[wags_in_the_peg]

YIKES!!!!!

Winnipeg's attractiveness as a place to do business slips: survey

Wed Sep 12 13:11:00 CDT 2007 - By Geoff Kirbyson

A decline in building permit growth and an increase in the unemployment rate has reduced Winnipeg’s attractiveness as a place to do business, according to an annual survey by Canadian Business magazine.
The Manitoba capital ranked 23rd in this year’s Top Places to do Business in Canada poll, down from 13th last year. Winnipeg has also fallen compared to other cities in Western Canada, placing fourth this year, down from second a year ago.

Canadian Business uses five criteria in compiling its list — annual operating costs, cost of living index, building permit growth, change in unemployment rate and crime rate.

Sherbrooke, Que. was the top-ranked city for business while Abbotsford, B.C., was the best city in Western Canada (14th overall).