Category: Economic

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Economic Ft Mac

A Mortgage Broker or Your Banker – Which one is right for you?

“Our independent brokers are on your side, providing unbiased suggestions and home mortgage options that are tailor made for you.”

You are probably already familiar with banks and the procedure that they play in the

funding process, but you may not be as knowledgeable about the role of home loan

brokers. Brokers are on your side, providing unbiased recommendations and home loan

solutions that are tailor made for you. Home mortgage brokers work as intermediaries

in between banks and other lenders in order to obtain funding for first time

house purchasers or financial investment buildings, exactly what ever the circumstance, home loan

brokers are known to supply answers. Likewise if you were to see a Fort McMurray

mortgage broker, such as myself, you would be provided from a variety of

effective alternatives from over 50 different lenders!

So mortgage brokers can supply a lot more alternatives than any one bank would

offer. See banks can only provide you alternatives from what they have and home loan

brokers have access to choices from many loan providers. That also indicates you can

possibly get a more reasonable rate as we are offered huge discount rates in the really

competitive Canadian market.

fort mcmurray mortgage broker

Which is Better for You?

If you are interested in purchasing a Fort McMurray home and have to get

funding, it might be advantageous for you to do away with the standard path of

working straight with a bank and pick a home loan broker. While both techniques

of obtaining financing are popular, there are specific benefits that can be gotten

by picking a home mortgage broker over a bank.

Pros of Working Directly with a Fort McMurray Mortgage Broker vs your Bank:

If you decide to deal with a mortgage broker to get financing, you can have

peace of mind understanding that the home loan broker will do all the legwork for you.

This means that the mortgage broker will deal with your behalf with the lender. A.

mortgage broker has the capability to compare wholesale rates from various.

banks and lenders at one time. A lot of wholesale interest rates are preferred,.

since they are lower than what lots of banks provide straight.

When you choose to deal with a home loan broker rather of a bank, you.

basically get more loan options to pick from and can pick the one that matches.

your needs perfectly. Even if financing your loan is difficult, it is possible for a.

home mortgage broker making it possible due to their comprehensive knowledge and capability.

to select from different loaning partners. For these reasons, selecting a Fort.

McMurray mortgage broker over a bank might be best for you!

fort mcmurray mortgage help

Categories
Economic Ft Mac

8 Bus Shelters Damaged by Vandalism, Wood Buffalo RCMP Investigating

The bus shelters in Wood Buffalo seem to be having a tough time lately, and many were only recently put back into operation due to exposed wiring problems. Now vandalism has destroyed 8 of the bus shelters in Fort McMurray and the RMCP is trying to find out who is responsible. The vandalism was first reported when police were contacted on January 11 by the transit authority for the municipality. Eight bus shelters had been targeted, and there was significant glass breakage at each of the bus shelters. The estimated cost to repair the damages that the vandal(s) caused is $6,000 and a criminal investigation into the matter has been initiated. Right now there have not been any suspects identified and police are asking that anyone who has any information about the vandalism contact the Wood buffalo RCMP.

According to Cst. Ashley Qualle, the Wood Buffalo RCMP spokesperson, police do not suspect that the exposed bus shelter wiring problems in December were intentionally caused or the result of vandalism. The latest bus shelter incident was intentional though. Six of the eight bus shelters that were vandalized were located in the Timberlea neighborhood and situated on or near Eagle Ridge’s Loutit Road. One of the bus shelters affected was in downtown Fort McMurray, and the last shelter damaged was situated in Beacon Hill. Cst. Quallie explained that no evidence has been found to connect the vandalism with the wiring issue in December, and stated “Our investigation is still ongoing. There is no evidence to believe they are related, we are focusing on looking for any information from the public.”

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Alberta Economic Ft Mac

Unemployment Rate in the Oilsands Region Jumps to 8.6%

The unemployment rate in the oilsands region has jumped up significantly, reaching a current rate of 8.6%. A labor survey by Statistics Canada shows that in November and December of last year the rate of unemployment in Alberta stayed the same and the oilsands region rate increased, and this comes as no surprise to most companies and workers in the oil industry. Oil prices are still quite low and the oil industry has been engaged in cutbacks and layoffs in recent months in order to stay competitive in an ever tighter market with smaller profit margins. The entire global economy is still somewhat weak and economic recovery takes time, however workers in the oilsands regions are seeing employment opportunities get smaller and smaller as time goes by.

A higher unemployment rate in the oilsands region translates into fewer people having reliable and steady jobs, and more people in the local community need assistance in some way. The Wood Buffalo Food Bank has seen a big increase in the number of people who need food assistance. Other programs in Wood Buffalo designed to provide help with housing, heating, fuel, and other community needs are also stretched thin because of higher demand as well. Job training and employment assistance programs in the area can be very helpful for those who suddenly find themselves out of work, and those facing other types of needs or emergency circumstances can also seek assistance through social service and charitable programs in Wood Buffalo. Help may be available for those who need it and the Fort McMurray community has a giving and generous spirit for those who are less fortunate.

Categories
Alberta Economic Ft Mac

Suncor Takeover Bid Extension Offered After Deadline Comes and Goes

The $4.3 billion Suncor takeover bid for COS has been extended in spite of repeated statements by Suncor executives that the company would walk away if their proposed offer was rejected. When the deadline for a resolution was reached and there was no resolution in sight Suncor extended their ibid offer until January 27, 2016 instead of walking away from the deal. The extension was announced by the company within the hour after the deadline date and time passed. Just days before the deadline during a conference call Steve Williams, the CEO for Suncor, stated that no increase in the offer amount or an extension would be made. These statements caused investors to feel a sense of urgency, and was part of the pressure that Williams was trying to apply. The previous day Williams made a statement that said “You must act now if you wish to accept our offer. Canadian Oil Sands shareholders who have not tendered their shares have an important decision to make and precious little time to act.”

The bid extension for the Suncor takeover of COS was made because Suncor did not manage to win the support from two thirds of the shareholders at COS. In the last few months there have been hard words and accusations on both sides of the fence, with Suncor threatening time and time again to walk away from the deal if things did not go their way. With the latest bid extension the position of COS may be stronger than what many previously thought, and it shows that Suncor is dedicated to taking over the rival oil company in spite of the previous statements to the contrary.

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Economic Entertainment Ft Mac

Wood Buffalo National Park Cabin Destroyed, Fort Chipewyan Cree Trapper Protests

A Wood Buffalo National Park cabin has been destroyed, and the Fort Chipewyan Cree trapper who built the structure is protesting the destruction. 31 year old Robert Grandjambe Jr. is now considering exactly what his legal options are after the cabin that he started constructing over a year ago has been demolished due to complaints from two First Nations bands and Parks Canada. According to Grandjambe trapping and hunting are his main lifestyle, and he started constructing a cabin on Pine Lake’s south side located in Wood Buffalo National Park. While Robert spends most of each year outdoors hunting and trapping he also works as a millwright during part of the year in the off season. As a Mikisew Cree First Nation member Grandjambe has the right to hunt and trap in the area and he has not been banned, but his cabin was demolished.

Fort Chipewyan Cree Trapper Robert Grandjambe Jr. strategically chose the cabin location in Wood Buffalo National Park because the site had not been harvested for at least two decades but it was still extremely accessible for any groups that wanted to learn about a harvesting lifestyle. According to Grandjambe “It’s a dying art and a dying culture that is hundreds of years old, interrupted in the 1980s with groups like PETA and the anti-fur, anti-hunting movement that doesn’t understand the culture. I’m a fourth generation trapper in this area. Forty years ago, there were many families constantly on the land and it was thriving. These days, the only person I will bump into sometimes is my father.”

Categories
Alberta Economic Ft Mac

Salvation Army Christmas Kettles Show the Generous Spirit of Fort McMurray

There is no denying that many residents in Fort McMurray have a generous spirit, and this was seen once more by the numerous donations that area residents made to the Salvation Army Christmas kettles leading up to the year end holidays that just passed. In fact this was the most successful campaign at Christmas that the organization has had in recent years in spite of the fact that the fundraising efforts fell a little short of the $190,000 goal that was set. Thanks to the community spirit and the compassion that Fort McMurray showed the Salvation Army Christmas kettles managed to raise 95% of the set goal, or a total raised of $180,592. Many people may not realize that the money raised will stay in the local community and help out residents in need.

In the beginning things were slow for the Salvation Army Christmas kettles, and recent years have failed to meet the goals set for funds raised. Trudy Malone, the campaign coordinator for the Salvation Army, explained “We discussed lowering [the goal] this year because for the last few years it hasn’t been met.” When the organization made an announcement on December 11 saying that the campaign goals were only 65% Malone said that “The community came together. People kind of stepped up after they heard that.” Malone also discussed the funds raised and explained “It goes to help less fortunate families in need who are struggling with meeting their mortgage, or their rent, or utilities, or prescription drugs, or whatever the family financial shortage is. I know everybody’s kind of hurting financially, or most people are. I think those people who have jobs and are doing alright really went the extra mile to help the people in the community who are in need.”