Saskatchewan Economic Fundamentals 2008 Q2

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Development planned for lot

A developer is plotting big plans for what is currently the Central Park Bistro.

"We`re currently finalizing the proposal," city manager Robert Cotterill said of the sale of the property on the southeastern corner of Central Avenue and 11th Street.

Brad Lounsbury, owner of V.L. Futures, submitted one of two bids on the property that is currently home to the Central Park Bistro.

http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=135744&sc=4

 

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Ridership increasing at Saskatoon Transit

SASKATOON -- Saskatoon Transit ridership is rising sharply for a second straight year, fuelled by a surge of university students and angst over high gas prices.

Ridership has jumped 12 per cent through the first four months of the year over its record-breaking 2007.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...76-53690dc887e5

 

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Environmentalists a foe to oil, energy industries

CALGARY -- With the oilsands now symbolizing deforestation, climate change and corporate greed, the Alberta energy industry is up against a growing network of green activists.

In 1949, when the Athabasca oilsands were still a two-bit experiment, J. Howard Pew, chairman of Philadelphia-based Sun Oil Co., summoned to his office the new head of his Alberta operation. He picked up a thick file labelled Athabasca Tar Sands and showed it to George Dunlap.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...88-5b4f91b83867

 

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Flood money unveiled

Over the next two years, the city will pour millions of dollars into work for West Hill flood prevention.

"There is a Build Canada Fund that we were hoping we might be able to access to help offset some of the costs," said city manager Robert Cotterill. "While the provincial government and the federal government are working on finalizing how we might apply, we`re having a problem from the federal government side in that these funds aren`t available right now, and we haven`t had funds available for almost two years."

The West Hill infrastructure project will commence this construction season. It will alleviate flooding while opening the area to development.

http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=136163&sc=4

 

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Wall would like to lead `new west`

Premier Brad Wall wants to put Saskatchewan at centre stage in western Canada as he hosts his fellow western premiers for the first time next week in Prince Albert.

But that big vision may be accomplished in part through small steps of increased co-operation, he said in an interview Tuesday.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...62-a54b46941df6

 

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Lack of space big concern for schools

Parents whose children attend school in White City and Balgonie said they can`t wait for the province`s capital budgeting cycle to address the growing enrolment problems in their schools.

The White City Elementary School which has a student population of 485 children is projecting that number will more than double by the 2010-11 school year and those numbers are conservative according to town officials.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...d8-5bd79628d4bd

 

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Record first-quarter sales growth for Sask.

Saskatchewan posted the highest increase in wholesale trade among the provinces in the month of March, thanks to booming sales of agricultural inputs, according to Statistics Canada.

The province`s wholesale trade was up by 25.3 per cent in March 2008 over March 2007. Nationally, wholesale trade dropped by 7.6 per cent, with all other provinces experiencing a decrease.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...3a-763230bc502a

 

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Government pledges aid to shortline railways

Shortline railways in need of repair are getting a boost from the provincial government.

Highways and Infrastructure Minister Wayne Elhard unveiled a $500,000 program Tuesday targeted at the province`s eight shortline railway companies, which can now apply to the province to have infrastructure projects cost-shared this fiscal year.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...dd-200a10995622

 

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Saskatoon will get Denver flight

SASKATOON -- Saskatoon is getting its long-awaited flight to a major Western U.S. airport hub when United Express takes off for Denver on the Tuesday after Labour Day.

The 7:05 morning flight will employ Bombardier CRJ-200s, a 50-seat regional airliner (familiar to those who fly Air Canada Jazz) to destinations such as Calgary or Winnipeg. A return flight to Saskatoon will depart Denver at 1:07 p.m. and arrives in Saskatoon at 3:30 p.m.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...a4-3a91d11aee93

 

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Nordic set to drill two wells near Preeceville, CEO says

Nordic Oil and Gas Ltd. said Tuesday the two sites near Preeceville, about 60 km north of Yorkton, are being cleared and readied for the start of drilling.

"We anticipate drilling the first well during the week of May 26," Donald Benson, chairman and CEO of Nordic, said in a press release Tuesday.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...3b-972b50d395cd

 

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City probes condo conversion

A proposed condo conversion in Pleasant Hill is on hold two weeks while the city looks into whether the owner got government funds to keep it as rental housing.

The city received a letter May 7 from Social Services Minister Donna Harpauer clarifying that a building on 22nd Street got funding under the federal-provincial residential rehabilitation assistance program (RRAP). The program gives rental property owners forgiveable loans to renovate properties that house low-income people.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...df-fafc34970b75

 

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Canadian potash giants plot expansion

VIENNA, Austria -- With fertilizer prices soaring worldwide, Canada`s potash firms are considering a massive $300-million to $500-million US expansion that would almost double shipping capacity at key West Coast ports to booming markets in Asia.

Next month, management of Canpotex International Pte. Ltd. will recommend a plan to its board to build a new facility or expand an existing one, adding 10 million tonnes of potash handling capacity per year, company chief executive Steven Dechka said at an international fertilizer conference.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...cb-00739b37e9c5

 

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Trench warfare

With spring underway, the RM of Garden River is soaked in a third year of disastrous flooding.

"It looked good till now - until we got the traffic on the roads hauling fertilizer and stuff," said Reeve Donald Heidt.

"It`s just pushing black mud right up out of the ground through all the grid roads."

The flooding has been caused by an increasingly high water table.

http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=136493&sc=4

 

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Gov`t expects windfall revenue

Budget forecasts are out the window as provincial revenues spiral upward into uncharted territory in tandem with skyrocketing oil prices.

The price of oil went over US $134 a barrel Wednesday -- more than $50 higher than the projected average in the provincial budget that came into effect less than two months ago.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...9f-fbde5562d9d5

 

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Annexing in plans

Regina may become a whole lot bigger if all things go according to plan.

"What I don`t want to see is Regina`s boundaries to be boxed in," said Mayor Pat Fiacco. "We don`t want to get to the point where we can no longer grow and bring in opportunities."

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...83-13395504afdf

 

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Sask. finds good and bad in free trade

Saskatchewan people believe free trade has been positive for the economy, big business and consumers, but are concerned about its impact on the environment, according to a recent survey by the Canada West Foundation.

The survey, released Wednesday by the Calgary-based think tank, was conducted in January and February among about 4,000 Western Canadians, including about 1,000 people from Saskatchewan.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...a9-df1e003c557e

 

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Sask., Alta. have highest increase in inflation

Alberta and Saskatchewan recorded cost of living increases of 3.2 per cent in April over April 2007 -- the highest increase of all the provinces -- thanks mainly to higher new housing costs, according to Statistics Canada.

From March to April, the consumer price index (CPI) increased 0.8 per cent in Saskatchewan, on par with the national increase of 0.8 per cent, while Alberta saw a bigger jump of 1.3 per cent in April.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...c3-0771f7022d5c

 

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Viterra invests $3.7M in projects

Viterra Inc. is spending $3.7 million on two capital projects that will increase the loading capability of Viterra`s high-throughput elevators at Grenfell and Grassy Lake, Alta., to 112 railcars from 56 and 61 respectively.

The upgrades are part of Viterra`s strategy to move a greater percentage of shipments to export position in full trains to improve throughput and overall system efficiency.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...2f-fb49fc9163d1

 

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La Ronge getting natural gas service

SaskEnergy is set to begin construction on a $20-million, 150-kilometre pipeline project that will bring natural gas service to the La Ronge area by spring of 2009, the Crown corporation announced Wednesday.

More than 850 customers have committed to the project, which promises to reduce energy costs by up to 40 per cent in communities, like La Ronge, Air Ronge, Weyakwin, Ramsey Bay and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/new...73-d650be036b70

 

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City to test roundabout at problem intersection

The city is installing a roundabout on Boychuk Drive at the point where two trucks crashed into houses last summer.

Two stolen trucks that police say were racing crashed into two homes on the 400 block of Boychuk Drive on June 18. No one was hurt. One truck left a hole a couple of metres tall and wide in a wall.

Four youths -- one a 12-year-old boy -- face charges ranging from mischief to street racing and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix...0a-1208efc1dd1b