The Official Moncton, NB Project Thread

[Taeolas]

That might be an idea. is there any sort of precedent for that happening?

Set up the org, give the bridge a name that resonates with the community in a good name, and name the charity after it, and see what happens.

I suspect if the charity can even get a quarter of the estimated funds raised, it would be enough to get the cities, province and feds on board for the rest, since it would be a clear sign that The People want something done. (But the more the better of course)

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by JasonL-Moncton

I still think that a "River Fund" charity needs to be set up that individuals, special interest groups, environmental organizations, and corporations can donate too to "raise" the money for the new bridge...what would the government say if a private charity stepped to the plate and said...we don't need you, we'll do it on our own?

Not sure it's a feasible avenue, but if the price tag is is $40M and a charity could say raise half...would the fed chip in the other half? Thoughts?

Trying to raise $20M of charitable contributions to put towards a new bridge to replace the causeway would be very ambitious. I'm willing to wager that the two hospitals in Moncton combined probably don't raise more than $4-5M per year in charitable donations from all sources.

As Taeolas says, even raising a portion of this might be enough to embarass the province and the feds to kick in, but I somehow doubt it. The feds are disinterested and the province is bankrupt. I think a replacement bridge is at least 10 years off, by which point the river upstream will have reverted to marshland and the whole exercise will have been rendered moot.

This topic has generated enough chatter in the last few weeks, I wonder if we should have a Petitcodiac River Restoration thread....

[JasonL-Moncton]

I realise that this would be a massive undertaking...but hell, why not try it?

Through a quick google search I believe there is a precedent:

http://www.charitywater.org/100percent/

http://neighbor.ly/

http://www.kickstarter.com/

http://www.gofundme.com/

[JHikka]

Kickstarter would probably be your best bet.

[mylesmalley]

I don't know how well a kickstarter project looking for $20,000,000 would go over though

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

I don't know how well a kickstarter project looking for $20,000,000 would go over though

I know of a few that have garnered upwards of $10,000,000. I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to look up a list of the most valuable kickstarters.

If it's too much then a physical organization would have to be created.

[Taeolas]

I don't know much about Kickstarter other than what's hit the news. But any campaign would probably be better to aim lower, for the 1/4 amount I suggested, and have 1/2 as a stretch goal.

The important thing to do would be to have all the ducks in a row; outline what the benefits of a bridge over a causeway would be in clear language, and how it would improve the river and so forth. And have some goals for people who do donate to get. (maybe for the bridge design they can get their names on bridge posts or something)

In any case, an organization of some sort would probably need to be made. And since it's a 1-off target, it might have better success than some of the other groups out there.

[josh_cat_eyes]

So plazacorp now lists 'Champlain Street Plaza - Phase II' on their website. They is obviously due to Kent relocating. I wonder what will be part of it.

I also read somewhere that they plan to expand the building when they build the Target. A look at the leasing plan shows it is diagonal on the back, could they straighten it out to gain the needed square footage?

[JasonL-Moncton]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

I don't know much about Kickstarter other than what's hit the news. But any campaign would probably be better to aim lower, for the 1/4 amount I suggested, and have 1/2 as a stretch goal.

The important thing to do would be to have all the ducks in a row; outline what the benefits of a bridge over a causeway would be in clear language, and how it would improve the river and so forth. And have some goals for people who do donate to get. (maybe for the bridge design they can get their names on bridge posts or something)

In any case, an organization of some sort would probably need to be made. And since it's a 1-off target, it might have better success than some of the other groups out there.

Perhaps the "Riverkeeper" could set it up and run it as part of their functionality...kind of like that 'charity water' organization link I posted. Then once the bridge was achieved they could restructure and put it towards perhaps improvements to the sewage treatment plant, or a 'third' crossing whether walking or vehicle/both at point park.

[David_99]

Technically it may be for a new bridge, but since the goal is to restore the river, I wonder if some wealthier "tree huggers" from outside the region could even be targeted to donate. Moncton residents can only raise so much, but you get David Suzuki sharing a link, promoting the restoration of, at one time, the World's Most Endangered River (per National Geographic) then maybe you'd have a chance.

[MonctonRad]

From CBC:

Moncton set to lead province in economic growth

Conference Board of Canada report also says province's mining industry set to expand
CBC News
Last Updated: Feb 14, 2013 6:22 PM AT

Moncton is expected to break into the top 10 metropolitan economies in Canada in 2013, according to the Conference Board of Canada's winter outlook.

Moncton is also set to lead the cities in Atlantic Canada this year in economic growth.

Moncton's gross domestic product is expected to increase by 2.5 per cent this year, which is expected to outpace Halifax’s 2.3 per cent and St. John’s 1.7 per cent.

Jane MacIntyre, the senior Atlantic economist for the Conference Board of Canada, said Moncton’s economic fortunes are being buoyed by its manufacturing sector.

"Some of the bright spots in Moncton [include] the manufacturing sector,” MacIntyre said.

“It's been solid for a few years now since the 2009 recession and again some of that has to do with Moncton's position as a hub."

The economic think tank said the strength of the manufacturing sector and an improved services sector will offset declines in the construction sector.

But the economic growth forecasts for Moncton may not be completely rosy.

David Campbell, an economic development consultant in Moncton, said those growth rates are actually an economic wake-up call.

"Economic growth and employment growth both province-wide and in the metropolitan areas of Moncton and Saint John are very sobering at that level of growth it's going to be very, very hard for the provincial government to balance its books,” Campbell said.

Campbell said urban centres in the province usually help prop up the provincial economy.

But the economic development consultant the province needs to identify growth sectors and stimulate business.

And the 10th place could be a blip, according to the report. Moncton's long-term growth still puts it in 20th position for Canadian cities.

Moncton’s unemployment rate has steadily remained the lowest of the two largest cities. The city’s unemployment was 6.7 per cent in January compared to 9.9 per cent in Saint John.

The economic report did have some good news for the province.

The provincial economy will receive a boost from the mining sector in the next two years. The Conference Board is expecting the mining industry to expand by 39.7 per cent in 2013 and 47.9 per cent in 2014.

The report also predicts the province’s unemployment rate will drop below 10 per cent in the next year.

“With the forestry sector rising from the abyss and industrial production picking up steam, close to 9,165 positions are expected to be added to the economy over the next two years, helping to bring down the unemployment rate to an average of 8.1 per cent in 2014,” the report said.

[statbass]

That's awesome, Moncton. Way to do it!

[mmmatt]

^ great news indeed! I was baffled to hear David Cambells comments on the news yesterday...as mentioned right in the article Monctons unemployment rate is holding steady around a respectable 7% despite continuing an excellent population growth rate. If the city labour market was having difficulty keeping up we would see it very quickly.

I believe his comments reflect the province as a whole, but not so much the "big 3 cities" which seem to be holding up well enough.

[statbass]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

From CBC:

Moncton set to lead province in economic growth

Moncton's gross domestic product is expected to increase by 2.5 per cent this year, which is expected to outpace Halifax’s 2.3 per cent and St. John’s 1.7 per cent.

Just a correction on the St. John's growth number: I believe the 1.7% refers to Saint John. I was on the Conference Board of Canada website and it states St. John's growth will be 2.2% this year... but you still beat us, Moncton... kudos!

http://www.conferenceboard.ca/press/news...etropolitan_economic_growth_in_2013.aspx

[MonctonRad]

Propaganda from the Progress insert in today's T&T
http://22864.vws.magma.ca/index.php?&article_id=10653

Welcome to Metro Moncton's Progress
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Times & Transcript - Progress
By: Brent Mazerolle

Tri-community continues to grow and prosper

Here's a look at Metro Moncton's Progress.

Progress, the special publication of the Times & Transcript you're either holding in your hands or scrolling on your tablet, looks at our Metro Moncton community and how its progress is bucking regional trends, growing by leaps and bounds while maintaining a quality of life that is increasingly the envy of communities far and wide.

We'll look closely at Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview and the quality of life the tri-community offers, thanks to investments in education, health, arts and culture, sports, recreation and entertainment.

At the foundation of the good life is a good economy, and Metro's diversified economy has served the community well even as much of the rest of North America has suffered several years of slowdown.

We'll look at how distribution, manufacturing, communications and retail - and an educated, largely bilingual and friendly workforce - have helped create that quality of life. And in turn, how that quality of life here has helped create that healthy economy.

Here's a nutshell history of how we got to where we are today: At the end of the 1980s, the last railroad engine hauled the last railcars out of the CN Shops, and 1,200 jobs rode the rails out of town with them.

Today, those tracks from the rail shops aren't even there, but the locomotive that matters is Metro Moncton itself, the economic engine of New Brunswick.

A staggering 25,000 new jobs have been created here since the early 1990s. That's 40 per cent of all new jobs created in the province, even though Metro Moncton makes up just 17 per cent of the total population.

That number is changing too, of course. In 1996, Metro Moncton was the 10th fastest-growing metropolitan area in Canada. Today, we're the fifth fastest-growing metropolitan area.

Even more remarkable, we are growing faster than any other Canadian city east of Saskatoon. And we are doing this all without the western bonanza that is massive oil and gas exploration.

In fact, with a resident growth rate of 9.7 per cent since 2006, Moncton (population: 138,644) easily outpaced Saint John (4.4 per cent, to 127,761), Fredericton (9.3 per cent, to 94,268), Halifax (4.7 per cent, to 390,328), Charlottetown (8.7 per cent, to 64,487), and St. John's (8.8 per cent, to 196,966).

As an interesting aside, people don't just want to live here. They're visiting in record numbers too, with Moncton having the best tourism growth east of the Manitoba border the past two years in a row now, calculated using hotel room rentals.

Getting back to employment, the types of jobs have changed too. A lot of the blue collars of the 1980s have turned white.

In a 10-year period, jobs in the business and financial sector have grown 27 per cent, careers in the natural and applied sciences have grown a whopping 68 per cent and health sector jobs have grown by 32 per cent. International companies such as UPS, Exxon-Mobil and Oracle have all come here, as have RBC, Rogers, Asurion and Fairmont.

Technology has also driven local success stories including Atlantic Lottery, Medavie Blue Cross, Assomption Vie, Property Guys, DDx, Red Ball Internet and Shift Central.

Our airport is the region's largest after Stanfield Inter national in Halifax and the city is today a major road and air hub to supplement its smaller but continued role as a rail hub. But its not just road and rail and air networks. Moncton has also been named one of the world's most intelligent cities for how it is taking advantage of the broadband economy.

Perhaps the biggest vote of confidence of all comes from the voters who matter most - the citizens of Metro Moncton themselves.

In September, MQO Research conducted a City Matters survey of more than 400 randomly selcted residents of Metro Moncton. They found a whopping 85 per cent believe Metro Moncton today is a 'great place to raise a family.' Now that's progress.

[pierremoncton]

January Moncton’s biggest construction month in 10 years
Permits issued worth more than $12-million

Staff Mar 1, 2013 03:44:50 PM

MONCTON, N.B. – City officials in Moncton say January was the best construction month in 10 years.

They say building permits worth more than $12-million in construction values were issued for that month.

That’s an increase of nearly $10-million over January of 2012.

Permits valued at $8-million for renovations to the Terminal building at 1234 Main Street and for more than $1.5-million for the replacement of heat pumps at the Public Works and Government Services Canada building at 1045 Main Street helped push the numbers up.

Meanwhile, the city recently launched a new urban planning department and a new one-stop service counter in the city’s building inspection department.

Officials say that is resulting in a more streamlined service.

Source: http://www.news919.com/2013/03/01/january-monctons-biggest-construction-month-in-10-years/

[MonctonRad]

I wonder if the article means that this was the best January for building permits in the last ten years. I believe that there have been other individual months which have topped this record.....

[MonctonRad]

Reposted from the Saint John thread:

Originally Posted by ErickMontreal

According to a reliable source, Exxon Mobile did not renew their lease at Loch Lomond Mall and they will apparently consolidate their activities at their existing center in Moncton. There would be between 200 and 300 jobs at stake, give and take.

We can now point out that the call center sector in SJ has been evaporating at a steady pace over the last few years.

It is obviously sad to see a decent employer packing their bags for Moncton.

I agree with Erick's sentiment. While this might be good news for Moncton, this is at best a neutral news story for NB, and definitely a sad news story for Saint John. It would be better if we were gaining employment from outside the province....

[ErickMontreal]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Reposted from the Saint John thread:



I agree with Erick's sentiment. While this might be good news for Moncton, this is at best a neutral news story for NB, and definitely a sad news story for Saint John. It would be better if we were gaining employment from outside the province....

Let me set it straight tough, my source did not quantify the number of people that were offered a position in Moncton hence at the end, it may well be a loss for the province. Anyhow, it would ultimately be even sadder because at the end of the day we are all in the same boat.

[Ringo_Starr1987]

Hello all


Any updates on the Walmart Supercentre developments in Moncton and Dieppe? Been living in Saint John for the past 1 1/2 years and I'm curious to see. I have heard that Walmart has applied for their building permit to expand the one in Dieppe...but curious to see if any development has begun at these sites.


Thanks!