Saskatchewan Economic Fundamentals 2008 Q2

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Fire alarm bylaw takes first step

A bylaw regarding fire alarm regulations received first reading in council Monday.

A part of the bylaw states that after Sept. 30, 2009, smoke alarms must be hardwired in the dwelling unit and battery-powered smoke alarms will not be acceptable in a building containing one or more dwelling units that are not occupied by the owner of the building.

Hardwired smoke alarm systems run off the building`s electricity, but still have a battery as a backup energy source.

"The fire bylaw is a good idea as long as it applies to all residents of Prince Albert," said landlord Elaine Campbell, addressing council.

http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=134670&sc=4

 

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Rising prices scare buyers

Shocked by double-digit increases in new and resale housing prices, 70 per cent of Saskatchewan residents believe now is not a good time to buy a house, according to a recent survey.

And most respondents fear that housing prices in the province will continue to rise in the next year, says the survey released Wednesday by the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals (CAAMP).

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...37-fd5c020037b5

 

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Tender for West Hill work approved

On Monday city council unanimously approved a tender for the West Hill Infrastructure Project, which should alleviate flooding while opening the area for development.

The project will install infrastructure in 28th Street, between Fourth and 10th Avenue West, and along 10th Avenue West.

The tender was awarded to Rusway Construction Ltd. for just under $7 million plus taxes. About $5.7 million of the total is budgeted for 2008, and the rest for the following year.

http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=135067&sc=4

 

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`A new era of prosperity`

Chronic have-not provinces -- Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador -- are entering a new era of prosperity and leaving other provinces, even Alberta, in the dust.

That`s the conclusion of a study released Thursday by Statistics Canada, entitled From lagging to leading: Newfoundland and Saskatchewan dig into the resource boom.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...ca-0e1a393e9caa

 

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Cooling off, but still hot

Regina`s booming housing market is expected to remain red hot for the rest of this year and cool only slightly in 2009, according to a forecast released Thursday.

The forecast, by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC), projects continuing increases this year in housing starts, in the prices of new and resale homes, and in rental rates.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...47-9716deb4f225

 

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Record high for Sask. shipping

Saskatchewan`s manufacturing shipments hit a record high in March, once again bucking the decline experienced across most of Canada during the same period.

In March, Saskatchewan`s manufacturing shipments totaled $1.049 billion, up 6.3 per cent over March of 2007, the second-highest increase in Canada, according to Statistics Canada.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...ca-8330639fb0c0

 

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Housing shortage widespread: task force

Former MLAs Ted Merriman and Bob Pringle knew the affordable housing shortage is widespread, but learning who is falling through the cracks has been a surprise.

In March, the Saskatchewan Party government appointed Pringle, a former NDP MLA and current Saskatoon city councillor, and Merriman, a former Sask. Party MLA, to look into housing affordability and report back with recommendations.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...78-dee0d7278df9

 

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WestJet spreading its wings in Saskatoon

Plans are taking flight to increase WestJet`s capacity in Saskatoon 50 per cent by 2013, a company executive said Thursday.

The Calgary-based airline has 45 planes on order. That will increase WestJet`s fleet to 119 within five to six years, said Bob Cummings, a vice-president of marketing for the airline.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...70-04d488d1c3e8

 

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Broadway condo has New York feel

Manhattan meets the Prairies in a commercial-residential building on Broadway Avenue that developers are calling "hip" and "contemporary."

More than a year after clearing the Broadway and Ninth Street site, Meridian Developments Inc. has settled on a design for the building.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...4c-89b060c924c1

 

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Record year projected for house sales

Condo units may be regarded as the entry point for first-time home buyers, but single-family house construction still dominates the new home market in Saskatoon, says Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

CMHC released an updated housing market forecast Thursday that predicts 1,650 single-family houses will be built in the city and area this year, an 11 per cent rise from last year`s strong showing.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...ea-f140472478e9

 

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Help or hinder?

Recent Saskatoon real estate legislation gets a mixed review by Prince Albert officials.

Vacant lots in Saskatoon are sold through a lottery, with commercial builders taking 73 per cent of available properties and individuals taking 27 per cent.

"We sell land to individuals so they can live," said Trevor Bell, land bank manager with the City of Saskatoon. "It`s what needs to happen in this market."

Demand for lots outstrips supply three times, he said.

"We`ve been oversubscribed."

http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=135505&sc=4

 

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Sask. follows national trend in soaring automobile sales

New car, truck and other vehicle sales in Saskatchewan raced upwards by 17.6 per cent in March, according to Statistics Canada data released Friday.

The data indicated there were 4,368 cars, trucks, vans and other new vehicles sold in the province in March.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...7b-11bb7aafca0c

 

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Now is the time to buy uranium

In August 2007, natural gas prices traded at $5.50 US per million British thermal units (BTU). Only nine months later, gas prices have climbed to close at $11.29 US per BTU this week.

Oil prices have also seen similar corrections over the last few years and have rebounded to trade at new highs.

So what about uranium prices?

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...55-e97ce03e12ac

 

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Westjet now non-stop to Toronto

It will be up, up and away Sunday, when the new non-stop WestJet service between Regina and Toronto takes flight.

Plans for the new non-stop service were announced several months ago and the first flight from Regina to Toronto is scheduled to depart at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...9a-3d1406469191

 

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Hotel wants to add floors

Lake Placid Developments wants to go big.

The Calgary developer that owns the signature site of River Landing has applied to the city to build a hotel four storeys higher than zoning rules currently allow. The bigger hotel would allow Lake Placid to attract a better brand, according to CEO Michael Lobsinger.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...d7-bd4301f7882f

 

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Businesses fill old post office

Hugh Wood, the chief operating officer of Vecima Networks Inc., says his company is thrilled to be affiliated with a host of new community business groups that will become tenants on the main floor of the old Canada Post building by September.

The feelings of mutual admiration were on display Friday as Wood made the official welcome to the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA), Tourism Saskatoon and the Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council (STEC) branch of Tourism Saskatchewan.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...21-d52d3aac7c0a

 

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Downtrodden pork business forces closure of swine centre

The Prairie Swine Centre, a hog production facility that included an industry education centre, has been forced to close because of what it calls "unprecedented losses in the pork business."

The 600-sow, farrow-to-finish operation, located several kilometres north of Elstow, will suspend operations this spring. The decision puts seven employees out of work.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...a2-ed6b7a7db35e

 

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Tax hike cut to 2.02 per cent

The city`s share of local property taxes will only increase 2.02 per cent from last year`s rates, following a council vote during a city budget committee meeting Monday night.
The committee met to discuss how to spend additional money that would be coming in via the provincial revenue sharing plan.
In April, the Saskatchewan government announced an additional eight per cent revenue sharing to municipalities. The government wanted the extra cash to go towards cutting property taxes but how the money would be spent would ultimately be up to the municipalities.
The $10.41 million increase comes on top of a $7.9 million increase announced in the budget. Moose Jaw`s share of the extra cash is $241,640.

http://www.mjtimes.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=134292&sc=3

 

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East wing of North East Leisure Centre comes down

The dust was wafting into the air on Friday and all that remained Monday morning of the east wing of the North East Leisure Centre was a pile of rubble.
The piece of heavy machinery with a bucket at the end of the arm was swinging at, pulling down and batting walls for most of the day Friday, leveling the eastern half of the building.
City of Melfort councillor, Lynn Abbott had a variety of emotions about the tearing down of the North East Leisure Centre.

http://www.melfortjournal.com/Front%20Page/400577.html

 

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Shore Gold updates diamond exploration in Fort a la Corne

Shore Gold updates diamond exploration in Fort a la Corne
By Melissa Mangelsen
Journal Staff
Shore Gold Inc., held an informational meeting May 7, with guest speaker Eric Cline, vice-president of corporate affairs at Shore Gold.
It`s been over 17 years that the diamond exploration has started out at Fort a la Corne and it has been a positive to Nipawin and area.

http://www.nipawinjournal.com/News/400535.html