Category: Economic

Categories
Economic Ft Mac Politics

Small Business Financial Relief Available From the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

Small business owners who meet certain requirements and were impacted by the recent wildfire may be eligible for small business financial relief from the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. RMWB has partnered with Economic Developers Alberta to provide $1,000 to eligible businesses which meet all of the program criteria. The financial assistance actually comes from the Canadian Red Cross and there are a number of eligibility requirements that a business must meet in order to qualify. The council approved the financial relief as part of the Business and Economic Disaster Recovery Plan, which placed a priority on financial relief for the small businesses that needed it most. Fort McMurray Mayor Melissa Blake “Our businesses are resilient, but the wildfires have affected our community profoundly. We know that they need financial assistance as they begin working through the recovery process, and I encourage all small business owners in the municipality to apply for this support.”

In order to qualify for small business financial relief from the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo a business must have an RMWB business license which is currently active, and the business must be either headquartered or located within the municipality. Qualified businesses will also have fewer than 50 employees, but contractors do not count towards this number. Business owners who want to apply for the small business financial relief program can do so by registering their business with the RMWB Business Recovery Hotline, which can be reached by calling 1-855-RMWB-BIZ. Anyone who owns a small business which could be eligible for the program is encouraged to apply for financial assistance so that they can keep their business gong during the recovery process.

Categories
Economic

Canadian economy making progress, Governor Poloz says


Available as: PDF

The Canadian economy is making progress in adjusting to low oil prices and recovering from the global financial crisis, Bank of Canada Governor Stephen S. Poloz said today.

In a speech to the Yukon Chamber of Commerce, Governor Poloz gave a progress report for the economy since the Bank’s last forecast in April. He reviewed the outlook in light of key risks the Bank had identified earlier, as well as the impact of the wildfires in Alberta that led to the evacuation of Fort McMurray and affected oil sands production.

While the energy industry continues to struggle, there are signs of strength in non-energy exports, even though the data have been volatile in recent months, Governor Poloz said. The past depreciation of the Canadian dollar is supporting exports, including tourism, the Governor added. “Several categories are encouraging,” he said. “Many export sectors are operating near their capacity limits, which augurs well for future investment and job creation.”

Governor Poloz also said Canadian households are remaining resilient, particularly outside resource-producing areas. Low interest rates and a solid job market have helped sustain consumer spending. “Data from the first quarter show that consumption, including big-ticket items such as motor vehicle sales and housing, has remained strong,” he said.

The Governor also elaborated on the Bank’s estimate of the economic effect of the devastating Alberta wildfires, which saw almost 90,000 people evacuated from Fort McMurray. With residents returning and some companies moving to restart production, the Bank now estimates the wildfires will reduce annualized growth in the second quarter by about 1.00 to 1.25 percentage points. This will be followed by a sizable rebound due to the restoration of oil output and the beginning of reconstruction efforts. Such a growth profile could yield average growth over the two quarters quite close to that set out in the Bank’s forecast in April, the Governor said.

Both domestic and external risks remain. “Continued patience is required, but we have the right to be optimistic,” the Governor said. “There is a resilience and flexibility among Canadians that gives me confidence that we will get through these adjustments and our economy will return to natural, self-sustaining growth.”



Source link

Categories
Economic Entertainment Ft Mac

Fort McMurray Residents Eligible for Free Two Week Membership to Miskanaw Golf Course and MacDonald Island Park

All Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo residents are eligible to receive a free two week membership to Miskanaw Golf Course and MacDonald Island Park, but this offer only lasts until July 21 for the golf course and June 16 for the park. After this date residents can no longer access the course or the park facilities at no charge. Regional Recreation Corporation CEO Annette Antoniak discussed the free access, saying “It was so great to see people coming and so excited about golfing. Everyone is dealing with such stress, and for everyone being able to come down to work out, golf, or have a nice swim, I think it’s great to be able to offer that for our residents. It’s the least that can be done to say welcome back.”

Many residents who returned to Fort McMurray were thrilled to access Miskanaw Golf Course and MacDonald Island Park for free. Resident Bryan Seredynski played 18 holes and was enthusiastic about the free passes, saying “It’s pretty fantastic, it’s just what the community needs. It’s the perfect distraction. The course is in pretty good shape.” Matt Huges also had positive thoughts on the free access. “We’re hoping the rain holds off, but it’s not looking good. It’s pretty good of them. It really shows they care about the community.” Any resident who already has a membership will receive a two week extension. The free passes can be acquired at the golf course or the Suncor Commuity Leisure Centre, and residents must present a valid government issued ID that shows a Wood Buffalo address. For children a current Alberta health card is all that is necessary.

Categories
Economic Ft Mac

Fire Destroys Downtown Fort McMurray Apartment Building

As if the recent wildfire and evacuation was not enough a downtown Fort McMurray building was destroyed by a fire just days after the city finally reopened and evacuees started returning home. The Wood Buffalo RCMP has assured the public that the fire was not related to the wildfire but the exact cause of the blaze has not been identified yet. The Cassia Manor apartment complex was situated close to the corner of Marshall Street and Franklin Avenue, and it is part of the larger Franklin Landing complex. Firefighters arrived at approximately 8 pm to try to put out the blaze, which had engulfed many apartments on the top floors and spread very fast according to witnesses. Syncrude firefighting crews were also brought in to get the fire under control, and a light drizzle offered some much needed help in this area.

The fire at the downtown Fort McMurray apartment complex was mostly under control by 10 pm, but a thick smoke lingered for hours afterward. According to employees at the Home Hardware store located across the street from where the blaze happened there have been restoration crews working on the apartment building in recent days. Residents from nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution but the flames did not spread beyond the initial building. Returning Fort McMurray resident Paul Cardinal, who lives in a different apartment complex, told reporters “I am happy to be home, but this is starting to confirm what so many people were saying before and what I started to suspect when I saw Waterways when I drove home, and that is the city is not safe yet. Fires happen everywhere. I just want to believe my city is safe.”

Categories
Economic Ft Mac

Wildfire Damage Leaves McMurray Métis Without Office, Many Important Files Destroyed

The McMurray Métis are having to make do by using multiple locations to run their operation after they lost their main office and a number of important files as a result of wildfire damage. The main office for the group was located on land that the Métis rented from the provincial government, and many of the computer systems in the office were not backed up. Older files and a number of financial documents are gone and can not be recovered, dealing the group a devastating blow. According to the McMurray Métis general manager Daniel Stuckless “Those are pretty big hits to us. We’re trying to recover a lot of it by piecing together old emails and old backups. It’s going to be an interruption, but we don’t think it will keep us grounded for long.”

The McMurray Métis are not the only group impacted by the wildfire damage, but the main office also served as a meeting place for leaders of the various Métis groups as well as a hub for the local Métis community. Stuckless explained that “Ideally, we want to be where we were. Right now, it’s up to the provincial government since they own the land.” Mental health services are sorely needed by the local community as well as other support services. Many people lost homes and are running out of options. Stuckless told the media “I’ve found some guys to start cutting grass around the city for money, but they need permanent work. A lot of them are putting on a strong face, but they’re struggling. There is still a challenge in getting people to admit they need to talk.”

Categories
Economic Ft Mac Health

Some Fort McMurray Schools Will Have Delayed Opening Come Fall, if They Open At All This Year

Four Fort McMurray schools located in the worst wildfire damage areas may have a delayed opening when school starts back up again this fall. The schools which were hardest hit by the natural disaster include the Beacon Hill public school, Father Beauregard and Good Shepherd Catholic schools, and the Ecole Boreàl francophone school. All of these schools are located in either Beacon Hill or Abasand, and these areas are still restricted because of toxins as well as extensive damage and other safety risks. Residents whose homes are still standing in these neighbourhoods are still not allowed to return yet because it is not safe. Conseil Scolaire Centre-Nord superintendent Henri Lemire asked “If we can’t even go there as a family, how can we go there as a school?”

Even Fort McMurray schools which are structurally sound and located outside of the restricted areas need a lot of work before they can be used and are safe for students and teachers. Few expect a delayed opening as a result though. Almost every school in the area has contractors who are doing necessary toxin clean up and air scrubbing. Some of the schools in the area have not even been professionally assessed to determine the full extent of any damage and contamination so it is not possible to determine the extent of the work that still needs to be done yet. There is a possibility for a delayed opening with some Fort McMurray schools but others should be able to open their doors and welcome staff and students on time.