Economic News Affecting St. John's

[jeddy1989]

Here's a place to post about our economy as well as the many many mega projects happening around the province, which will affect the economy of the capital.

[jeddy1989]

ow ow .. look at us go! :D

and look at the predicted job creation numbers :D and those numbers are just from what activity is KNOWN :cool: :notacrook: :hyper::drooling::cheerleader:

Employment at all time high in the Province

Employment in Newfoundland and Labrador has grown to record highs, and there are more people working in the province than at any other time in our history. That's according to Dan Crummell, the MHA for St. John's West and recently-appointed parliamentary secretary in the department of Advanced Education and Skills. Crummell told VOCM Open Line with Bill Rowe that the government expects there will be 70-thousand job openings between now and 2020. They've created a document called Outlook 2020, which is available online, that outlines job prospects in the province in the coming years.
Crummell says they will need people from all different skill sets to fill the jobs.
You can view the document here: http://www.aes.gov.nl.ca/publications/LMOutlook2020.pdf

http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=29728&latest=1


BY THE WAYYYY 2020 is in only 7 years!! not bad!! not bad! for a place where for the past I dunno good 50 years we have been losing jobs .. to get an average of 10,000 CREATED per year (the 70,000 on average spread out over the 7 years to 2020)

now remember that unemplyment rate here doesn't necesarily mean lack of jobs .. due to much seasonal work outside the city. (also MANY people work under the table AND collect EI .. which I DO NOT agree with but unfortunately it happens and happens often)

(RE POSTED)

[jeddy1989]

This will obviously have an impact on us as well, due to the probability that these companies' offices will most likely be in the city.

Holyrood & Ocean Technology

The town of Holyrood wants to get into the business of ocean technology. And $500-thousand in funding by both the federal and provincial government aims to make that happen. Barry Snow is Holyrood's new director of ocean's; his job -- to create a strategic plan to attract ocean technology industries to set up shop in the town. Snow says a list of potential candidates has already been compiled with the local industry having already reached out to the town. Snow says it would be developmental technology companies that need a place to research, develop their products and test them at sea. The new job is unique from a municipal perspective. Snow says the town will be working closely with the Marine Institute's Holyrood base.

http://www.vocm.com/news.asp?mn=2

(RE POSTED)

[jeddy1989]

New rebar-making site opens in Seal Cove

Harris Rebar officially opened a new fabrication yard in Seal Cove on Tuesday.

Their original site was in Mount Pearl, but the company said there was no room there for growth. At the new location, they have nearly doubled their work space.

Basil Maclean, the company's area manager, says the new site will help increase production.

"We were stale where we were. There was nothing happening and there was no growth potential," Maclean said. "And if you're looking at bidding on big work, the question was always, 'How are we going to do it?'"

He also said the new $2.5-million site should help boost worker morale.

"You give them good quality equipment to work with and they have pride in that," Maclean said.

Daniel Guy, a Harris Rebar employee, said the new gear is much appreciated.

"Good new machinery, so we should be able to do a lot of steel," Guy said.

Rebar is used in the construction of bridges and buildings, and a lot has been used by Vale in Long Harbour.

With the increase of production capacity, the company is hoping to get in on even bigger projects, such as Muskrat Falls.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2013/01/08/nl-harris-rebar-fabrication-108.html

I'm sure many will be locating in Glancrest as well when they have outgrown their site

[statbass]

J_Murphy posted this on the main projects thread, I decided to re-post here as well. Great idea starting a major project announcements thread, Jeddy!

Source: The Telegram
Date: Jan 9, 2012
Author: Ashley Fitzpatrick

Alderon Iron Ore Corp. is expecting to spend $1.27 billion to get its Kami mine project up and running.

The company released the results of its feasibility study for the project this morning, including the total cost and other key figures for the development.
Construction is set to start by year-end.

If construction and start-up comes in on time, the project will be up and running by the end of 2015, according to the study.
The mine has been designed to produce eight million tonnes of iron ore concentrate a year, at 65.2 per cent iron. It has an estimated life of 30 years - longer than initially expected.

“The study demonstrates robust economics on the Kami Property and the results meet all of the threshold criteria under our agreements with (partner) Hebei (Iron and Steel). Our schedule anticipates receipt of permits toward the end of 2013 and construction to follow immediately, with initial production in the fourth quarter of 2015,” said Alderon president and CEO Tayfun Eldem.
The study — providing a more specific definition for the project compared to the earlier preliminary economic assessment - was completed by BBA Inc. out of Montreal; Stantec Consulting in St. John’s; and Watts, Griffis and McOuat Ltd. of Toronto.

The Kami project site is about 10 kilometres from Wabush and six kilometres South of Cliffs Natural Resources’ Wabush Mines.

“Nalcor will provide power directly to the Kami site main substation by means of a 315 kV transmission line,” the company states....

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2013-01-09/article-3152998/Alderon-to-spend-%241.27B-to-start-Kami-mine/1

[statbass]

I also decide to re-post this one I put up earlier (just for consistency sake...:))

Source: The Telegram
Date: Jan 9, 2013
Author:Ashley Fitzpatrick

Rep says majority of resumes for Long Harbour are from workers based in N.L.

Vale is looking to fill long-term jobs for the operation of its new nickel-processing plant in Long Harbour.

Coming out of construction over the next nine months, the mining company expects to have first nickel from the plant in the fourth quarter of this year.
There are an estimated 500 long-term jobs for the operation of the plant and about 350 people are expected to be hired by the end of the year.
The jobs include about 300 “technician” positions, advertised throughout the fall of 2012.
“We’ve had quite a significant response,” said Bob Carter, a spokesman for Vale in Newfoundland and Labrador, in a recent interview with The Telegram.
Carter said the call for applications for the jobs has led to upwards of a couple thousand submissions, the vast majority being people from this province.

The applications are being assessed and a first round of offers, though not the last, will be going out before the end of the month.
Carter said some of the applications submitted mistook the positions as construction jobs, rather than maintenance and the oversight of plant processes.

However, even after sorting out inappropriate submissions, he said, there is real competition for the plant jobs. Interviews and testing are meant to give recruiters a better sense of who is best suited to the positions.
“It’s quite a rigorous process that they’re using,” Carter said, noting both aptitude and attitude are being taken into account.

There are certain other factors being considered in the hiring.....

http://www.thetelegram.com/Business/2013-01-09/article-3152966/Applications-flood-in-to-Vale-for-longterm-jobs/1

[SignalHillHiker]

Don't forget our only slightly outdated HUGE announcements.

7 billion+ Muskrat Falls Hydroelectric Facility with transmission line through Labrador, Newfoundland, and the Maritimes.

14 billion+ Hebron oil field announcement.

Great article from Atlantic Business Magazine:

http://www.atlanticbusinessmagazine.ca/cover/breaking-ground/

[statbass]

Don't forget our only slightly outdated HUGE announcements.

7 billion+ Muskrat Falls Hydroelectric Facility with transmission line through Labrador, Newfoundland, and the Maritimes.

14 billion+ Hebron oil field announcement.

Great article from Atlantic Business Magazine:

http://www.atlanticbusinessmagazine.ca/cover/breaking-ground/

LOL... how could I forgot those???

[SignalHillHiker]

Record real estate year in St. John's:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2013/01/09/nl-real-estate-booming-20130109.html

[J_Murphy]

The Deer Lake Regional Airport has recorded an all-time high for passenger traffic. The airport authority says there were 306,071 passengers last year, surpassing the previous record of almost 294,000. The authority says the record-setting summer traffic helped the airport exceed the 300,000 passenger level for the first time in the airport's history. The airport is now the fourth busiest in Atlantic Canada behind Halifax, St. John's and Moncton.

President and CEO Jamie Schwartz attributes the record to increased capacity and airline support with major carriers serving the market, including Air Canada, Provincial Airlines, WestJet and Sunwing.


Another record broken. :tup:

Kudos to Deer Lake for becoming the 4th busiest airport in Atlantic Canada!

[SignalHillHiker]

Fourth? That's awesome! Share it in the airport thread! :D

[J_Murphy]

Fourth? That's awesome! Share it in the airport thread! :D

Yup...I think their investment in expanding the runway and upgrading the terminal is really paying off.

[SignalHillHiker]

I wouldn't get into it over there (must be a gracious guest, ha!), but wow... check out the sense of entitlement in this thread:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=197183

Chatting with a friend from here on FB, he said it best, "Get your own damn economy." lol

*****

Irritates me a little bit because, as the papers were saying last summer, Harper has effectively turned Newfoundland back into a colony - and not of Ottawa, but of Halifax. Everything has been consolidated there. It's a painful reminder of what happened after (and, it turns out, the reasons why) we were pushed into Canada.

The idea that... why would anyone waste the boom from Newfoundland's resources on St. John's? Surely they can manage this business out of Halifax?... is a tone set in that era.

[jeddy1989]

Awesome awesome!

Record year for St. John's real estate market

2012 proved to be a record year for real estate in St. John's.

Royal LePage released a national report on housing prices this week, and it shows the St. John's market doing almost twice as well as the Canadian average.

Royal LePage agent Glenn Larkin says 2012 was a banner year for the St. John's real estate market. (CBC)
According to the report, the average price for a detached bungalow in the region increased 5.6 per cent last year, while standard two-storey homes rose 6.9 per cent.

Royal LePage agent Glenn Larkin said that 2012 saw more than a billion dollars in real estate sales.

Larkin said condominiums in particular are booming, with the average price of a condo unit jumping 7.7 per cent last year.

Larkin added that condos are affordable for many groups, such as those retiring, first-time home buyers and young professionals.

In other cities in Canada, a glut of condos is being blamed for a real estate bubble.

"The big difference is just sheer numbers," said Larkin. "We probably have 25 condo buildings, with the biggest one having about 80 units. In Toronto they have one building with a thousand units."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2013/01/09/nl-real-estate-booming-20130109.html

[jeddy1989]

more on the mine near lab city

Alderon ready to start new iron ore mine in Labrador

Alderon Iron Ore says it hopes to start construction on a new mine just outside Labrador City later this year.

Alderon Iron Ore says it's getting ready to open a new iron ore mine near Labrador City, in western Labrador. (CBC)
In a conference call on Wednesday, Alderon president and CEO Tayfun Eldem said a feasibility study on the Rose deposit of the Kamistiatusset (Kami) property conducted by the company indicated that the property has proven iron ore resources.

With demand for the product and financing in place, Eldem said the company can proceed with a plan to start up the new mine.

Mine construction should start in November
Eldem said he expects the environmental assessment for the mine to be released by October, and permits in place by November. With that in mind, Eldem said the company is ready to start preliminary work.

"We will be preparing for construction by ordering long lead items as well as erecting our construction camp," Eldem said on the conference call. "These will pave the way for us to start construction in November 2013."

The mine project will employ 800 workers during its construction phase, and close to 500 workers when the mine starts operation in 2015. The initial plan is for the mine to produce 8-million tonnes of iron ore concentrate annually.

Eldem said the mine has an estimated lifespan of 30 years.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2013/01/09/nl-alderon-new-iron-ore-mine-109.html

That is very soon actually

[jeddy1989]

Kepp the good times coming!

Developing Potash in Newfoundland
Potash, long a major mining staple on the Prairies, could soon be the basis for a major mining project in Newfoundland. Potash is big business on the world market for Saskatchewan and, to a lesser extent, New Brunswick; now, a significant exploration program will be carried out for Potash south of Stephenville in the Bay St. George area. Red Moon Potash was formed to carry out the work. It's a new division of Vulcan Minerals, which owns about 60 per cent of the company. President Patrick Laracy says a potash discovery was made in that area a couple of years ago, and Red Moon planned to spend upwards of 5-million dollars over the next couple of years exploring that property

http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=29847&latest=1

Come on with all the major projects happening how are we not the same size or larger than Halifax .. It's a bit ridiculous .. just have to continue growing and developing in a smart and competitive way

As politicians have said .. "Have not will be no more" :notacrook:

[MrChills]

Another record broken. :tup:

Kudos to Deer Lake for becoming the 4th busiest airport in Atlantic Canada!

This is great news for Deer Lake.

One thing I don't understand though is why there is also an airport in Stephenville? I know the history of the American Base being situated there, but is there really a need for a second airport just an hour away?

No doubt the airport provides jobs to the town, but looking at the bigger regional picture wouldn't it make more sense to have the one in Deer Lake and make that a larger hub? Federal and Provincial funding would be better served going into one rather than two competing airports within 100km of each other.

[SignalHillHiker]

Check out Trevor3's post in the Atlantic Canada Airports thread.

[J_Murphy]

This is great news for Deer Lake.

One thing I don't understand though is why there is also an airport in Stephenville? I know the history of the American Base being situated there, but is there really a need for a second airport just an hour away?

No doubt the airport provides jobs to the town, but looking at the bigger regional picture wouldn't it make more sense to have the one in Deer Lake and make that a larger hub? Federal and Provincial funding would be better served going into one rather than two competing airports within 100km of each other.

I thought the same thing. Also, the Deer Lake airport is much better situated to serve the west coast, northern peninsula and part of central (west of GFW). Although, with all the oil/gas and mineral exploration work going on near Stephenville, that might help to make it feasible in the future.

[SignalHillHiker]

Another hurdle cleared.

Thank you, Nova Scotia! :)

A study conducted for the Nova Scotia government to be released Thursday concludes that the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project in Labrador is the cheapest option to meet the province's future energy needs, senior government officials say.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2013/01/17/ns-muskrat-falls-review.html

[J_Murphy]

and another...

http://www.financialpost.com/markets/news/Environmental+Assessment+Maritime+Link+Project+Filed+Emera+Newfoundland/7832215/story.html

NSP Maritime Link Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Emera Newfoundland and Labrador Holdings Inc. and an affiliate of Nova Scotia Power, has filed its Environmental Assessment Report (EA Report) for the Maritime Link Project with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, Nova Scotia Environment, and Newfoundland & Labrador's Department of Environment and Conservation.

This is a major milestone in the federal and provincial environmental assessment processes for the proposed Maritime Link, an electrical transmission project which will link the provinces of Newfoundland & Labrador and Nova Scotia for the very first time. The Maritime Link will help meet the federal legislative requirement to reduce coal emissions through the use of increased renewable energy.

Environmental Assessment is a formal regulatory review process that considers environmental, social and economic effects of projects. The process is administered by regulation through the federal and provincial governments and ensures that projects proceed in an environmentally responsible manner. The EA report for the Maritime Link identifies mitigation measures that will be employed to ensure the project is constructed in an environmentally appropriate manner.

“For almost two years our project team has been meeting and consulting with Aboriginal groups, the general public and other stakeholders,” said Rick Janega, President of Emera Newfoundland & Labrador. “The Environmental Assessment Report includes a considerable amount of feedback from our consultation process, as well as a thorough analysis of potential effects on the environment. It relies on numerous scientific studies and on third-party expertise to support the findings it contains.”

The 737-page Maritime Link Project Environmental Assessment Report can be viewed at:

•Nova Scotia Environment EA website: http://www.gov.ns.ca/nse/ea/projects.asp
•Newfoundland & Labrador Department of Environment and Conservation EA website: http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/env_assessment/projects/Y2011/1618/index.html




edit: I posted both of these to the Atlantic Provinces forum as well.

[jeddy1989]

Big stuff on the horizon

Labrador business group highlights activity in region

Big Land full of opportunity, says Labrador North Chamber of Commerce

Topics : Labrador North Chamber of Commerce , Delta Hotel and Convention Centre , Newfoundland , Northern Exposure , St. John's
Building upon the success of its annual Expo Labrador conference, the Labrador North Chamber of Commerce will hold an event in St. John’s next week, promoting business opportunities in Labrador.
The "Northern Exposure 2013" conference and trade show will be held at the Delta Hotel and Convention Centre in St. John's from Jan. 22-24.
As with Expo Labrador, Northern Exposure — www.ne2013.com — will be focused on promoting new industrial projects, but also discussion of the opportunities and challenges in engaging with Labrador’s small to medium-size enterprises, many supporting the larger projects.
In the lead up to the conference, the chamber has released an informational graphic reflecting some of the activity in the Big Land.
“As Labrador enters this new phase of development, there will be an immediate need for growth in the service and infrastructure sectors, in addition to the developments themselves. The opportunities that exist in Labrador are plentiful and strategically located just north of Newfoundland’s backyard,” said Sterling Peyton, president of the Labrador North Chamber of Commerce, in a statement issued by the chamber this morning.
“We continue to hear from companies who are quickly becoming aware of the depth of opportunity in Labrador but are unsure how to tap into the region,” Peyton said.
The conference in St. John’s is expected to help connect those interested in the activity in Labrador with potential partners who can help them become involved, established, further north, he said.
Peyton said companies from China, India, Australia and South Africa, have been looking to conduct business in Labrador and invest in the region in recent years.
The Telegram will have more from the conference next week.

http://www.thetelegram.com/media/photos/unis/2013/01/17/photo_2256462_resize.jpg

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2013-01-17/article-3158457/Labrador-business-group-highlights-activity-in-region/1

[J_Murphy]

Newfoundland & Labrador's economy is expected to rebound in 2013 as oil production improves and investment activity remains robust, according to the Provincial Monitor report released today by BMO Economics. Real GDP growth is expected to lead the country in 2013 with a rate of 4.5 per cent.

"Construction and capital investment activity have been key economic drivers in the province in recent years, and growth continues at a strong clip," said Robert Kavcic, Senior Economist, BMO Capital Markets. "Major capital projects are ongoing in the iron ore sector, such as Vale's nickel processing facility at Long Harbour; the offshore oil sector, including the Hebron project which was confirmed by Exxon Mobil in recent weeks; and the development of Muskrat Falls."

Underlying economic trends in the province are solid. "The jobless rate ended 2012 near a record low at 11.5 per cent, spurred by the fastest pace of job growth in the country at 3.7 per cent year-over-year in December," stated Mr. Kavcic. "Average weekly earnings rose a heated 5.7 per cent year-over-year through October, supporting consumer spending."

"Across the province we are seeing solid business growth in construction and capital investments and 2013 should be a good year for business growth and employment opportunities," said Jim Fallon, District Vice President, Newfoundland & Labrador, BMO Bank of Montreal. "Entrepreneurs are also showing a solid level of optimism and small businesses continue to be a strong source of strength."

Offshore oil production was down in 2012 as a maintenance shutdown at Terra Nova exacerbated a broader trend of declining output. "Output should bounce back this year, although the longer-term trend remains downward given that overall output has peaked and won't rise until Hebron comes on stream later in the decade," noted Mr. Kavcic.

The Province of Newfoundland & Labrador revised its deficit forecast steeply to $723 million in fiscal 2012-2013, or just over 2 per cent of GDP, from $258 million projected in the budget. While not totally unexpected given the weaker oil price environment, the downgrade was quite steep, and leaves the deficit in Ontario's neighbourhood as a share of GDP. Total revenues are now tracking nearly $490 million (6.8 per cent) below the budget forecast, with oil royalties slicing $436 million from the total (Brent crude is now forecast at $109.53 vs. $124.12 in the budget).

The full Provincial Monitor can be downloaded at www.bmocm.com/economics.



http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/bmo-economics-newfoundland-labrador-to-lead-canada-in-economic-growth-in-2013-tsx-bmo-1746953.htm

[statbass]

Source: The Telegram
Jan 25, 2013
Author: Katie Starr

If the past is any indication, the future looks bright for St. John’s and the metro area.
Mayor Dennis O’Keefe says a decade of economic growth has launched the City of
St. John’s on its way to becoming the “best city” in Canada by 2021.
Retail trade, employment rates, commercial growth and personal income have all seen steady increases since 2002, O’Keefe said.
In particular, the tourism industry has become a major generator for the city and province, said O’Keefe, and needs to be pursued.
“We have to realize its an industry that’s renewable, and if we cultivate it, we’ll have it for forever and a day,” O’Keefe said.
Unlike the oil industry, tourism is an infinite resource, said O’Keefe, who made his remarks in a speech to the Rotary Club of
St. John’s Thursday.
He pointed to a 66 per cent increase in air passenger traffic at St. John’s International Airport since 2002.
“This is reflective of our strong economy and tourism industry,” O’Keefe said.
In addition, hotel rooms sold have increased by 53.7 per cent in the past decade.
O’Keefe pointed to several other indicators of economic growth, and was particularly proud of growth in the commercial sector and residential downtown development.
“There’s zero vacancy in commercial space right now, but I can guarantee you there isn’t zero demand,” he said.

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2013-01-25/article-3163672/Mayor-touts-a-decade-of-growth-at-Rotary-Club/1

[jeddy1989]

WOW!! look at fortis go! :O

They may need more office space soon hahah seems like they are taking over North America! They need a very significant office tower here! and GOOD on them for staying in St. John's! many NL companies move their headquarters to Toronto after they become so succesful

Consumer protections puts Fortis’ U.S. deal to bed


A merger between New York-based CH Energy Group and Fortis was on the fast track — announced in February 2012 and approved by CH Energy Group shareholders in June 2012 — before it hit a snag with U.S. regulators.
This week, the companies issued a statement to announce the deal is moving ahead, under an agreement providing specific protections for ratepayers of Central Hudson Gas and Electric, a utility subsidiary of CH Energy.
CH Energy has about 300,000 electric and 75,000 gas energy customers in New York state.
The announcement sent the price of Fortis shares up in response Monday.
“The settlement agreement will moderate future customer rate increases by providing $35 million to cover expenses that normally would be recovered in customer rates, for example significant restoration expenses related to superstorm Sandy,” according to a statement issued by both companies.
“Also under the terms of the (agreement), Central Hudson customers will save a guaranteed $9.25 million over five years resulting from the elimination of costs the utility now incurs as a public company.
“Additionally, the settlement agreement requires that customer delivery rates be frozen until July 1, 2014 and requires the establishment of a $5-million Customer Benefit Fund for economic development and low income assistance programs for communities and residents of the Mid-Hudson Valley.”
As part of the settlement, Central Hudson will maintain its current employees, name and headquarters in Poughkeepsie, New York.
The deal was originally estimated at $1.5 billion and is now expected to close in the second quarter of 2013, subject to approval from the New York State Public Service Commission.
“Fortis worked closely with management of Central Hudson through this thorough regulatory approval process and has gained increased knowledge about the utility’s operating philosophy and the regulatory oversight requirements in New York State,” Stan Marshall, Fortis president and CEO, has stated.

http://www.thetelegram.com/Business/2013-01-30/article-3166776/Consumer-protections-puts-Fortis%26rsquo-U.S.-deal-to-bed/1

[SignalHillHiker]

Excellent news, congratulations, Fortis! :)

[PoscStudent]

Review 2012 has been released on the city's website! It estimates that St. John's surpassed the 200,000 mark in 2012.

http://www.stjohns.ca/sites/default/files/files/publication/Economic%20Review%202012.pdf

[jeddy1989]

Review 2012 has been released on the city's website! It estimates that St. John's surpassed the 200,000 mark in 2012.

http://www.stjohns.ca/sites/default/files/files/publication/Economic%20Review%202012.pdf

I knew it! :D

No more saying almost 200,000 people when referring to population hahaha we can now say over 200,000 ;)

The population of the St. John’s CMA increased
by an estimated 1.3% last year. The CMA population has increased steadily over the past decade and now stands at over 201,000. It is estimated that since 2001, when the 1990s trend of
population decline bottomed out, the population of
the St. John’s CMA has increased by more than 11%.
http://www.stjohns.ca/sites/default/files/files/publication/Economic%20Review%202012.pdf


and what shall happen in the coming years?? :D with all of our development ... very exciting! like I said before hold on to your hats gentlemen! it's just beginning!

this is even higher (and growing faster) than their highest population predictions from a few years ago :)

I'll look for that document

[jeddy1989]

Actually looking at an updated population prediction we are on track for the highest scenario :D (Which IMO will accelerate into the future)

http://www.economics.gov.nl.ca/pdf2011/update%20Aug%202011%20-%20North%20East%20Avalon%20Region.pdf

[SignalHillHiker]

Fantastic news! :D

[statbass]

Actually looking at an updated population prediction we are on track for the highest scenario :D (Which IMO will accelerate into the future)

http://www.economics.gov.nl.ca/pdf2011/update%20Aug%202011%20-%20North%20East%20Avalon%20Region.pdf

But if you look at the projections broken down by age groups, most of this increase is coming from the 50+ ages; although the youngest age groups (<15) are projected to grow a little too. Growth at the top of the age pyramid can become problematic, so I think the focus becomes growing our younger populous. Hopefully the government's newly engaged population growth strategy will fuel younger growth - and ultimately attribute to socioeconomic growth too.

[jeddy1989]

But if you look at the projections broken down by age groups, most of this increase is coming from the 50+ ages; although the youngest age groups (<15) are projected to grow a little too. Growth at the top of the age pyramid can become problematic, so I think the focus becomes growing our younger populous. Hopefully the government's newly engaged population growth strategy will fuel younger growth - and ultimately attribute to socioeconomic growth too.

exactly, these are some of the factors that IMO will help the growth rate accelerate while at the same time keeping in mind factors such as those highlighted in the official projections.

The young people coming for say jobs and with all the new office space in the works and the university growing constantly, throw that into the pot with the retirees coming home and throw in some more jobs and office jobs from all the mega projects that are in the works and will be under way in the near future along with a new focus on immigration and voila

[J_Murphy]

I guess this could be good for the entire province and maybe even the country, but thought I would post here!

Early exploration work conducted by Nalcor Energy has resulted in the identification of three new potentially oil-bearing basins offshore Labrador.

In a presentation by Nalcor president and CEO Ed Martin, it has been revealed not one, but three new offshore areas have been identified in deepwater areas off Labrador.

Martin said it will not be known what is contained in the now-named Henley Basin, the Chidley Basin and the Hopedale Basin until exploratory drilling is conducted by oil companies, but early exploration work and analysis suggests the basins could contain oil rather than large gas structures, as previously discovered off the Big Land.

Martin's presentation was made during the annual general meeting of the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industries Association (NOIA) at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland.

More in Friday's full edition of The Telegram




http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2013-01-31/article-3167875/Nalcor-finds-three-new-basins-off-Labrador/1

[jeddy1989]

THAT'S GREAT!!! I'm telling ya it's just the start!! :D

[SignalHillHiker]

Jesus, Mary and Joseph! *Blesses self*

We're so fortunate. It just doesn't stop...

[jeddy1989]

Labour problems top concerns among St. John’s businesses: poll

Labour issues continue to be the biggest problem facing St. John’s businesses, according to a new poll from MQO research.
The poll of St. John’s Board of Trade members was released Thursday morning at the board’s annual Business Development Summit, at the Delta hotel.
“By far … labour issues stand as the biggest factor hindering companies’ economic growth in 2013, at 34 per cent,” said Carolyn O’Keefe, MQO’s president.
“By a large margin, labour issues will have more of an impact on a company’s success than factors such as economic downturn, increasing cost of production and government spending cuts.”
More in Friday's full edition of The Telegram.

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2013-01-31/article-3167949/Labour-problems-top-concerns-among-St.%E2%80%88John%26rsquos-businesses%3A-poll/1

[statbass]

The Telegram
Jan 31, 2013
Author: unknown

Early exploration work conducted by Nalcor Energy has resulted in the identification of three new potentially oil-bearing basins offshore Labrador.
In a presentation by Nalcor president and CEO Ed Martin, it has been revealed not one, but three new offshore areas have been identified in deepwater areas off Labrador.
Martin said it will not be known what is contained in the now-named Henley Basin, the Chidley Basin and the Holton Basin until exploratory drilling is conducted by oil companies, but early exploration work and analysis suggests the basins could contain oil rather than large gas structures, as previously discovered off the Big Land.

This development is obviously in its infancy and may surmount to nothing, but nonetheless the potential is there and that's great news. More exploration will lead to more significant finds. :tup:

[SignalHillHiker]

Statbass... look a couple of posts up... :D

[statbass]

Statbass... look a couple of posts up... :D

Damn it.... J_Murphy always beats me to the punch! :haha:

[jeddy1989]

Labrador Waters may Contain Oil: Nalcor


Nalcor has identified three new basins off the coast of Labrador that CEO Ed Martin says have the potential to hold oil. VOCM's Danielle Barron reports

The depth and extent of the deepwater basin now imaged Martin says has signifcantly changed the perception of what exists. He calls it a material find. The basins, named after nearby Labrador landmarks Chidley, Holton and Henley, are in addition to Saglek and Hopedale which were mapped in the 1980s. Martin says the new finds hold big potential and there's a reasonably high probability they could hold hydrocarbons. Exploration shows the basins are made of various clay types he says, and are very large when compared globally to other basins. Nalcor is already in discussion with a number of companies not yet active in Newfoundland and Labrador, all of whom have expressed a strong interest in the findings. Scientific analysis will continue over the next number of months to determine the hydrocarbon potential. Nalcor expects to provide an update sometime this summer.
http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&ID=30438

New companies mean new operational offices!

[AnUrbanLife]

An Article from CBC, everything points to a great future for St.John's and Newfoundland as a whole! :yes:


N.L. to lead country in growth, economist says
CBC News
Posted: Jan 31, 2013 4:05 PM NT
Last Updated: Jan 31, 2013 6:30 PM NT

N.L. leads way in provincial GDP growth

One of the country's top economists is predicting big things this year for Newfoundland and Labrador.

CIBC's Avery Shenfeld addressed the St. John's Board of Trade's annual business summit on Thursday morning.

He said the province had no overall growth and was the poorest provincial performer for 2012, despite good employment numbers.

"2012 was a year where most of the economy did fine, but because of disruptions in energy output and because that sector is so large, it actually makes the overall growth number pretty close to zero," said Shenfeld. "The overall economy looks like it goes from boom to bust in very short order. You see the same sort of thing in Alberta to some extent, and both of those provinces' finance ministers find that a challenge because you're budgeting then with very uncertain revenues from year to year."
Predictions for 2013

However, Shenfeld forecasts Newfoundland and Labrador will lead the country in 2013 with 4.4 per cent growth in gross domestic product, largely because offshore oil production will come back to full strength.

At Thursday's business show, those in the private sector were smiling.

Denis Mahoney, president of the St. John's Board of Trade, said the boom is here.

"It's an opportunity. We think this is the beginning of a great opportunity," said Mahoney. "We need a population strategy to bring more people to this province to help us diversify, to help strengthen our economy, to help businesses succeed."

Shenfeld said the provincial government must reign in spending and make more conservative revenue projections. He added that while 2013 looks strong, it's important to bear in mind that long-term growth is still modest until big projects such as Hebron and Muskrat Falls come online.

[jeddy1989]

HOLY F*&@!!


Discovery of Labrador deep-water basins announced

Getting data to oil companies
Martin said the next step is to get the data to oil companies. He added that several have already shown interest.

"Our job now is to find as many companies in the world as possible, get this data in their hands," said Martin. "Once they see it, have a scheduled sale so that not only one or two are in bidding, but we hopefully can get eight, 10 or 12 companies bidding on this prospective land."

NOIA president Bob Cadigan says the news has created quite a buzz in the industry.

"It's a game changer," said Cadigan. "It quadruples the size of the prospective areas we have offshore."

Potential in the long-term
Cadigan said the discovery could lead to big things.

"I think for a lot of our members they're just starting to really realize now how much more potential this will give us in the long-term," said Cadigan. "So if you think about it we have three, four with Hebron, producing operations in the Jeanne d'Arc Basin — that's just one basin. We've discovered four new ones off the coast of Labrador. So it's really important."

But collecting the data has not been cheap - costing the provincial government between $26 and $30 million.

Martin said Nalcor will spend five million more to further interpret the data. He plans to give an update at the NOIA conference sometime this summer.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2013/01/31/nl-nalcor-deep-water-basins-01-31.html

This is a REALLY big deal!!!

[SignalHillHiker]

Fantastic news. :D It just doesn't end. We have to channel this boom into permanent development. I want to see us at 300,000 people in my lifetime. :D

[jeddy1989]

Fantastic news. :D It just doesn't end. We have to channel this boom into permanent development. I want to see us at 300,000 people in my lifetime. :D

oh we will definitely see that!

I'm thinking 500,000 plus (I am an optimist but the catalysts of population growth don't lie)

Shhh I actually think that by the time I'm like 70 it will be MUCH MUCH more than that but I know others might be less optimistic so I'll let you know in like 20 years lol

[christopher_chafe]

Fantastic news. :D It just doesn't end. We have to channel this boom into permanent development. I want to see us at 300,000 people in my lifetime. :D


Geesh.....that's all........I am hoping that by the time I reach 75 there will be atleast 650k in the city and close to 1mil in the CMA

[jeddy1989]

Geesh.....that's all........I am hoping that by the time I reach 75 there will be atleast 650k in the city and close to 1mil in the CMA

that's more along my thoughts

[J_Murphy]

The number of people in Newfoundland and Labrador who rank among Canada's top earners has catapulted, federal tax statistics suggest.

Statistics Canada says the number of people earning salaries higher than $200,000 has jumped by 51 per cent since 2006.

More than 2,000 people in the province now fall into that category.

Alison Coffin, who teaches economics at Memorial University, said Thursday the number will continue to climb.

"We are now in a position where we have to - if we want to attract good, smart, educated, capable people - we have to pay them on par with other jobs across Canada that are comparable to that," Coffin said.

"We are going to see that at higher levels, and we are also going to see that at lower levels."

Coffin said salaries in many sectors lagged behind other provinces, but that has been changing with new developments, as well as a shift in the long-term economic outlook.

Coffin noted, though, that the spike in executive positions does not mean that Newfoundland and Labrador is automatically a wealthier province.

"We're seeing an influx of high-salaried positions, but not so much of an increase in the wealth and the investment money into the province, and that why we're seeing a bit of a disparity, because the number of people in these top positions are now flowing into the province as we need them," she said.

Coffin said the top earners tend to work in the offshore oil industry, mining and other parts of the private sector




http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2013/02/01/nl-top-income-earners-economist-201.html

[Townie709]

oh we will definitely see that!

I'm thinking 500,000 plus (I am an optimist but the catalysts of population growth don't lie)

Shhh I actually think that by the time I'm like 70 it will be MUCH MUCH more than that but I know others might be less optimistic so I'll let you know in like 20 years lol

Really? I don't even see how that's possible. We only have half a million people in the province. If every single person on the island up and moved to St. John's and rural NL completely died (which I would HATE and would be devastatingly horrible) than we could be a 500k city. I can't see us growing to be half a million in the next century because we rural NL should never die and i don't think we can realistically attract that many people from out of the province to live here.

I hope see 350,000 people call St. John's home in my lifetime (I'm 18, so i have plenty of time!) and even that might be a stretch. Half a million, while awesome, seems very unrealistic to me. but i would love nothing more than to be proven wrong!!

[jeddy1989]

Really? I don't even see how that's possible. We only have half a million people in the province. If every single person on the island up and moved to St. John's and rural NL completely died (which I would HATE and would be devastatingly horrible) than we could be a 500k city. I can't see us growing to be half a million in the next century because we rural NL should never die and i don't think we can realistically attract that many people from out of the province to live here.

I hope see 350,000 people call St. John's home in my lifetime (I'm 18, so i have plenty of time!) and even that might be a stretch. Half a million, while awesome, seems very unrealistic to me. but i would love nothing more than to be proven wrong!!

I think it is possible due to people moving in from away! lol not the complete drain of rural NL

I was once told that for every person in NL there is a Newfoundland away from the province .. so get people moving home (of course not everyone but still) and people from other provinces and immigrants too

However there are many many many NLers still on the mainland which is one population we could tap into but rural NL isn't the only population we can draw from lol

look at dubai, only 17% are even from the UAE!!! lol (not saying we will want that set up, just pointing out that there's tonnes of room for growth)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai

[Townie709]

I suppose larger growth is possible. Let's try to attract the young people living away with young children/babies. We need more young families! We don't need 200k seniors moving back :haha:

[SignalHillHiker]

There are far more than that many people with Newfoundland ancestry. Most of the major cities in Canada had thousands of Newfoundland-born residents at a time when they only had tens of thousands of residents.

Take Halifax, for example.

In 1921 it was home to 58,372 people. Of them, 2,719 were Newfoundland born (we know this exactly because they were, at that time, immigrants to Canada and had to be very well-documented).

That's 4.7% of Halifax's population. And that ONLY includes those born in Newfoundland. It doesn't include their children, or their grandchildren... and we all know how strongly our people cling to their culture through the generations, even when living elsewhere.

Now, generations later, the number of people in Halifax who can directly trace their ancestry to Newfoundland is certainly in the tens of thousands.

Other cities (Sydney, Cape Breton: 10.9% Newfoundland-born; Glace Bay, Cape Breton: 8% Newfoundland-born; Sydney MInes, Cape Breton: 5.7% Newfoundland-born) had similar numbers.

Even big Canadian cities, like Toronto and Montreal, had thousands of us at a time when their populations were small:

Toronto: 1,976 Newfoundland-born residents out of 512,893.
Montreal: 2,027 Newfoundland-born residents out of 618,506.

I guarantee you there are probably a couple million of us around the world by now.

[jeddy1989]

don't discredit the power of a strong economy especially one with oil AND other things.. cities like this grow very fast and can grow very large

If we stay on track with all these developments!

Even the capital of Kazakhstan was a little village then they decided to build a capital there in 1999 and it now has like 770,000 people (another oil country)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astana

The city of Calgary itself in 1956 had a population of 181,780 people and now has a population of 1,096,833 metro 1,214,839
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary

Dubai has a population of 183,000 in 1975!!! lol now has 1,200,000
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai

so if we can tap into our potential in the right way there's no reason why we wont see large population growth in the coming decades :) Energy cities attract people


So you throw in our salmon DNA haha and what happens with energy cities .. add in the economy with all the mining and hydro to the oil mix .. and

BOOM!

[Townie709]

And we abolish birth control and condoms in hopes of growing the population at a faster rate :D

[AnUrbanLife]

Ok Ok you've convinced me, I'm on my way! :D

Seriously though I would love to see St. John's grow to a city that had more economic and political pull on the national stage.

One thing I've noticed which could hinder growth is misinformation. Whenever we tell people here in Ontario that we're moving to St. John's we always get this bewildered look and all they seem capable of saying is "Why?" Like we've told them we're moving to the moon or something.

I think St. John's needs to re-introduce itself to the country, let people know that the horse and buggy days are over. I tell people here that St.John's is only 3 hours from Toronto and if they haven't made the trip themselves they don't really believe me.

And I've noticed that people in Ontario have a very static view of what Newfoundland is, for instance they really believe that no one from outside St. John's (and this goes for all of Atlantic Canada) will be welcomed into the community as one of them, that it's a novel place to visit but not to live. One of many such ideas that they just accept as true.

So key to St. John's maximizing its potential is to re-educate the rest of the country, not sure the best way to go about this, but I know it will be a bit of an uphill battle.

[RyeJay]

I suppose larger growth is possible. Let's try to attract the young people living away with young children/babies. We need more young families! We don't need 200k seniors moving back :haha:

Now that Newfoundland and Labrador can afford to do so, to grow St. John's in the long-term will require publicly coordinated investments to make the City appealing to future demographics.

- Urban/high-rise living options, both for students (studio/one bedroom) AND for families (three bedroom +)
- Large, unique parks -- which is one of the most vital amenities to attracting families to the downtown.
- Public transit versatility.
- Museums.
- Theatres.
- etc...

St. John's doesn't need to do away with its height limits (it's part of your physical heritage), but it does need to commit to a decent progression of urban infill and site redevelopment (which may mean tax reform), while curbing urban sprawl so that it isn't creating a future catastrophe with the costs of maintaining infrastructure and public services, in the event oil production slows.

St. John's has plenty of amenities now, but to push forward with growth means to think big and keep volume in mind. Bigger theatres. Bigger parks. Make unique destinations and landmarks, which can only be found in St. John's.

[Marty_Mcfly]

St. John's really hasn't gone out there and introduced itself to the rest of the country as anything more than a tourist city. That's what needs to be done! Of course people are going to think you're bat-shit insane to move here, all they ever see about St. John's are those flashy tourism ads where it make the city look like a quaint village of a few thousand closely-knit people. Sure it has it's audience, but it shouldn't be the only thing we're advertising. Let the country know we have a wealth of engineers, industry jobs, medical professionals, etc. Maybe the country will begin to view us as a real city, and not just a nice place to visit :tup:

I think there is a stigma that people moving to the island won't be accepted. It really isn't that ridiculous to think. I've heard that view from people who have moved to the city from other places; they don't feel like the others really accept them. I think one thing that could really help this is if we stop calling people who move to the island as "come-from-away's". I can see how using that term about someone could eventually become degrading, annoying, and make it seem like the locals are shunning them away. I've always hated that term, I've never used it, I wish it would go away. I'd be very unhappy if someone called me "the newfie" all the time. Yes, I'm from Newfoundland, but I'm trying to integrate myself into your province now. Much like these "cfa" 's are doing.

[Townie709]

The "come from away" term does have one very useful purpose though. If you call yourself it at Ches's you get a free cupcake!! :haha:

Edit: everybody gets a free cupcake at Ches's. cfa's get a free dessert. Pataytoe pawtawtoe.. (My first attempt at writing that phrase resulted in "potato potato" but that wasn't good enough!) I'm just a laugh and a half tonight :haha:

[AnUrbanLife]

The "come from away" term does have one very useful purpose though. If you call yourself it at Ches's you get a free cupcake!! :haha:

Edit: everybody gets a free cupcake at Ches's. cfa's get a free dessert. Pataytoe pawtawtoe.. (My first attempt at writing that phrase resulted in "potato potato" but that wasn't good enough!) I'm just a laugh and a half tonight :haha:

A free dessert you say? hmmm nah I'd still rather be a townie. Really looking forward to calling myself a townie actually. :)

[jeddy1989]

I completely agree!

I think St. John's (even getting together with the other municipalities in the region) should have a marketing campaign showing off the city as a place to live work and play. I think republic of doyle does a good job at showing us off as urban but to appeal to a larger audience there should be a marketing campaign. We may see things like this with the new growth minister .. or say a new young councilor that takes what you g uys say into deep consideration ;)

[Marty_Mcfly]

A free dessert you say? I'll pull the cfa out when I make it back to the city.

Aww yea, greasin' my way to a cupcake.

[SignalHillHiker]

Could you imagine if someone would just pay Target Marketing to do an additional campaign based on attracting investment instead of tourists? I bet they'd be just as successful.

[PoscStudent]

I don't understand why the government hasn't put out some ads trying to encourage people to live here instead of just visit.

[Marty_Mcfly]

An outside view from an old professor of mine who had just moved to St. John's from Chicago. MUN's recruiting website is full of pictures of snow-covered hills and other general winter images. He said it really isn't inviting for anyone to come here, it leads to the impression that you'd be moving to the middle of the Arctic where it's cold 12 months out of the year. A few summer pictures would do wonders :tup:

[SignalHillHiker]

:previous:

Exactly.

And, to be fair, we really only recently started promoting urban Newfoundland at all. When I lived in Moncton as recently as 2003, people often simply would not believe there was more to St. John's than the Battery unless I showed them pictures - and still they often couldn't accept that it was a bigger city than Moncton. They were often floored.

Our most recent Target campaigns have offered a brief glimpse at urban Newfoundland. The "Our True Colours" ad is the best for this yet:

xgr5wo0qoIA

And Republic of Doyle, of course, is leaving an impression of urban Newfoundland with its viewers.

But we need to do better - much better. Like PoscStudent said - we need a campaign that aims to convince people to move to St. John's.

[SparkDT]

I agree completely.

[Trevor3]

St. John's really hasn't gone out there and introduced itself to the rest of the country as anything more than a tourist city. That's what needs to be done! Of course people are going to think you're bat-shit insane to move here, all they ever see about St. John's are those flashy tourism ads where it make the city look like a quaint village of a few thousand closely-knit people. Sure it has it's audience, but it shouldn't be the only thing we're advertising. Let the country know we have a wealth of engineers, industry jobs, medical professionals, etc. Maybe the country will begin to view us as a real city, and not just a nice place to visit :tup:

I think there is a stigma that people moving to the island won't be accepted. It really isn't that ridiculous to think. I've heard that view from people who have moved to the city from other places; they don't feel like the others really accept them. I think one thing that could really help this is if we stop calling people who move to the island as "come-from-away's". I can see how using that term about someone could eventually become degrading, annoying, and make it seem like the locals are shunning them away. I've always hated that term, I've never used it, I wish it would go away. I'd be very unhappy if someone called me "the newfie" all the time. Yes, I'm from Newfoundland, but I'm trying to integrate myself into your province now. Much like these "cfa" 's are doing.

Someone mentioned Dubai on the previous page in the context of how fast cities can grow. The biggest industry in Dubai isn't oil right now, it's tourism. Dubai has oil and became the center of that industry in the middle east and grew tremendously, but the big spike we've been seeing for the last few years has actually been much more related to tourism than oil money. When people come to NL to visit, they are creating a job everytime they spend a dollar, whether it be on Marine Atlantic, Air Canada, White Bay Convenience or Blue on Water. It all trickles down, and in the end I think that there is a lot more growth taking place in St. John's due to tourism than people realize.

An outside view from an old professor of mine who had just moved to St. John's from Chicago. MUN's recruiting website is full of pictures of snow-covered hills and other general winter images. He said it really isn't inviting for anyone to come here, it leads to the impression that you'd be moving to the middle of the Arctic where it's cold 12 months out of the year. A few summer pictures would do wonders :tup:

I've never understood this either. I met many mainlanders through MUN who were quite nervous about coming to NL for the first time because they had this impression they were going to St. John's, population 20,000 and going to be grocery shopping at Uncle Joe's grocerteria. Of course they then found out it's a decent sized city and took the leap to give it a try.

Even now, as I check it out, the only shot showing the city on MUN's website is a skyline picture from Signal Hill that only shows the downtown, blurry so that you cannot see how big any of the buildings are. ANYTHING that Signal posts on here would do better at showcasing the city.

I understand the snow capped mountains and scenery for advertising Grenfell because that is what you're getting into, a region that is really about outdoor activity in the winter, and it is a small place. But St. John's has many more selling points that MUN doesn't get out there.

[christopher_chafe]

Someone mentioned Dubai on the previous page in the context of how fast cities can grow. The biggest industry in Dubai isn't oil right now, it's tourism. Dubai has oil and became the center of that industry in the middle east and grew tremendously, but the big spike we've been seeing for the last few years has actually been much more related to tourism than oil money. When people come to NL to visit, they are creating a job everytime they spend a dollar, whether it be on Marine Atlantic, Air Canada, White Bay Convenience or Blue on Water. It all trickles down, and in the end I think that there is a lot more growth taking place in St. John's due to tourism than people realize.


That's the problem Trevor........all St. John's is seen as is a tourist city. A place that is welcoming for tourists and not business interests. You mentioned Dubai.....you are indeed correct in what you say HOWEVER they established themselves as a business city prior to establishing as a tourist city.

[christopher_chafe]

Really? I don't even see how that's possible. We only have half a million people in the province. If every single person on the island up and moved to St. John's and rural NL completely died (which I would HATE and would be devastatingly horrible) than we could be a 500k city. I can't see us growing to be half a million in the next century because we rural NL should never die and i don't think we can realistically attract that many people from out of the province to live here.

I hope see 350,000 people call St. John's home in my lifetime (I'm 18, so i have plenty of time!) and even that might be a stretch. Half a million, while awesome, seems very unrealistic to me. but i would love nothing more than to be proven wrong!!


Townie......YYT got a better chance of getting to half a mil than rural NL........if we are attracting young people to move home from larger cities, one would think that they would want to continue their lifestyle by moving to a city such as Mt. Pearl or St. John's rather than buying a home in Stephenville or Gander Bay for example.

[Marty_Mcfly]

St. John's at half a million people may be a big of a big dream :haha: 300,000 may be a more accurate estimation of a high-growth potential for the area, but I'd feel more comfortable guessing that the CMA will level off at about 250,000 people in about 25 years

[Marty_Mcfly]

xgr5wo0qoIA



ooh! I like this ad!

[RyeJay]

And, to be fair, we really only recently started promoting urban Newfoundland at all. When I lived in Moncton as recently as 2003, people often simply would not believe there was more to St. John's than the Battery unless I showed them pictures - and still they often couldn't accept that it was a bigger city than Moncton. They were often floored.

First off, I would like to say how much I enjoyed that video of St. John's urbanity. :)

Secondly, I would like to suggest that, perhaps, Monctonians are a poor choice from whom to sample in terms of the awareness Canadians have of St. John's.

Monctonians live in their own bubble, where they believe their city is booming beyond measure, where it's them versus Halifax, where they believe Canada sees Moncton as a model of economic growth. This foolishness is largely due to the narratives published in the one newspaper upon which Monctonians depend. The Times&Transcript very rarely mentions anything related to Newfoundland and Labrador; therefore, the city would lack an awareness.

In Halifax, knowledge about St. John's is more objective: You'll encounter more people who've travelled there; you'll encounter people who've studied at Memorial University, and have shared their opinions of the City of St. John's.

Haligonians generally acknowledge St. John's as Atlantic Canada's second largest city. (And in Halifax, Moncton is virtually never mentioned. HRM is typically compared to the GTA/Golden Horseshoe -- not in terms of their similarities, but referenced for amenities that Haligonians would love to have, such as numerous forms of public transit, tall skyscrapers, sports stadiums, etc...)

[Marty_Mcfly]

Until joining this forum and reading about Moncton from its users I had no idea that Moncton was growing at such a quick rate, so I guess it goes both ways. I know very little about New Brunswick as a whole :haha:

Looking at the numbers, Moncton CMA is growing faster than St. John's, but only by about 1% so the city exceeding our population isn't likely. It looks like the two cities have been trading the "who's-been-growing-faster" title back and forth for the past few years. But of course neither of our cities can compare to Halifax, but Halifax gets to play with the big boys :tup:

[RyeJay]

Nearly 70% of Moncton's population growth has been from declining communities inside New Brunswick. That well will run dry sooner rather than later. St. John's can look forward to stable, long-term growth.

[jeddy1989]

Until joining this forum and reading about Moncton from its users I had no idea that Moncton was growing at such a quick rate, so I guess it goes both ways. I know very little about New Brunswick as a whole :haha:

Looking at the numbers, Moncton CMA is growing faster than St. John's, but only by about 1% so the city exceeding our population isn't likely. It looks like the two cities have been trading the "who's-been-growing-faster" title back and forth for the past few years. But of course neither of our cities can compare to Halifax, but Halifax gets to play with the big boys :tup:

I think we deserve a bit more credit than that. when looking at the driving factors of our growth and how it obviously comes from the booming provincial economy. I think people sometimes puts halifax on a pedestal which I do not entirely think if fair when talking about St. John's. (yes it is the largest city in Atlantic Canada and has historically been the focus when looking at the east coast) but I personally look at our potential and how we are only now experiencing the beginning and we are in the process of building the infrastructure for much larger growth.

I cannot comment on Moncton because I do not know much about it. However I can see all the constant announcements of economic mega projects in NL almost on a monthly basis, and that they will fuel more and more development as they get started.

[Marty_Mcfly]

I think a second place in Newfoundland that we should consider the possibility of booming out of control is Labrador City. It's currently outgrowing itself at a quick pace, and with Muskrat falls approaching, as well as potential oil fields off the Labrador coast, Lab city has the potential to reach city status, probably boom near the same level as Paradise. All it really needs is improved transportation infrastructure and it'd be highly likely.

[jeddy1989]

I think a second place in Newfoundland that we should consider the possibility of booming out of control is Labrador City. It's currently outgrowing itself at a quick pace, and with Muskrat falls approaching, as well as potential oil fields off the Labrador coast, Lab city has the potential to reach city status, probably boom near the same level as Paradise. All it really needs is improved transportation infrastructure and it'd be highly likely.

I agree and Goose Bay as well (right now it's considered under serviced, however the Airport gives it a great advantage and it may become the gateway to the artic)

Lab city seems really neat how it is an entirely planned town (obviously with the idea of becoming a city eventually) and you can see the grid system in the roads. I believe that those two towns will become our fort Macs (Hopefully with more attention to social issues) also MUN is slowly establishing a Labrador campus in Goose Bay.

Lab City:
http://gallery.ourlabrador.ca/albums/History-LabradorWest/aam.jpg
http://gallery.ourlabrador.ca/History-LabradorWest

http://www.cabotrealty.ca/labrador_city_web_im1890.jpg
photo by cabot realty
http://www.cabotrealty.ca/residential.html

Google maps:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=lab+city&hl=en&ll=52.940233,-66.909957&spn=0.022527,0.066047&hnear=Labrador+City,+Division+No.+10,+Newfoundland+and+Labrador&t=h&z=15

[Marty_Mcfly]

Even since I was a wee young lad I thought that Labrador City desperately needed grass and trees. You can tell that it's painfully planned; everything was just clear-cut.

[Architype]

It looks like that first photo was taken in the winter, as it does not look too green. I think it looks a lot like Gander, at least the way Gander used to be.

How much growth is expected in Lab City? The town's population in the past was over 11,000 (1981), and I will be surprised, pleasantly, if it surpasses that again.

[Marty_Mcfly]

The population as of the 2011 census was 7367 and the town is at the beginning of a mini economic boom. I have a friend who is currently working/living there. She said it's crazy the amount of development and new sub-divisions popping up in response to increased mining in the area. The current housing situation can't keep up with demand, and has put rent rates through the roof. A standard two bedroom apartment is running people close to 2 grand a month in rent.

[jeddy1989]

More good news

Analysis Indicates Steady Growth in Capital

Things are looking up for the city of St. John's. A recent analysis completed by the city shows that there will be steady growth in 2013. Councillor Bruce Tilley says the indicators are that retail sales, personal income and employment are up, and that there is a strong consumer confidence in the city and province. Tilley says the oil and gas sector is playing a key role in this prosperity but retail is a big factor as well.



Tilley says the upcoming project on Kenmount Road and Danny Williams' Glencrest project are going to be huge for the area. Tilley says he hopes the growth will allow residents to stay in St. John's to work rather than travel to western Canada.



Tilley says the most important thing to him is that young people coming out of university and college have a chance to work at home.
http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=30548&latest=1

[ajcoffey]

Which project on Kenmount rd is being referred to?

[SignalHillHiker]

I assume the development of the hill as a result of TGH?

[J_Murphy]

My guess is Kenmount Hill. I think there is a development plan coming from the area above the 190 m contour which was previously excluded from development. It's the area in between Kenmount Road and Blackmarsh where the new highway is going.

[jeddy1989]

They are referring to the above the 190 meters .. there is going to be a massive development of that area and it's going to be a planned development such as the Glencrest one ;)

[Marty_Mcfly]

I think part of the Kenmount Terrace area which is currently undeveloped is above the 190 so that may possibly open up more suburban sprawl in that area.

[jeddy1989]

Growing International Interest in Province's Industry

The growing oil and gas industry in the province is generating interest from companies around the world. Here's VOCM's Terry Hart.

The Minister of Natural Resources, Tom Marshall, says there is a positive buzz in the oil industry about the tremendous potential to grow that sector here. He stated, it's not only the current developments on the east coast, as there are a lot of companies interested in coming here because of the potential for new finds off Labrador and the west coast. Marshall says the interest of many companies is being peaked as a result of the huge potential for new and larger discoveries. He noted the number of new wells being drilled in this province is very small when compared to the North Sea but he is confident that will change in the coming years
http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&ID=31056&GetComments=1

[statbass]

CBC NL
Feb 20, 2013
Author unknown

There is growing apprehension about what the provincial government's financial problems may mean for municipalities.

Mount Pearl Mayor Randy Simms said he is worried about the future of the growing city.

He spoke to the Mount Pearl and Paradise Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, saying that taxpayers may be facing a tough time ahead with both federal and provincial governments going into austerity mode.

"The guys that argue about buying jets in Ottawa — they don't mean a thing," Simms said.

"And the guys that argue about Hebron and Muskrat Falls — they don't mean a thing if your road [doesn't] plowed and somebody don't pick up your garbage."...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2013/02/20/nl-simms-mount-pearl-finances-220.html

[jeddy1989]

awesome! we have a lot of potential with the tourism industry


Tourism Industry Hits Milestone


The tourism industry in the province has reached a significant milestone - $1-billion in spending. The minister responsible for tourism, Terry French, announced the achievement at the Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador conference and trade show yesterday. French says the province's "Find Yourself" advertising campaign has received 180 awards and has created a well-established brand for tourism in Newfoundland and Labrador. French says the brand is simple.



He says the brand is not about being something we're not, and that the ads give you exactly what we are.

French expects spending on tourism to reach $1.6 billion by 2020
http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=31257

[SignalHillHiker]

:cheers:

We have another billion-dollar industry. Woot woot! :)

[jeddy1989]

Here's a bit of an update on the change in GDP from 2010-2011 (I know it's a couple of years back) it's the latest I could find and interesting all the same


Atlantic provinces

In Newfoundland and Labrador, GDP increased 2.8% in 2011 after leading all provinces in 2010 with a 5.8% increase. Growth was largely attributable to a significant increase in output of metal ore mining as well as in non-residential and engineering construction related to mining and oil projects. Manufacturing of seafood products increased in tandem with fishing, hunting and trapping and contributed to gains in wholesale trade. Output of services rose 2.4%, with significant increases in finance, insurance and real estate and in architectural, engineering and related services.

In Prince Edward Island, GDP advanced 1.1% in 2011 following a 2.7% increase in 2010. The main contributors to the increase were manufacturers of frozen food products, non-residential construction, utilities, retail trade and finance, insurance and real estate services. Goods production fell 0.8% on lower fishing activity and a smaller potato crop as a result of poor weather. Reduced output of transportation equipment manufacturing and miscellaneous manufactured products also contributed to this decline.

In Nova Scotia, GDP rose 0.3% in 2011 after increasing 1.6% in 2010. Output of goods-producing industries fell 4.0%. Gains in fishing and manufacturing of food and of rubber and plastic products were offset by declines in output of oil and gas extraction, construction and transportation equipment. Services advanced 1.4% as output rose in finance, insurance and real estate and in health care and social services.

In New Brunswick, GDP edged up 0.1% in 2011 following a 3.0% increase in 2010. Services output increased 1.2% led by finance, insurance and real estate. Output dropped in construction, manufacturing, forestry and logging, and utilities. Crop production fell 16% as unfavourable weather resulted in a smaller potato harvest. Output of wholesale trade and transportation services declined along with lower goods production
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/120427/dq120427a-eng.htm

[jeddy1989]

Some more good news :)

Statoil Investing in Arctic Research

Statoil Canada will invest $5-million in private sector-led research and development in Newfoundland and Labrador to address key technological gaps in arctic oil and gas development. Companies are invited to submit proposals through an Expression of Interest.


Two initial areas have been identified for collaboration with Newfoundland-based technology providers: remote-sensing technology for safe arctic operations such as ice monitoring and management solutions, and arctic subsea production systems that are robust enough for the arctic conditions.

http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=31340

[jeddy1989]

Exploring the Energy Industry

Young and old alike are being encouraged to 'explore the opportunities' of the energy industry as part of oil and gas week. 2013 marks the 11th year of the event that celebrates the industry's success and the impact it is having on the province. Natural Resources Minister Tom Marshall says there's a lot of buzz about the province's future potential, pointing to exploratory drilling in the Flemish Pass, the Orphan Basin, the Laurentian Basin, and Nalcor's discovery of three new basins off Labrador. Marshall says some 4,300 people are employed in the oil and gas industry in Newfoundland and Labrador, 90 per cent of whom are from this province. As the industry grows, Marshall says so too will the demand for workers.



He says there are many opportunities in fields such as skilled trades, technical and engineering positions, project management, and marine services. Marshall says the province will continue to work with the labour industry and the academic community to prepare students to build a strong, capable, and sustainable workforce.

Oil and Gas week runs until March 1st.
http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=31341

[SignalHillHiker]

Awesome news (RE: Statoil). :)

This is the type of economic development that takes work. A city can't just rely on government hand-out industries (like defense, ship-building, etc.) or even resources (like fishery, forestry, oil and gas, mining, etc.) and end up with these sorts of investments. Getting development like this is basically the oil and gas equivalent of processing our fish in-province.

Cities have to go out and work hard to get this type of smart economic development. Luckily, Scandinavia seems to be the only real competition. But we have the Marine Institute - which is more famous and respected in its various fields that I think most Newfoundlanders realize. So we have a leg up.

Bring it on! :D

[jeddy1989]

Speaking of the Marine Institute I have a friend in Venezuela who did an exchange year here and he did a degree in Naval Engineering in Caracas Venezuela.
One day he skype called me to tell about how he had a full class in Venezuela talking about the technology being used at the Marine Institute here in St. John's and it's world class simulator.

:)


Here's a pic of the simulator
http://www.cbc.ca/nl/features/titanic/assets/images/mi-simulator.jpg
http://www.google.ca/search?q=marine+institute+st.+john's+simulator&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=8ZwrUbODCorL0wG774CwCA&biw=1920&bih=979&sei=9JwrUeWVC4i50AH244CwCw#imgrc=JS8sG4VoP5myxM%3A%3BX9-o5IjN7yyR2M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.cbc.ca%252Fnl%252Ffeatures%252Ftitanic%252Fassets%252Fimages%252Fmi-simulator.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.cbc.ca%252Fnl%252Ffeatures%252Ftitanic%252F%3B380%3B180

here's the inside from the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
http://www.atlanticgateway.gc.ca/media/images/Page27-Main-Simulation-Centre.jpg
http://www.atlanticgateway.gc.ca/strategy/chapter11.html

[jeddy1989]

Here's something interesting about the simulation from the MI from a few years ago that's right up our alley:


MI awarded 'Best Innovation 2008' for Skyscraper Simulation


http://www.mi.mun.ca/uploads/photos/news/15/lg-panoramicchicagoskyline_brighter.jpg
The Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland, through the Centre for Marine Simulation, has been named the winner of the Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce (TCCC) Best Innovation 2008 Award.

The award is in honour of MI’s ground-breaking work in simulating and testing wind conditions on the Chicago Spire, a proposed 610 meter, 140-floor skyscraper that will be among the world’s tallest buildings and freestanding structures once completed. The award will be presented at the TCCC Business Excellence Awards Gala and Ceremony tonight in Bangkok, Thailand.
“The Marine Institute takes great pride in winning the Best Innovation 2008 Award,” said Glenn Blackwood, executive director, Marine Institute. “The Centre for Marine Simulation has long been internationally recognized as North America’s most comprehensive research and training facility for marine simulation and technology and it is great to see the work that is completed there receive such recognition.”
The Marine Institute’s Centre for Marine Simulation has been helping industry partners in marine and offshore industries accelerate training, improve performance, test new equipment designs and mitigate the risk of accidents since 1994. Using a variety of simulators, including the world’s only full motion, full mission ship’s bridge, the Centre for Marine Simulation has become internationally recognized in the areas of simulating harsh maritime environments, human performances in moving environments, simulation of offshore oil and gas operations and waterway risk analysis.
With this technology, MI has developed a reputation for addressing industry demand for more accurate, innovative and reliable solutions to human factor challenges, a reputation that led to a partnership in 2007 between the Centre for Marine Simulation and RWDI/Motioneering, an Ontario-based engineering company specializing in the design, development and monitoring of motion solutions for a wide range of structural applications.
RWDI/Motioneering contacted MI to see if the Centre for Marine Simulation could be used to test the motion of the Chicago Spire, soon to be the tallest skyscraper under construction in North America. The objective of the partnership was to test the motion of the newly designed skyscraper at various wind speeds, helping to address a number of challenges that occur with a building of such great size, including motion perception, motion sickness and fear of movement.
The Centre for Marine Simulation’s team created a realistic 360 degree visual of the Chicago skyline with a view from the bottom floor straight to the 140th floor of the proposed Chicago Spire. The bridge simulator’s motion server was able to produce the simulated wind conditions to create a virtual environment for the planned skyscraper. This enabled RWDI/Motioneering, for the first time, to experience the sway motion of the Chicago Spire, as was determined in a wind tunnel test.
The result allowed RWDI/Motioneering to translate numbers to actual motion, making it the first engineering company in the world to accomplish this.
“To say the least, the Marine Institute is thrilled to have been part of such a landmark project. The team at CMS deserves a lot of credit for their work on the project. The results show that the Centre for Marine Simulation’s international reputation as leader in simulation is well deserved and growing,” said Captain Chris Hearn, Director of the Centre for Marine Simulation. “The Chicago Spire project was a bit of a departure from the research we traditionally conduct at MI. However, it proved to be an exciting and worthwhile venture that demonstrates the innovative spirit of the Marine Institute.”
MI and RWDI/Motioneering have since partnered on more motion studies, setting the framework for a building motion workshop that will be held annually at the Centre for Marine Simulation with some of the top high rise structural engineering firms in the world. The first workshop was held in September, 2008, with a second planned for 2009. MI is also in discussions with RWDI/Motioneering and the American Society of Civil Engineers regarding collaborative research that could challenge and improve some current standards of civil design.


http://www.mi.mun.ca/news/index.php?NewsID=15

[statbass]

The Telegram
Feb 25, 2013
Author: Unknown

Memorial University is planning to explore the feasibility of setting up a law school, something last explored in 1987.
According to a news release Lynne Phillips, dean of the Faculty of Arts, will chair a committee that includes additional university membership, a representative of the provincial legal community and an external voice.
The review will be restricted to consideration of a faculty of law as a professional school, as opposed to a degree program or department of law. The review will also examine the demographics of existing Canadian law schools, current and future needs for more lawyers, and benefits to Memorial, among other goals.
MUN has previously considered adding a law school on two occassions.
The Harris Report, 1976, concluded that there was no demonstrated need for a law school at Memorial, and the Bruce Report, 1987, which endorsed a law school in principle, but not at that time.
Last year, the Law Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador and the provincial branch of the Canadian Bar Association supported a review of the concept of a faculty of law, a position later endorsed by the chief justice of Newfoundland and Labrador...

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2013-02-25/article-3184164/MUN-conducting-review-to-explore-feasibility-of-law-school/1

[SignalHillHiker]

WOW! :D That would be awesome.

[jeddy1989]

The Telegram
Feb 25, 2013
Author: Unknown



http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2013-02-25/article-3184164/MUN-conducting-review-to-explore-feasibility-of-law-school/1

AWESOME!!! that's amazing news!! that's like the only major thing MUN lacks

I'm very happy they are considering this! Onward and Upward!

[statbass]

AWESOME!!! that's amazing news!! that's like the only major thing MUN lacks

I'm very happy they are considering this! Onward and Upward!

Maybe a Faculty of Dentistry to make it full circle. Although, that's pretty much wishful thinking on my part.

[SignalHillHiker]

So, now we know Statbass is a dentist...? :D lol