ON Economic Fundamentals 2008-11

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1108OTWA
When south meets west

Yesterday, city councillors got their staff`s pitch for intensification and limited new suburban growth, but a major Calgary-based development company is already lobbying for a big new suburban expansion that would include much of the land between Stittsville and Barrhaven, sweeping as far south as the village of Richmond.

The proposal to expand the city`s southwestern suburbs isn`t intended to get immediate approval from council, Walton Development and Management vice-president Paul Mondell says, but he wants to get the idea out for discussion to see if it fits with the city`s long-term plans.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/c...dd-deb21fb9b3d5

 

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1108OTWA
Former regional chair slams city`s transit plan

Andy Haydon is determined to derail Ottawa`s $4.7-billion train plan.

The former regional chair showed up at Ottawa City Hall yesterday morning to hold a press conference on the future of public transit with his hand bleeding.

His keys got locked in the car and he smashed the window of the vehicle so that he wouldn`t be late for the 10 a.m. press conference.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/c...d2-645bbff682a2

 

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1108HAMN
`Hamilton has fared quite well` in Metrolinx plan

No surprises for Hamilton.

That`s what Rob MacIsaac says we can expect as regional transportation agency Metrolinx unveils a near-final plan to ease gridlock, pollution and car dependency in greater Toronto and Hamilton.

Today, Metrolinx will post online an updated version of its regional plan. A draft of The Big Move: Transforming Transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area was released in September.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/471953

 

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1108HAMN
No Scrooge syndrome at mall

While the markets suggest we should all be contemplating ways to make Kraft Dinner appealing, we have apparently chosen to go shopping.

The number of visitors to Lime Ridge Mall has increased by more than 4 per cent this fall. Sales are up 6 per cent this October compared to last year.

Heath Applebaum, a spokesperson at Lime Ridge, said those folks jamming the parking lot are doing more than browsing.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Business/article/471908

 

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1108KWCG
City protects two heritage sites

KITCHENER

Two old buildings on a high-profile downtown property are now protected under the Ontario Heritage Act and cannot be demolished without the city`s support.

Councillors voted unanimously last night to protect the exterior of the Mayfair Hotel, at Young and King streets, along with the former Hymmen Hardware building at 156-158 King St. West.

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/449292

 

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1108KWCG
Chuckles greet city`s heritage list

GUELPH

Hang on -- my house is on the list

There were some chuckles in the council chambers last night when three councillors sat out a vote on whether to add more than 1,900 homes to the city`s heritage register, but the action seemed to underscore just how many Guelph residents are affected by the proposal.

Councillors voted to defer the proposal, which would give the city 60 days to consider whether to allow a house to be demolished or moved. The deferral is to let staff come up with a procedure for homeowners to ask to be removed from the list.

http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/408418

 

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1108DCLR
Coffee queue rejigged to curb traffic woes

CLARINGTON -- A traffic problem which has been percolating for many years around a local coffee shop may have a solution. The Tim Hortons at Baseline and Martin roads in Bowmanville has presented site revisions which would see access from a Baseline Road entrance.

http://newsdurhamregion.com/news/clarington/article/113782

 

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1108DAJX
Surgery on hospital going smoothly

AJAX -- Once the new and improved Ajax-Pickering hospital is up and running, it should make for a strong, more friendly and comfortable community hospital, says a hospital official. The senior director of planning and capital redevelopment and support services, Rick Gowrie, led politicians, business partners, supporters and the media on a tour of the Rouge Valley Ajax and Pickering hospital`s construction progress on Friday.

http://newsdurhamregion.com/news/pickering/article/113723

 

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1108DOSH
96.4% spike in Oshawa EI

Christmas will not be as jolly this year for the unemployed in Oshawa, where Employment Insurance has jumped 96.4%.

"I just got laid off Thursday so I will definitely be thinking about cutting back on Christmas gifts," said Jamie, who declined to give his last name.

The 38-year-old construction labourer said the company where he`s worked for more than a decade has responded to the slumping housing market by cutting jobs and it`s the first time he`s dealt with a layoff.

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2008...538236-sun.html

 

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1108TNTO
Union Station key in transit plan

Union Station gets an expanded role in the final edition of the Toronto regional transportation plan, released yesterday by Metrolinx.

The rejigged version of the new 25-year, $50-billion blueprint to ease road congestion foresees an expanded, revitalized Union Station as one of nine "Big Moves" to reduce car use in the Toronto area.

Another new Metrolinx study, also released yesterday, predicts that the cost of congestion in the region, pegged at $6 billion in 2006, will grow to $15 billion by 2031 if the province fails to act.

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/543354

 

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1108TNTO
Mayor calls on feds for transit help

Toronto`s proposed new light rail network, Transit City, could get rolling sooner if the federal government doles out infrastructure cash to help the economy, says Mayor David Miller.

No federal money is currently earmarked for the $8 billion project, which calls for 124 kilometres of dedicated streetcar lines on seven major routes, Miller said.

"It`ll be doing the right thing for the environment, the right thing for neighbourhoods that don`t have rapid transit," Miller said after the executive committee voted unanimously in favour of the city`s $1.6 billion capital budget for 2009.

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/543360

 

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1108ONTR
McGuinty rejects corporate tax cuts

The Liberal government is rejecting a recommendation from its own expert panel that corporate taxes be slashed to help struggling businesses.

Premier Dalton McGuinty added he has no plans to implement other measures suggested by the province`s Task Force on Competitiveness, Productivity and Economic Progress in its annual report, including harmonizing the 8 per cent provincial sales tax with the 5 per cent federal goods and services tax.

"There`s no shortage of advice that we`re going to receive," McGuinty said yesterday after the task force released its report to the government. "If we were to dramatically reduce corporate taxes we would reduce our revenues and that would create even more financial challenges for us," he said.

http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/543352

 

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1108ONTR
McGuinty buoyed by prospect of more MPs

Premier Dalton McGuinty is hailing signs that Ottawa plans to give Ontario greater representation in the House of Commons.

McGuinty said yesterday he was encouraged that Prime Minister Stephen Harper broached the subject in last week`s throne speech.

"It`s good news," the premier said. "It represents real progress in terms of the relationship that Ontarians have with our new federal government. So we take heart in that."

http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/543390

 

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1108ONTR
Laid off at GM? Hydro`s hiring

Ontario`s auto sector may be shedding jobs by the thousands, but the country`s big power utilities can`t hire skilled workers fast enough.

Canada`s electricity sector needs to hire 25,000 engineers and skilled trades people within the next six years to keep the country`s power system safely and reliably humming, according to a report released yesterday by the Electricity Sector Council.

http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/543284

 

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1108CATH
Decision deferred on hospital plan

A decision on the Niagara Health System`s hospital improvement plan will have to wait until at least next month.

The Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network deferred a decision on the plan during a meeting in Lincoln on Tuesday. Members instead passed a motion to seek answers to several questions about the plan and the financial status of the NHS.

The LHIN, which is responsible for health-care funding and planning in the region, also sent back the NHS`s plan for legal reasons.

The LHIN will meet again at Lincoln`s town hall next month.

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/Article....aspx?e=1316561

 

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1108CATH
Massive residential development rolling along in Thorold

A sluggish economy isn`t slowing progress on what could be Niagara`s largest residential development.

Glen Gordon, developer of the massive Neighbourhoods of Rolling Meadows in Thorold South, said he expects ground can be broken on the mixed-use subdivision as early as mid-December, pending finalizing details at the regional level.

A report is expected to come before Niagara Region council Thursday recommending awarding the contract to a Fort Erie company to construct the $11.2-million water main that will, in part, service Rolling Meadows.

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/Article....aspx?e=1316590

 

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1108CATH
Student landlord wins fight with city

Even some landlords are fed up with student houses.

Bernie Peters, who once owned five student houses in south St. Catharines, has sold them off.

He has switched his focus to smaller apartments that accommodate only two or three students each.

"The market I am after is two-bedroom or three-bedroom units. They are much more desirable and they don`t have the problems that houses do," Peters said. "I sold all my student housing."

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/Article....aspx?e=1316560

 

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1108BTFD
Colborne Street stretch could be rejuvenated

Boarded-up Colborne Street buildings across from Alexandra Park could enjoy new life as a commercial and affordable housing project.

City councillors have endorsed, with conditions, a plan by businessman Pat Luciani to rezone a stretch of vacant two-storey commercial and apartment properties at 381-393 Colborne St.

Luciani intends to demolish or rework the structures into one four-storey redevelopment with commercial space on the ground floor and a combination of 30 one-bedroom and bachelor apartment units on the upper three floors.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDi....aspx?e=1315910

 

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1108BTFD
Plans to redevelop brownfield on display at public meeting

Residents and community groups will get a chance today to hear the latest on the city`s $100-million project to clean up and redevelop the Greenwich- Mohawk brownfield area.

A public information centre will be set up today in Bellview Elementary School on Tenth Avenue.

A series of maps, diagrams and documents will be available for study between 3 p. m. and 6 p. m. Then, city staffers and officials from engineering firm UEM Consulting Inc. will make a presentation and field questions at 7 p. m.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDi....aspx?e=1315916

 

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1108BAOR
County taxes going up 3.4%

Simcoe County councillors promised no cuts to existing services in passing their 2009 budget, yesterday.

Residents will see a 3.4 per cent increase on the county portion of their property taxes.

"There will not be any cutting -- 3.4 will keep us at our (current) service levels," said Wasaga Beach Mayor Cal Patterson, chairman of the performance management committee, which includes finance.

Patterson said it was one of the easiest budgets to get passed in his last 11 years on county council.

http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDi....aspx?e=1315820