Ontario Economic Fundamentals 2008 Q2

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Shipping industry sounds alarm over plan that would alter Lake Ontario levels

Part of a proposal to control Lake Ontario water levels could create havoc for a shipping industry that requires stable and sufficient water levels for its shipping fleet, a hearing was told Monday.

A public hearing of the International Joint Commission was held at the Best Western in Jordan to get reaction to the preferred Plan 2007, in which water levels are controlled by a dam in Cornwall.

If implemented, it would be the first change to the management plan for water levels in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River in 40 years.

A commission report has said the plan will help wetland plant diversity, increase hydropower production and reduce erosion to properties along Lake Ontario.

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/Article...+STANDARD+STAFF

 

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5000-seat facility studied

A major spectator facility in downtown St. Catharines could be a major money loser unless it can attract other shows and events, but booking those events will be hard if the main tenant -- like the IceDogs -- locks up most of the available time and space, an economic report prepared for city council says.

St. Catharines councillors agreed Monday night to form a task force to find out if the twin-pad at the Gatorade Garden City Complex should be replaced with a single arena that can seat 5,000.

But a comparison of spectator facilities in Oshawa, Guelph and Brampton shows their success depends on how often they can be filled with paying guests who are hungry and thirsty for refreshments, a report from economic development director David Oakes said.

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/Article...+STANDARD+STAFF

 

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Laurier looking at Lucy Marco building to house first-year students

Laurier Brantford is looking at leasing Lucy Marco Place to ensure residence space for the large class of first-year students starting this fall.

Located in the former Ybuildingat Queen and Darling streets, Lucy Marco Place is owned by Your Homes of Brantford, a nonprofit organization. It was built as a residence for second, third and fourth-year students at Laurier Brantford, Nipissing University and Mohawk College.

"Our growth has been really good," said Antonio Araujo, director of campus operations for Laurier Brantford. "We`re trying to figure out where we`re going to have residences available for students. We have a need for first-year student (housing) because we have a policy for them."

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDi...EXPOSITOR+STAFF

 

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Province gives approval to demolish BCI

The province has given the go-ahead to demolish parts of Brantford Collegiate Institute this summer. But, the public board is still waiting for approval to rebuild it.

Superintendent Jamie Gunn told trustees Monday that he received a call from Ministry of Education officials Friday, telling him to expect the paperwork. But, all that arrived on Monday was demolition approval.

The board is anxiously waiting for the province to release $23.8 million in promised funding so that the giant rebuild and renovation project can get underway by the end of this month.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDi...EXPOSITOR+STAFF

 

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The big one is brewing

Located at the tip of tornado alley, with its geography and the right weather conditions, Barrie is prime for another tornado.

Around 5 p. m. on May 31, 1985, a tornado hit Barrie`s south end, killing eight people -- including four children -- and injuring more than 150 others.

Statistically, some experts have suggested the area is due for another twister, but officials say it`s hard to determine when and where the next one will strike.

Peter Kimbell, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada, said more tornadoes aren`t necessarily in the cards this summer.

http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDi...BY+RAYMOND+BOWE

 

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Where the green belt is more of a thong

South of the Town of Aurora, Yonge Street dips under a Canadian National Railway bridge and becomes a highway. The speed limit is 80; I walked on the gravel shoulder, which drains into a ditch filled with reeds, butterflies, snails and trash.
Yonge here crosses a rural area. On the west side I took a dirt road through the forest. A cardinal flitted across my path and mosquitos pounced. I found an old stone house in a clearing. This is the animal control centre for Richmond Hill, King Township and Vaughan; intriguing, but Gary, who works here, told me I`d need to file a freedom of information request to find out anything about the cats or dogs, so I moved on.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/t...of-a-thong.aspx

 

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Streets to get sleek facelift

Thousands of new bus shelters, benches, newspaper boxes and garbage bins – up to 26,000, in fact – are set to roll onto Toronto streets, city officials proudly announced yesterday.

Now, if only they could get the ones already on the street to work.

Mayor David Miller and officials of Astral Media gathered in Nathan Phillips Square to show off the sleek new shelters and bins that will become part of the Toronto streetscape as part of a 20-year deal with Astral.

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/440222

 

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Traffic slumps at model homes

Developers are seeing fewer people at their model homes and the Ontario Home Builders` Association said yesterday that the province`s uncertain economic prospects are likely to blame.

"The general economic slowdown and declining consumer confidence in Ontario is starting to be felt by home builders, who are reporting slower traffic," OHBA president Mark Basciano said yesterday. "If consumers aren`t confident about their jobs or their investments they aren`t likely to be looking to purchase a new home."

While Canadian housing starts were up by 3.5 per cent nationally to a seasonally adjusted and annualized 221,300 units, Ontario was the lone province that saw a decline in May, according to figures released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. yesterday.

http://www.yourhome.ca/homes/article/440060

 

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Council must hold the line on tax increases to stay afloat

It might not be your first reaction, but the city`s plan to increase taxes 4.9 per cent next year is actually a good thing.

Making that point will be an interesting test of city councillors` political maturity. Sometimes, politicians have to tell voters things they don`t want to hear, and this is one of those times. Worse, 2010 is another one of those times, and that`s an election year.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/c...4d-a8b9b0b4dc69

 

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Untreated river water worries some users

Residents of a street along the Ottawa River in the Masson-Angers sector of Gatineau wonder why, in one of Canada`s largest urban areas, they must get untreated water from a river plagued by frequent sewage spills.

Ginette Lemay, the president of the Chemin du Fer-à-Cheval community association, said 74 per cent of the 230 residents on the street pipe their water from the river because there is no city water.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/c...d2-2499322b89f5

 

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Housing construction slowdown seen for 2009, CMHC analyst says

While housing starts in Ottawa increased by 5.3 per cent in May, a decline in the number of housing permits issued over the past 12 months points to a construction slowdown in 2009, says a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation analyst.

"Housing permits are a lagged indicator for housing starts," says CMHC senior market analyst Sandra Pérez Torres. "So when housing permits decrease, we can see in the future housing starts will decrease."

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/b...12-2b44075f10c9

 

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Price tag for city building up $1M

City council will be asked next week to approve six recommendations to resolve outstanding issues surrounding construction of the 400 building in City Hall Square, adding more than $1 million to its price tag.

A 15-page report and executive summary prepared by city administration is being released, while an audit of the building`s construction process, prepared more than a year ago, remains under wraps. The audit report was assembled by former city auditor Mike Dunbar, who resigned from the city Dec. 31.

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/sto...a0-1c1aa30fd527

 

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Area lags Ont. housing starts

Housing starts in the Windsor area jumped by 25 per cent in May compared to one year ago, according to figures released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

There were 65 starts across the area last month, compared to 52 last May.

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/sto...a0-a1439b3dccb9

 

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City to spend $8 million on wish list

Hamilton`s poorest neighbourhood is getting a new recreation centre thanks to a council spending spree that will sprinkle millions in goodies across the city.

A skating rink and restaurant will also be built at the waterfront as part of the $8-million investment.

Councillors were asked earlier this year to pick the top three ways they would like to use extra capital dollars, including $3 million from the province for brownfields. Staff reviewed the wish list and recommended its top picks yesterday.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/383756

 

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Hamilton-Cancun route new to Air Transat

Ole. It`s time to fiesta in Mexico and it just got easier to get yourself and your cargo there.

Under deals announced yesterday by Transport Canada, Air Transat has been given the takeoff signal to run a Hamilton-Cancun passenger route. Freight service Cargojet has been given the go-ahead to operate three new routes between Hamilton and Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey.

"I am pleased with these increased services, which will provide more options for Canadians travelling and shipping goods to Mexico," said Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Business/article/383807

 

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Council seeks to keep park an `urban oasis`

WATERLOO

The City of Waterloo wants to keep Waterloo Park as an "urban oasis" where people strolling through the park feel like they are away from the city but still in the middle of it.

Councillors were presented with a plan for changes to the 120-acre park which may include adding another festival area, more green space such as a botanical garden, creating a pathway along the perimeter of the park connecting the east and west side of the park and incorporating the rapid transit route along the CNR railway.

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/364506

 

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Local housing starts down nearly 23 per cent

WATERLOO REGION

A sharp decline in apartment construction dragged local housing starts nearly 23 per cent lower in May.

That decline overshadowed an increase in construction of single-detached homes. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. reported yesterday that construction began on 234 housing units in May in the Kitchener census metropolitan area, down from 302 starts last May.

Despite the sizable decline, builders began construction of 145 single-detached homes last month, up from 96 last May.

Erica McLerie, an analyst with the housing corporation, said the single-detached house is still "the home of choice" in the region, even in uncertain economic times.

http://news.therecord.com/Business/article/364504

 

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Guelph getting too much in proposed hydro deal: St. Catharines councillor

GUELPH

The Royal City is getting too big a share of ownership and profits from the proposed merger of Guelph Hydro Electric Systems and Hamilton-St. Catharines-based counterpart Horizon Utilities Corporation, a St. Catharines councillor said yesterday.

"If I was a resident of Guelph, I would be pleased with the proposal -- very pleased," Coun. Joe Kushner said.

While he favours the merger, he`s critical of the current business case, which would give Guelph 24.5 per cent of the merged utility, compared with just under 16 per cent for St. Catharines, even though the two cities are of similar population: Guelph`s 125,000 to St. Catharines` 132,000 residents.

http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/339306

 

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Gas prices impacting Municipality`s bottom line

CLARINGTON -- Take a long, hard winter during which snow plows were out far more than usual, combine it with soaring gas prices and what do you get? A relatively major budgetary impact, says Clarington`s finance director.

There are two ways in which gas price increases are hitting the budget, Nancy Taylor said.

First, we had a rough winter.

"We were way, way over budget (on snow-clearing costs)," Ms. Taylor said. "A lot of that has to do with fuel costs and overtime."

The price of salt and other products used for winter roads services also increased, and that was largely a function of the increased cost of fuel, Ms. Taylor said.

http://newsdurhamregion.com/news/clarington/article/100208

 

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Firex recall on smoke/carbon monoxide alarms

DURHAM -- Make sure you check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms as there`s been a voluntary recall on both.

The Pickering Fire Services is asking residents to check their Firex carbon monoxide and combination carbon monoxide/smoke alarms after the Maple Chase Company issued a recall. The malfunctioning component allows the alarms to go into a "double chirp" fault mode when in the presence of carbon monoxide prior to the unit going into full alarm mode.

http://newsdurhamregion.com/news/pickering/article/100219