September 2011 Ontario Economic Fundamentals
- Thread starter Ally
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Ontario election promises: Now you see'em, now you don't
Before Labour Day, pundits and pollsters are wasting their time analyzing politics in Ontario. After that, they can do marginally useful work, because only then will most citizens focus on the October election.
Uncommitted voters, on whom elections usually turn, are more interested in the pursuits of summer than the promises of politicians, and with very good reason. When (if?) these voters begin to pay attention, the election outcome might become clear.
Read the full article here.
Before Labour Day, pundits and pollsters are wasting their time analyzing politics in Ontario. After that, they can do marginally useful work, because only then will most citizens focus on the October election.
Uncommitted voters, on whom elections usually turn, are more interested in the pursuits of summer than the promises of politicians, and with very good reason. When (if?) these voters begin to pay attention, the election outcome might become clear.
Read the full article here.
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Big condo bells toll with Montreal lot sale
Right now, it's an underused parking lot between Drummond and Mountain Sts., facing the Bell Centre.
But with one of the most generous zoning rules in the city, the 31,822-square-foot site could one day be used for Montreal's highest residential tower, said brokers developing the lot, which was put up for sale Thursday.
Zoning on the property allows for a 50-storey building on the lot - a height more commonly found in Toronto. The highest tower now under construction in Montreal is a mixed Marriott Hotel and residential project on Renà LÃvesque Blvd., that tops off at 40 storeys.
Read the full article here.
Right now, it's an underused parking lot between Drummond and Mountain Sts., facing the Bell Centre.
But with one of the most generous zoning rules in the city, the 31,822-square-foot site could one day be used for Montreal's highest residential tower, said brokers developing the lot, which was put up for sale Thursday.
Zoning on the property allows for a 50-storey building on the lot - a height more commonly found in Toronto. The highest tower now under construction in Montreal is a mixed Marriott Hotel and residential project on Renà LÃvesque Blvd., that tops off at 40 storeys.
Read the full article here.
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City succeeds in luring new corporate investment
Hamilton is second only to Toronto among Canadian cities in attracting new corporate investment over the past year.
It`s the second year in a row Hamilton has ranked among the top cities in Site Selection magazine`s Canada Best to Invest.
The article will be published Thursday.
Read the full article here.
Hamilton is second only to Toronto among Canadian cities in attracting new corporate investment over the past year.
It`s the second year in a row Hamilton has ranked among the top cities in Site Selection magazine`s Canada Best to Invest.
The article will be published Thursday.
Read the full article here.
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Construction begins at the new Allandale Waterfront GO station
BARRIE, ONTARIO ` Patrick Brown, Member of Parliament for Barrie; Aileen Carroll, Member of Provincial Parliament for Barrie; and Gary McNeil, GO Transit president, today marked the start of construction for the new Allandale Waterfront GO Station. The new stop will allow GO Transit to extend train service further into downtown Barrie, improving access to GO rail service and downtown Barrie, and increasing ridership on the Barrie line.
"Our government's investment in Allandale Station will increase public transit use, reduce gridlock and improve air quality," said MP Brown. "This new station will create jobs, increase economic growth and improve service for commuters in Barrie."
"This is great news for Barrie residents," said MPP Carroll. "Adding another stop in Barrie will make it easier for GO commuters to take public transit and leave their cars at home. Better public transit means a better quality of life for Ontario families."
Read the full article here.
BARRIE, ONTARIO ` Patrick Brown, Member of Parliament for Barrie; Aileen Carroll, Member of Provincial Parliament for Barrie; and Gary McNeil, GO Transit president, today marked the start of construction for the new Allandale Waterfront GO Station. The new stop will allow GO Transit to extend train service further into downtown Barrie, improving access to GO rail service and downtown Barrie, and increasing ridership on the Barrie line.
"Our government's investment in Allandale Station will increase public transit use, reduce gridlock and improve air quality," said MP Brown. "This new station will create jobs, increase economic growth and improve service for commuters in Barrie."
"This is great news for Barrie residents," said MPP Carroll. "Adding another stop in Barrie will make it easier for GO commuters to take public transit and leave their cars at home. Better public transit means a better quality of life for Ontario families."
Read the full article here.
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Sudbury apartments driving starts in August
According to preliminary data released today by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 81 rental apartment units commenced in August, supplementing 71 low-density housing starts. Year-to-date construction is behind by ten per cent.
"August posted a relatively weak number of single-detached starts when compared with the 5 year average for this month. Nevertheless, stronger-than-average 81 rental apartment starts combined with 30 row houses and 4 semi-detached homes brought total construction 2 per cent above last year's numbers," stated Warren Philp, CMHC's Northern Ontario Market Analyst.
Read the full article here.
According to preliminary data released today by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 81 rental apartment units commenced in August, supplementing 71 low-density housing starts. Year-to-date construction is behind by ten per cent.
"August posted a relatively weak number of single-detached starts when compared with the 5 year average for this month. Nevertheless, stronger-than-average 81 rental apartment starts combined with 30 row houses and 4 semi-detached homes brought total construction 2 per cent above last year's numbers," stated Warren Philp, CMHC's Northern Ontario Market Analyst.
Read the full article here.
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In Chatham, the jobs went - then the people
Lenover`s Family Meat Market has been serving cuts of meat to Chatham residents since 1933, when the region was among one of the most prolific farming communities in North America.
Since then, the southern Ontario city has gone through waves of industrialization that saw dozens of manufacturing plants built alongside the region`s sprawling fields, as companies took advantage of the city`s close proximity to auto manufacturers in Windsor and Detroit and a wealth of highly trained trades workers. The Navistar plant that closed in August employed more than 2,000 at its peak only a decade ago, and the company's hulking buildings are a daily reminder of the city's changing fortune.
Read the full article here.
Lenover`s Family Meat Market has been serving cuts of meat to Chatham residents since 1933, when the region was among one of the most prolific farming communities in North America.
Since then, the southern Ontario city has gone through waves of industrialization that saw dozens of manufacturing plants built alongside the region`s sprawling fields, as companies took advantage of the city`s close proximity to auto manufacturers in Windsor and Detroit and a wealth of highly trained trades workers. The Navistar plant that closed in August employed more than 2,000 at its peak only a decade ago, and the company's hulking buildings are a daily reminder of the city's changing fortune.
Read the full article here.
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Ford's St. Thomas plant closes today, putting hundreds out of work
ST. THOMAS, Ont. - The Ford assembly plant in the southwestern Ontario community of St. Thomas closes today after four decades.
With closure, the last of 1,200 hourly-paid employees at the plant will be thrown out of work. A decade ago, there were about 3,600 union members at the factory.
The final sedan will roll out of the 2.6-million-square-foot factory and with it end a 44-year history that included building Fairmonts, Pintos, Mavericks and other vehicles.
Read the full article here.
ST. THOMAS, Ont. - The Ford assembly plant in the southwestern Ontario community of St. Thomas closes today after four decades.
With closure, the last of 1,200 hourly-paid employees at the plant will be thrown out of work. A decade ago, there were about 3,600 union members at the factory.
The final sedan will roll out of the 2.6-million-square-foot factory and with it end a 44-year history that included building Fairmonts, Pintos, Mavericks and other vehicles.
Read the full article here.
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Wanted: Affordable homes in the GTA
TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2011 /CNW/ - Authors of a newly released report on housing issues are calling on provincial candidates to focus on creating affordable homes for more than 152,000 households on housing wait lists across Ontario - over 93,000 of which are waiting for housing in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
The 2011 edition of Where's Home?, authored by the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA) and the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada Ontario Region (CHF Canada Ontario Region), analyzes 22 separate housing markets and highlights the need for more affordable rental housing across the Province.
This year's report shows that it is increasingly difficult for low and modest income people in the GTA to find affordable rental housing options that are appropriate for their families. Vacancy rates in Toronto (2.2%), York (1.8%), Durham (2.7%) and Peel (1.8%) are all below the 3% vacancy rate threshold - meaning that tenants in the GTA have fewer affordable rental housing choices.
"Strong immigration rates, less than stable economic conditions and fewer tenants moving into homeownership is placing stress on the GTA's rental housing system," says Sharad Kerur, ONPHA's Executive Director. "While some areas have seen modest increases in rental housing production over the past few years, it is still nowhere near enough to meet the growing demand for affordable housing options."
Read the full article here.
TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2011 /CNW/ - Authors of a newly released report on housing issues are calling on provincial candidates to focus on creating affordable homes for more than 152,000 households on housing wait lists across Ontario - over 93,000 of which are waiting for housing in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
The 2011 edition of Where's Home?, authored by the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA) and the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada Ontario Region (CHF Canada Ontario Region), analyzes 22 separate housing markets and highlights the need for more affordable rental housing across the Province.
This year's report shows that it is increasingly difficult for low and modest income people in the GTA to find affordable rental housing options that are appropriate for their families. Vacancy rates in Toronto (2.2%), York (1.8%), Durham (2.7%) and Peel (1.8%) are all below the 3% vacancy rate threshold - meaning that tenants in the GTA have fewer affordable rental housing choices.
"Strong immigration rates, less than stable economic conditions and fewer tenants moving into homeownership is placing stress on the GTA's rental housing system," says Sharad Kerur, ONPHA's Executive Director. "While some areas have seen modest increases in rental housing production over the past few years, it is still nowhere near enough to meet the growing demand for affordable housing options."
Read the full article here.
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Orillia horizons widening
It looks like a more open point of view could be on Orillia's horizon.
City politicians are looking at a "viewscapes" program that would see avenues opened up between the waterfront and downtown.
On Monday night, council committee gave preliminary approval to opening negotiations to obtain properties along Front Street that link downtown to the waterfront.
Read the full article here.
It looks like a more open point of view could be on Orillia's horizon.
City politicians are looking at a "viewscapes" program that would see avenues opened up between the waterfront and downtown.
On Monday night, council committee gave preliminary approval to opening negotiations to obtain properties along Front Street that link downtown to the waterfront.
Read the full article here.
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Skilled immigrants boost GTA companies' fortunes
GTA employers who hire skilled immigrants have an easier time expanding locally and globally, according to survey funded by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC). As reported by Canadian Manufacturing, 93 percent of the polled GTA business with skilled immigrants on their workforce responded that hiring immigrants is beneficial for international expansion.
"The results of a recent survey in the Greater Toronto Area shows there are benefits to hiring skilled immigrants for manufacturers that do business abroad."
"Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC), which advocates better integration of skilled immigrants into the local labour market, engaged research company EKOS to ask 461 Toronto area companies, mostly small and medium enterprises from a range of sectors, about their employment practices."
Read the full article here.
GTA employers who hire skilled immigrants have an easier time expanding locally and globally, according to survey funded by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC). As reported by Canadian Manufacturing, 93 percent of the polled GTA business with skilled immigrants on their workforce responded that hiring immigrants is beneficial for international expansion.
"The results of a recent survey in the Greater Toronto Area shows there are benefits to hiring skilled immigrants for manufacturers that do business abroad."
"Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC), which advocates better integration of skilled immigrants into the local labour market, engaged research company EKOS to ask 461 Toronto area companies, mostly small and medium enterprises from a range of sectors, about their employment practices."
Read the full article here.
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Immigration, jobs hot London West issue
The riding with the greatest diversity in the London area poses one of the greatest challenges for its candidates -- if you want to win London West, you can't be a one-issue wonder.
This is a community that demands a well-rounded view, say political observers.
"The biggest thing about London West is the split between established families, new Canadian families and empty nesters," said Stephen Turner, past chairperson of the Urban League, and a London West resident living in Old South.
"There is quite a range of different people living here and one of the challenges for the riding and for candidates is to address all the constituents."
Read the full article here.
The riding with the greatest diversity in the London area poses one of the greatest challenges for its candidates -- if you want to win London West, you can't be a one-issue wonder.
This is a community that demands a well-rounded view, say political observers.
"The biggest thing about London West is the split between established families, new Canadian families and empty nesters," said Stephen Turner, past chairperson of the Urban League, and a London West resident living in Old South.
"There is quite a range of different people living here and one of the challenges for the riding and for candidates is to address all the constituents."
Read the full article here.