According to a recent study by the Frontier Centre “Saskatoon is classified as seriously unaffordable, with a survey rating or “median multiple” of 4.6 [years of median income to buy the median priced house]. It is ranked 182nd on a list of 265 international cities, and 27th in Canada.” http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Homes/Saskatoon+affordability+slipping+away+study/1227163/story.html This is interesting, as prices [...]
Ignatieff approved the Conservative Budget, with the addition of requiring a quarterly update by the Conservatives to ensure they are actually delivering on their budget promises. http://www.calgaryherald.com/Entertainment/Layton+Duceppe+livid+Tories+support+Liberal+budget+amendment/1226474/story.html Surprisingly devoid of goodies for Saskatchewan. Amazing that we have less clout with 11 Tory MP’s than we did when Goodale was finance minister, and the sole Liberal [...]
“Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada say pharmacies that sell cigarettes are profiting from death and disease” from today’s Leader Post. I think this makes a good case for boycotting ANY pharmacy that sells tobacco if there is another option available. For pharmacies to pretend to be “health” professionals is completely bogus if they are selling [...]
Less than the 1,000′s from Saskatoon area Potash and Uranium companies, but still not good news. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2009/01/21/regina-steel.html
Mosaic announced that it is laying off 1,000 Saskatchewan workers. The lay offs are “indefinite” and affect workers at both Colonsay (by Saskatoon) and Esterhazy (middle of no where). Big deal, as these are some very high income earners – jobs we can’t duplicate by filling vacancies in the service industry. Time to circle the [...]
Actually looks sweet. Of course a bit biased pro-Jeep. http://blogs.carpoint.ca/2009/01/shocker-jeep-pa.html
Of course, limited by crummy air line routes from Saskatchewan. http://www.thestarphoenix.com/travel/story.html?id=1151483
Another 89 layoffs, this time from Shore Gold, due to slowing economy. Another resource stock battered by commodity bust. http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Business/Shore+Gold+scales+back+budget+lays+employees/1153618/story.html
OPEC’s future blowin’ in the wind “At 2.1 per cent per year, the increase in renewable usage will far outstrip the 1.2 per cent annual growth in energy liquids — essentially crude oil and natural gas — as a source of the world’s power.” http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2008/12/31/f-opec-future.html
The January 6th Star Phoenix title on the cover states “house prices tumble” and the story touches on the December average price down $44,000 from June high. A refreshing change from other media outlets, CTV, which are stil pointing out “year over year” price gains, completely ignoring that the peak was half a year ago, [...]