- Enbridge, a Calgary-based pipeline company, has cut approximately 500 employees and another 100 vacant positions in Canada and the US. The company stated that about half of the eliminated positions are in Alberta, including some in Calgary.
- Suncor Energy is amending its hiring policy for workers at the Fort Hills mine site to include local Fort McMurray applicants. The company had previously concentrated its recruitment efforts on Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Kelowna.
- Four restaurants and retail stores at the Stadium Shopping Centre in Calgary were destroyed by fire on November 12, 2015. Western Securities, the owner of the shopping centre, plans to redevelop the mall.
- Police forces in Alberta are investigating fraudulent job offers posted online. The job scam and fake company are asking potential employees to forward money with the promise of hiring for a position.
- The University of Alberta is planning a new $40M student residence for its Edmonton campus. The project, which is expected to be complete by 2018, is contingent on borrowing approval for the funds from the Government of Alberta.
- The Coal Association of Canada has expressed concerns about job losses with the announcement of an accelerated phase-out of coal-fired plants by the Government of Alberta. Coal is currently used to generate over half of the electricity in Alberta.
- The Government of Alberta has recently announced almost $2.9M for remediation and restoration work in watersheds across Alberta. The projects are part of the three-year, $21M Watershed Resilency and Restoration Program.
- Teck Resources, a Vancouver-based mining company, is cutting 1,000 positions across its global offices, but a geographic breakdown of the cuts was not provided. The company is the largest producer of steel-making coal in North America.
- The City of Edmonton has started clearing away houses and businesses in preparation for construction of the $1.8B Valley Line LRT. The project is expected to be complete and running by 2020.
- Rocky View Schools has approved $1.3M for technology upgrades across the district over a three year period. The projects include updates to school networks for faster internet access, staff email systems, security, and a website upgrade.
- TransCanada recently announced a $570M expansion of its Nova Gas Transmission system by 2018, to accommodate new gas supply contracts. Subject to regulatory approvals, construction is expected to start in 2017.
- The Business Development Bank of Canada, a federal crown corporation, has announced $500M in available financing for small and medium-sized businesses impacted by the decline in oil prices.
- The Maskwa House of Learning, a new $30M centre for aboriginal students is set to go up at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. The university currently has Canada’s only faculty of native studies.
- Businesses in the town of Banff and surrounding areas are having a hard time attracting and retaining employees due to a lack of affordable housing in the region. The town now has 894 licensed businesses, an increase of 30.5 percent from 2010.
- Finning, a heavy equipment dealer, is closing its Medicine Hat location at the end of November 2015, as part of a previously announced wider reduction. Two repair technicians and a sales person will remain active in the area serving contracts for Caterpillar machinery.
- Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education plans to spend a little more than $1.1M on infrastructure and maintenance projects throughout the division this year. The projects range from flooring and roofing replacement to making the schools more accessible for people with disabilities.
- Yellowhead County has received only one tender for a three-year waste collection service in the hamlets of Wildwood and Evansburg, raising concerns with the local council. The current contract expires on December 31, 2015.
- Air Canada has reached a 10-year deal with the union representing its flight attendants after the membership accepted the agreement. The deal covers some 6,500 flight attendants at Air Canada, and 700 at its low-cost carrier, Air Canada Rouge.
- The Government of Alberta has introduced Bill 6, the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act. If approved, it would ensure that agricultural workers in Alberta have protection under occupational safety and workers` compensation rules.
- Oxford Property Group, the manager of Edmonton City Centre Mall, is spending $41.3M to redevelop the downtown retail complex. A new food court is scheduled to open in November 2016, while the rest of the project is expected to be complete by November 2017.
Pinoy Edmonton News 