The economy may be in a slump, but the new executive director of the local economic development alliance believes there are still plenty of opportunities in the Medicine Hat region.
0109REDR (Canmore) Council denies changes to 23-acre South Canmore lot
Two proposed bylaw amendments that could have opened the door to development on a private piece of land outside the town`s urban growth boundary in South Canmore were denied unanimously by council this week.
The application sought to allow the property owner to build a single dwelling unit on a 23-acre parcel located adjacent to Spring Creek Mountain Village, the wastewater treatment plant and Millennium Park.
0109REDR (Stettler) Building growth steady in Town of Stettler, down in County
New development and building activity in the Town of Stettler was down marginally in 2008 compared to the previous year.
Building permits in the Town of Stettler totaled $15,140,858, down from $15,970,374 in 2007, according to figures from Wes Holowachuk, development officer.
"We were at 95 per cent of the values of building we had in 2007," said Holowachuk.
"That`s due in a large part to our own town projects."
0109REDR (Stettler) 2008 in Stettler: Population and economy keep growing
• Town of Stettler population grows 8 per cent
(July 9, 2008)
The population of the Town of Stettler has grown 8 per cent to 5,843 in a municipal census recently completed, up from the population of 5,418 recorded in the 2006 federal census.
• Review starts for Buffalo Lake plan
Steps to review and update the Buffalo Lake Inter-Municipal Development Plan will be launched at planning workshops this summer.
0109STPL Stony Plain could see major school realignment
The Parkland school district is considering a major shakeup to Stony Plain schools that could change where students from kindergarten to Grade 9 attend class.
Faced with a surging population of youngsters, two schools projected to be overcrowded in two years, and another two schools with declining enrolment, a report to trustees warns the current situation in Stony Plain is unsustainable.
D ozens of new restaurants and retail outlets, including a number of big box stores, could line a section of Highway 1 to Banff if a developer`s plans go ahead in Springbank.
However, the Bingham Crossing development is worrying some residents and environmentalists. On their list: traffic snarls and buildings sprawling farther into the rolling foothills --resurrecting the long-standing debate about how far the city should be allowed to expand into the country.
Condominiums and houses sold better in McKenzie Towne last year than any other community in the city, say 2008 Calgary Real Estate Board home sales statistics. When combining the number of condominiums and single-family homes sold last year, 603 were sold in McKenzie Towne, 531 were sold in Tuscany and 495 were sold in Coventry Hills.
Red Deer taxpayers can expect to pay for seven new Mounties if city council fully supports this year`s operational budget and the suggested tax increase that goes with it.
During Friday`s news conference at City Hall, city administration detailed the $199.6-million operating budget it has submitted to council for review over the next couple of weeks. It shows an increase of $7.5 million in operating dollars over 2008, or the equivalent of a 9.71 per cent property tax increase.
0109ALTA Alberta boasts more projects atop infrastructure list than other provinces
The energy and transportation sectors are on top of a new ranking of Canada`s biggest infrastructure projects for 2009 that estimates $61 billion in public and private capital investments will soon be pumped into the country`s economy for construction.
The ranking of the top 100 infrastructure projects, obtained by Canwest News Service, shows a wide range of multimillion- and multibillion-dollar projects, with more than a third scheduled to be completed in 2009. Overall, Alberta had the most projects in the top 25, followed by British Columbia. Ontario also had the most projects overall, with 41, including 15 hospital or health-care facility expansions.
0109EDTN Jasper Place fears deterioration, calls for urban renewal plan
The city wants to revitalize Jasper Place through better streetscapes, upgraded sidewalks, increased policing and fewer adult businesses.
Although residents of the area bounded by 107th Avenue, 149th Street, 95th Avenue and 170th Street are concerned their neighbourhood is deteriorating, they don`t feel it`s beyond redemption, a new report says.
Ear-splitting motorcycles and other loud vehicles are disrupting evenings and creating a "nightmare" for residents in many older neighbourhoods, Coun. Ben Henderson says.
"It`s the No. 1 complaint that I got during the summer," he said Monday, following a presentation by concerned people to council`s community services committee.
Statistics Canada says "significant" 12-month declines in new home prices were recorded in both Edmonton and Calgary in November -- leading the nation.
The federal agency, in releasing its new housing price index Monday, said Edmonton saw prices drop by 7.9 per cent from November 2007 to November 2008 while Calgary`s drop was 2.5 per cent.
The construction value in the City of Airdrie returned in 2008 to pre-boom levels.
According to data released by the city, construction value in 2008 was$184 million, a sharp drop from $454 million in 2007 and$270.6 million in 2006.But comparable to the $185 million in 2005.
"Considering the economic state we find ourselves in, overall it has been a good year for the City of Airdrie and development within the city," said Kent Rupert, economic development team leader for the City of Airdrie.
0109EDTN Cosy, affordable eateries lure diners to Alberta Avenue rejuvenation
Looking for a cosy spot for a good cup of java? Not only does The Carrot -- a cafe and community centre on 118th Avenue -- offer direct trade coffee and organic soup, but there are also deep, comfy couches and tables of young people who knit while chatting over capuccinos. It doesn`t get much cosier than that.
Food spots -- from coffee shops to small ethnic restaurants and bakeries -- are increasingly a draw along Alberta Avenue, that strip of 118th Avenue between 97th Street and 75th Street.
0109ALTA Prime minister, Obama set to talk about oilsands, climate pact
Canada`s controversial oilsands projects and a North American climate-change pact will share the agenda when Prime Minister Stephen Harper meets with Barack Obama on his first foreign trip as president of the United States.
Harper told the Calgary Herald in an interview Tuesday that his Conservative government wants to work together with its southern neighbour on energy and environmental issues, and he`ll stress this point when Obama travels to Canada soon after his Jan. 20 inauguration as America`s 44th president.
0109ALTA Single watchdog good for oilpatch: panel chairman
Alberta would be better served by joining a proposed national securities regulator, Tom Hockin said Tuesday.
Given the oil and gas sector`s huge requirements for capital, Alberta should take a leadership role on the national entity, he told the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.
"When you look at the tremendous needs here ... I believe it would be so much easier to do it as a Canadian effort," he said.
The deals will slow down, vacancy rates will rise and sublease space spike, but Canada`s commercial real estate will stabilize by mid-year and recover in 2010, predicts a new national report.
Many firms will opt to stay put in their existing quarters to ride out an economic downturn, says Avison Young (Canada) Inc.`s 2009 National Forecast released Tuesday.
That slowdown in executive decision-making will cut the volume of commercial real estate deals.
0109CALG Commercial real estate to suffer slow start to `09
investment in Calgary`s commercial real estate sector is expected to slow significantly in the first part of 2009 but pick up in the second half of the year, says national firm Avison Young (Canada) Inc.
In its 2009 national forecast released Tuesday, the company said "activity will be tempered while values adjust and credit remains tight. The general lack of financing will be a challenge for investors."
