The Official Moncton, NB Project Thread

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

The way the housing market is going in the USA, real estate agents with drive thru's might not be all that farfetched.

I don't know Myles..... your pun here was sooooo oblique, it took me about five minutes to get it. Your mind works in mysterious ways.

In medicine and psychology, we call this loose association.

[mmmatt]

Nice to hear that space is occupied, I agree starbucks would have fit in well in that area, however with Tims and a small coffee shop literally right next door it might have been to close...

In regards to Veridoc I think they lost the land they held downtown...they had planned to put the Casino there...but I guess their plan failed to impress the government (not a big surprise with them involved ) They are still in town though working on the Mapleton Power Center...why the city ever entrusted them with downtown I will never know, honestly, the only thing I have seen them build so far is power center type suburban buildings...made from pre-fab concrete no less...oh well, hopefully we will fix their downtown mistake in the future.

[mmmatt]

St Hubert is nearing completion.

[mylesmalley]

1) MonctonRad - It seems you keep hours as crazy as I do.

2) Mat - That's quite the new restaurant. Are they going for a more upscale crowd than the current St. Hubert market?

[mmmatt]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

2) Mat - That's quite the new restaurant. Are they going for a more upscale crowd than the current St. Hubert market?

Not that I know of...St Hubert is semi up-scale...somewhere between Burger King and East Side Marios. Its basically Quebec's version of Swiss Chalet.

In fact they are so similar that they have a sort of agreement not to both be in the same market...so St Hubert basically holds the entire market in Quebec and Swiss Chalet in Ontario. There are only a few cities that have both, Moncton and Ottawa are two, there might be one other, not sure.

[mylesmalley]

Originally Posted by mmmatt

Not that I know of...St Hubert is semi up-scale...somewhere between Burger King and East Side Marios. Its basically Quebec's version of Swiss Chalet.

In fact they are so similar that they have a sort of agreement not to both be in the same market...so St Hubert basically holds the entire market in Quebec and Swiss Chalet in Ontario. There are only a few cities that have both, Moncton and Ottawa are two, there might be one other, not sure.

I guess your hours are just as crazy

[kirjtc2]

Originally Posted by mmmatt

In fact they are so similar that they have a sort of agreement not to both be in the same market...so St Hubert basically holds the entire market in Quebec and Swiss Chalet in Ontario. There are only a few cities that have both, Moncton and Ottawa are two, there might be one other, not sure.

St-Hubert closed in Fredericton about 15 years ago. In its place in the same building within months was....Swiss Chalet. I don't think anybody noticed the difference.

[ErickMontreal]

In fact, Swiss Chalet failled in Quebec and closed all his restaurants, same goes for almost all the Cara Operations. Boston Pizza done a better job in adjusting itself to the realty in Quebec.

St-Hubert just won the battle over Swiss Chalet in Quebec, simple than that.

[ErickMontreal]

Metro boom rolls on
New construction sets another record in 2008, off to solid start for 2009


The launch of construction of the casino on Mountain Road has helped give Moncton its best December building stats in a decade. Here, workers prepare the base for the construction crane that will operate at the site.

Published Friday January 9th, 2009
A1
By James Foster
Times & Transcript Staff

Canada's oldest planning commission is celebrating its 60th year by racking up a record $313.5 million in construction activity in 2008.

The launch of construction of the casino on Mountain Road has helped give Moncton its best December building stats in a decade. Here, workers prepare the base for the construction crane that will operate at the site.

If you think that kind of construction activity will soon be history thanks to the spin-off effects of economic turmoil elsewhere, you would be wrong, say staff and board members of the Greater Moncton Planning District Commission.

Huge investments have already been made in residential and commercial projects slated for continuation or completion in 2009, and people are not in the habit of shelling out millions of their own dollars on a whim, commission officials say, citing projects under way such as new hotels, a casino, a justice centre, significant residential developments in Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview and a new town hall in Riverview, to name a few.

"Right off the hop, that's about $10 million worth of projects to come, already under way," commission executive director Bill Budd says.

Much of that growth comes thanks to earlier investments in infrastructure by area municipal governments, Budd says, from water and sewer to roads. Now, it's time to fill in land newly opened by that infrastructure, such as Gunningsville Boulevard in Riverview, the south end of Vaughan Harvey Boulevard in Moncton and Dieppe Boulevard in Dieppe.

"We probably now have the best transportation infrastructure for a metropolitan area of 100,000 people plus," Budd says.

It's not hard to see where future residential growth will occur in the three Metro Moncton municipalities.

Gordon Locke, manager of subdivision approval and deputy director of the commission, notes that 60 per cent of Moncton's residential growth occurs in the northwest of the city.

"That's been the case for at least 10 years now," he says, and that area will continue to sprout new homes.

There is also a vast tract of vacant land near Crowley Farm Road, between Mapleton Road and McLaughlin Drive.

"Within five years, I can see that starting," Budd says of infilling in that area. "It could even happen sooner."

In Dieppe, a single developer is sinking millions of dollars into new homes in the area of Fox Creek Golf Course, with the final goal of developing 500 new lots -- a sign of faith in the local marketplace if ever there was one. That one investor has recently registered a subdivision of 90 lots, all at once.

"He has no fear of falling markets," Locke says.

Riverview's Carriage Hill subdivision, east of the new Gunningsville Boulevard, foretells the eventual commercial and residential development that will most certainly follow the opening of that new road just last year, located within sight of downtown Moncton.

Nearby Harmony Estates is almost as ambitious.

Commercially, the golden triangle could be the area of Vaughan Harvey Boulevard, Assomption Boulevard and Main Street. Redevelopment of that area with new road links has already spawned a new courthouse, a Marriott hotel, Sobeys, Alcool NB Liquor outlet and more, and there's still plenty of land ripe for development.

You can also expect the Mapleton Road area to continue infilling, and there is a large expanse of land primed for commercial development along Harrisville Boulevard.

Riverview's Gunningsville Boulevard (east side) will also see commercial development in the coming years, commission officials predict, and Findlay Park in the town's south will continue to blossom this year.

In Dieppe, again the Dieppe Boulevard area, will see commercial growth continue into 2009 and beyond.

Not a day goes by that the commission doesn't get inquiries from residents of other parts of Canada and the world asking about opportunities here, having read reports of this region being among the best places to live and safest places in which to invest.

"There's a great cultural mix, too," outgoing chairman Ian Fowler notes.

Incoming chairwoman Lynn Murray points to the growing number of people attracted here by the quality of life coupled with the reasonable cost of living.

"We're very affordable here," she says.

By reigning in urban sprawl and infilling, all three municipalities are able to keep the cost of development down, since the groundwork has already been laid.

The area's smaller communities are also taking advantage of the growth trend as seen in the past year's statistics, which include projects such as the almost $1-million special-care home in Hillsborough; $19 million for wind-farm towers near Parkindale; almost $1 million for a new liquor store in Salisbury; a $1-million upgrade to a care home near Riverglade; and $600,000 to build the Maritime Motorsports Hall of Fame in Petitcodiac.

[mylesmalley]

Dieppe records $78.9M in construction in 2008
Published Friday January 9th, 2009

Mayor says global economic downturn isn't hurting city
A5
By Times & Transcript Staff


The City of Dieppe issued $78.9 million worth of construction permits in 2008, granting 678 permits for a total of 382 units last year.

The city issued more permits than what it had in 2007, but total money from that year (factoring in the Aquatic Centre) put 2007 permit values at a record $83.8 million.

There were three record breaking months recorded in 2008 (January, March and April).

Mayor Jean LeBlanc said the global economy's breakdown hasn't slowed down Dieppe's economic momentum.

"Dieppe has had another great year even though we're witnessing a financial crisis," he said in a statement. "We are experiencing continuous growth in Dieppe thanks to our own residents who are our most important investors. They have confidence in their municipality and believe that this city has great potential."

LeBlanc said 2009 looked just as good for the city.

"Although 2008 was very busy, we're expecting another great year," he said.

To end 2008, the Building Inspection Services issued 18 permits last month for 16 units, totaling $2.4 million. Commercial construction accounted for five permits in December followed by four permits each for residential multi-unit and residential single-family dwellings.

[mmmatt]

1 crane going up, 3 more to go

Cant wait!

Good to hear that in a year when the global economy is in a downturn the Moncton area was able to pull away with not only an excellent construction year, but the best year ever no less!

[MonctonRad]

The crane for the casino hotel is actually quite close to Mountain Road. The whole casino complex should be quite visible from the Trans Canada Highway as well. I'm sure that was the whole idea anyway.

I'm quite impressed at how busy the casino construction site is......despite the winter weather.

[mmmatt]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I'm quite impressed at how busy the casino construction site is......despite the winter weather.

Me too, however I'm sure it has something to do with temp. highs of nearly 0 in Jan. haha. Compared to last winter this feels like Florida.

[tw31]

Ahah not unless its -5 in Florida... Although last year when I was at Disney, it was -8, the coldest it's been in like 20 years I guess. It wasn't what I expected at all.

[mmmatt]

I posted this on in the Canada section, but I know a lot of you don't look there, so Ill post it here too.

I was bored at work and this was the result:

Housing Starts, Rate Per Capita

All data compiled from CHMC 2008 housing starts and StatsCan 2006 census.

All inclusive.

Rank. City Name-----Population---Starts---Rate (per 100,000)

1. Kelowna, BC------162,276-----2,257----1390.8
2. Moncton, NB------126,424-----1,359----1075.0
3. Calgary, AB-------1,079,310---11,438---1059.8
4. St. John's, NL-----181,113-----1,863----1028.6
5. Saskatoon, SK----233,923-----2,319----991.4
6. Vancouver, ON----2,116,581--19,591----925.6
7. Ottawa, ON/QC---1,130,761---10,302----911.1
8. Sherbrooke, QC---186,952-----1,627-----870.3
9. Guelph, ON--------127,009-----1,087----855.8
10. Toronto, ON------5,113,149---42,212---825.6
11. Trois-Rivières, QC-141,529-----1,148----811.1
12. Abbotsford, BC----159,020-----1,285----808.1
13. Barrie, ON---------177,061-----1,416----799.7
14. Quebec City, QC---715,515-----5,457----762.7
15. Regina, SK---------194,971-----1,375----705.2
16. Saint John, NB------122,389-----832-----679.8
17. Edmonton, AB------1,034,945----6,615---639.2
18. Montreal, QC-------3,635,571----21,927--603.1
19. Oshawa, ON--------330,594------1,987---601.0
20. Kitchener, ON-------451,235-----2,634----583.7
21. Victoria, BC---------330,088-----1,905----577.1
22. Saguenay, QC------151,643-----869------573.1
23. Halifax, NS----------372,858-----2,096----562.1
24. London, ON---------457,720-----2,385-----521.1
25. Hamilton, ON--------692,911-----3,529-----508.0
26. Kingston, ON--------152,358-----672-------441.1
27. Winnipeg, MB--------694,668-----3,009-----433.2
28. Peterborough, ON----116,570-----428-------367.2
29. Brantford, ON--------124,607-----432-------346.7
30. Greater Sudbury, ON--158,258-----543------343.1
31. St. C.-Niagara, ON----390,317-----1,138----291.6
32. Windsor, ON----------323,342------453-----140.1
33. Thunder Bay, ON------122,907------167-----135.9

Thanks to Myles for the inspiration...he pointed out the difference between Hali and Moncton, so I explored it a bit further.

[MonctonRad]

So, Moncton has the second highest rate of new housing starts per capita amongst all the CMA's in Canada. That's pretty impressive!!

We are keeping some pretty lofty company there with Calgary and the Okanagan being the other close competitors.

I know the naysayers from Haligonia who occasionally visit our thread will say "yes, but the total number of housing starts in Halifax is greater than in Moncton", but this does not mitigate the fact that construction here in Moncton has become a major driving force in our community and proportionately is more important to our economy than it probably is in Halifax.

Thanks for this Matt.

It is interesting to also note that StatsCan states that the only province in Canada where the unemployment rate actually went down in the last month was here in NB. Retail sales in NB were well above the national average in the pre-Christmas period. Finally, personal bankruptcies in NB have also remained stable, while in other neighbouring nameless jurisdictions, they have gone up by over 20%.

So far the recession in NB has not been too bad!!!

[mmmatt]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I know the naysayers from Haligonia who occasionally visit our thread will say "yes, but the total number of housing starts in Halifax is greater than in Moncton",

Thanks for this Matt.

Anyone who says that obviously does not grasp what "per capita" is haha. The main point is to show that the raw ammount may be lower than other cities, but Moncton is hitting WAY above its weight class in comparison.

And you're welcome

For the record the big three NB cities are doing very well, Freddy at 890 would fit in at 8th place.

[mmmatt]

The GMIA passenger numbers for 2008 should be out in less than 2 weeks!

I'm excited, hopefully we will see a record year.

[mmmatt]

Just randomly browsing around here (bored at work again haha) and I stumbled across this interesting site. They have a plan for a "Chinese village" in Moncton...the render looks pretty neat (cant place where its located though). Has anyone heard anything about this? The web site doesnt have any dates other than the copyright date of 2006. Not getting my hopes up or anything, but its a really neat idea...and with the MFC attracting a lot of students from China etc, it might not be a bad idea.

here is the article:

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The Golden World Chinese Culture Foundation has developed an innovative project to create a Chinese Cultural ad business center in Moncton. Namely Moncton ChinaVillage, the project consists of 5 different but interdependent parts: Culture\Education, Wholesale\Distribution, Restaurants\Hotel, Chinese Garden, and Residence. The Village would offer a unique destination for people from Eastern Canada and US to Moncton to enjoy Chinese foods, goods, health care, culture and architecture.


The project has received significant support from the three levels of government (municipal, provincial and federal) as well as different organizations including Greater Moncton Chinese Cultural Association, MAGMA, Enterprise Greater Moncton, and Moncton Flight College.


Being in the final stage of planning process, the project has already attracted a number of investors and potential immigrants from various countries.




http://goldenworldfoundation.com/immigration_cv.html

[Haliguy]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

So, Moncton has the second highest rate of new housing starts per capita amongst all the CMA's in Canada. That's pretty impressive!!

We are keeping some pretty lofty company there with Calgary and the Okanagan being the other close competitors.

I know the naysayers from Haligonia who occasionally visit our thread will say "yes, but the total number of housing starts in Halifax is greater than in Moncton", but this does not mitigate the fact that construction here in Moncton has become a major driving force in our community and proportionately is more important to our economy than it probably is in Halifax.

Thanks for this Matt.

It is interesting to also note that StatsCan states that the only province in Canada where the unemployment rate actually went down in the last month was here in NB. Retail sales in NB were well above the national average in the pre-Christmas period. Finally, personal bankruptcies in NB have also remained stable, while in other neighbouring nameless jurisdictions, they have gone up by over 20%.

So far the recession in NB has not been too bad!!!

Thats great... but its not all great news.. look at building premits of metropolitan areas.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quoti...0109b1-eng.htm