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Affichage des résultats pour les étiquettes 'alberta'.
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How $40 oil would impact Canada’s provinces What does Canada’s economy look like with oil prices at $40 a barrel? Certainly it won’t be the energy superpower envisioned by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. If $40 a barrel still seems a ways off, consider that the benchmark price for oil sands crude is already trading in that price range. What’s more, if production from high-cost sources isn’t withdrawn from an oversupplied market, oil prices may soon be trading even lower. The first thing Canadians should recognize about the new world order for oil prices is that – contrary to what we’re being told by our federal government – the economy is no longer in dire need of any new pipelines. For that matter, it can live without the new rail terminals being built to move oil as well. Yesterday’s transportation bottlenecks aren’t relevant in today’s marketplace. At current prices there won’t be any massive expansion of oil sands production because those projects, which would produce some of the world’s most expensive crude, no longer make economic sense. The recent spate of project cancellations by global oil giants – Total’s Joslyn mine, Shell’s at Pierre River, and Statoil’s Corner oil sands venture – is only the beginning. As oil prices grind lower, we can expect to hear about tens of billions of dollars of proposed spending that will be cancelled or indefinitely postponed. Not long ago, the grand vision for the oil sands saw production doubling over the next 20 years. Now that dream is in the rear-view mirror. Rather than expanding production, the industry’s new economic imperative will be attempting to cut costs in a bid to maintain current output. With the exception of oil sands players themselves, no one will feel those project cancellations more acutely than new Alberta Premier Jim Prentice. His province’s budget is beholden to the gusher of bitumen royalties that will no longer be accruing as planned. He could choose to stay the course on spending, as former Premier Don Getty did when oil prices plunged in the 1980s, in hopes that a price recovery will materialize. That option, as Getty discovered, would soon see Alberta’s budget surplus morph into spiralling deficits. The province’s balance sheet wasn’t cleaned up until the axe-wielding Ralph Klein took over. In his first term, Klein slashed spending on social services by 30 per cent, cut the education budget by 16 per cent and lowered health care expenditures by nearly 20 per cent. Of course, falling oil prices are a concern for much more than just Alberta’s budget position. Real estate values also face more risk, particularly downtown Calgary office space. For oil sands operators, staying alive in a low price environment won’t just mean cancelling expansion plans and cutting jobs in the field. Head office positions are also destined for the chopping block, which is bad news for the shiny new towers going up in Calgary’s commercial core. If plunging oil prices are writing a boom-to-bust story in provinces such as Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland, the narrative will be much different in other parts of the country. Ontario’s long-depressed economy is already beginning to find a second wind, recently leading the country in economic growth. And the engine is just beginning to rev up. As the largest oil-consuming province in the country, lower oil prices put more money back into the pockets of Ontarians, while also juicing the buying power of its most important trading partner. Ontario’s trade leverage with the U.S. is set to become even more meaningful as the Canadian dollar continues to slide along with the country’s rapidly fading oil prospects. Just as the oil sands boom turned Canada’s currency into a petrodollar, pushing it above parity with the greenback, the loonie is already tumbling in the wake of lower oil prices. And it shouldn’t expect any help from the Bank of Canada, which continues to signal that it’s willing to live with a much lower exchange rate in the face of a strengthening U.S. dollar. A loonie at 75 cents means GM and Ford may once again consider Ontario an attractive place to make cars and trucks. Even if they don’t, you can bet others will. With the loonie’s value falling to three quarters of where it was only a few years ago, we’ll start seeing Ontario, as well as other regions of the country, start to regain some of the hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs that were lost in the last decade amid a severely overvalued currency. For the Canadian economy as a whole, much is about to change, while much will also remain the same. Once again, oil will largely define the fault lines that separate the haves from the have-nots (or at least the growing from the stagnating). But at $40 oil, it’s the consuming provinces that will drive economic growth. Rather than oil flowing east through new pipelines, jobs and investment will be heading in that direction instead. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/how-40-oil-would-impact-canadas-provinces/article22288570/
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Since everyone here loves Maclean's http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/10/14/the-good-bad-and-ugly/ What the hell is going on in BC? (and secondarily, Alberta, Red Deer? Seriously?!) I liked one of the comments:
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En lisant cet article d'aujourd'hui dans La Presse j'ai découvert le Art Gallery of Alberta, inauguré récemment. http://www.cyberpresse.ca/voyage/canada/201009/10/01-4314487-edmonton-la-ville-qui-fait-boom.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B2_voyage_264_accueil_POS1 Penser que les gens à Edmonton ont plus d'audace architectural qu'à Montréal...soupir.
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Shell songe à quitter le Québec Publié le 08 juillet 2009 à 15h42 | Mis à jour à 15h44 Le géant pétrolier Royal Dutch Shell songe à fermer sa raffinerie de Montréal et à se départir de son réseau de stations-service au Québec et dans les Maritimes. Une révision stratégique de ces activités est en cours actuellement chez Shell, dont l'issue pourrait être la fermeture de la raffinerie, ont appris avec stupéfaction aujourd'hui les employés de la raffinerie de Montréal-Est. Parmi les options examinées figurent la vente de la raffinerie en tout ou en partie, sa transformation en terminal pétrolier ou la fermeture pure et simple. La raffinerie de Shell emploie 550 personnes à Montréal. L'entreprise possède deux autres raffineries, à Sarnia en Ontario et à Fort Saskatchewan Alberta. Shell songe aussi à de départir de son réseau de distribution d'essence au Québec et dans les Maritimes.
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http://www.economist.com/world/americas/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15726687&source=hptextfeatureCanadian cities Mar 18th 2010 | CALGARY AND TORONTO From The Economist print edition And the gloom in Toronto TIME was when the decision over where to put a new Canadian capital-markets regulator would have been automatic. Toronto, Canada’s most populous city and the capital of Ontario, the most populous province, has long been the country’s business and financial centre. The biggest banks are there, as is the stock exchange. Legions of lawyers, accountants and bankers flock daily to the towers surrounding King and Bay streets. And yet the Canadian government is in two minds over the home for the new authority, and may end up splitting it between several cities—partly to placate provincial regulators jealous of their purviews. This hesitation has brought grumbles from politicians in Ontario. But it is tacit recognition that economic and political power in Canada are slowly shifting westward, and in particular to Calgary, the main business centre in Alberta, a province with a large oil and gas industry. Toronto still has the top spot. Greater Toronto has 5.6m people, or almost five times as many as Calgary. It is home to more corporate headquarters than any other Canadian city. Of the 20 biggest companies in Canada, ten are based in the Toronto area. But six are now in Calgary. All are oil and gas firms, whose towers form the city’s dramatic skyline, set against the backdrop of the Rocky mountains. And Calgary has the momentum. The new housing developments that surround the city and stretch to the foothills are evidence that Alberta is sucking in people and investment from the rest of Canada. Between 1999 and 2007, while head-office employment grew by 14.1% in Toronto, it soared by 64.6% in Calgary, according to a report by the OECD, a research body. Alberta’s economy swiftly brushed off the recession. Its leaders dismiss hostility from greens to the tar sands that are the source of much of its hydrocarbons. If Americans do not want their oil, then Alberta will build a pipeline to the west coast and sell it to China, they say. Dave Bronconnier, Calgary’s mayor, laughs off the idea that his city might soon supplant Toronto. But he admits that he has tried to woo one of Canada’s big five banks to come and set up its headquarters. He is also courting branch offices of banks from China, the Middle East and South Korea. Office rents are higher in Calgary than in many other cities, though they have fallen sharply since 2008. But low business taxes and the lack of a provincial sales tax make overall operating costs lower than in Ontario. The city wants to become a global centre for energy companies. Its rivals are Houston, Dallas and Dubai, rather than Toronto, says Mr Bronconnier. This boosterism is in sharp contrast to the downbeat mood back east. Despite the strength of the banks, Toronto and Ontario—the home of Canadian carmaking—have fared badly in the recession. In an editorial earlier this month the Toronto Star, the city’s biggest newspaper, bemoaned growing social inequality, worsening gridlock, a deteriorating transport system and rising taxes. “There’s a nagging but entirely justified sense that Toronto has lost its way,” the paper concluded. Ontarians as a whole are feeling uneasy. In a recent poll taken in the province for the Mowat Centre, a think-tank, half of respondents felt that Ontario’s influence in national affairs is waning and about the same number thought the province is not treated with the respect it deserves. A generation ago Toronto benefited from an influx of businesses from Montreal fleeing the threat of Quebec separatism. That threat has receded, but federal politicians are ever-sensitive to the French-speaking province’s demands. Alberta’s politicians are becoming increasingly bolshy as their economic muscle grows. And Ontario? Torontonians were long used “to assuming that they are the centre of the universe,” as Joe Martin, a business historian at the University of Toronto, puts it. They are awakening to a world in which their planet, though still the biggest in the Canadian firmament, is being eclipsed. Copyright © 2010 The Economist Newspaper and The Economist Group. All rights reserved.
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Jobless claims soar 21% in Canada Financial Post March 24, 2009 1:02 Lukas Stewart, with his resume strapped to his body, uses a megaphone to attract the attention of potential employers on Bay Street in Toronto's financial district.Photograph by: Mark Blinch/Reuters, Mark Blinch/ReutersOTTAWA -- The number of people receiving employment insurance benefits rose to 567,000 in January, a 21.3% jump from the year before. British Columbia saw the biggest percentage increase, rising 47.7% from last year, followed by Alberta, 46%, and Ontario 43%, Statistics Canada said Tuesday. But Ontario, where the manufacturing sector experienced heavy layoffs, suffered the biggest number increase with claims rising by 54,570 from the year before. “In recent months, labour market conditions in Canada have deteriorated significantly,” the agency said in its report. “Through the early part of 2008, employment growth weakened, only to fall sharply later that year and into 2009, causing a spike in the unemployment rate. By February 2009, the unemployment rate hit 7.7%, up almost two percentage points from a record low at the start of 2008.” The number of beneficiaries is a measure of all persons who received employment insurance benefits from Jan. 11. to 17. In Alberta, 23,300 people were receiving regular EI benefits in January, up 10.5% from the month before. British Columbia had 56,100 beneficiaries, up 9%, while Ontario had 181,500 people receiving EI, which was a 6.2% increase over December. The agency noted year-over-year figures shows the increase in the number of men receiving regular was double that of women. © Copyright © National Post
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Le Québec Inc. est en panne Martin Jolicoeur, Les affaires 09:30 Seulement 16% des Québécois ont déjà créé ou repris une entreprise. Le mythe du Québec entrepreneur est résolument en déclin. Un sondage Léger Marketing montre que la province se trouve bonne dernière pour la plupart des indicateurs de l’entrepreneuriat au Canada. Raymond Bachand réagit au sondage Entrepreneuriat : Québec, société distincte Ainsi, seulement 16% des Québécois adultes affirment avoir déjà créé ou repris une entreprise, selon le sondage commandé par la Fondation de l’entrepreneurship. C’est le pire résultat au pays, loin derrière la moyenne canadienne, qui est à 24%. Et quand on se compare, on se désole. Ainsi, en Alberta, 38% des répondants (soit plus du double qu’au Québec) ont vécu l’expérience de l’entrepreneuriat; 30% au Manitoba; 29% en Colombie-Britannique. « La situation est alarmante au Québec, commente Mario Girard, pdg de la Fondation de l’entreneurship. Si rien ne change, si on ne se mobilise pas rapidement pour changer les choses, on se prépare à un lendemain de veille assez terrible. » Basé à Québec, cet organisme a eu l’initiative de ce sondage, le plus important jamais réalisé sur la question au pays. Plus de 17 000 Canadiens ont été sondés, dont plus de 10 000 Québécois. Dans tous les résultats de ce sondage, un entrepreneur est défini comme une personne ayant créé ou repris une entreprise, en incluant les travailleurs autonomes. En queue de peloton Le Québec se trouve également en queue de peloton en ce qui concerne la proportion de ceux qui ont créé une entreprise au cours des cinq dernières années. Ainsi, 2,8% des Québécois affirment avoir tenté l’aventure. Ce résultat est inférieur du quart à la proportion observée dans le reste du Canada (3,7%). Cette proportion atteint 3,6% en Ontario, près de la moyenne nationale, et même 4,3% en Alberta et 4,6% en Colombie-Britannique. Dans cette dernière province, le nombre d’adultes qui affirment avoir fondé une entreprise au cours des cinq dernières années dépasse de 65% celui du Québec ! L’écart est cependant moins grand en ce qui concerne l’intention de création d’entreprises au Québec. Au cours des cinq prochaines années, 7,1% des Québécois affirment vouloir se lancer en affaires, comparativement à une moyenne de 7,5% dans le reste du pays. Mais bien qu’il soit proche de la moyenne nationale, ce résultat inquiète au plus au point les spécialistes de la question. Il indique en effet un recul brutal de l’ambition d’entreprendre des Québécois, qui tournait autour de 15%, en 2007, d’après le consortium de recherche internationale Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM). « En deux ans, le désir d’entreprendre des Québécois a fondu de moitié ! » se désole Nathaly Riverin, vice-présidente, vigie, recherche et développement à la Fondation de l’entrepreneurship et responsable de GEM Canada. Derrière les Maritimes Le seul aspect pour lequel le Québec semble se rapprocher de la moyenne canadienne concerne la proportion de la population qui affirme... avoir fermé une entreprise ! À ce chapitre, le Québec affiche un taux de 5,8%, comparativement à une moyenne nationale de 5,7%. Un résultat d’autant plus surprenant que la proportion d’entrepreneurs dans la province (7,3%) est presque deux fois moindre que celle du reste du pays (13,8%). À titre de comparaison, en Alberta, pas moins de 16,8% de la population se dit propriétaire d’une entreprise; 8,6% dans les provinces maritimes. « Dans le passé, observe Nathaly Riverin, le Québec parvenait toujours à devancer une ou deux régions du pays. Mais ce n’est plus le cas aujourd’hui. Le Québec se trouve au tout dernier rang, et même bien souvent derrière les Maritimes. » Problème de financement ? Par ailleurs, on remarque que les entrepreneurs du Québec comptent davantage sur le financement institutionnel que les autres Canadiens pour créer leur entreprise. Interrogés sur leur principale source de financement, le tiers d’entre eux (34%) citent les banques et autres institutions telles que la SGF ou la Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, et seulement 16% leurs économies personnelles. En Alberta, les modèles de financement sont complètement inversés : 39% puisent d’abord dans leurs économies, et 10% seulement s’en remettent aux institutions financières. Autre surprise : lorsque les entrepreneurs du Québec demandent l’aide du gouvernement, c’est une fois sur deux (49%) pour de l’aide financière. Dans le reste du pays, cette proportion n’est que de 30%. Faut-il en conclure que les entrepreneurs du Québec dépendent trop de l’État ou de tiers pour réaliser leurs projets? Pas forcément, estime M. Girard, qui pointe plutôt la rareté des grandes fortunes privées au Québec. Le sondage de la Fondation de l’entrepreneurship est le plus important jamais réalisé sur la question au pays. La firme Léger Marketing a sondé 17 192 Canadiens de toutes les régions du pays par Internet entre le 23 janvier et le 3 février. Parmi les répondants, 10 665 habitent le Québec. Les résultats du sondage comportent une marge d’erreur de 0,33 % au Canada et de 4,1 % au Québec. Ce sondage sera répété chaque année au cours des quatre prochaines années, ce qui permettra de suivre l’évolution de l’entrepreneuriat au pays.
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Building permits fall for third month Canwest News ServiceFebruary 5, 2009 9:01 AM OTTAWA—The value of Canadian building permits fell in December for a third straight month as a slowdown in the economy continued to temper construction activity in both residential and non-residential sectors. Statistic Canada said Thursday that municipalities issued $4.6 billion worth of permits during the month, a decline of 3.9 per cent from November. Residential permits were down 3.2 per cent to $2.6 billion in December, marking the ninth monthly drop in 2008. “Increases in multi-family permits in Ontario were not enough to offset the declines in single-family permits in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia,”the federal agency said. The value non-residential permits fell 4.9 per cent to $2 billion, the third straight monthly decline. This drop was mainly in institutional permits in Alberta and commercial permits in British Columbia, the agency said. Construction permits declined in five provinces and all three territories in December, it said.
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Lockerbie Hole d'Edmonton, qui a annoncé récemment la perte d'importants contrats dans le secteur pétrolier, est vendue au géant Aecon de Toronto pour 220millions de dollars. Pour en lire plus... -
Ils ont beau être inondés de pétrodollars, les Albertains ont des tracas financiers comme tout le monde. Pour en lire plus...
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Petro-Canada a annoncé hier qu'elle reportait à l'année prochaine sa décision d'investir 25 milliards de dollars dans son projet d'exploitation des sables bitumineux de Fort Hills, en Alberta. Pour en lire plus...
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L'Association canadienne des services pétroliers prévoit une importante baisse du nombre de forages en 2009 en Alberta. De leur côté, la Colombie-Britannique et la Saskatchewan connaîtront une augmentation de la quantité des puits de pétrole et de gaz naturel. Pour en lire plus...
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Chute de 13,5% des permis de bâtir 6 octobre 2008 - 09h10 Presse Canadienne La valeur des permis de bâtir a chuté de 13,5% au mois d'août au Canada comparativement à juillet, pour se chiffrer à 5,6 G$. Dans le secteur résidentiel, la valeur des permis de bâtir a diminué de 9,3% et s'est établie à 3,4 G$, selon les données publiées lundi par Statistique Canada. Dans le secteur non résidentiel, la valeur des permis a diminué de 19,3% pour se fixer à 2,2 G$. Les trois composantes du secteur non résidentiel (industrielle, commerciale et institutionnelle) ont participé à ce recul. La plus forte baisse a toutefois été enregistrée dans la composante institutionnelle. La valeur des permis de bâtir a diminué dans sept provinces en août. Les plus fortes baisses ont été enregistrées en Ontario (-11,5%) et en Alberta (-19,1%). La valeur des logements a également diminué au Québec (-12,6%) et en Saskatchewan (-45,9%). Le Nouveau-Brunswick a enregistré un gain de 53,1%. Depuis le début de 2008, la valeur des permis de bâtir a diminué de 0,7% par rapport à la même période l'année dernière.
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Un Québécois a fondé en Alberta une compagnie qui figure en tête de peloton dans la course aux dirigeables-cargo. Pour en lire plus...
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Parmi les boutiques qui seront fermées, on en retrouve à Montréal, Laval, Québec et Mont-Tremblant. D'autres magasins seront fermés en Ontario, en Alberta et en Colombie-Britannique. Pour en lire plus...
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Immigrants pass Toronto to follow money West, study finds
un sujet a posté ErickMontreal dans L'actualité
Immigrants pass Toronto to follow money West, study finds MARINA JIMENEZ From Thursday's Globe and Mail September 4, 2008 at 4:50 AM EDT A new study shows immigrants earn more money in Calgary, Regina and Saskatoon than they do in Toronto, a significant trend that could help explain why the city's share of immigrants is steadily declining. While Toronto remains overwhelmingly the dominant hub for newcomers, its proportion of Canada's total annual immigrant intake dropped to nearly one-third in 2007 from half in 2001. In contrast, the numbers settling in western cities such as Calgary, Edmonton, Regina and Saskatoon have increased every year in the past five years. "This represents a significant shift in immigration patterns," said Jack Jedwab, executive director of the Association for Canadian Studies, which released the study on immigrant family income this week. "We think of Alberta and Saskatchewan as a place for internal migration, but now the West is drawing immigrants as well." graphic Immigrants often settle where family members live, but are also drawn by economic opportunities. The oil and natural-gas booms in Alberta and Saskatchewan have led to huge labour demands and a rise in wages as business owners struggle to fill jobs. In 2005, the average annual income for an immigrant family in Calgary was $102,118, which is $33,000 more than in Montreal, $22,000 more than in Vancouver and $12,000 more than in Toronto, according to the census data analyzed in Mr. Jedwab's paper. The average income was $92,932 in Regina and $91,356 in Saskatoon. Between 2001 and 2005, Saskatchewan moved from the bottom three provinces to the top three in terms of average income for immigrant families, behind Alberta and Ontario. The wage differential between non-immigrant families in Toronto - who earned on average $139,926 a year - and those born elsewhere was 55 per cent. In contrast, the gap narrows to 33 per cent in Calgary, where non-immigrant families earn on average $136,380, and 19 per cent in Edmonton. In Regina and Saskatoon, non-immigrant families actually earn 1 per cent less on average than their immigrant counterparts. The income gap reflects social mobility. "People are asking the question, 'How am I doing as an individual, and how am I doing compared to others?' " Mr. Jedwab said. For his study on family incomes, all foreign-born Canadians were considered immigrants. But more recent cohorts of arrivals show a similar trend. Their wages are substantially lower than for the overall immigrant population; however, they still fare much better economically in the West, as well as in some smaller Ontario cities such as Oshawa and Ottawa, than in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. For example, the average annual income for an immigrant family who settled in Calgary between 2001 and 2005 was $69,148. The only city where they earned more money was Sudbury, while in Toronto, the average annual family income was $57,239; in Vancouver $53,028; and in Montreal $45,435. Ottawa's goal has always been to disperse immigrants more evenly across the country and avoid concentrating too many new arrivals in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. In 2007, cities outside the "MTV" received nearly one in three of Canada's total 236,000 newcomers. This trend is healthy, said Myer Siemiatycki, a Ryerson University professor of immigration and settlement studies, although he noted that Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver still receive the lion's share of immigrants and Montreal has actually increased its share. Well-educated newcomers may be faring better in smaller cities such as Regina because there is less competition for high-paying jobs. "Saskatchewan traditionally had problems attracting high-end talent," Prof. Siemiatycki noted. As well, the economy is not as robust and dynamic in Toronto and Montreal as it has been in Alberta and, more recently, in Saskatchewan. Ratna Omidvar, executive director of the Maytree Foundation, a charity that aims to reduce poverty and inequality in Canada, said Toronto is still a huge draw, as are surrounding cities such as Brampton and Mississauga. "For sure, there are fewer immigrants coming to Toronto, but they are going to the outlying suburbs comprising the city region," she said. -
La venue à Fort McMurray de l'investisseur et du mécène n'est pas passée inaperçue. L'exploitation des ressources et le développement régional étaient au menu de la visite. Pour en lire plus...
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Le contrat consiste en la fabrication et le montage de la charpente d'acier qui servira à construire la Edmonton Clinic North, à Emonton, en Alberta. Pour en lire plus...
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Canada's inflation rate jumps to 3.1 per cent Canwest News Service Published: 1 hour ago OTTAWA - The annual rate of inflation in Canada jumped to 3.1 per cent in June, the biggest rise in almost three year years, fuelled by soaring gasoline prices, Statistics Canada said Wednesday. Most economists had expected an overall inflation rate last month of 2.9 per cent from a year early, compared with a year-on-year increase of 2.2 per cent in May. "Gasoline prices increased 26.9 per cent between June 2007 and June 2008, significantly higher than the 15 per cent advance posted in May," the federal agency said. "June's increase was the largest since the 34.7 per cent gain reported for September 2005, when hurricanes Katrina and Rita disrupted the oil market," it said. "June's increase reflected both recent increases in pump prices, as well as the fact that gasoline prices had been on the decline in June 2007." On a monthly basis, inflation rose 0.7 per cent in June from May. "In addition to gasoline prices, mortgage interest cost, bakery products and air transportation also exerted strong upward pressure on the consumer price index in June," Statistics Canada said. Prince Edward Island and Alberta posted the biggest gains in consumer prices, rises 4.7 per cent and 4.4 per cent, respectively. Meanwhile, the core rate - which strips out volatile items, such as energy and food, and is used by the Bank of Canada to gauge inflation - rose by 1.5 per cent in June, the same rate as the previous month. On Tuesday, Statistics Canada reported that retail sales rose by a less than expected 0.4 per cent in May, with virtually all of the increase due to higher prices, especially for gasoline. However, Canadian consumers - thanks to the strong Canadian dollar - have not been as hard hit by rising prices for food and fuel. As well, pump prices have fluctuated over the past few months from the $1.20 range upwards to nearly $1.50 a litre, driving down consumption. The Bank of Canada's target for inflation is between one and three per cent, although it expects the rate to peak at 4.3 per cent early in 2009. The central bank has held its key lending rate steady at three per cent for the past two months after a series of reductions in an effort to spur spending amid an economic slowdown. However, the bank has signalled it is now balancing the need to encourage growth without fuelling inflation. "The sting of the steep pick-up in headline inflation is lessened by the fact that the Bank of Canada was already so public in calling for an eventual peak of more than four per cent by the turn of the year," said BMO Capital Markets economist Douglas Porter. "A further correction in energy prices (on top of the $20 drop in crude oil in the past two weeks) would go a long way to further dampening concerns about lofty headline inflation readings," he said. "With core holding steady at 1.5 per cent in June, right around where the bank looks for it to average in Q3, there's really not much to chew on here from a monetary policy stance." The Canadian dollar trading around 99 cents US following the inflation report, little changed from its Tuesday close of 99.16 cents US. Percentage change (May to June / June 2007 to June 2008): All-items +0.7 / +3.1 Food +1 / +2.8 Shelter +0.6 /+4.7 Household operations and furnishings 0.0 / +1.3 Clothing and footwear -0.5 / -0.6 Transportation +1.8 / +5.5 Health and personal care +0.1 / +0.7 Recreation, education and reading 0.0 / +0.4 Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products +0.2 / +1.6 Goods +1.1 / +2.5 Services +0.3 / +3.7 All-items excluding food and energy 0.0 / +1.2 Energy +4.4 / +18 Source: Statistics Canada Percentage change (May to June / June 2007 to June 2008): Newfoundland and Labrador +0.8 / +3.1 Prince Edward Island +0.5 / +4.7 Nova Scotia +0.6 / +4.2 New Brunswick +0.5 / +2.1 Quebec +0.4 / +3.1 Ontario +0.5 / +2.8 Manitoba +0.8 / +2.4 Saskatchewan +0.7 / +3.4 Alberta +1.5 / +4.4 British Columbia +0.7 / +3 Whitehorse +0.9 / +4.5 Yellowknife +0.8 / +4.5 Iqaluit +0.6 / +2.3 Source: Statistics Canada http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/business/story.html?id=8187d0e4-0761-4d7e-a550-ad9f55369ca1
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Le plus important producteur d'électricité en Alberta, a reçu une proposition d'achat de la part de LS Power Equity Partners et Global Infrastructure Partners. Pour en lire plus...
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Stéphane Dion au pays des BBQ Gilles Toupin La Presse C'est un été chaud pour Stéphane Dion. Le chef libéral s'est lancé dans ce que l'on appelle, dans la tradition politique canadienne, la tournée des BBQ. Le défi? Ne pas sortir de l'opération tout cuit. En fait, il ne s'agit pas d'une tournée estivale habituelle où le chef d'un parti se contente de serrer des mains loin du regard scrutateur des médias, de forger des alliances et de roder son organisation en prévision de prochaines élections. Stéphane Dion, lui, a décidé de faire comme s'il était déjà en campagne électorale et d'y aller avec la vente à domicile de sa politique environnementale, son fameux Tournant vert. «Bonne chance!» lui ont lancé ses rivaux, le sourire fendu jusqu'aux oreilles. Imaginez! Aller prêcher dans la riche Alberta pétrolière les bienfaits d'une taxe sur le carbone! Aller expliquer aux Albertains qu'ils devront payer plus que les autres Canadiens pour combattre les émissions de gaz à effet de serre! Ce n'est pas de cette façon que le chef libéral présente les choses, mais c'est ainsi qu'elles sont souvent comprises dans l'Ouest. Cela rappelle déjà aux habitants des Prairies le Plan national de l'énergie de Marc Lalonde, tant décrié à l'époque. Tout le monde s'entend pour dire que le chef libéral n'a pas froid aux yeux. Ce que vend Stéphane Dion dans ces raouts en bermuda, c'est l'idée que les familles à petits revenus et à revenus moyens vont profiter de baisses d'impôts importantes afin de compenser l'instauration de nouvelles taxes sur la pollution. Le chef libéral assure que ce stratagème permettra de réduire de beaucoup les émissions de GES. Ses opposants qualifient le plan de «fantaisie écologique». M. Dion est convaincu que les Canadiens approuveront sa politique, puisqu'il s'agit d'une «bonne politique». Du point de vue de la tradition des tournées de BBQ, il est inusité qu'un chef veuille engager ainsi les estivants dans un tel débat de fond. Paul Martin - tout juste viré du cabinet de Jean Chrétien - s'était lancé à l'été 2002 dans une tournée semblable qui avait attiré des milliers de partisans et qui avait envoyé un message clair au premier ministre en poste. M. Martin n'avait eu qu'à se montrer dans les jardins, les arrière-cours, les parcs et les terrains de camping pour obtenir le résultat que l'on sait. Stephen Harper, l'actuel premier ministre, avait également parcouru en long et en large le Sud-Ouest ontarien à l'été 2005, après sa décevante défaite électorale de 2004, ce qui avait eu pour effet de remettre son parti sur les rails et de lui permettre voguer vers la victoire électorale de 2006. Les deux hommes avaient pris soin de s'en tenir aux daïquiris et de laisser au parlement leurs plateformes électorales. Pourtant aujourd'hui, à la mi-juillet, la tournée de Stéphane Dion est loin d'avoir du plomb dans l'aile. À Edmonton, il y a deux semaines, le chef libéral a attiré 500 personnes lors d'un événement. «Mettons qu'en Alberta nous ne nous attendions pas à avoir tant de personnes, commente son attaché de presse, Jean-François del Torchio. Tout le monde disait que nous nous jetions dans la fosse aux lions et ça s'est bien passé.» Il y a eu ensuite le Sud ontarien la semaine dernière, les Maritimes, l'Est ontarien cette semaine et le Québec au mois d'août. «Ça n'arrêtera pas, affirme M. del Torchio. C'est difficile quand tu es dans l'opposition d'attirer autant l'attention. Nous avons déjà réussi cela.» --- LAYTON Le chef du NPD, Jack Layton, et son épouse, la députée de Trinity-Spadina, Olivia Chow, ont leur façon à eux d'attirer l'attention des Canadiens sur les changements climatiques. Ils sont en ce moment du côté de Whitehorse, au Yukon, en pleine expédition de canot-camping d'une dizaine de jours dans le parc national Kluane. Le couple en profite pour filmer une partie de la rivière Alsek afin de démontrer que le glacier qui alimente le cours d'eau est en pleine régression. M. Layton préfère au plan Dion un système d'imposition de plafonds d'émissions de GES et d'échange de crédits. --- SÉPARATISME Est-ce que cela aurait quelque chose à voir avec la taxe sur le carbone de Stéphane Dion? Un sondage de la maison Ipsos Reid a révélé la semaine dernière que les Albertains, après le Québec, étaient les plus enclins à appuyer l'idée de la souveraineté de leur province. Quelque 35% des répondants du Québec au sondage se sont dits en faveur d'un Québec indépendant. En Alberta, 18% des Albertains interrogés pensent que la province devrait quitter la Confédération. http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20080720/CPACTUALITES/807200368/1019/CPACTUALITES
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Provinces to clear way for workers MARIANNE WHITE, Canwest News Service Published: 7 hours ago Canada's premiers and territorial leaders reached a deal yesterday to remove labour mobility barriers across Canada beginning next year. The agreement, inked at the Council of the Federation meeting in Quebec City, will make it easier for workers trained in one province to do their job in another province. "We believe working people and their families want to have a situation where they do not have to go through 13 separate accreditation processes, but rather one accreditation process," Manitoba Premier Gary Doer said at a news conference. "We believe that a nurse is a nurse, a teacher is a teacher, a welder is a welder," he added. Quebec Premier Jean Charest said it is important for professional qualifications to be recognized across the country as provinces face worker shortages. "There are serious mobility constraints in about 25 per cent of jobs in Canada, so our task is to smooth away those last difficulties to create the most stimulating market," said Charest, who hosted the meeting. The provinces expect full labour mobility to be effective on April 1, 2009, but will still have to work out how to harmonize professional credentials among provinces at a future meeting. And certain professions will be exempted. Provincial labour ministers are to meet at a later date to develop a list of the exempted professions. It could, for example, include pharmacists, who are allowed to write prescriptions in Alberta but not in other provinces. "We're very pleased with the significant progress we made this morning on labour mobility," said Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach. "This is a bold step forward." Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said the agreement makes the country more competitive. "I'm not worried about Alberta and B.C., I'm worried about China, India, the U.S. and Europe," he said. "Also, I've got 100,000 jobs in Ontario that I can't fill." The premiers and territorial leaders also expressed worries about the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). "We feel it's very important as provinces and territories to do our share to nurture this relationship (NAFTA) and defend what is the most important trade relationship in the world," Charest said on behalf of his counterparts. "There is a shared concern about the future of NAFTA, and we feel the federal government needs to be very vigilant in defending NAFTA and making it very clear that if Americans choose to question this trade agreement, everything will be on the table." Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has said he might want to renegotiate NAFTA if he is elected Also yesterday, the premiers approved a new mechanism to resolve internal trade disputes that will include an enforcement tool. The old dispute system is based on consensus and contains no binding settlement mechanism or penalties. "The former mechanism was weak, anemic and without effects," Charest said. The new formula also provides for penalties of up to $5 million for failure to comply with the terms of the agreement. The dispute mechanism will be implemented as of Jan. 1.
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Battle lines drawn on environment at premiers rendezvous in Quebec City
un sujet a posté ErickMontreal dans L'actualité
Battle lines drawn on environment at premiers rendezvous in Quebec City LEE GREENBERG and MARIANNE WHITE, Canwest News Service Published: 5 hours ago Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach issued a stern warning against a national cap-and-trade program yesterday, underscoring divisions among Canada's 13 premiers and territorial leaders at the outset of a three-day meeting featuring discussions on climate change strategy. Stelmach and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall scuttled any hope of a unified cap-and-trade program, making it clear they consider the policy a thinly disguised attempt to share in the billions generated by western oil and gas. "There's only one inter-regional transfer of wealth in this country and it's called equalization," Stelmach said. Sam the man and the premiers: An actor portraying Samuel de Champlain mingles with provincial premiers and territorial leaders attending the Council of the Federation in Quebec City yesterday. "There won't be another one from the province of Alberta. And that's as straight an answer as I can give." "We will fight aggressively against any initiative that would redistribute not just wealth, but opportunity, and threaten our 'have' status," Wall added. "Because (our prosperity) is good for the country." The two Prairie premiers placed themselves squarely against Ontario and Quebec, which recently announced their intention to begin a cap-and- trade program in 2010, as well as B.C. and Manitoba, which have both signed on to cap-and-trade programs under the aegis of the Western Climate Initiatives. The group also includes Quebec and seven U.S. states. Cap-and-trade would require companies exceeding emissions caps to trade for credits from greener firms. Both Wall and Stelmach cast aspersions on the viability of cap and trade, touting instead carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. Alberta last week announced a $2-billion investment in CCS, also known as sequestration, a process that aims to store carbon emissions by injecting them into deep geological formations. Most provinces have at least something in common when it comes to climate change - they have better plans to tackle it than Ottawa, according to the report released yesterday by the David Suzuki Foundation. As the premiers gathered for the Council of the Federation, the conservation group noted that almost all provinces are stepping up with strong targets and policies in the absence of federal leadership. The report card shows that British Columbia is leading the pack with its carbon tax. The Suzuki Foundation gives a good rating to Quebec and Ontario for their policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and their proposed cap-and-trade system. Manitoba also gets the thumbs-up. Not surprisingly, Alberta rated the worst, with Saskatchewan not far from the bottom. "For Alberta to be moving backward is incomprehensible," said Dale Marshall, climate-change policy analyst with the Suzuki Foundation. -
Petro-Canada adopte une approche «conservatrice» Presse Canadienne 14:19 Petro-Canada planifie son développement en fonction «d'un environnement d'affaires relativement conservateur» même si le cours du pétrole brut vogue de record en record, a affirmé le vice-président principal de l'entreprise Andrew Stephen. Le pétrole frôle les 140 $ US La hausse du prix du baril pourrait favoriser un regain d'activité dans les sables bitumineux, mais les producteurs invoquent des facteurs limitatifs pour justifier leur prudence. M. Stephen a souligné que le prix des matières premières comme l'acier demeurait élevé et que la redevance pétrolière prélevée par les gouvernements provinciaux augmentait, notamment en Alberta et à Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador. Il a expliqué que si "le gâteau est plus gros, (...) les prix sont aussi plus élevés" et que "tout le monde veut une part plus grosse". Tout cela rend la situation très délicate, ajoute-t-il. Le prix du pétrole a encore franchi des sommets lundi. A New York, le baril de pétrole léger non sulfuré livrable en juillet a atteint 139,89 $ US avant de perdre 2,39 $ US à 137,25 $ US. http://www.lesaffaires.com/article/0/energie/2008-06-16/479220/petrocanada-adopte-une-approche-etlaquoconservatriceetraquo.fr.html
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Canada's housing market cools Home prices are still rising but much more slowly.Tyler Anderson/National PostHome prices are still rising but much more slowly. Resale price growth lowest in seven years Garry Marr, Financial Post Published: Friday, June 13, 2008 More On This Story TORONTO -- The Canadian real estate market is being flooded with homes, causing prices to start falling in some key markets, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association. The average price of a home sold last month in the country's top 25 markets was $337,071, an all-time record. But that record price was only up 1.1% from May, 2007 -- the smallest year-over-year increase in seven years. "The record number of new listings means more opportunities for buyers," said Gregory Klump. chief economist with CREA. "The resale housing market has evolved in just a few short months." CREA said there were 67,628 new units on the market in May, a 7% jump from last year. It was the second straight month that a record number of houses has gone on sale. The impact on prices is being felt most keenly in Alberta. The average price of a home sold in Calgary last month was $418,881, a 2.4% drop from a year ago. Edmonton sale prices averaged out at $340,499, down 4.8% from a year ago. Unit sales in both Alberta cities are also plummeting. Calgary homes sales were off 34.2% from a year ago while Edmonton sales were down 34.8% during the same period. The home sales are dropping across the country. CREA said on a national basis sales were off 16.9% in May from a year earlier.
