The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[cdnguys]

In regards to rail jobs, the more accurate number is 200 when you include employees involved in unloading rail cars and maintaining facilities. Having said that Irving may still continue that even with pipeline because that Dakota oil will still be cheaper than piped oil from Alberta. There will be a minimum of 300 additional refining jobs once refinery is upgraded to handle bitumen. So worse case scenario is a long term net of 100 jobs, refinery stays open and a temporary boom during $2B expansion of refinery.

In regards to cruise terminal - I was impressed with interior - perhaps the pics did not do it justice. Compared to terminals in Miami and Fort Lauderdale ( which are basically just large sheds ) I thinks it's nicer.

[Ire Narissis]

My only gripe with the Diamond Jubilee terminal is that they put ugly warehouse-like cladding on the gangway hall instead of a nice stone-look finish like the Marco Polo terminal has.

[ErickMontreal]

Innovatia hires almost entire college IT class
7 of 9 students at NBCC-St. Andrews's IT network support class offered jobs

CBC News
Posted: Jun 10, 2013 7:14 AM AT
Last Updated: Jun 10, 2013 7:48 AM AT

Saint John-based Innovatia hired seven of nine students from a technology class at the New Brunswick Community College in St. Andrews.Saint John-based Innovatia hired seven of nine students from a technology class at the New Brunswick Community College in St. Andrews. (Courtesy of Innovatia)

A Saint John-based technology firm, hungry for new employees, snapped up seven of nine students in a technology class at the New Brunswick Community College in St. Andrews.

Innovatia is one of the fastest growing companies in Atlantic Canada and offers technology support and training modules to clients around the globe.

When Dave Grebenc and Roxanne Fairweather, the company’s chief executive officers, bought the company about three years ago, Innovatia had more than 200 employees and it has been adding more staff.

"We just finished bringing on our 500th person and we're in the process of bringing on 30 more,” Grebenc said.

That push for new staff and the desire to hire local employees brought Innovatia’s recruiters to the IT network support program at the community college in St. Andrews.

The company left the college with job offers in the hands of seven of nine students in the IT network support program. Each of the jobs will start at more than $30,000.

Blair Price, an instructor with the college’s IT network support program, said he’s never seen a company walk in and essentially hire his entire class.

'There seems to be a growing demand for IT workers in New Brunswick. However, the enrollments in colleges and universities probably isn't what it should be.'— Blair Price, NBCC instructor

"We've had companies come in before and hire some students, but never the whole class,” he said.

Matthew Anderson, a St. George resident, said having a job before graduation is a great feeling. He said it beats handing out resumes and then waiting by the phone for an interview.

"We were just surprised that they would come see us,” he said.

There could be more jobs in the future for the college’s graduates. Innovatia's Grebenc said New Brunswick’s technology industry is one of the province’s fastest growing sectors.

But getting students enrolled in the program to fill those jobs has not been easy, according to Price.

He said his class was only half full to start the year even though the prospects for getting jobs is bright.

"It's unfortunate that more New Brunswickers aren't picking up on IT as a career track,” he said.

"There seems to be a growing demand for IT workers in New Brunswick. However, the enrollments in colleges and universities probably isn't what it should be.”

[Helladog]

Originally Posted by ErickMontreal

Innovatia hires almost entire college IT class
7 of 9 students at NBCC-St. Andrews's IT network support class offered jobs

CBC News
Posted: Jun 10, 2013 7:14 AM AT
Last Updated: Jun 10, 2013 7:48 AM AT

Saint John-based Innovatia hired seven of nine students from a technology class at the New Brunswick Community College in St. Andrews.Saint John-based Innovatia hired seven of nine students from a technology class at the New Brunswick Community College in St. Andrews. (Courtesy of Innovatia)

A Saint John-based technology firm, hungry for new employees, snapped up seven of nine students in a technology class at the New Brunswick Community College in St. Andrews.

Innovatia is one of the fastest growing companies in Atlantic Canada and offers technology support and training modules to clients around the globe.

When Dave Grebenc and Roxanne Fairweather, the company’s chief executive officers, bought the company about three years ago, Innovatia had more than 200 employees and it has been adding more staff.

"We just finished bringing on our 500th person and we're in the process of bringing on 30 more,” Grebenc said.

That push for new staff and the desire to hire local employees brought Innovatia’s recruiters to the IT network support program at the community college in St. Andrews.

The company left the college with job offers in the hands of seven of nine students in the IT network support program. Each of the jobs will start at more than $30,000.

Blair Price, an instructor with the college’s IT network support program, said he’s never seen a company walk in and essentially hire his entire class.

'There seems to be a growing demand for IT workers in New Brunswick. However, the enrollments in colleges and universities probably isn't what it should be.'— Blair Price, NBCC instructor

"We've had companies come in before and hire some students, but never the whole class,” he said.

Matthew Anderson, a St. George resident, said having a job before graduation is a great feeling. He said it beats handing out resumes and then waiting by the phone for an interview.

"We were just surprised that they would come see us,” he said.

There could be more jobs in the future for the college’s graduates. Innovatia's Grebenc said New Brunswick’s technology industry is one of the province’s fastest growing sectors.

But getting students enrolled in the program to fill those jobs has not been easy, according to Price.

He said his class was only half full to start the year even though the prospects for getting jobs is bright.

"It's unfortunate that more New Brunswickers aren't picking up on IT as a career track,” he said.

"There seems to be a growing demand for IT workers in New Brunswick. However, the enrollments in colleges and universities probably isn't what it should be.”

Seven-of-nine. Credit: Wikipedia.
Resistance is futile.

[ErickMontreal]

Irving Oil surrenders leased land back to Saint John
Mayor says no cost to city, which will use property to build new water treatment plant

CBC News
Posted: Jun 11, 2013 5:59 PM AT

Irving Oil has agreed to surrender 41 hectares of the leased land back to the city. Irving Oil has agreed to surrender 41 hectares of the leased land back to the city.

Irving Oil Ltd. has agreed to give up some land it has been leasing from the City of Saint John for half a century, paving the way for the city to build a new water treatment facility at the site.

Neither party was available to comment on Tuesday on what, if any, impact the deal with have on a decade-long dispute over the cost of some of the industrial water supplied to the Irving Oil refinery by a city pipeline.

But Mayor Mel Norton said in a brief statement at Monday night's council meeting that the deal is costing the city "zero dollars."

"Their co-operation has facilitated securing the property that we need for our drinking water plant," Norton said, extending the city's "gratitude and appreciation."

No potential income for the city has been lost, he said.
Lease dates back to 1958

Irving Oil has a deal dating back to 1958 allowing the company to lease a large portion of city-owned land around the Little Lake Reservoir "in perpetuity."

The east side reservoir and its watershed create a guaranteed industrial water supply for the oil refinery.

Under the new agreement, about 41 hectares of the land bordering the reservoir and Hickey Road will be "surrendered" and returned to city control for a new public-private water treatment plant.

The plant and related infrastructure are expected to cost $220 million.

But the city hopes to save millions by switching to wells instead of lake water. Council recently awarded a contract to a Quebec company to drill a large production well in the South Bay area to see if there is enough water to convert to a well system.
Lengthy dispute

Saint John has been stuck in delicate negotiations with Irving Oil Ltd. and J.D. Irving Ltd. over their water rates for years.

Both Irving companies claim they have a special case for lower prices.

Irving Oil says it pays the up-to-date rate for 70 to 80 per cent of its water, but the company believes the rate it pays for water from an older, separate line, should be much lower.

Meanwhile, the Irving pulp mills takes more than 90 per cent of its water untreated.

The two companies are paying rates set up in agreements that expired in 2000 and 2005 respectively, according to recent city documents.

[dhottawa729]

Somebody that's reading this knows SOMETHING about the status of Fundy Quay... could you give us a little update? We've been awaiting an announcement since last August (I believe) and we're all dying to know whats going on. Maybe your lips are sealed, but even a vague comment to let us know that there is in fact daily progress would make us happy.

[Peter_johnns]

Originally Posted by dhottawa729

Somebody that's reading this knows SOMETHING about the status of Fundy Quay... could you give us a little update? We've been awaiting an announcement since last August (I believe) and we're all dying to know whats going on. Maybe your lips are sealed, but even a vague comment to let us know that there is in fact daily progress would make us happy.

All i know is that the hotel slated to build on the site has opted to take on the entire boardwalk extension, meaning the edge of the Fundy Quay will be all an extension of the boardwalk paid for by this unnamed hotel. So that is a bit of good news

[GUB]

Originally Posted by Peter_johnns

All i know is that the hotel slated to build on the site has opted to take on the entire boardwalk extension, meaning the edge of the Fundy Quay will be all an extension of the boardwalk paid for by this unnamed hotel. So that is a bit of good news

Believe it when I see it!

[Fischbob]

News today in the TJ that PotashCorp intends to extend its port facilities northward along Courtenay Bay on fill to be placed opposite the railway tracks. This will serve to expand capacity for when the Picadilly mine begins operation. The work will also include a new access road that will allow its trucks to bypass Crown Street. Anticipated start date is Fall 2014.

This is certainly better news than a terminal expansion in the opposite direction! Tin Can Beach and the Sugar Refinery site absolutely must be safeguarded for public space and residential/commercial development.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Fischbob

Tin Can Beach and the Sugar Refinery site absolutely must be safeguarded for public space and residential/commercial development.

Absolutely agree on this point. Love the name "Tin Can Beach"

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by Fischbob

News today in the TJ that PotashCorp intends to extend its port facilities northward along Courtenay Bay on fill to be placed opposite the railway tracks. This will serve to expand capacity for when the Picadilly mine begins operation. The work will also include a new access road that will allow its trucks to bypass Crown Street. Anticipated start date is Fall 2014.

This is certainly better news than a terminal expansion in the opposite direction! Tin Can Beach and the Sugar Refinery site absolutely must be safeguarded for public space and residential/commercial development.

It's actually a positive for the neighbourhood and for the environment in many ways, I have been involved in consultation on the project for over a year and it will open up a few possibilities such as the eventual expansion of Harbour Passage along that side of the peninsula, and possibly improving Marsh Creek's outflow under the causeway.

[j1vvy]

Talking "Marsh Creek's outflow under the causeway", here is a picture I created last week at low tide.

[CdnEh]

^ I'll give you $20 if you jump in

[kwajo]

Do I get the $20 if I was in there last week? Because I was

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by kwajo

Do I get the $20 if I was in there last week? Because I was

How did you get back out again? That mud looks as sticky as the ooze on the banks of the Petitcodiac!

[hebertovich]

Anyone got any news on the bottle neck on the highway? Seen there was a payloader there this morning are they going to do something or is this permanent for the summer ?

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

How did you get back out again? That mud looks as sticky as the ooze on the banks of the Petitcodiac!

It is very sticky in places, but the majority of the flats are surprisingly sandy. In fact, the sand flats that existed before the Causeway was built were the site of the first airplane takeoff in Saint John!

[Helladog]

Deleted Post.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by Helladog

The lack of any info on this problem speaks volumes. No news from either the province, the city, or the media. If this was in any other NB jurdistiction, I don't think there would be such a laid back attitude.

If you are referring to hwy just past Crown St bridge it's because pieces of rock from mountain face were falling off and coming on hwy. the incident was reported in news, but I don't recall seeing any warning about fixes.

[thefishingnut]

From what I see, it's a retaining wall for supporting a city street which is falling apart and landing on a Provincial highway which is subbed out to a private company for maintenance. In other words, a jurisdictional nightmare even if they knew what to do about fixing it.