FACILITYCalgary current week data posted every Tuesday morning
CONVERSATIONS
FACILITYCalgary Publisher Mark Kolke visits with interesting Calgarians - to catch a glimpse of what drives them, how they see the world and what they see in Calgary's future - and shares what caught his attention.
This week's conversation with Bob Hawkewsorth , former Alderman, consultant at large
Last week's conversation with Julie Pithers from DIRTT Environmental Solutions Inc.
+ BlackBerry agreed to $4.83 billion takeover by Fairfax Financial Holdings
+ BP Plc asked a U.S. court to halt further payments from its $7.8 billion Gulf of Mexico claims settlement program; claiming costs driven up by frauds and excessive payments, costs
+ failed Poseidon Concepts Corp. accused by Alberta Securities Commission of obstructing justice by altering documents
+ Insurance Bureau of Canada announced the southern Alberta floods of June 2013 is the largest (in terms of claims) in Canadian history; current insured claims of $1.7 billion and growing
+ Jack Mintz (School of Public Policy, U of C) report calls for reduced personal and corporate taxes in Alberta AND institution of a an HST as a benefit to Alberta
+ Rogers Communications is acquiring Pivot Data Centres for $115 million
+ Rogers Communications is acquiring Granite Networks for $6.25 million
+ Wood Group companies operating in Canada merging; creating Wood Group Mustang which wraps together IMV Projects, Wood Group PSN Western Canada and Mustang Canada
+ Athabasca Oil Corporation entered into an agreement to sell 50% interest in its Kaybob area light oil infrastructure for $145 millioin; 2nd agreement on Simonette assets nets them $15 million
+ Aux Sable Midstream LLC and Summit Midstream Partners LP entered into a new gas purchase agreement for 2,100 million cubic feet per day
+ Canada LNG Export Forum in Calgary heard from many presenters – consensus that Canada needs to move quickly in terms of industry haste and regulatory processing speed or we will lose out to competitors in the U.S., Australia and other countries who are well along in their pursuit of LNG export facilities; keynote speech by Jim Prentice drove those points home better than most other presenters combined
+ Canadian Pacific Railway shut down noisy nighttime operations of the Calgary Locomotive Reliability Centre at Alyth yards under order from Canadian Transportation Agency relating to long standing community noise complaints – eliminated 130 jobs in Calgary
+ city elections – nominations have closed; 9 contestants for Mayor … 137 contestants for council and school board positions
+ Coastal Energy agreed to be acquired by Cepsa for $3 billion
+ CORRECTION: last week reported that JPMorgan Chase consented to $700 million in fines over the ‘whale’ losses; the correct amount is $920 million in fines against the bank while investigation of individuals continue . . .
+ JPMorgan Chase facing $700 million in fines relating to huge trading losses in London last year
+ Karnalyte Resrouces Inc. got regulatory approval to proceed with its Wynyard Carnallite project construction permitting
+ North West Redwater Partnership broke ground; construction of Phase 1 of Sturgeon Refinery (first to be built in Canada in 30 years)
+ Pembina Pipeline Corporation announced $115 million expansion of Simonette Pipeline
+ Rare Method Interactive Studios filed for bankruptcy
+ TD Bank paying $52.5 million to settle U.S. charges over bank’s failure to report suspicious activity in accounts associated with a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme
+ TriOil Resources Ltd. agreed to be acquired by ORLEN Upstream, a sub. of PKN ORLEN S.A., a Polish firm – transaction value $240.1 million
+ the Government of Alberta announced it will be rebuild flood damaged ElbowParkSchool, on the same site . . .
+ Ring Road runaround may, finally, be over; a tentative deal has been struck between the Government of Alberta and Tsuu T’ina Nation for the south-west portion of the Calgary ring road – subject to a ratification vote by Tsuu T’ina Nation Oct. 24
+ a $65 million Greenway Project got closer to reality . . . 138 km. network of parkes and pathways encircling the City of Calgary. Parks Foundation Calgary, Rotary Clubs and Mattamy Homes have partnered; to be known as Rotary/Mattamy Greenway
+ Government of Alberta issued an Order in Council approving the U of C to borrow $60 million for completion of SchulichSchool of Engineering Expansion/Phase 2
+ Infrastructure Ontario and University of Ottawa Heart Institute issued a Request for Qualifications for proponents to build and finance the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Cardiac Life Support Services Redevelopment – 146,000 sq. ft. of new construction and renovation of 60,000 sq. ft. of existing space
INTERESTING REAL ESTATE NEWS OTHER PLACES
+ Toronto’s condo boom may soon burst its bubble as sales have slumped badly
+ Wang Jianlin, reputedly China’s wealthiest citizen, has plans for a $8 billion, 929 acre development in the city of Quindao – film studios, resort hotels, indoor amusement park, movie theaters and a hospital. In all, he plans 58 million sq. ft. of development … move over Ghermezians, this guys’ go ya beat!
+ Tricon Capital Group closed on its US$67.5 million JV with Shea Homes; acquisition of 358 acre site in Phoenix for residential development
“Designers want me to dress like Spring, in billowing things. I don’t feel like Spring. I feel like a warm red Autumn.” – Marilyn Munroe
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” – Robert Frost
KUDOS
+ to PCL Construction - $500,000 donation to each of NAIT in Edmonton and SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary to support trade and skills training!
+ to John Riddell and Ron Kurczaba – 25 yrs! … Riddell Kurczaba Architecture
+ did you watch or attend the recent Shaw sponsored PGA Seniors Tour golf tournament when Freddie Couples et al came to Canyon Meadows? Did you know our friend Gary Browning (see archived conversation with Gary) was the architect extraordinaire who tweaked the course to be ready for that? Check out this short video! Congrats Gary.
