sept 2001











REGIONAL ROUNDUPS

CURRENT ISSUE:

Non-stop Okanagan (May 2008):
Kelowna airport expansion symbolic of the high-flying future for recreational real estate in central Okanagan

Connected for growth (May 2008):
Wetaskiwin takes full advantage of its location – and land – to tap into the Alberta advantage


BRITISH COLUMBIA:

Smarter sister (April 2008):
Victoria could take lessons in development from its sassy sister municipality of Langford

Speculators bet on northern ports (March 2008):
Potential of Prince Rupert, Kitimat hinges on servicing new container ports and pipelines

Whistler's faster track (February 2008):
Olympic host resort sees real estate sales climbing, cash registers ringing as 2010 venues open

Royal ascent (January 2008):
New Westminster has a whole new plan and a lot of fans as it continues a major makeover

Heat is on (December 2007):
South Okanagan real estate sales continue to shatter records as retirees and investors flood in

Feeding frenzy (November 2007):
Investors, developers and homebuyers rush into Surrey as it hits the fast track to become B.C.'s largest city

Golden opportunity (October 2007):
"Amazing" new Park Bridge puts strategic East Kootenay towns on the real estate fast track

Cariboo: beyond the boom (June 2007):
As mining fires up, future is clouded by pine beetle devastation of the northern forestry industry

Hitting the wall (April 2007):
Victoria's Class A office space plunges to zero per cent as industrial space vanishes across the capital region

Island anchors (February 2007):
Nanaimo and Campbell River form foundation of mid-Vancouver Island realty markets

Valley of promise (December 2006):
Steady stream of Alberta investors see Comox Valley as prime recreaion destination

Blooming city (November 2006):
Prince George wins national award for beauty but is known for its industrial potential

West Kootenays (October 2006):
Region emerging as go-to destination for golf, skiing – but also for jobs and low-cost homes

Condo crazy (September 2006):
Five years in, downtown Vancouver's spectacular housing run is showing signs of fatigue

Wowing in Whalley (August 2006):
Surrey has last laugh as its downtown core sttracts world-class tenants and developers

Ucluelet new 'go to' destination (June 2006):
Blue-collar town attracts high-end resorts

Kelowna a go go (May 2006):
Key Okanagan city underscores B.C.'s hottest business and recreational real estate centre

Victoria's secret (April 2006):
Greed for condominiums is creating a black hole for new business in the capital city

Manning the Fort (March 2006):
Labour and housing shortage increase pressure on Fort St. John's unprecendented building boom

Championship play (November 2005):
Kamloops has captured the attention of developers, investors as work begins on giant resort projects

Chilliwack a knockout (October 2005):
Films, manufacturers, call centres and home buyers join rush to Valley growth centre

Blooming in the Valley (September 2005):
An unprecedented residential and retail building boom now defines White Rock and South Surrey

"More golf courses than stop lights" (August 2005):
Developers see Kimberley emerging as top all-season resort destination in the Kootenays

Catching the Wave (June 2005):
Developers are lined up as Tofino and Ucluelet become the hottest resort zones on the West Coast

Sunny south Okanagan (April 2005):
Canada's best sunbelt is attracting high-end developments and high-powered real estate investors

Assessing the Northwest (March 2005):
As Kitimat real estate prices tumble, the town wrestles Prince Rupert for two major resource projects

Heart of the Sea to Sky (February 2005):
Squamish takes full advantage of its pivotal position on the road to the 2010 Winter Olympics

The new Nanaimo (January 2005):
Residents greenlight plan that reclaims waterfront and could make the Island city a commuter destination

The lure of waterfront (December 2004):
Richmond and South Delta poised to benefit from RAV line, Olympics and waterfront mania

Innovation drives North Okanagan (November 2004):
Vernon sets the pace as investors and tourists discover the fast-tracking mainline of B.C.'s interior

Capital expansion (October 2004):
Victoria enters a long ramp-up in development from the Inner Harbour to the Western Shore

Start spreading the news (September 2004):
Surrey's downtown will be the biggest in B.C. in 20 years and the strut is already showing

Yellowknife on the edge (July 2004):
Government town or go-to resource centre; the next few years will decide future of NWT capital

Kamloops plays catch up (April 2004):
Residential and resort investments the big news as Kamloops turnaround draws believers

Prince George back on track (March 2004):
Three years ago it was losing jobs and people, but this northern hub is now on the rebound

The road to gold (February 2004):
Fast track to the 2010 Olympics pumps fresh life into dark horses along the Sea to Sky Highway

The wild West Coast (January 2004):
Ucluelet and Tofino are transforming from remote coastal villages to star-drawing all-season resorts


ALBERTA:

Innovative thinking (April 2008):
Edmonton backs unique plan to cover "big-pipe" costs to lure first develoiper into city's industrial parks

Beyond the borders (March 2008):
Lloydminster's technological expertise, like it's oil, is in high demand around the world

Cold Lake reloads (February2008):
Military town prepares the infrastructure and the planning to meet next invasion of big oil

International action (January 2008):
If there is a Canadian footprint for global investment, it is found in Leduc County, Alberta

Green at the cutting edge (December 2007):
Okotoks has become a showcase of environmental awareness – and it sure hasn't hurt business

Holding its own (October 2007):
Grande Prairie economy shrugs off downturn in natural gas prices and looks confidently to the future

Traffic switch (September 2007):
Young people used to leave Lethbridge for better job opportunities; now the flow is the other way

Straight up (June 2007):
Canmore is drawing the home bulders, the crowds and the money, but it is lacking shops and services

Red Deer's leap (May 2007):
Central city's growth path means annexation and spoinoffs into smaller neighbouring towns

Perfect Storm (April 2007):
Edmonton, fuelled by an oil and gas bonanza, is the sharp end of Alberta's apparently unstoppable economy

Calgary's open arms (March 2007):
Canada's most vibrant economy proves a magnet for chic businesses and savvy entrepreneurs

Beyond gas (Febrnuary 2007):
With its legendary gas fields depleting, Medicine Hat looks to a more diversified future

Moving to Airdrie (December 2006):
Airdrie roars out of Calgary's shadow as a top business and job destination in power corridor

Grande pressure (October 2006):
Grande Prairie has audacious plans to meet future needs as population nears 50,000

Where's the beef (September 2006):
Long the king of cattle country, Lethbridge expands into sophisticated manufacturing

Failing brakes (August 2006):
Affluent, fast-growing Okotoks hopes to cap its population at 30,000. Good luck.

Cold Lake is running hot (June 2006):
Military, oil and gas drive fresh investment

"Guns blazing" (May 2006):
Red Deer fast-draws Calgary, Edmonton when it comes to doing business western style

Hat Trick (February 2006):
Military, manufacturing and gas industries keep Medicine Hat economy among the best in Alberta

Airdrie accelerates (December 2005):
No-tax town expanding highway access as a pivot centre in Alberta's "power corridor"

The five anchors (November 2005):
Grande Prairie's hard-charging economy is founded on more than an oil and gas boom

Sherwood Park: In the heart of the action (October 2005):
Sherwood Park an oasis of affluence at the centre of Alberta's industrial heartland

Dawning of a giant (September 2005):
With one million people surrounded by big, oil metro-Edmonton is the brawn of Alberta's exonomy

Job generator (August 2005):
Lethbridge has near full employment anchored on high-end manufacturing, service and agriculture

Border bountiful (July 2005):
Lloydminster is split between two provinces with residents tapping the best of both worlds

Red Deer on track (June 2005):
Biggest challenge is finding enough workers to keep pace with the central city's aggressive growth

Drumheller's different beat (May 2005):
The former badland coal town is now well anchored on four pillars of business growth

In Calgary's shadow (April 2005):
Cochrane and Strathmore seek to become more than a bedroom for their big neighbour

Strong Medicine (March 2005):
With a lock on gas wells and the hottest housing market in Alberta, Medicine Hat is thriving

Two towns to watch (February 2005):
Hinton and Edson thrive on Alberta's hot resources and Yellowhead retail traffic

Crowding in Calgary (January 2005):
Office leasing pulls 6,000 more workers into the downtown as economy picks up and new towers studied

Right in the zone (December 2004):
Red Deer holds a pivotal location in Canada's most prosperous – and fastest growing – economic corridor

The Rockies are rolling (November 2004):
Despite restrictions and sky-high prices, demand for Banff & Jasper real estate soaring

Envying Edmonton (September 2004):
Capital of debt-free province has low taxes, lots of jobs, high incomes and affordable housing

Alberta's muscle (August 2004):
A trio of towns ringing Edmonton gladly handle the heavy lifting in the West's industrial heartland

Making it in Lethbridge (July 2004):
Manufacturing booms in near debt-free city with no business tax and highly skilled workers

Building bids stack around lake (June 2004):
Sylvan Lake – now a commuter's paradise – aims to balance growth with the environment

Lifting the hat (May 2004):
Cheap energy, low taxes and high-tech defence jobs keep Medicine Hat the pivot city in southeast Alberta

The tale of two towns (April 2004):
Airdrie and Okotoks take divergent paths towards managing among fastest growth rates in Canada

Write your own deal (March 2004):
Former mayor of booming Grande Prairie launches essay contest to sell hotel in 'Gateway to the North'

Canmore or Crowsnest? (February 2004):
As Canmore prices hit big-city levels, some consider the well-placed Crowsnest Pass as a groundfloor buy

Cowtown cools down (January 2004):
Calgary takes a breather after years of record-snapping construction and in-migration


SASKATCHEWAN:

"Off the charts" (April 2008):
Saskatoon overtakes Calgary with the fastest-growing economy of any city in Western Canada; and many believe the pace is just starting to roll

Roar from Regina (February 2008):
From the Grey Cup to real estate action, Saskatchewan's capital is beating out bigger cities

Current confidence (November 2007):
Led by Swift Current, southwest Saskatchewan is riding an ethanol and consturction surge that is drawing savvy investors from across Western Canada

Weyerhaeuser who? (July 2007):
Prince Albert is too busy working to mourn the loss of 1,000 mill jobs a year ago

Celebrating in Saskatoon (April 2007):
Hot housing market, new jobs and returning residents spark old city's new economy

Regina's turn (Febrnuary 2007):
Fresh off a banner economic year, capital city begins an aggressive expansion into southwest sector

Southwest sees action (November 2006):
Swift Current proves the pivot in bold bid to draw investors

A time to shine (April 2006):
Saskatoon struts into its 100th year – as the biggest, smartest city in Saskatchewan

REITS sweep Regina (February 2006):
Landmarks among targets as trusts muscle into strong, stable and affordable capital

No. 2 with a bullet (July 2005):
Hard-charging Saskatoon ranks second in Canada in a CIBC economic outlook for 2005

Rebuilding Regina (May 2005):
Inexpensive homes, tight office market and non-stop commercial construction keeps Regina on a roll

Betting on Swift Current (May 2004):
A go-ahead vote for first casino among surprises as residents, business unite with Action plan


MANITOBA:

Back to the future (March 2008):
Selkirk reclaiming its stature as a regional shopping destination as Wal-Mart anchors a retail revival

Trajectory (June 2007):
Job-rich Steinbach is attracting about 50 new people every week, many from overseas

Whole hog (March 2007):
Brandon pivots off pig processing to attract agri-food businesses

Dealing in Dauphin (November 2006):
Tax breaks, a new slaughterhouse and a crop illegal in the U.S. are among the initiatives

Trendy Brandon (March 2006):
Loft condos, students, Starbucks and non-stop big-box shopping characterize Manitoba's second largest, and fastest growing, city

Thompson: In from the cold (October 2004):
Thompson has a lot more to offer than just one of the most frigid winters in the country

Brandon breakthrough (August 2004):
A rush of big-box outlets the latest sign Manitoba's second largest city is on the move

More jobs than workers (June 2004):
Steinbach embraces immigrants as Manitoba's fastest growing town shifts into high gear

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