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Ontario Economic Fundamentals 2008 Q2

Region a `cradle of innovation`

WATERLOO

Waterloo Region is a "cradle of innovation," the federal industry minister told area business leaders last night.

"This is the region that not only creates innovative products, it creates innovative minds," Jim Prentice told the Conservative Business Association of Waterloo Region in a speech.

http://news.therecord.com/Business/article/358383
 
Upper Grand board ready to welcome straw bale project

ORANGEVILLE

Students at Island Lake Public School will soon be helping to build a new environmentally friendly addition to their school.

The stand-alone building will be constructed using straw bale with compressed straw as the base product.

"Covered with plaster, straw is a strong, rigid material that effectively resists fire, rain, wind, bugs, and rodents," Upper Grand District School Board trustee Mark Bailey said.

The building will also have the advantage of increased insulation and reduced initial building costs, he said.

http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/334599
 
Phased funding plan will delay hospital expansion

Large hospital redevelopment projects across the province will be delayed, including the planned expansion of Markham Stouffville Hospital, yorkregion.com has learned. Increased demand from hospitals and a shortage of construction companies able to complete the work is being blamed for the province decision to phase in funding.

http://www.yorkregion.com/News/Regional%20News/article/75649
 
Uxbridge ski resort granted rezoning

UXBRIDGE -- Residents wanting to hit the mountain biking trails or join in other summer activities at Lakeridge Ski Resort in Uxbridge will have to wait until the end of June.

Despite being granted most of its rezoning application by council, the ski resort won`t be able to offer its summer programs until that time. Council hit a roadblock after it granted the rezoning at its May 26 meeting. Following the decision, councillors were informed by staff the Township cannot allow the activities on the Lakeridge properties, which have been the site of summer programs operating for years without proper zoning, until the end of a combined 35-day circulation and appeal period regarding council`s May 26 decision.

http://newsdurhamregion.com/news/uxbridge/article/99621
 
Tweaks needed on Wal-Mart plaza plan

PORT PERRY -- While a few tweaks are needed here and there, the framework is now in place for a massive new commercial development on the western edge of Port Perry.

After months of negotiations and discussions, and four drafts later, Scugog officials got their first official glance on Monday at a proposed site-plan for the Smart!Centres development planned for Hwy. 7A, just west of the Queen Street intersection. During the May 26 meeting, councillors spent more than 90 minutes poring over the details of the proposed plan, which outlined such specifics as the size and look of buildings, landscaping, parking and environmental touches planned by the developer.

http://newsdurhamregion.com/news/scugog/article/99619
 
New dairy plant to replace one destroyed by fire

A fire that caused more than $1 million damage to a Hickson dairy plant turned out to be good news for St. Marys` business community.

Shepherd Gourmet Dairy`s owners were planning to expand the business before it burned down April 23. A sheep barn was also destroyed, but the animals were saved. "We were devastated," president and majority owner Stewart Cardiff said yesterday.

http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/200...730496-sun.html
 
Port Place development OMB hearing to wrap up for summer Thursday

The Ontario Municipal Board hearing will wrap up its first round of marathon sessions on the fate of the Port Place development Thursday.

The hearing will resume in early October, confirmed Port Dalhousie Vitalization Corp. lawyer Mark Noskiewicz and PROUD (Port Realizing Our Unique Distinction) lawyer Jane Pepino.

At issue is whether PDVC will be allowed to build a 17-storey condominium building, a theatre, hotel and shopping centre in Port Dalhousie`s commercial core.

The OMB hearing began at city hall Feb. 20 and was expected to last 15 weeks. It`s estimated an additional five weeks will be needed.

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/Article....aspx?e=1053043
 
Homeowners need help to replace pipes: Littell

A city councillor wants to set up a program to help thousands of property owners replace lead service connections in their homes to the municipal water supply supply.

Coun. Mark Littell will attempt to get council support Monday for his resolution to have city staff prepare a program offering incentives to property owners to get rid of lead pipes and other connections.

The Ward 1 councillor says he believes the program is necessary to help people and a problem that he is taking steps on his own fix before a potential program might go into effect.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDi...el-Allan+Marion
 
Building height limits criticized; Consultant suggests four-storey cap a hindrance downtown

Strict heritage guidelines and a four-storey height limit could be hindering the vitality of downtown Orillia, says a consultant working on the city`s official plan review.

While a strip of heritage buildings along Mississaga Street is important to maintain, areas to the south of the main street aren`t necessarily served well by current policy, Ron Palmer told The Packet & Times on Friday.

"There`s no need for a four-storey height restriction on some of those properties," he said.

The downtown is subject to a four-storey limitation, but the rest of the city has an eight-storey cap. The city and the Downtown Orillia Management Board have tried to encourage a Victorian-era look in the core.

http://www.orilliapacket.com/ArticleDispla...uth=Teviah+Moro
 
City eyes small start to future arts plan; Five Points could be potential home of entertainment facility

Think small first, big later.

That appears to be the city`s strategy on a new performing arts centre in downtown Barrie.

On Monday, city councillors will consider converting 1 and 5 Dunlop St. W. into an entertainment facility seating 120-220 patrons. Council will also consider final approval of a motion asking for a staff report on steps to plan for a large (1,800 seats maximum) performing arts centre, including a feasibility study, by June`s end.

"I think this facility will strengthen the case for the large performing arts centre," said Coun. Jeff Lehman, who represents the downtown, of the smaller venue.

"Our cultural plan`s premise is to grow local organizations by supporting our home-grown talent. This facility will help Barrie-based groups grow their audience and ultimately, I think, this will strengthen the case for the large centre."

http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDi...auth=Bob+Bruton
 
Toronto`s Condo Kings: Is their boom sustainable?

From his penthouse in Toronto`s hip fashion district, Peter Freed can track the development of his six next condo projects taking shape along King Street West.

One of Mr. Freed`s buildings will have interiors by Philippe Starck, the must-have French designer of the moment. Another will be inspired by the Neoplasticism art movement made famous by Mondrian, where design is pared down to the basics of lines and the primary colours red, yellow and blue.

http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=552055
 
Gardiner plan will boost congestion, critics say


Lopping off the hunk of the Gardiner Expressway that connects with the Don Valley Parkway will only cost commuters an extra two minutes in their cars, Mayor
David Miller said yesterday. "From my perspective that`s two minutes for a great city," Mr. Miller said.


As it unveiled plans to reconnect the east side of downtown to the lake, Waterfront Toronto asserted yesterday that traffic disruptions for the 300,000 vehicles that pour into downtown via the Gardiner and DVP will be minimal.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/t...ritics-say.aspx
 
Front St. extension no longer a priority

The controversial Front St. extension is dead, its eulogy pronounced yesterday by one of its biggest champions, Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone.

Pantalone, who had successfully fended off attempts to cancel funding for the project, said he now agrees the money could be better spent removing the Gardiner Expressway east of Jarvis St.

"What`s important is that we do city-building in Toronto, and taking down the Gardiner is a higher priority from a city-wide perspective," said Pantalone, (Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina). "We have limited resources and you have to put those resources where you get the biggest return for our city. There`s no doubt that taking down the eastern section of the Gardiner gives us that."

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/434530
 
Lofty plans

Shoe-horning a luxury hotel and condo tower into the hyper-crowded financial district of downtown Toronto is forcing Donald Trump`s real estate company to think small while building tall.

The 924-foot (282 metre) Trump International Hotel and Tower is finally underway and a hole is being dug in a miniscule plot of land for the 60-storey towerat the southeast corner of Adelaide and Bay Sts. A team of architects and builders are importing both workers and different construction techniques to build a $500-million tower – with suites starting at $900,000 for the hotel condos and ranging from $1.8 million to $20 million for the residences – where a five-and-dime store used to stand. Both the hotel condos and the residence condos can be rented out as hotel rooms by owners.

http://www.yourhome.ca/homes/article/432040
 
Getting down to business

Howard Bogach was recently appointed president and CEO of Tarion Warranty Corp., which administers the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act.

He has worked for various financial institutions, including the Credit Union Central of Ontario, a financial services provider which also acts as the provincial industry trade association for 160 member groups and where he was CEO and president. Before that, Bogach was president and CEO of Metro Credit Union, the GTA`s largest, with assets topping $600 million and with more than 44,000 members.

Bogach recently sat down with Toronto Star columnist Bob Aaron and real estate reporter Gail Swainson for a discussion about Tarion.

http://www.thestar.com/article/432606
 
Canada`s economy `flirting with recession`

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty rejects the idea, but some analysts say the Canadian economy may be in at least a mild recession after being driven to its first quarterly contraction in five years by a slump in auto production and some brutal winter weather.

"With goods piling up, the order went out to stop the production lines, and the resulting dive in manufacturing output sent the Canadian economy flirting with recession as the first quarter came to an end," CIBC World Markets economist Avery Shenfeld said after Statistics Canada reported yesterday that the economy shrank at an annual 0.3-per-cent pace in the first three months of 2008.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/b...77-913b5090d9f5
 
Another developer granted injunction

Another developer has secured an temporary injunction against Six Nations protesters. A numbered company owned by partners Mike Corrado and David Eccles was granted the interim measure on May 21.

The action names the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council, members of the Haudenosaunee Development Institute, Ruby and Floyd Montour, Hazel Hill and persons unknown as defendants.

"It`s the only legal, peaceful remedy we had," Corrado said.

The company is also seeking $6 million in damages.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/378094
 
Detroit must play catch-up in fuel-efficient auto market

Detroit`s automakers have been making the shift to more fuel-efficient vehicles, but consumers have been making the move even faster -- to hybrids and high mileage models made overseas.

Gas prices have accelerated the move away from trucks and sport utility vehicles at a furious pace, leaving the Big Three at the most critical crossroads in 30 years.

"In the early `70s, we were caught flat-footed, without smaller, fuel-efficient cars. We had nothing to sell,`` said Gerald Meyers, a former chair of American Motors Corp. "That`s exactly what`s happening now.``

http://news.therecord.com/Business/article/358892
 
East Gwillimbury, you`re focus of new website

It`s all about you, East Gwillimbury, and only you.

You can share with your community your stories, photographs and videos on the soon-to-be launched It`s You East Gwillimbury website.

On itsyoueg.com, you are the news. It`s your stories, in your words and images.

It`s a place to connect with and celebrate your community by sharing news about family celebrations, school events, sports team achievements and church and community organization events.

http://www.yorkregion.com/News/East%20Gwil...y/article/75848
 
Teston Bridge comes down

After standing tall for many years the Teston Road bridge above Hwy. 400 has reached the end of the road.

The venerable structure was to be demolished by York Region crews earlier this morning between midnight and 8 a.m. The demolition is part of a project to widen Teston Road from a two-lane to four-lane roadway.

http://www.yorkregion.com/News/Regional%20News/article/75846
 
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