Ontario Economic Fundamentals 2008 Q2

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Lane leads to dispute between neighbours

Q: We have lived just outside Ottawa since buying a chunk of land that was severed from an existing farm in the `80s. We built our house up from the road and extended an existing farmer`s path to our house. About one-third of the way along the road, a branch of the driveway goes to our neighbour`s house.

When we signed the offer to purchase, we agreed our neighbour could have a right-of-way over the path, now our driveway. Our previous neighbours respected our rights, but our current neighbours are under the impression they and their visitors can park their vehicles on our common driveway. My questions:

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/h...3f-bfbb3297e3f0

 

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Timminco to shut Renfrew magnesium foundry

Timminco Ltd. will shut a struggling magnesium foundry in Renfrew County, putting about 35 people out of work.

The combined plant and mine, which once employed 400, is a victim of the rising Canadian dollar and cheaper offshore sources of magnesium.

It had been a mainstay of the Renfew County economy for generations, supplying lightweight metals used to make aircraft parts and other products.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/b...80-874ae0f9efb9

 

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Curb appeal

It`s no secret the housing market has been hit hard by the economic downturn, but look at it this way: People still have to sell and people still want to buy.

If you`re the one doing the selling, the trick is to get the best price you can, and there are some amazingly cheap and easy ways to increase the value of your property.

Michelle Bastien knows it from her vantage point as a seasonal associate at the new Home Depot on Walker Road.

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/hom...bb-6b766ab636ab

 

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Black soot reappears in east end of city

The Ontario Environment Ministry is investigating reports of more sooty, black dust falling on east Hamilton, the latest in a string of such incidents over the last two years.

Spokesperson Jennifer Hall says lab test results should be available early next week on samples collected from homes on Tragina, Fairfield and Strathearne avenues Thursday afternoon and evening.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/382230

 

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Police warn local merchants to be on lookout for funny money

Police are warning merchants to take a close look at cash as warm weather brings in more tourist traffic and more counterfeiters looking for an easy mark.

The Ontario Provincial Police in Wellington County issued another counterfeit currency warning yesterday after more phoney $10 bills turned up.

The recovered bills, about 13 in the last month, have come in through merchants and bank deposits, Const. Mark Cloes said.

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/363118

 

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Local jobless rate sharply higher

WATERLOO REGION

The Canadian economy`s job-creation machine stalled in May, keeping the national unemployment rate at 6.1 per cent, while Waterloo Region`s jobless rate climbed to 5.6 per cent.

Statistics Canada`s May unemployment report released yesterday showed that the economy created 8,400 jobs last month, narrowly averting an outright loss through a massive increase in part-time employment.

Locally, the Kitchener census metropolitan area retreated from its Ontario-best jobless rate of 4.8 per cent in April, as the number of people without jobs rose to 14,800 in May from 12,700 in April.

http://news.therecord.com/Business/article/363073

 

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Rapid bus plans revealed to public

Bus rapid transit is the wave of the future for the Viva system and a series of upcoming public meetings are your chance to learn how it works.

Informational open houses on June 11, 17, 18 and 19 lay out the plans for rapid transit expansion across the region.

Since hitting the road in 2005, the Viva rapid transit system`s buses have operated in mixed traffic, but the project`s second phase involves constructing median lanes.

http://www.yorkregion.com/News/Regional%20News/article/76347

 

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Mortgage frauds linked to drug case

A man facing a slew of drug charges in connection with a two-year marijuana investigation is now charged with fraud as well.

Charges against the Newmarket man relate to mortgage frauds at properties in Aurora and Richmond Hill.

Forged documents were used to get mortgages from two finance companies to buy a pair of houses, police said Tuesday. The homes were later revealed to be pot grows, went into default and were seized by the finance companies.

http://www.yorkregion.com/News/Regional%20News/article/76323

 

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Money used for building repairs and music lessons

Grants have helped the local air cadets hit the right note and the Richmond Hill Legion make needed repairs to its building.

The 778 Squadron Air Cadets and Royal Canadian Legion Branch 375 received Ontario Trillium Foundation funds to the tune of a combined sum of $126,000. The Legion made use of $89,500 for their repairs and the $36,500 given to the air cadets was used to buy new instruments for their band of 40 and musical training.

http://www.yorkregion.com/News/Richmond%20Hill/article/76351

 

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Trapped digging machine causing upheaval for big pipe plans

A boring machine stuck deep underground in mud, in a section of the region`s sewer projects, will not affect future development in Vaughan, according to the region`s project manager.

In early May, a boring machine being used to excavate tunnels became stuck after soil poured into the tunnel, forcing workers to abandon it.

They were working on the Bathurst and Langstaff Trunk sewer project, one of many projects that comprise big pipe projects across the region.

http://www.yorkregion.com/News/Vaughan/article/76353

 

[joeiannuzzi]

Do you have designs on town square?

What should the new Civic Square in downtown Stouffville look like?

Should its fountain be maintained or a new one installed?

Should vehicles continue to drive through the square?

What type of activities could the square host?

That’s what the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville wants to know from you.

The municipality is hosting a meeting Wednesday to discuss options for the square.

http://www.yorkregion.com/News/Whitchurch-...e/article/76362

 

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Survey says, residents are happy

Whitchurch-Stouffville is leading the pack when it comes to resident satisfaction.

The first town-wide, statistically-significant survey has come back with above average results.

"It`s a tremendous good news story," said Joe Pittari of DPRA Canada, the research firm that conducted the survey.

http://www.yorkregion.com/News/Whitchurch-...e/article/76361

 

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GTA home sales slide, but Whitchurch-Stouffville stays strong

Nearly 6,000 homes changed hands in the 905 last month, but overall sales continue to fall behind last year`s record-setting numbers. The 905 housing market numbers are 13 per cent behind May 2007, but still stronger than in Toronto, where sales are down 19 per cent.


Two GTA areas cited by the Toronto Real Estate Board for strong performances are Uxbridge and Stouffville, where sales rose 10 and 12 per cent respectively.

http://www.yorkregion.com/News/Regional%20News/article/76281

 

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LRT history in the making

Twelve-and-a-half kilometres. $400 million. Thirty-five years.

That, in a nutshell, is the story of Edmonton`s fabled light rail transit system. Controversial from the time it got going in 1973, the project has been bogged down by delays, cost overruns, funding snafus and wrong turns.

As Ottawa prepares to build its own light rail rapid transit system, planners might be well served to take a close look at how things went in Alberta`s capital. Principal among acknowledged mistakes was the inclusion of the second of two tunnels -- a massively expensive underground section that runs beneath the University of Alberta.

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/National/200...807826-sun.html

 

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Well-constructed fences do more than make good neighbours, says Almonte man`s book, they keep pesky coyotes at bay

ALMONTE -- There`s a dusty ditty that begs "Don`t Fence Me In," but for Eugene Fytche, the plea would be the opposite:

Please fence me in, do it securely and, if possible, do it with style.

For Fytche, farming has been mainly about the fences. The sheep producer has been fascinated by fences -- aesthetically and protectively -- for more than 30 years. It started as an effort to protect his flock from predators and morphed into an overall appreciation of fencing efforts then and now.

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndReg...807871-sun.html

 

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Valley development worth $100M

Valley East developers have unveiled a $100-million plan to build 359 homes in the community over the next few years.

Nature`s Haven Parkland Estates and Condominiums will be developed on 77 acres owned by Phil and Louise Landry in the St. Michel Street area of Hanmer. The developers have invited the news media to the property on Tuesday to discuss the project in greater detail.

The proposed residential development is an expansion of a smaller subdivision plan for which the developers received city approval last year. The developers will be seeking city approval for the expanded proposal in the near future.

http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDispl...HE+SUDBURY+STAR

 

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City urged to protect its heritage buildings

Members of the Ontario Ministry of Culture spoke to the priorities committee Wednesday about the importance of preserving places of heritage in the city.

Bert Duclos and Chris Mahood addressed council, emphasizing the idea that a heritage property doesn`t necessarily need to be old to be designated important to the community.

Mahood quoted Donald Trump in the presentation to highlight the economic and environmental value of reconstruction instead of building new structures.

http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDispl...SUDBURY+STAR%3b

 

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Land revitalization plan gets support

The city planning committee approved a proposal to create a citywide Brownfield Community Improvement Plan on Tuesday night.

If it is approved by city council, the plan would develop a blueprint for revitalizing brownfield areas in the city.

Brownfields are environmentally contaminated industrial or commercial properties that are underused or have been abandoned.

Paul Baskcomb is the manager of community and strategic planning for the City of Greater Sudbury. He said leaving the land vacant has financial and social implications for the city.

http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDispl...SUDBURY+STAR%3b

 

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Shell extends its deadline

Shell is extending the deadline for the environmental assessment of its heavy oil refinery project proposal in St. Clair Township.

Project manager Amrik Ahluwalia notified local leaders Friday that the company would not meet its June 25 deadline, saying Shell has developed some breakthrough technology to reduce the refinery`s environmental footprint that the company wants to further explore.

"We want to take the time to make sure we get everything right," he said. "(Shell`s received) a lot of input from the government, the First Nations groups and community members, and we want to make sure the environment will come out as a winner."

http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.a...BY+JESSE+MCLEAN

 

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Hospital construction on pace

Phase four of the Bluewater hospital expansion project is moving along as scheduled.

General contractor EllisDon has made steady progress since the $319-million project began last October, said the facilities planning and development project manager, Tracy Gazarek.

"They`re continuing to work across from the south end to the north end, and we`re on the third floor currently."

Suspended concrete slabs at floor levels one and two are partially complete and work on the third is well underway, said Gazarek.

http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1060989