AB Economic Fundamentals 2008-11

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1108ALTA
Stelmach`s absence sends message: Province OK

Premier Ed Stelmach wanted to phone in from Europe to next Monday`s first ministers meeting on the economy.

The response from the Prime Minister`s Office was a flat no (maybe even a sharp one), but it`s still intriguing to imagine Ed calling from London to say:

"Hi guys, this is Ed, premier of the engine of the Canadian economy. I can take questions for five minutes."

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/s...f0-babf3a760767

 

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1108CALG
Residents rally to halt farmers` market move

As supporters of the Calgary Farmers` Market mobilize to try to keep the popular market at its present location, city administrators are looking at other sites, including Westbrook Mall.

Ald. Diane Colley-Urqu-hart directed city staff this week to help the farmers` market find city-owned land for a new home, once its lease runs out at Currie Barracks.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/c...12-0b728c810b7b

 

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1108CALG
Royal Vista Park to create northwest work centre

Tenders are soon to be released by the city`s land servicing and housing department, which will launch Royal Vista Business Park. Designed as a northwest employment node, it`s located immediately to the east of Royal Oak Shopping Centre at Country Hills Boulevard and 112th Avenue N. W. It covers 54 hectares of fully serviced land subdivided into parcels that support a variety of office and light industry uses.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/c...4a-9dea2f94639b

 

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1108CALG
Calgary building permits plunge

Thenumberofbuildingpermits and their total value so far this year in the City of Calgary have decreased by 18 per cent and 27 per cent respectively, another indication of the slowing local economy.

According to city numbers re-leased Wednesday, in the first 10 months of this year there were 12,948 building permit applicationswhileduringthesameperiod a year ago there were 15,819.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/c...03-98b7c1d6b735

 

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1108ALTA
Oil sands players to lobby Obama

CALGARY - Canada`s oil sands community is gearing up for a big push in Washington to influence U. S. president-elect Barack Obama`s energy agenda.

With Mr. Obama expected to be more hostile toward oil sands development than his predecessor, Canadian industry and government representatives are wasting little time seeking face time with his team to ensure Alberta`s deposits get a fair hearing.

http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/s....html?id=936679

 

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1108CALG
Rural housing slumps

MLS sales and average prices in housing markets outside the Calgary area are following the same pattern as the city -- sales and average sale prices dipped in October compared with a year ago.

Recent statistics by the Calgary Real Estate Board show sales in towns outside of Calgary fell by 32 per cent last month compared with October 2007 and the average sale price dropped by 10.5 per cent to $360,711 while the median price fell by 6.1 per cent to $340,000.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/c...41-f8f6742229f5

 

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1108REDR
Eviction notices quashed, now rent hikes challenged

The Red Deer Landlord and Tenant Service is urging tenants at the Arlington Hotel to stand up for their rights in the wake of a rent increase.

The city bought the building last month and 24 tenants were told they had one month to vacate the premises. That first eviction notice turned out to be illegal, and the eviction deadline was extended until Jan. 31, 2009.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradv...challenged.html

 

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1108REDR
Pine Lake tower gets approval

Residents living near a proposed communication tower at Whispering Pines Golf and Country Club do not have a right to a view, Red Deer County`s subdivision and development appeal board has ruled.

In a decision released this week, the board denied an appeal launched against a 27-metre tower to be built on one of the highest points around Pine Lake.

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradv...s_approval.html

 

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1108ALTA
Downpour or light drizzle?

EDMONTON - Dark clouds of a recession that hang over Alberta appear to foreshadow a major economic tempest, but financial experts can`t say with certainty how hard the winds of misfortune will blow.

The financial turmoil in the stock market has spilled across the province, affecting everything from the timing and scope of major oilsands projects to housing developments.

Automobile sales, one of the early indicators of a recession, have dropped for only the second time since 2003. Housing starts and retail sales are slumping as Albertans brace for the worst.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...e2-96aabc45c1d4

 

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1108EDTN
Garage sales permit fee axed

EDMONTON - Edmonton garage sales became an even better bargain Thursday when city councillors decided to get rid of the $19 permit fee now required to hold one of the popular events.

Although the 5,700 permits issued in an average year raise about $110,000 for the city, it spends at least that much on processing and technology costs, according to a report.

Coun. Kim Krushell called the change a victory for common sense.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...6f-ee9b8b6ac77e

 

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1108ALTA
Royalty regime still a go, premier says

GRANDE PRAIRIE - In the heart of little oil country -- where small drillers join big companies finding cash underground -- Premier Ed Stelmach insisted Thursday a new royalty scheme will be in place by January.

"The royalty framework often times has been blamed for the decline in drilling," he said following a Tory fundraising dinner in Grande Prairie.

"We`re monitoring very carefully (but) we`re going to continue with implementing the royalty framework."

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...aa-bb4d5fc75942

 

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1108ALTA
Oilsands expansion on hold

EDMONTON - High construction costs and turmoil on global energy markets has forced Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. to defer further expansion for its soon-to-open Horizon oilsands facility and cut overall oil and gas capital spending almost in half.

"Our bosses, our shareholders, want to see us go harder, so there is always a lot of pressure to increase production. When you see companies pull back and slow down, you know things are pretty rocky," said CNRL president Steve Laut.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...6b-dfc6240b3a4d

 

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1108EDTN
Commercial building strong

EDMONTON - Edmonton`s construction sector roared back to life in September, powering an Alberta rebound in the value of building permits.

Alberta municipalities issued $1.03 billion worth of building permits in September -- up by nearly 12 per cent over August, according to Statistics Canada figures released Thursday.

Most of the province`s gains came in the non-residential sector, which jumped by about 22 per cent. The value of residential permits issued in Alberta nudged upward by less than one per cent.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...e5-e776e7d4642a

 

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1108CALG
Calgary building permits drop

The Calgary census metropolitan area experienced the second consecutive monthly decline in building permit values in September, according to Statistics Canada.

Figures released Thursday by the federal agency show the value of building permits in the Calgary region declined by 13.7 per cent to $271.9 million from August`s $315 million. And year-to-date to the end of September, building permit value is down by 24.6 per cent to $3.7 billion in the Calgary area, which includes the city, Airdrie, the Municipal District of Rocky View, Chestermere, Cochrane, Irricana, Beiseker and Crossfield.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/c...44-e353198f722e

 

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1108ALTA
Supply crunch to bring back $100 oil

The world will have to live with the risk of an energy supply crunch and an oil price well above$100 US a barrel in the years to come, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Thursday.

Massive investment of more than $26 trillion will be needed in the next 20 years to offset the impact of falling supply at aging oilfields and ensure the world has enough energy, the IEA said.

"There remains a real risk that under-investment will cause an oil supply crunch (by 2015)," the IEA said in an executive summary of the World Energy Outlook to be released in full next week.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/c...e3-103c03eabd55

 

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1108CALG
Developers not the enemy

A couple of weeks ago, I travelled to Banff to participate in a round table discussion on civic planning and it was an eye-opener.

The event was the Alberta Association, Canadian Institute of Planners conference, people who I have written some less than flattering things about -- nonetheless, I did attend at their invitation.

The first eye-opener was the age of many in the group. I have to believe a great many of them get asked for ID in the bar even though I`m sure they`re all over 18, although perhaps not by much.

http://calsun.canoe.ca/Business/2008/11/07/7334211-sun.html

 

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1108CALG
Permanent fire halls OK`d

The days of ATCO trailers serving as Calgary fire stations are coming to an end.

The southwest community of Bridlewood will get a $15.8-million permanent fire and ambulance station to replace the temporary structure built in 2003.

It`s part of $148 million in new or upgraded stations in the city`s budget proposed Thursday in response to fire Chief Bruce Burrell`s pleas to help bring down his department`s response times.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/c...66-f10cfc43b541

 

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1108REDR
Air Canada Jazz ponders service

The CEO of the Red Deer Regional Airport Authority expects Air Canada Jazz to make a decision within weeks on whether it will offer scheduled service out of the local airport.

Liam O`Connell said the authority made a formal pitch to Jazz on Oct. 7 and has been in regular communication with the carrier since.

"It`s been going back and forth and back and forth. We gave them a whole pile of economic data and they`re going through it."

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradv...rs_service.html

 

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1108EDTN
MacEwan College set to offer its own science degree

EDMONTON - If Meg Biglow had her choice, MacEwan College would remain home for her academic career.

The second-year student loves the small classes, the interaction with her professors and the non-competitive atmosphere. But as a science major, she must transfer to a university to finish the third and fourth years of her degree.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...6e-75064adfd521

 

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1108EDTN
City could veto plans to expand hamlet of Ardrossan

EDMONTON - Plans by Strathcona County to add between 1,500 and 3,000 people to Ardrossan, a hamlet with 382 residents, will be voted on next month by the Capital Region Board.

But the proposal is already facing some opposition.

Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel said he will not support the proposal until the board has hammered out a regional plan, due to be completed next spring.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...87-ea73c86d40b4