AB Economic Fundamentals 2008-07

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Petro-Canada refinery near restart

Petro-Canada, the country`s second-largest refiner, expects to resume production at its Edmonton refinery in the "next few days" after the plant was closed because of a water boiler problem.

"We`re working toward starting up the units as safely and as quickly as possible," spokeswoman Kelli Stevens said Thursday. "We don`t anticipate any impact on supply at this time."

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/c...66-e62ab86a8c5a

 

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Mortage rule change dismissed


Tighter rules for government-backed mortgages are expected to have little impact on Calgary`s real estate market once they take effect this fall, says the president of the Calgary Real Estate Board.

The finance department announced Wednesday that come Oct. 15, the maximum amortization period for new government-backed mortgages would be fixed at 35 rather than 40 years.

Also, the new rules will require a minimum down payment of 5% rather than zero down. "I don`t see a huge impact on the Calgary market place," said Ed Jensen.

http://calsun.canoe.ca/Business/2008/07/11/6127566-sun.html

 

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Housing `glut` only a temporary situation

There is talk about a pending glut of multi-family homes in Calgary, particularly condominiums, based on activity in new construction and the number of condominium listings on MLS, which at the end of June were almost 3,100.

With almost 5,500 multi-family home starts to the end of June, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. is predicting 7,000 starts by the end of this year. At the end of June, there were 11,674 multi-family units under construction in Calgary and area, including 9,378 apartment-style condos.

http://calsun.canoe.ca/Business/2008/07/11/6127571-sun.html

 

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County seeks public input concerning parks and trails

Red Deer County is looking for public input on a long-term plan for parks, trails and other open spaces.

Work on an Open Space Master Plan kicked off in the fall of 2005 and concept plan workshops and an information fair were held the following year.

In 2007, conceptual designs called project zones were created in seven areas of the county. The same year, the county approved pilot projects to build three trails.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradv...and_trails.html

 

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Sylvan embraces conservation program

Sylvan Lake has partnered with a national conservation program.

The town has joined Earth Day Canada`s EcoAction Teams, which help communities and individual households strategize to conserve energy and water, while reducing waste and encouraging sustainability.

Grande Prairie is the only other Alberta community currently signed up for the venture, which also involves several communities in Ontario and New Brunswick, said Mike Peppard, EcoAction Teams manager.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradv...on_program.html

 

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Major road projects running over budget

Two major road improvement projects in Red Deer have gone 30 per cent over budget, requiring an additional $4.2 million.

Red Deer city council will be asked on Monday to approve an additional $3 million for the Gaetz Avenue and 32nd Street upgrade, which will now cost $13 million.

An extra $1.2 million will also be required to improve 40th Avenue and 77th Street, near the entrance of Three Mile Bend and Olymel. That project will now cost $4.6 million.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradv...ver_budget.html

 

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Lacombe Lake residents incensed over structure plan for their area

LACOMBE — Tornado watches were issued Thursday for the Lacombe area but the only funnel cloud that touched down fell on the Memorial Centre.

The spout came in the form of disgruntled Lacombe County ratepayers in the Lacombe Lake area who said in a loud, collective voice that an area structure plan is horribly flawed and 25-years premature.

More than 150 people turned out for the nearly four-hour public hearing portion of the contentious Hwy 2A area structure plan which received first reading about a month ago.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradv...their_area.html

 

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Town to add staff to attract staff

A full-time employee will be added to the Town of Banff`s human resources department to help retain and attract talented staff.

Council has agreed to extend the one-year term of the human resources (HR) assistant beyond October and has given permission for administration to include a permanent, full-time position in the draft 2009-2011 operating budget.

Town of Banff officials say the position will help meet priorities identified by council and administration, adding that the workload would be difficult to meet without the extra help.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/rockymount...s/24311907.html

 

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Parks may introduce Internet pass purchasing

Tourists to Banff National Park may soon be able to buy their park passes online.

The program, which could apply to national parks across the country, is being done out of Parks Canada`s national office, but Banff officials are hoping it gets off the ground soon.

In addition, Parks is looking at revamping Banff National Park`s east gate to shorten the length of time people have to wait in line to purchase a pass. It won`t be a major expansion, but they are considering additional kiosks in the existing lanes.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/rockymount...s/24311869.html

 

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Hospital Hill residents upset over construction

From the design to construction schedule delays, residents on upper and lower Three Sisters Drive, a.k.a. Hospital Hill, are angry and a little bit scared.

For almost a year now, the upper half of the drive has been torn up and subject to a massive construction project to replace all infrastructure, install storm water management and replace the roadway.

While the extended construction schedule has been an inconvenience, some residents are more concerned the design of the road will not turn out the way it was envisioned.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/rockymount...s/24311549.html

 

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Workshops start July 19 for review of Buffalo Lake development plan

Steps to review and update the Buffalo Lake Inter-Municipal Development Plan will be launched at planning workshops on July 19 in White Sands and Pelican Point.

Permanent and summer residents, landowners, tourists, campers, and users of the lake are encouraged to participate in the workshops at the Summer Village of White Sands Hall from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and at Pelican Point Campground from 1 to 4 p.m.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/stettlerin...s/24216884.html

 

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Building activity in county down by about one quarter over 2007

New development and building activity in the County of Stettler midway through 2008 is down by about one quarter as compared to the same time last year.

Building permits in the County of Stettler for residential, commercial and institutional at the end of June 2008 totaled $8.1 million, down from $12.7 million, according to Johan van der Bank, director of planning and development.

"We are at about 75 per cent of where we were at this time last year," said van der Bank.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/stettlerin...s/24216664.html

 

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Increased population raises Town of Stettler revenue

Now that the Town of Stettler has officially grown by eight per cent in the municipal census undertaken this spring, the municipality and residents will gain significantly more funding from higher levels of governments starting next year.

Growing to a population of 5,843 from 5,418 (previously determined in the 2006 federal census) the Town of Stettler will get more funding for services such as policing, roads, and Stettler Family and Community Support Services.

"With our population rising by 425 people, it should generate a significant increase in a variety of operational and capital grants from the province," said Greg Switenky, director of finance and administration.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/stettlerin...s/24212984.html

 

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Stettler residential development drops as other projects increase

New development and building activity in the Town of Stettler midway through 2008 is significantly slower than last year`s strong pace.

Building permits in the Town of Stettler for residential, commercial and institutional at the end of June 2008 totals $4.7 million, down from $7.7 million, according to Wes Holowachuk, development officer.

"We are at 60 per cent of where we were at this time last year," said Holowachuk.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/stettlerin...s/24210129.html

 

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Flood numbers surpass 500 mark

The toll continues to mount in the wake of the Canada Day deluge in Lethbridge, with the unofficial count — as of Friday — of homes affected by flooding at more than 500.
Doug Hawkins, manager of infrastructure services for the city, said it will likely be fall before a report can be presented to council regarding the findings of a sewer-system probe that was sparked by the monsoon-like storm.
"At first blush, based on what we know about the storm itself, after studying all the data related to the storm, it appears that this one was a one-in-50-year event," Hawkins said.

http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/article_11354.php

 

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Marijuana becoming popular summer crop

Although it`s more commonly found growing in the thick forests of B.C., outdoor marijuana grow operations are prevalent throughout Alberta as well. And with the summer season upon us, local RCMP are expecting a lot more will be growing in the prairie fields of southern Alberta than just the usual crops of wheat and canola.
During the course of the summer, it`s not uncommon for RCMP detachments to come across at least two outdoor marijuana grow ops tucked away in the back of a farmer`s field. Over the last few years, police across the province have seized tens of thousands of plants and came across a bumper crop in August 2006.

http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/article_11351.php

 

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Housing starts take a dip locally, provincially

Housing starts are beginning to drop in the Lethbridge area, but at a much slower pace than in other parts of the province, according to figures released this week by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
"Year-to-date numbers in Lethbridge show single-detached are still doing better than Calgary," says Lindsay Kendall, Prairies market analyst for the CMHC.
While 2008 January to June starts of single-detached homes in the Calgary area plummeted by 40 per cent compared to the same time in 2007, they only dropped by about 13 per cent in Lethbridge.

http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/article_11350.php

 

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City jobless rate third-lowest

EDMONTON - Edmonton`s unemployment rate dropped to 3.7 per cent in June -- third-lowest in the country behind Victoria and Calgary -- as Alberta hit record high employment numbers.

The city`s jobless rate was down from 3.9 per cent in May and 3.8 per cent in June last year, while Calgary hit 3.2 per cent, up slightly from May, Statistics Canada reported.

The province`s employment increased by 10,000 to slightly more than two million, pushing the rate to a record 72.2 per cent.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...f4-739e92342351

 

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Stelmach puts our money where his mouth is on carbon capture

EDMONTON - I`m not in the habit of praising politicians, so I`m only going to say this once: kudos to Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach.

By committing $2 billion toward kick-starting a carbon capture and storage network this week, and $2 billion more for regional mass transit, Stelmach has shown real leadership on a tough issue.

On the climate change file, Stelmach has put his money -- or more accurately, our money -- where his mouth is.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...c3-efa2c3d766b4

 

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City neighbourhoods take back their parks

West-end residents are taking back their neighbourhoods one park at a time.

Over the past year, city police have been working with communities in the west end with Park Watch, a program aimed at cleaning up neighbourhood parks and making them safe for families again.

"The parks were mainly used by the criminal element - gangs, prostitutes, homeless. People just wanted to go in there and drink, start a ruckus late at night. Some of them sleep in there. Now it`s cleaned up a lot," said Eleanor Burke, co-ordinator of the Canora area Park Watch. In the past, there have been stabbings in places like St. Anne Park, but today Burke sees young families having picnics there.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2...137621-sun.html