0109CALG Return to `normal` predicted for market After a dramatic decline in 2008, there will be an increase in the number of resale homes changing hands this year in Calgary, say a pair of national real estate surveys. Both Re/Max Western Canada and Royal LePage say resale activity will...

0109CALG Construction decline to continue Despite forecasts that suggest the recession in Canada won`t be as deep or last as long as it will in the United States, any turn-around in the fortunes of Calgary`s homebuilders will have to wait another year, says a federal agency. In a review of its...

0109ALTA Renewables could power Alberta, says think-tank A lberta can switch its electricity source from coal to clean renewable energy sources in 20 years, creating jobs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating a more stable price for energy, says a report released this week. There are...

0109HRVR Co-op heading for High River Calgary Co-op is expanding into High River, a town just south of Calgary. The company announced it has bought five acres of land from Dundee Developments and plans to begin construction this year. A gas station, complete with a convenience store and car...

0109REDR Melcor prepares neighborhood of estate lots A new estate neighbourhood is expected to attract buyers interested in being close to one of Red Deer`s prime natural areas. Melcor Developments has finished clearing the land west of Piper Creek near Bannerman Close within Bower...

0109SASK Decision on Sask. infrastructure funds awaits budget day Premier Brad Wall said the mood was constructive as premiers met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper Friday on the ailing Canadian economy, but there is little certainty over what Saskatchewan will get from its wish list until the...

Canadians confident they will weather the storm Most Canadians are tightening their belts to deal with the recession but are confident they will weather the storm without having to dip into their retirement savings, according to survey results released Friday by a major financial firm...

Canada will benefit from Obama`s plan Upon taking office next Tuesday, President-elect Barack Obama plans to launch a massive effort to rebuild America`s infrastructure. It will include money for energy, roads, bridges, schools, the information superhighway and electronic medical records...

Downturn pushing students back to school While many of her friends feel "trapped" and afraid to leave their current jobs for fear they won`t find another, Mary Forbes is looking at rosy employment prospects. That`s because Forbes, like more young Canadians facing an unfriendly job market, are...

0109KWCG Corners cut on transit spending Regional council has voted to hike spending on roads, transit and the airport. The extra spending approved this year could top $40 million if rapid transit is approved. So the 2009 budget is not standing still on transportation. However, to keep a lid...

0109WIND Most Via track land clear About 60 per cent of Lakeshore residents have met a Dec. 31 deadline to remove personal belongings on railway property in the municipality, according to Catherine Caloutsky, spokeswoman for Via Rail. Via set the deadline for about 1,000 homeowners to get...

0109LNDN UWO cuts will have local impact Budget cuts and construction delays at the University of Western Ontario -- triggered by the sputtering economy -- will have a spinoff effect the entire city will feel, observers say. Western announced this week it`s shelving construction projects, some...

0109LNDN New real estate boss sees buyers` market in current downturn After 22 years as a realtor, Joe Hough has seen his share of ups and downs in the market. Hough takes over as president of the London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors (LSTAR) at a time when home sales and prices are...

0109TNTO Is Danforth East the new Parkdale? The stretch of Danforth between Greenwood and Coxwell can be sparse for the culturati -- unless they`re taking a break for basement beers at the Danforth Bowl, that is. But that will change a bit tomorrow, with the opening of List, the strip`s first...

0109ALTA U. S. needs Alberta`s oil sands Russia behaves like a goon toward its European energy customers; Saudi Arabia, Iran and others export terrorism; Nigeria is unstable and Venezuela`s Hugo Chavez spews hatred. All of which means there is little choice for the United States and the world...

0109CATH 10% drop in real estate sales in `08 Total real estate sales and values in the region slumped last year, the Niagara Association of Realtors says. In a Friday release, the association said there was a 10 per cent drop in total sales last year, compared to 2007. The value of...

0109ONTR Should suicide have been disclosed to homebuyer? Is a builder obligated to disclose to a purchaser the fact that a suicide occurred in the house just before the sale closes? That was the question posed to me recently by my colleague Howard Litowitz, who practises real estate law in...

0109TNTO Condo Critic: Treating the past with respect The past may be a different country, but in Toronto, people still live there – and even more now want to. That doesn`t mean it`s any easier coming to terms with the relationship between old and new. And yet, it is a relationship that lies at...

0109MSGA Taxes to rise Mississauga homeowners will pay, on average, an additional $64 next year on the Peel Region portion of their property tax bill. The money, which translates to a 4.1 per cent tax hike, will help pay for more front-line police officers and improved social services, say...

0109MTBA No major projects likely THERE are not enough big, new building projects ready to tender, so any new infrastructure spending will probably be earmarked for small stuff, say a Winnipeg city councillor and an economist. The premiers and Prime Minister Stephen Harper met in Ottawa Friday...