Business
City of Red Deer introduces funding program to boost downtown development
From The City of Red Deer
New incentive program for downtown development projects in Red Deer
There are five funding opportunities in the program, including:
- Facade and Storefront Improvement Rebate, intended to increase a sense of downtown pride through an investment in beautification, restoration, signage and improved security features.
- Environmental Site Assessment Rebate, which supports owners of properties which require Environmental Site Assessments before redevelopment can occur.
- Demolition of Vacant and Derelict Properties Rebate, which assists property owners with demolition costs to facilitate sale or redevelopment of their property.
- Utility Connection Fee Rebate, which supports property owners required to replace or upgrade utility connections as part of developing or redeveloping on their property.
- Residential and Mixed Use Development Grant, which promotes the development of newly constructed multifamily residential and/or mixed use units.
- These opportunities will contribute to a healthy, successful downtown by improving aesthetic, encouraging developers to build residential units downtown, and reducing the costs of investing in our downtown.
“These economic development programs are taking intentional actions to incent development in our downtown,” said Tara Lodewyk, Director of Planning Services. ”We recognize that downtowns are the heart of our cities and play a vital role as our communities’ business, administrative, and cultural centres.”
Property owners and developers may apply for funding from all five opportunities for a single location, pending eligibility. The first intake occurs February 15 – March 15, 2020 and a second intake is planned for July 1 – August 1, 2020, pending available remaining funds.
For more information and to apply online, visit www.reddeer.ca/EconomicIncentives.
Economy
Trudeau commits $8.4 million to study impact of ‘climate and environmental issues’ on democracy
From LifeSiteNews
The money is part of a $30 million-plus project to ‘strengthen democracies in Canada and around the world.’
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is committing millions of taxpayer dollars to research how climate change “interacts” with democracy.
On March 20, Trudeau told the Summit for Democracy that Canada will send $8.4 million to the Global South to further “climate and environmental issues” despite Canadians struggling with the rising cost of living.
“Today I’m announcing that Canada is investing $8.4 million on research across the global south to better understand how climate change interacts with democratic decline,” Trudeau announced at the gathering orchestrated by the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden and hosted by South Korea.
“These initiatives will also help protect the human rights of environmental defenders,” he added.
According to a press release from the prime minister’s office, the money will be used to reclaim “civic space to confront the climate emergency.”
“Canada is investing $8.4 million to support human rights defenders working on climate and environmental issues across the Global South,” it reads.
The $8.4 million is part of the more than $30 million that Trudeau is spending “for new projects to strengthen democracies in Canada and around the world.”
It includes $22.3 million to “defend human rights and promote inclusion” and $1.44 million “to strengthen the resilience of francophone LGBTQI+ rights movements in North Africa.”
Another $4.6 million will be spent “in research to create an equitable, feminist, and inclusive digital sphere.”
Trudeau’s spending of tax dollars comes as many Canadians struggle to pay for basics such as food, shelter, and heating. According to a recent government report, fast-rising food costs in Canada have led to many people feeling a sense of “hopelessness and desperation” with nowhere to turn for help.
Food costs are going up so fast that even Canada’s own Department of Social Development in a recent briefing note stated that the nation’s poverty rate could increase by 14% this year because of high food prices.
Additionally, a recent poll found that 70% of Canadians believe the country is “broken” as Trudeau focuses on less important issues.
While Canadians placed the cost of living above climate change and the war in Ukraine as their most important issue, Trudeau recently promised another $3 billion to Ukraine and plans to increase the carbon tax on April 1 to limit the effects of “climate change.”
Energy
Carbon tax costs average Alberta family $911 this year
From the Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Author: Kris Sims
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to scrap the carbon tax, which is set to increase April 1.
“Alberta families are fighting to afford food and home heating and the last thing they need is Trudeau’s carbon tax hike,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “It’s wrong for the Trudeau government to punish Albertans for driving their cars, heating their homes and buying food.”
The federal carbon tax is set to increase to 17 cents per litre of gasoline, 21 cents per litre of diesel and 15 cents per cubic metre of natural gas on April 1.
The carbon tax will cost about $12 extra to fill up a minivan and about $18 extra to fill up a pickup truck. Truckers filling up their big rigs with diesel will pay about $200 extra due to the carbon tax.
For natural gas home heating, the average Alberta household will pay about $439 extra in the carbon tax.
According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, the carbon tax will cost the average family in Alberta $911 this year, even after the rebates are factored in.
A Leger poll showed 72 per cent of Albertans oppose the April 1 carbon tax increase.
“If Trudeau really cares about making life more affordable for Canadians, then at the very least he wouldn’t hike his carbon tax again,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “The PBO is clear: the carbon tax costs average families hundreds of dollars more every year than they get back in rebates.”
Carbon tax costs, per PBO
Province | Net cost for the average household in 2024-25 |
Alberta | $911 |
Saskatchewan | $525 |
Manitoba | $502 |
Ontario | $627 |
Nova Scotia | $537 |
Prince Edward Island | $550 |
Newfoundland and Labrador | $377 |
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— Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director
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