Canmore Property Blog - News From The Local Area

The Canmore property market is one that requires an expert to navigate.  I'm happy to say that I have an amazing amount of experience in the local area and I'd love the opportunity to prove that to you.  My Canmore Property Blog goes over local news and reports with a focus on what makes Canmore different from other areas.

Friday December 16th/2011 - Toys Needed for Christmas Spirit Teen Hampers

The Christmas Spirit Campaign is doing well as far as food donations, but on the toy front they could use a bit of help. Sally Caudill, the Canmore area coordinator noted that the Royal LePage food drive was a pleasant success. But, the agency wants to fill stockings with Christmas cheer for families throughout the Bow Valley.

A food drive is still ongoing, but there is also a toy drive, that though is achieving some results, could be better. In fact Caudill noted the situation is close to desperate as far as items for teenagers go. Toys for younger children, in the three to eight year old range, are coming in nicely. The agency still needs gifts for about 50 Bow Valley teens.

Caudill admits it is sometimes hard to buy for teenagers, but the office is getting requests for a variety of sports items. Gift cards and DVDs are also good choices. There is one coordinator that gives gifts on a “not anonymous” basis and that person will be asking specific questions to better stock the hampers.

Since the hampers go out beginning December 19th, this is the last weekend of the drive. FCSS offices, located at the Civic Centre will be accepting gifts during their business hours. The headquarters of the Christmas Spirit Campaign is also accepting donations. They are located at 1310 Railway Avenue. Hours M-F are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and they will also be available this coming Saturday.

Wednesday December 7th/2011 - Canmore Looking For Way to Meet Budget Shortfall

Budget talks are underway in Canmore and the concern is the $1 million gap between the revenue coming in and the monies needed for offsite revenue and debt servicing. During 2011, the gap was covered by the local tax payers. Mayor Ron Casey and council have differing opinions on whether that taxation should be tacked onto property taxes, or be added to the utility rates for the next four years.

Casey believes that adding the amount to the assessment base would be the most fair. He also believes that utilities should be treated as a capital cost, sort of a pay as you use system. There is a levy model that addresses offsite expenses, created to deal with the expected growth of the area. That model states that those putting more demands on the infrastructure, like water use, should pay more for the increased use. Even so, the administration declined to increase rates for years.

That is about to change. Between 2001 and 2008 there were seven years when the budget showed a surplus. Then, in 2008 the upgrades to the water treatment plant resulted in the town taking out a $4.8 million loan. In 2009 an additional $400,000 in debt was added to the books. During this same year, revenues started to decrease.

Thursday December 1st/2011 - Tom Hirsch Speaks About Global Economy at Canmore Gathering

Tom Hirsch visited Canmore to make a speech at the Bow Valley Builders and Developers Association in the early part of November. A representative of ATB, he travels the province and keeps an eye out for Alberta economic trends. But much of that speech centered on the global economic picture, which, as Hirsch pointed out, is far from pretty.

The financial crisis in Italy, Greece and the European Union as a whole came up. Also discussed was how the debt of individual nations was affecting the stability of the European, and therefore the global situation. Hirsch spoke about what he labeled the contagion effect.

Translated, that means that organizations that loaned money to places such as Greece may be on precarious ground, simply because of the nature of modern day global financing. The financial picture throughout Europe is pretty foggy at the moment, and like fog drifts in and out, those members in trouble could quickly change.

As far as the United States, Hirsch doesn’t see a recession, but rather a sluggish growth pattern for the foreseeable future, starting with the labour market. In the States, the average person laid off is out of work some 40 weeks. In Alberta, people laid off are off an average of 14 weeks, and that average is decreasing. Another issue in the States is the housing market, where prices are expected to remain flat. Washington does have more options than Greece to change the country’s financial picture. The question is how, when and who will do so, and will there be any movement before the election in 2012?

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