NS: Marine Atlantic leaves dock with $175 million
By Erin Pottie, Transcontinental Media
Source: The Cape Breton Post, March 5, 2010
[SYDNEY, NS] — The Marine Atlantic ferry service linking Cape Breton to Newfoundland and Labrador will receive a $175-million cash infusion over the next two years.
The Conservative government announced its infrastructure investment as part of their 2010 financial budget. Minister of State of Transport Rob Merrifield said the money will be used to update the Crown corporation’s fleet and shore facilities.
“The Smallwood and the Caribou are getting pretty long in the tooth,” said Merrifield of two of Marine Atlantic’s ferries. “We have to look at what options are available for us with this extra tool we have now, which is this extra money.”
He added that while the new MV Atlantic Vision has experienced many initial problems, it has proven effective in load and passenger capacity.
Merrifield said the public should likely expect spending announcements to be made in spring.
Sydney-Victoria MP Mark Eyking welcomed the investment Thursday, but was cautious about how far the money will go.
“While $175 million is a good deal of money, it’s doubtful that a new ship could be built for that amount,” he said. “I hope a good portion of that money will go to renew the Marine Atlantic terminal in North Sydney.”
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Money to Halifax for Events
NS: Events Nova Scotia aims for bigger tourism impact
By Paul McLeod, Metro Halifax
Source: Metro Halifax, March 9, 2010
[HALIFAX, NS] — Events Halifax has now been replaced with the bigger, and hopefully better, Events Nova Scotia.
Both the province and federal government via the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency kicked in $300,000 in the hopes the new agency can bring in more big-ticket events to the province.
Grant MacDonald, director of major events and community partnerships for Events Nova Scotia, speaks at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront hotel yesterday. — Ryan Taplin/Metro Halifax photo
“Events Halifax obviously did have a focus and an emphasis on HRM,” said Grant MacDonald, director of major events and community partnerships with the new organization. “This will enable us to have a much wider footprint, which will allow us to share information, share resources and partner community to community.”
That could mean more areas joining together to co-host events, according to MacDonald. While he couldn’t predict how many yearly marquee events could be coming to Nova Scotia, he said the new World Trade and Convention Centre planned for downtown Halifax will have a big impact.
As an example, MacDonald said the approximately 1,700-capacity Brier Patch at the Tim Hortons Brier currently being held at the Metro Centre would be “much larger” if the trade centre existed today.
Events Nova Scotia also marks a new, more government-integrated approach to tourism marketing. Events Halifax was a business unit of Trade Centre Limited and operated out of the revenue from events. Now Trade Centre Limited is the service provider who will be running the new agency.
By Paul McLeod, Metro Halifax
Source: Metro Halifax, March 9, 2010
[HALIFAX, NS] — Events Halifax has now been replaced with the bigger, and hopefully better, Events Nova Scotia.
Both the province and federal government via the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency kicked in $300,000 in the hopes the new agency can bring in more big-ticket events to the province.
Grant MacDonald, director of major events and community partnerships for Events Nova Scotia, speaks at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront hotel yesterday. — Ryan Taplin/Metro Halifax photo
“Events Halifax obviously did have a focus and an emphasis on HRM,” said Grant MacDonald, director of major events and community partnerships with the new organization. “This will enable us to have a much wider footprint, which will allow us to share information, share resources and partner community to community.”
That could mean more areas joining together to co-host events, according to MacDonald. While he couldn’t predict how many yearly marquee events could be coming to Nova Scotia, he said the new World Trade and Convention Centre planned for downtown Halifax will have a big impact.
As an example, MacDonald said the approximately 1,700-capacity Brier Patch at the Tim Hortons Brier currently being held at the Metro Centre would be “much larger” if the trade centre existed today.
Events Nova Scotia also marks a new, more government-integrated approach to tourism marketing. Events Halifax was a business unit of Trade Centre Limited and operated out of the revenue from events. Now Trade Centre Limited is the service provider who will be running the new agency.
Bear River All Ages Dance
Raising funds for the roof at the Oakdene, please pass this through your email lists if you can.
The Oakdene really needs everyones support, the roof needs to be redone sooner than later.
Thanks
Jennifer
The Oakdene really needs everyones support, the roof needs to be redone sooner than later.
Thanks
Jennifer
Labels:
Dance Bear River Oakdene Centre
British Columbia and Electricity
From the Telegraph Journal New Brunswick
B.C.'s bitter power lesson
Published Wednesday March 10th, 2010
What does power policy on Canada's west coast have to offer New Brunswick?
Enlarge Photo In the case of British Columbia, it's an uncomfortable vision of what the future might be like if this province continues to go it alone.
B.C.'s attempt to be self-sufficient in power production is foolhardy, because it ignores the existence of low-cost, wholesale power sources in nearby jurisdictions. The conceptual shift to thinking of energy in terms of sustainable pricing rather than Crown corporation expansion is one New Brunswickers are still dealing with, but which promises to have a profound impact on the power debate.
Like NB Power, BC Hydro is a Crown utility. Its goal is to become self-sufficient in energy production by 2016. To attain this objective, the utility will need to invest billions to maintain the infrastructure it owns today and add capacity. This will send power rates up sharply and swiftly. The utility has asked for a nine-per-cent rate increase this year; the increase over the next four years could be as much as 33 per cent.
NB Power faces comparable challenges. Within the next two to three decades, three major facilities will need to be rebuilt or replaced: the Mactaquac Dam, Belledune power plant and the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station. The cost of refurbishing Mactaquac alone is estimated at more than $2 billion. NB Power also depends heavily on fossil fuels, which means its rates will increase with global fuel prices and the imposition of carbon taxes.
There is nowhere for NB Power's rates to go but up. And while New Brunswick boasts abundant wind and high tides, the province is still a long way from realizing their value. Tidal power technology is still in development; wind power has a high price point, because of the need to fire up other power generators to compensate when the wind dies down.
Why would a provincial government undertake the higher cost and risk of expanding domestic power generation at the expense of its citizens, when low-cost, sustainable alternatives exist?
This is the question economist Martin Shaffer is asking in B.C. It is a question that the citizens of this province have been challenged to consider by the Graham government's proposed power agreement with Quebec.
There is no technology or resource in this province today that can compete with the lower cost of hydro power, and no utility in the region with ready-to-sell hydro capacity that matches Hydro-Québec's operations.
These factors won't decide the political debate, but they must be given due consideration.
B.C.'s bitter power lesson
Published Wednesday March 10th, 2010
What does power policy on Canada's west coast have to offer New Brunswick?
Enlarge Photo In the case of British Columbia, it's an uncomfortable vision of what the future might be like if this province continues to go it alone.
B.C.'s attempt to be self-sufficient in power production is foolhardy, because it ignores the existence of low-cost, wholesale power sources in nearby jurisdictions. The conceptual shift to thinking of energy in terms of sustainable pricing rather than Crown corporation expansion is one New Brunswickers are still dealing with, but which promises to have a profound impact on the power debate.
Like NB Power, BC Hydro is a Crown utility. Its goal is to become self-sufficient in energy production by 2016. To attain this objective, the utility will need to invest billions to maintain the infrastructure it owns today and add capacity. This will send power rates up sharply and swiftly. The utility has asked for a nine-per-cent rate increase this year; the increase over the next four years could be as much as 33 per cent.
NB Power faces comparable challenges. Within the next two to three decades, three major facilities will need to be rebuilt or replaced: the Mactaquac Dam, Belledune power plant and the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station. The cost of refurbishing Mactaquac alone is estimated at more than $2 billion. NB Power also depends heavily on fossil fuels, which means its rates will increase with global fuel prices and the imposition of carbon taxes.
There is nowhere for NB Power's rates to go but up. And while New Brunswick boasts abundant wind and high tides, the province is still a long way from realizing their value. Tidal power technology is still in development; wind power has a high price point, because of the need to fire up other power generators to compensate when the wind dies down.
Why would a provincial government undertake the higher cost and risk of expanding domestic power generation at the expense of its citizens, when low-cost, sustainable alternatives exist?
This is the question economist Martin Shaffer is asking in B.C. It is a question that the citizens of this province have been challenged to consider by the Graham government's proposed power agreement with Quebec.
There is no technology or resource in this province today that can compete with the lower cost of hydro power, and no utility in the region with ready-to-sell hydro capacity that matches Hydro-Québec's operations.
These factors won't decide the political debate, but they must be given due consideration.
re:Proposed Tax Hike for Nova Scotia
Most Nova Scotians oppose HST hike: poll
Last Updated: Tuesday, March 9, 2010 | 11:49 PM AT Comments45Recommend13CBC News
The majority of Nova Scotians polled say they do not think the government should raise the harmonized sales tax. (CBC)
The majority of Nova Scotians oppose an increase in the harmonized sales tax as a measure to deal with the projected $525.2 million provincial deficit, a poll commissioned by CBC News suggests.
An increase in the HST was opposed by 74 per cent of those polled, while 25 per cent said they would support such a move.
When asked how to tackle the budget deficit, the Corporate Research Associates poll taken last month showed 60 per cent of Nova Scotians support a wage freeze for all government employees, compared with 35 per cent who were against the idea.
Don Mills, president and CEO of Corporate Research Associates, said the results are telling given the number of Nova Scotians who depend on the government for a pay cheque.
"Even with that large percentage — one out of four people in the workforce working for the public sector — there is still overwhelming support for a freeze on wages and salaries," he said.
When asked about a possible wage reduction for government employees, the numbers were reversed: 37 per cent of those polled supported the idea, while 58 per cent were opposed.
Tax hike considered
Jared Wolf, who owns the Allegro Grill and Deli in Sydney, is part of a majority of people in the province who said they have no patience for a tax hike. He said Nova Scotia's taxes are "already fairly detrimental to attracting new business and put a fairly high burden on existing business."
Wolf said the recession forced him to make sacrifices at his restaurant, including laying off several employees at the end of last year.
"Before you can — particularly in Nova Scotia — raise tax rates which are already amongst the highest in the country … you've got to rationalize your expenditures first and they haven't really done that," he said.
Finance Minister Graham Steele has said the large deficit means the province is actively considering raising the HST by two percentage points. The government has not yet made a decision about what to do.
A two per cent increase in HST would yield an additional $350 million a year.
Steele is in the midst of a province-wide tour to consult taxpayers on what combination of tax hikes and program cuts would be least painful in dealing with the deficit.
Service reduction opposed
The tax increase was one of several recommendations made in November by a panel of economic experts on how Nova Scotia should deal with its financial situation.
The majority of Nova Scotians polled also said a reduction in government services is not the place to find the money to bring down the deficit. The idea was opposed by 65 per cent of those polled, while it was supported by 27 per cent. Eight per cent of those polled said they didn't know or had no answer.
There was strong opposition to an increase in personal income tax, with 73 per cent against the idea. In contrast, 70 per cent of those polled said they would support a surtax on those earning more than $100,000 per year.
The Halifax-based polling firm sampled 400 Nova Scotians between Feb. 11 and Feb. 24. The margin of error for the entire poll is 4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/03/09/ns-tax-hike-poll.html#ixzz0hpEGf8oe
Last Updated: Tuesday, March 9, 2010 | 11:49 PM AT Comments45Recommend13CBC News
The majority of Nova Scotians polled say they do not think the government should raise the harmonized sales tax. (CBC)
The majority of Nova Scotians oppose an increase in the harmonized sales tax as a measure to deal with the projected $525.2 million provincial deficit, a poll commissioned by CBC News suggests.
An increase in the HST was opposed by 74 per cent of those polled, while 25 per cent said they would support such a move.
When asked how to tackle the budget deficit, the Corporate Research Associates poll taken last month showed 60 per cent of Nova Scotians support a wage freeze for all government employees, compared with 35 per cent who were against the idea.
Don Mills, president and CEO of Corporate Research Associates, said the results are telling given the number of Nova Scotians who depend on the government for a pay cheque.
"Even with that large percentage — one out of four people in the workforce working for the public sector — there is still overwhelming support for a freeze on wages and salaries," he said.
When asked about a possible wage reduction for government employees, the numbers were reversed: 37 per cent of those polled supported the idea, while 58 per cent were opposed.
Tax hike considered
Jared Wolf, who owns the Allegro Grill and Deli in Sydney, is part of a majority of people in the province who said they have no patience for a tax hike. He said Nova Scotia's taxes are "already fairly detrimental to attracting new business and put a fairly high burden on existing business."
Wolf said the recession forced him to make sacrifices at his restaurant, including laying off several employees at the end of last year.
"Before you can — particularly in Nova Scotia — raise tax rates which are already amongst the highest in the country … you've got to rationalize your expenditures first and they haven't really done that," he said.
Finance Minister Graham Steele has said the large deficit means the province is actively considering raising the HST by two percentage points. The government has not yet made a decision about what to do.
A two per cent increase in HST would yield an additional $350 million a year.
Steele is in the midst of a province-wide tour to consult taxpayers on what combination of tax hikes and program cuts would be least painful in dealing with the deficit.
Service reduction opposed
The tax increase was one of several recommendations made in November by a panel of economic experts on how Nova Scotia should deal with its financial situation.
The majority of Nova Scotians polled also said a reduction in government services is not the place to find the money to bring down the deficit. The idea was opposed by 65 per cent of those polled, while it was supported by 27 per cent. Eight per cent of those polled said they didn't know or had no answer.
There was strong opposition to an increase in personal income tax, with 73 per cent against the idea. In contrast, 70 per cent of those polled said they would support a surtax on those earning more than $100,000 per year.
The Halifax-based polling firm sampled 400 Nova Scotians between Feb. 11 and Feb. 24. The margin of error for the entire poll is 4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/03/09/ns-tax-hike-poll.html#ixzz0hpEGf8oe
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Taxes Nova Scotia
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