us to consolidate that information," said Hanson.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...d8-b2f965a85a01

 

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1108SASK
Wall OK with Tory plan for now

Despite being outspoken about his dislike of "cap-and-trade" systems for greenhouse gases, Premier Brad Wall held off Wednesday on criticizing the federal government for signalling such a system is on the way.

The throne speech delivered in Ottawa said the federal Conservatives will work with the provinces and other partners on developing and implementing a North America-wide cap-and-trade system.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...f3-0430afd25351

 

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1108RGNA
No room at the Holiday Inn

A Moosomin man has learned that despite making a reservation months ago, there is no room at the new Holiday Inn Express -- because the rooms are still being finished.

In late September, Brad Nosterud and his wife decided to travel into Regina for next week`s Canadian Western Agribition, where his daughter and her boyfriend are to be showing cattle. Worried that hotels may have been filling up, Nosterud went online to make a reservation in Regina.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...e4-cd1d069681e9

 

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1108SASK
Sask. small biz bullish despite credit crunch

Saskatchewan business owners are still the most optimistic in the country, but they`re considerably less optimistic than they were one year ago, according to the latest survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

Based on responses from 5,388 business owners across the country, including 204 in this province, Saskatchewan business owners scored a nation-leading 102.6 on the CFIB`s business barometer.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...81-d89ed9df04aa

 

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1108SKTN
City debt to double

The City of Saskatoon is more than doubling its long-term debt to more than $89 million and has plans to push its debt-load past $200 million within two years.

All that borrowing -- paying the bills for projects such as River Landing, lot development and the Shaw Centre pool -- will result in higher interest costs. But Marlys Bilanski, the city`s general manager of corporate services, says the city`s practice of setting aside funds for major upcoming projects will soften the blow to taxpayers.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...20-c8a201094eee

 

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1108SASK
STC expands northern service

New passenger and freight service to the northern communities of La Loche, Buffalo Narrows, Ile-a-la-Crosse and Beauval has been launched by the Saskatchewan Transportation Co. (STC).

The new routes took effect Wednesday and will have connections through Prince Albert.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...b1-afb4db15e050

 

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1108SASK
Wall says Alberta plan won`t hurt Sask.

Alberta`s decision to offer energy companies a break on royalty rates shouldn`t hurt oil and natural gas activity in Saskatchewan, Premier Brad Wall said Thursday.

Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach announced this week that because of the world economic slowdown and falling energy prices, companies drilling new wells between 1,000 and 3,500 feet will be able to choose from a "transition rate" about 10 per cent lower than the new rate slated to come in Jan. 1.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...63-673a032faac2

 

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1108SASK
Saskatchewan wholesale trade jumps

Wholesale trade in Saskatchewan in September jumped by more than 50 per cent over September 2007, reflecting a still robust provincial economy, according to a Statistics Canada report released Thursday.

In September, wholesale trade in the province totaled $1.8 billion, up 54.1 per cent -- the highest percentage increase in the nation. Nationally, wholesale trade figures were up only 11.9 per cent.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...0d-884d5c382b10

 

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1108SKTN
Don`t say bread, say Earl`s is getting bigger

One of the city`s most popular gathering places is making room for more.

Earl`s Restaurant on Second Avenue North is building a microbrewery on the second floor, followed by an area to sell beer, wine, flowers and chocolate in the building`s northwest corner and finally a tavern in an adjacent building to the northeast that previously housed a photography studio.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...9c-9523fa03c09b

 

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1108SKTN
Rural residents get new addresses after Canada Post shuffles routes

Some residents on the outskirts of Saskatoon are wishing they could stamp return to sender on a decision by Canada Post to rearrange some of the city`s rural delivery routes.

The Crown corporation recently chose to split up rural routes 3, 5 and 6, which cover areas southeast, southwest and east of the city.

As a result, some 900 residents are having to change their addresses even though they`re staying put.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...5e-b66f80a11dd5