55 Fair Oaks Drive : St. Albert : E4315167

September 29, 2022 By

Welcome to this 4 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom, 1292sq.ft single family home in Forest Lawn!
 

 

MLS#: E4315167 One of the nicest locations in Forest Lawn! This 1292 sq ft bungalow has 3 bedrooms on main floor and one in the basement. Very open and bright floor plan with large windows. Many upgrades including newer shingles and vinyl plank flooring. Enjoy relaxing in the Family Room that has access to a large deck and beautiful backyard PRIVATE TREED RAVINE. On cold nights, sit around the firepit and during the summer months, take in nature with the sounds of the pond that has a brand new liner. Red Willow Trail nearby for nature enthusiasts and nice walks! Fully finished basement with family/tv room, wet bar, SAUNA, and plenty of room for exercise equipment. Come see this home and all it has to offer!
 
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Filed Under: Featured Listings

Council approves land transfer agreement for 22 St. Thomas St.

September 24, 2022 By

Source

The city will transfer the land to Homeland Housing for a mixed-income residential and commercial development.

A bird’s eye view shows the area at 22 St. Thomas St. that will be the future site of a Homeland Housing project.

St. Albert city council has voted to approve a land transfer agreement with Homeland Housing for an affordable housing unit in the city’s downtown core.

On Sept. 19, council voted to have the city’s chief administrative officer (CAO) approve an agreement to transfer the land — a 1.3-acre parcel in St. Albert’s downtown at 22 St. Thomas St. — for $1.

In early 2020, St. Albert issued an expression of interest to explore options for the downtown site, and selected Homeland Housing’s proposal. The mixed-income residential and commercial development will include a minimum of 55 per cent of units priced at 10 to 20 per cent below median market rates (which for a one bedroom is currently $1,195, and for a two bedroom, $1,355).

Later in December 2021, council directed the chief administrative officer to draw up a land transfer agreement with Homeland Housing.

Originally planned as office space for city employees, 22 St. Thomas St. went up for sale on the open market in 2019 for $3.82 million, but no developers expressed interest, according to an administrative backgrounder. The land is currently valued at $2.65 million.

Lory Scott, the city’s affordable housing liaison, said the proposed project is aligned to council’s strategic goals, and the land transfer agreement “uses an undeveloped resource already owned by the city to provide a long-term community and social benefit.”

During the council meeting, residents Judith Hierlihy and Ken Kachula addressed council to oppose the use of the land for affordable housing provided by Homeland.

“We believe Homeland Housing’s proposed mixed-use building … will not be the catalyst needed to strengthen downtown redevelopment,” Hierlihy said, adding that the need for extra commercial rental space in the downtown is “questionable.”

The two are members of the Neighbours of Lot 22 Committee, representatives of four downtown condo buildings on St. Joseph Street.

In April, the committee addressed council to pitch an office and arts space as another option for the land in lieu of the affordable housing project.

During the Sept. 19 city council meeting, Hierlihy asked council to name the parcel of land at 22 St. Thomas St. “Millennium Park East,” and reserve it for future land development of the committee’s proposed dual civic office building and performing arts community.

While Hierlihy raised concerns surrounding potential tax requisitions the city would pay to Homeland Housing for the project, Raymond Cormie, the executive director for Homeland Housing, told council these requisitions do not apply to community affordable housing.

Homeland Housing only receives tax requisitions for its seniors’ lodge program, Cormie said. The program provides living space, meals, housekeeping services, and recreational opportunities for independent seniors.

Coun. Sheena Hughes asked how much parking Homeland Housing is planning to provide as part of the facility.

Cormie said parking will be worked out as part of the development permit process.

The city and council will see the proposed development design when it is at 50-per-cent and 80-per-cent completion.

Coun. Natalie Joly said facilitating an affordable housing project downtown is central to council’s values.

“This is an exciting next step at a time when the federal and provincial governments have shown interest in funding this kind of collaborative project,” Joly said.

Similarly, Coun. Wes Brodhead said during debate that affordable housing “has been a constant need in our community.”

“One of the stumbling blocks … has always been land,” Brodhead said. “I appreciate this coming forward, and I look forward to a vibrant development in the downtown core that will actually bring people to our downtown and that will just add vibrancy.”

Coun. Shelley Biermanski said in an interview she doesn’t feel the land transfer itself is the right course of action for St. Albert.

“It was just to me an enormous amount of money in value of land for a city of our size,” Biermanski said. “It was not justified to me.”

The motion to approve the land agreement passed 6-1 with Coun. Shelley Biermanski opposed.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Articles

Saskatchewan, Alberta will lead economic growth into 2024

September 5, 2022 By

Saskatchewan will see a resource-fuelled surge of 7.6 per cent this year to top all provinces, Conference Board of Canada forecasts

Source

Saskatchewan had 48 drill rigs working as of August 15, 2022, compared to 35 a year earlier. | SaskToday.

Saskatchewan will lead all provinces in economic growth over the next two years, with a stunning 7.6 per cent expansion in 2022, according to the latest provincial outlook from the Conference Board of Canada, with Alberta in second place.

The latest projection is for a stronger performance than the Conference  Board expected in June, when it said Saskatchewan would see growth in the 6 per cent range this year, compared with 2021.

This year’s economic performance reflects that the Prairie province is coming off a low level a year earlier. Saskatchewan was the only province in Canada to have real GDP decline in 2021.

The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), in report at the end of the second quarter, also called Saskatchewan to see the sharpest growth ramp in 2022.

“We project growth will be strongest in Saskatchewan (up 6 per cent), Alberta (up 5.7 per cent) and Manitoba (4.8 per cent),” stated the report from RBC Economics.” We have British Columbia (4.2 per cent ), Ontario (4.1 per cent) and Quebec (3.6 per cent) in the middle of the pack, with Atlantic provinces trailing.”

The Conference Board of Canada, in a new report that looks at the provincial economies through to 2024, says the Prairie provinces will likely be the top economic performers this year, with Saskatchewan leading and Alberta in second place at 4.9 per cent growth this year, compared to 2021.

The surging oil and gas sector will propel the Saskatchewan and Alberta economies through 2024, the Conference Board says.

Saskatchewan boasts the second-lowest net-debt-to-GDP ratio in the country, and a relatively young population and rising immigration leave the province’s fiscal outlook positive, the Conference Board added.

The Saskatchewan government now forecasts revenue to be $19.17 billion in fiscal 2022-23, up $2.02 billion (11.7 per cent) from provincial budget forecasts.
“This increase is largely due to a $1.86 billion increase in resource revenue, reflecting higher potash and oil prices,” according to provincial Finance Minister Donna Harpauer.

At first quarter, Saskatchewan was forecasting a surplus of $1.04 billion for 2022-23, a $1.51 billion improvement from budget estimates.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Articles