The Official Moncton, NB Project Thread

[felip_ars]

Originally Posted by Bishop2047

Let us be done with it and let Sherbrooke host.... if they still want it.

They already stated that they were no longer interested in hosting it. Their focus is now on the Quebec Games (equivalent to Jeux de l'Acadie) in 2023, which funny enough is hosting approximately the same number of people as Les Jeux de la Francophonie (around 3300), and will probably cost a whole lot less.

The "black eye" will probably appear when numbers will come out. You can bet that every time that Moncton (or any other cities in NB) will announce their candidacy for any event (big or small), there will be mumbling "Can they afford it?"...

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by felip_ars

The "black eye" will probably appear when numbers will come out. You can bet that every time that Moncton (or any other cities in NB) will announce their candidacy for any event (big or small), there will be mumbling "Can they afford it?"...

We had no problem with FIFA, or with the IAAF track & field championships. We also had no problem with the Memorial Cup or with the World Men's Curling Championships. Those events were more limited in scope, and more easily manageable.

The Jeux de la Francophonie is a major multievent spectacle more akin to the Commonwealth or Pan Am Games. The scope is much greater and there is a greater risk of major cost overruns.

Moncton should continue to pursue major sporting events, but should be more prudent on which events that it chases........

[riverviewer]

Well that's wording you don't see in the press often:

"Anyway you view it, Moncton’s Francophone Games bid is a complete clusterfuck." - www.halifaxexaminer.ca

https://www.halifaxexaminer.ca/featu...ophone%20Games

[MonctonRad]

Nothing like calling a spade a spade........

And, yes I'm aware of the politically incorrect origins of that particular aphorism. For the purposes of SSP, we will assume that I am referring to a shovel.........

[Philbilly]

Originally Posted by Philbilly

Word on the street has it that day &c Ross is moving to caledonia (frenette st)
and Kent is buying they're land. All the moving to be done by late next year. Irving wants them out. Did anyone hear anything similar?

So to clear things up when I said (word on the street) was actually was from a reliable source

According to this person apparently the paper were signed recently between Irving and day & Ross
A second individual unrelated to my source from Kent was told that they are moving .

Day Ross is supposedly moving vicinity of frenette and parsons

Regardless from all this info I'm getting, I will believe it when I see it .

[MonctonRad]

Some interesting tidbits from the Organigram shareholders meeting recently held at the Delta Beausejour:

- two expansions completed in 2018, another two expansions planned in 2019.
- total production space will be 533,000 sq ft.
- current production is 36,000 kg. This will increase to 113,000 kg.
- when Nordia moves to the former RBC contact centre on Edinburgh, Organigram will renovate the former Nordia space for the production of edibles.
- current employment is 500. This will increase to 700 within the next 3-4 months.


diagram showing the Organigram campus (T&T photo)

- Organigram has contracts to supply the cannabis market in nine provinces.
- the current valuation of the company is over $900M.

Personal note - I drove by the Organigram campus today on the way home, and there was a certain fragrance wafting in the air (not marijuana smoke but the smell of the oil from the plants themselves). It was quite noticeable. I guess you could can it the "sweet smell of success"

[Photo1]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Some interesting tidbits from the Organigram shareholders meeting recently held at the Delta Beausejour:

- two expansions completed in 2018, another two expansions planned in 2019.
- total production space will be 533,000 sq ft.
- current production is 36,000 kg. This will increase to 113,000 kg.
- when Nordia moves to the former RBC contact centre on Edinburgh, Organigram will renovate the former Nordia space for the production of edibles.
- current employment is 500. This will increase to 700 within the next 3-4 months.


diagram showing the Organigram campus (T&T photo)

- Organigram has contracts to supply the cannabis market in nine provinces.
- the current valuation of the company is over $900M.

Personal note - I drove by the Organigram campus today on the way home, and there was a certain fragrance wafting in the air (not marijuana smoke but the smell of the oil from the plants themselves). It was quite noticeable. I guess you could can it the "sweet smell of success"

Nordia is starting their move of infrastructure and agents in mid-January.

[Hogie75]

Originally Posted by Photo1

Nordia is starting their move of infrastructure and agents in mid-January.

Is it just me or is the city planning committee MUCH better organized for Dieppe than Moncton, Dieppe has become in a good way obsessed with aligning roads with 4 way intersections, look at the awkward intersection that never was fixed where holiday inn express is as one example. Other examples include commercial street extension and not to mention the amazing opportunity they had for gorge rd evergreen before second cup was built and opportunities to fix the purdy/mapleton cross section, but it’s almost like they don’t even ask the landowners at all. I could be wrong but Dieppe just seems to have it so much more together.

[Scarface]

Originally Posted by Hogie75

Is it just me or is the city planning committee MUCH better organized for Dieppe than Moncton, Dieppe has become in a good way obsessed with aligning roads with 4 way intersections, look at the awkward intersection that never was fixed where holiday inn express is as one example. Other examples include commercial street extension and not to mention the amazing opportunity they had for gorge rd evergreen before second cup was built and opportunities to fix the purdy/mapleton cross section, but it’s almost like they don’t even ask the landowners at all. I could be wrong but Dieppe just seems to have it so much more together.

A little of both. Moncton has in the passed over compensated, and so it seems they have slowed the fixing of intersections to the "Is it an emergency." If the answer to that is no they don't do fixes. Dieppe Is pushing for expansion. So they are quicker to fix intersection before the need even arises.

[Scarface]

In the News it seems St Patrick's Family Centre sale has stalled.
they stated issues with loans as the issue. I do hope this can be resolved quickly.

[MonctonRad]

According to Mayor Dawn Arnold's weekly video update on Facebook, the total building permit value for the City of Moncton in 2018 was $222.6M, the third highest on record.

This does not include building permits issued in Dieppe and Riverview.

[MonctonRad]

Press release regarding the above:

January 16, 2019

Building permits remain north of $200 million in 2018

MONCTON – The City of Moncton continues to see consistent and stable building permit numbers as 2018 ended with $222.6 million in permits, just shy of the record $243.4 million set in 2017. The trailing 10-year average rose by nearly ten million dollars to $186 million, ranging from a low of $123 million in 2014, to the 2017 high of over $243 million.

Commercial and industrial projects were strong throughout the year, coming in at $124.7 million or 56% of the total. The largest drivers of these results include an expansion at Organigram on English Drive ($36.7 million), a new Hyatt Hotel adjacent to the Avenir Centre ($17.6 million), a new Costco off Elmwood Drive ($13.5 million), and an expansion of Kent Distribution on Commerce Street ($9.5 million).

“This level of growth is good news for all Monctonians,” explained Mayor Dawn Arnold. “We are seeing that our City continues to be of interest to investors and developers, international newcomers, as well as other Canadians outside of New Brunswick.”

Institutional permits came in at $39.2 million or 18% of the total, down from $76.9 million in 2017. Some of the larger projects driving this value included $21 million for a new middle school in Moncton’s north end and a $5.5 million nursing home facility along Morton Drive.

Residential development represented 24.5% of the year’s total value at $54.5 million, down $8.2 million from 2017. This included 59 single unit homes valued at $11.5 million, 80 duplex units valued at $10.6 million, and 5 apartment buildings containing 252 units, valued at $22.9 million.

In addition, thirty (30) Heritage Permit applications were received in 2018 and seven (7) Heritage Grants were awarded in 2018 (listed below in descending order):

 72 Botsford Street – $10,000
 850 Main Street - $9,425
 250 Bonaccord Street - $9,416
 71 Park Street - $4,681
 71 Church Street - $4,681
 18 Botsford Street - $3,013
 150 Queen Street – $2,150

“Our team remains optimistic about our level of growth and diversity”, said Kevin Silliker, Director of Economic Development. “We are routinely seen as a pace leader in the province, and we continue to look for new ways to help our community be prosperous.”

[theshark]

Francophonie games a no go, Higgs said they too expensive, which I agree, and the federal will not put more money towards it. Being a francophone, it would of been nice to host the games, but I am realistic and they are just too damn expensive! Some people will try to make this a language issue and shame on them for doing so. The province already has a hard time to maintain infrastructures and some services in certain hospitals, how could we ever justify spending that much for a few weeks...

[MonctonRad]

There could be linguistic overtones for some people, but regardless, this was the proper decision. The cost inflation here was 7x, and nobody was willing to take ownership of the problem.

The NS government did the same thing with the Commonwealth Games a decade ago. NB shouldn't feel ashamed of following Nova Scotia's example. This was a fiscally prudent decision and I'm proud that Higgs was able to do this.

Now, let's see if we can convince Higgs to divert $2M of the savings towards developing a year round ferry service to Campobello. This is only a drop in the bucket compared to the outrageous expense of the Francophonie Games.........

[L'homard]

I'm glad the right decision was made.
Two points: These were not French games. Participants were welcome to take part no matter what language they speak. Secondly, there are no savings here. If I decide not to borrow 50 grand to buy a cadillac, that's money I didn't have to borrow, but I can't then brag that I saved 50 thousand bucks today.

[RaginRonic]

To quote the character Nicky Santoro, from the 1995 film 'Casino', in response to how conservative people think when they get control of billions of dollars of public money, 'We're supposed to be here robbin', you dumb f'kin sheep!'.

And that's what all conservative people and politicians are....Little Nicky Santoro. Members of the Mob, involved in their twisted version of 'Cosa Nostra'.

Which is why all of Canada's conservative parties, which include the Manitoba and Saskatchewan parties and the 'People's Party of Canada'(the front name for a terrorist organization that seeks to be a parallel power, like the FLQ(just wait until the PPC gets hold of explosives, everybody)), should be granted no access to things like the massive pension funds that the government is in possession of.

A clip below to show what conservative anger really is.

• Video Link

Not so nice, is it?

=P

[MonctonRad]

Not sure what this has to do with the topic at hand.......

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by L'homard

there are no savings here. If I decide not to borrow 50 grand to buy a cadillac, that's money I didn't have to borrow, but I can't then brag that I saved 50 thousand bucks today.

Indeed. I should not have used the word "savings" in my post. I should have said that some of the spending planned on the Francophonie Games should instead be redirected to the Campobello ferry project. In the overall scheme of things, a $1.9M annual cost for this service is a mere pittance, especially given how it would increase the economic potential for the forgotten island.

[L'homard]

I knew what you meant. My comment was meant more for lurkers, many of whom seem to think this province now suddenly has a spare $100 million that they don't know what to do with LOL.

[MonctonRad]

Office Vacancy Rates in Atlantic Canada (according to Huddle)
https://huddle.today/fredericton-mon...vacancy-rates/

Fredericton - 7.05%
Charlottetown - 7.59%
Moncton - 8.02%
Halifax - 13.86%
St. John's - 17.21%
Saint John - 19.10%

More importantly for Moncton, the vacancy rate for "Class A" office space is now a rock bottom 3.36%, which is considered to be essentially full occupancy.

I would think this should augur well for new commercial office development in downtown Moncton, and in particular, I would hope this should give the green light to the refurbishment of 1222 Main.