Wednesday, December 19, 2012

2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George BC

Here is the official site, thought you may be interested.

In 2015, Prince George will come to life as many facilities in the community will play host to sporting events, celebrations, and festivals. In addition, many other areas in the city will serve as welcoming points for both athletes and their families, team officials, visitors, and local citizens.

 Link to full details - http://www.canadagames2015.ca/index.html 

 

Cheers

www.DeanBirks.com

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Prince George Airport YXS Logistics Video

Here is link to a great video as to why Prince George BC is perfect for air cargo.

http://deanbirks.com/4a_blog_post.php?post_id=19515

Cheers
www.DeanBirks.com

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Home Buyers' Road Map - Interactive

Here is a great New Interactive program from CREA to help Home Buyers feel out the home purchase processes and answer some questions. Of course I am only a phone, text or email away to help with any questions or concerns. I just posted it on my site: http://www.deanbirks.com/4a_custpage_122580.html


Cheers
www.DeanBirks.com

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

What entrepreneurs should learn from B.C.'s 'Northern Capital'

Here is a great article by the National Post on business advantages in Prince George BC
http://natpo.st/UGEvBu
Cheers
www.DeanBirks.com

Friday, December 7, 2012

Nov. 2012 Economic Update for Prince George BC

I thought you may be interested in the latest Nov.2012 Economic Update from Initiatives Prince George (2pages pdf).

InitiativesPG_EconomicUpdate_November2012_Prince_George_BC.pdf Download this file
Cheers

www.DeanBirks.com

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Industrial Park at the Prince George Airport

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I was up at the YXS (PG Airport) the other day and they had a model of the light industrial park expansion to the left of the airport (see picture). Pretty cool.

Cheers
www.DeanBirks.com

Friday, November 23, 2012

MLS® Sales Stats ending Oct. 2012 - Prince George Real Estate

Here is the latest stats ending October 2012 for single family homes in Prince George city limits. This is compared to same time periods for 2011, 2010, 2009.

MLS_Sales_Stats_for_Prince_George_Real_Estate_-_2009-10-11-12_ending_OCT_.pdf Download this file
Cheers

www.DeanBirks.com 

Prince George is ranked in the top to invest.

572037918

The best kept secret is getting out. Prince George is a great place to invest in Canada. Just out on news stands.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

MLS® Sales Update ending Oct.2012 for Prince George Real Estate

Here is the latest update ending Oct.2012 for MLS® sales stats comparing same time period for past 4 years. Click on this link to go to my site for the details. http://www.deanbirks.com/4a_blog_post.php?post_id=17178 Cheers Dean Birks

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Prince George Citizen -- UNBC climbs to second in Maclean's poll

dean@deanbirks.com has sent you this article from Prince George Citizen.

By Ted CLARKE Citizen staff tclarke@pgcitizen.ca
The University of Northern B.C. is the second-highest ranked small university in Canada. In the 22nd annual Maclean's magazine rankings, released Thursday, UNBC is Number 2 among undergraduate schools, trailing only Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B. That's an improvement of one position for UNBC over last year's No. 3...

Click here to view this content.

Sign Up for Clip&Copy® to find other content like this. It's a free personalized news alert and press clippings service.


[Reuse options] Click here for reuse options!
© 2012 Glacier Media Inc.
Powered by iCopyright.com.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Northern Cancer Center Opens

Northern_cancer_center_opened
The new BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North will be the agency's sixth regional centre, bringing together a team of care providers with an interdisciplinary, patient-centered approach to care. The new centre will be located adjacent to the University Hospital of Northern BC.

Here is link to the site: http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/RS/north/default.htm

Cheers

www.DeanBirks.com 

Friday, October 26, 2012

Ask Your MLA - Myth Busters - October 26, 2012

I had similar questions and now here is the answers. Thought some of you may be interested.
Cheers
www.DeanBirks.com

-----Original Message-----

This email was sent to subscribers of MLA Shirley Bond E-Newsletter, as well as people she has met out in the community.
Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.
Keep The Conversation Going Like Ask Your MLA - Myth Busters - October 26, 2012 on Facebook
A Message From Shirley
Myth Busters
Hello everyone,

There has been a lot of discussion in recent weeks about temporary foreign workers. This is an important topic, and one that certainly should be discussed. It is important to separate myths and facts, however. One of the common myths we hear is that it is easy to find people who want to work in underground coal mines. The fact is, before permits are granted to hire temporary foreign workers, a company has to go through a process, managed by the federal government, which requires them to demonstrate that they have made efforts to hire Canadians for the jobs. This includes demonstrating that the wages being offered are comparable to similar jobs, that working conditions meet provincial labour standards, and that there is an economic benefit to hiring foreign workers, such as the transfer of knowledge and of skills from foreign workers to Canadian ones, or the development of a new industry.

Another myth is that the company rigged the process to hire temporary foreign workers, and used Mandarin as a language requirement. In fact, the company, HD Mining, went through the required process for advertising the jobs for Canadian workers, including advertising through the company’s and BC Mining Association’s websites, as well as local and provincial job boards, newspapers and fairs. Mandarin was not a language requirement for any of these jobs, and the federal government determined that there were no qualified workers available before allowing the jobs to be advertised for temporary foreign workers.

Yet another myth is that Chinese workers are being hired because they are cheap. Once again, the facts are different; Chinese workers are being hired because there are no workers in Canada with the necessary training in long wall mining. In fact, Grand Cache Coal in Alberta, the only other underground mine operating right now in Canada, also uses temporary foreign workers, because of the lack of workers with the right skills and workers willing to work in underground coal mines. The company advertised these jobs at a level of pay equal to or higher than Grand Cache Coal. It is important to realize that a lot of what we hear is myth, and we need to look at the facts. At the bottom of this page, you can find a link to learn more about the myths and facts regarding temporary foreign workers.

This week, as Minister of Justice and Attorney General, I had the privilege of announcing the first ten steps we will be taking towards transforming British Columbia’s justice system. This reform is a project that I have been working on for a long time, and which is very important to me personally. We will be reducing backlog, improving access to justice services, and increasing transparency throughout the justice system. After a great deal of consultation with stakeholders and with the help of input from the public, we have come up with a plan that will improve timeliness and balance through sustainable reforms. I hope you’ll take the time to read about the steps we are taking through the link below, and I will continue to work towards implementing these important changes.

Moving from justice to emergency relief, this week our government made an agreement which is one of the first of its kind in Canada. We will be working with the Canadian Red Cross Society to deploy disaster management personnel, equipment, and infrastructure more quickly in response to natural disasters or other catastrophic events. When major events strike, like the tsunami in Japan last year, local responders can sometimes be overwhelmed. It is exactly at times like these that the Red Cross can use its resources and expertise to help out, and through this agreement the Red Cross can bring in national or international trained personnel and equipment that can be ready to go in 24 to 48 hours. Through this partnership, our ability to respond to disasters is greatly improved.

Turning closer to home, if you want to get a sneak peek at the new BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North before it opens, there will be an open house this coming Monday, October 29, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm. This will be the sixth regional cancer centre in B.C., and you can tour this brand new facility, with its state-of-the-art radiation therapy unit, before it begins treating patients. It is something Northerners have been waiting for and I am thrilled that families requiring radiation treatment will now be able to do that closer to home surrounded by their families and friends!

A busy weekend ahead including participating in federal and provincial ministers meetings and constituency work! I look forward to seeing you out and about . . .

Until next week,
Shirley

 
The latest from our community and around B.C.
What's Making News
Myths and facts on temporary foreign workers
Myth 1 - It is no problem finding people who want to work in underground coal mines.
Fact 1 - Prior to being granted permits to hire temporary foreign workers, a company must secure a labour market opinion. Managed by the federal government, the process requires...
Learn more here:

MLA Shirley Bond, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, with Nancy Harris and Norm Coyne at the Healthier You Expo.

MLA Shirley Bond with Monica Peacock, winner of Prince George Citizen of the Year. B.C., Red Cross to co-ordinate major disaster responses  - The B.C. government and the Canadian Red Cross Society today formalized a partnership to deploy disaster management infrastructure, equipment and personnel more quickly and effectively in response to a major catastrophic event or natural disaster.
Learn more here:  

New smartphone app helps youth be their own boss - Minister of State for Small Business Naomi Yamamoto was joined by Junior Achievement of British Columbia students at Lambrick Park Secondary school on Tuesday to launch the new smartphone application, Boss Yourself.New tools and information are now available for businesses on the steps they need to take when the Provincial Sales Tax replaces the Harmonized Sales Tax next spring.
Learn more here:

B.C. pledges action plan to modernize justice system - The first 10 steps toward transforming B.C.'s justice system were announced today by Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond, with projects aimed at reducing backlog, improving access to justice services and increasing transparency.
Learn more here:


 

 
Upcoming community events
Calendar of Events
The Fifth annual homemade frozen cookie and pastry dough is now on sale. What a great way to save time during the holiday season. There are seven varieties of cookie dough to choose from each package contain 3 pounds of frozen cookie dough for $10.00. Or one pound of homemade frozen pastry dough for $2.50 per package. For more details or to place your order phone 250.561.9381 and ask for Odelia or after hours call 250.964.1118

October 26 The Spruce Kings will be facing off against Alberni Valley! Tickets are available at the Spruce Kings office in the Prince George Coliseum.

October 27 The Prince George Cougars will be facing off against Brandon Wheat Kings! For Ticket information, call Ticketmaster at 250.564.5585

October 27 The Spruce Kings will be facing off against West Kelowna! Tickets are available at the Spruce Kings office in the Prince George Coliseum.

October 27 Canada’s Ukrainian Shumka Dancers will be performing at Vanier Hall. Show starts at 7:30. Ticket on sale at Studio 2880 250.563.2880 30.00 Adults, 20.00 18 & under doors open at 7:00 pm with the show starting at 7:30 pm

October 27 The Nove Voce Chorus is preparing there first concert to the new season at the Prince George Playhouse. Tickets for Changing Tides. A music Voyage are $15 and can be purchased at Studio 2880 or at the door. Concert starts at 8:00 pm

October 27 Visit the Halloween Spooktacular at Huble Homestead in the dark for Prince George’s spookiest Halloween Haunt. Lots of activities and crafts for kids. Plus entertainment, hot drinks and snacks in the General Store. The brave can tour the House of Horrors for $3 per tour. Bring a flashlight, waterproof shoes and dress warmly. Event starts 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm for full schedule of activates visit www.hublehomestead.ca or call 250.564.7033

October 27 The Prince George Railway Museum will be holding a Halloween Fairytale. Doors open at 11:00 am- 3:00 pm. Admission is free with a donation of a non-perishable food item to the Prince George Salvation Army Food Bank. This event is focused on the Grimm’s Fairy Tales and the public library will have a storyteller on hand. Lots of other activates demonstrations from the Spinners Weavers Guild and the Ghost train will make an appearance, many snacks to purchase for those that are hungry.

October 27 The Two Rivers Gallery is holding a fundraiser. Menagerie- A night to let it out! Jimi Smyth will be your Menagerie DJ and Hummus Brothers will be providing a fantastic late night lunch. Great door prizes - a trip for two to any scheduled WestJet destination! The best costume wins a trip for 4 to Jasper compliments of Via Rail. Tickets at the door are $80.00. For more information call Carol at 250.614.7804

October 27 Hart Pioneer Center will be holding a Halloween Dance music will be provided by Country Caliber. $10.00 per person and includes a midnight snack.

October 28 the Forever Young Chorus will be performing their popular Songs of the Old West Show at 2 pm at the PineVeiw Recreation Centre at 6470 Bendixon. Tickets are 10.00. Special guest is Prince Georges Idol winner Laurie Meier. For ticket information, call Donna at 250.963.9475

October 29 YMCA is hosting the 2nd Annual Halloween Spooktacular. Children between the ages of 2-5 are invited down from 10:00 am -11:00 am and older children are invited down from 4:30-6:30 pm.

October 30 Le Cercle des Canadiens Francais (French Canadian Society of Prince George) is hosting Anthropology in our backyards event. Epic and Forgotten: The history of French speakers and the Metis of Northern BC. Dr Michel Bouchard, Associate Professor at UNBC Department of Anthropology will be speaking at ArtSpace (2nd Floor, Books & Co. Building) at 7:30 pm presentation will be done mostly in French. For more information, call 250.561.2565

October 30 IMSS will be holding an Embracing Diversity workshop at 1270 2nd Ave between 9:30-11:30 admissions is free. For more information call Cat Sivertsen at 250.562.2900 or email cat@imss.ca

November 2-4  Is the 36th Annual Studio Fair presented by the Community Arts Council over 90 vendors will be on had at the Prince George Civic Centre.

November 2 Good Timber at the Prince George Playhouse. Based on the logger poetry of Robert E Swanson, the Bard of the Woods. Tickets are available at Books & Co on 3rd Ave or call 250.563.6637 for more information.

November 3 Looking to learn more about BC wines? North 54 and Cheryl Lawrence Liquor Agency Ltd along with Foothill Foods and Deli are bringing the best of BC wines and pairing it with the best world cheeses. Tickets are $45.00 from 6:00-8:00 pm

November 2-3 The Elder Citizens Drama Club presents Wits and Skits. Come out for a few laughs. All proceeds go towards Elder Citizen Recreation Centre on 10th Ave. For more information, call 250.561.9381

November 3 Nadina Jackson returns home to solo with the Prince George Symphony for a one-night engagement at 7:30 pm at Vanier Hall. For more information call 250.562.0800 or email marketing@pgso.com

 
Contact Shirley Connect With Shirley
  www.shirleybondmla.bc.ca
shirley.bond.mla@leg.bc.ca

Tel: (250) 612-4181

1350 5th Avenue
Prince George, BC, V2L 3L4

Fax: (250) 612-4188

 

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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Government announces initiative supporting investments in Northern and Interior B.C

A newly announced initiative is providing funding to help attract, retain and expand foreign investment in Northern and Interior B.C.

Here is link to the rest of the info. http://energeticcity.ca/article/news/2012/10/24/government-announces-initiati... 

Cheers

www.DeanBirks.com - REALTOR®

Market Update comments - Prince George Real Estate

Here is the video of my comments as of Wed Oct.24, 2012.

Cheers

Dean Birks - REALTOR®

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Prince George is ranked in the top to invest.

572037918

The best kept secret is getting out. Prince George is a great place to invest in Canada. Just out on news stands.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Interesting News from Royal LePage Canada

Average Sales # and $ for MLS® Prince George Real Estate

MLS_Sales_Stats_for_Prince_George_-_2009-10-11-12_ending_Sept_.pdf Download this file
Here is the latest MLS® 
Mls_sales_stats_for_prince_george_-_2009-10-11-12_ending_sept_
Here are the latest average home sales year to date (YTD) along with average sale prices within city limits for single family homes. Average sale price is up as of Sept.30, 2012 but volume down in last 2 months.

Cheers

Dean Birks

www.DeanBirks.com 

Saturday, September 29, 2012

WHL Prince George Cougars win again!

338451420

What a great turnout to the Cougars 1st home game last night.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Oil Refinery supported by high percentage of BC

http://www.financialpost.com/m/wp/news/energy/blog.html?b=business.financialp.../2012/09/26/majority-of-british-columbians-support-13b-northern-gateway-refinery-proposal-poll

Ain't it great.
www.DeanBirks.com

Friday, September 21, 2012

A very close call last night!

A close call last night! So we are sound asleep and at 3am last night we wake up to a loud ‘pop/crack’ and the sound of water gushing. We jumped out of bed and I went straight for the ensuite where I found water pour from the back of the toilet. I turn off the water supply to the toilet only to have the water continue pouring. Then I noticed the large crack that had formed at the back of the toilet tank itself so out came the buckets & towels. Luckily the amount of water was only limited to the water in the tank draining out on the bathroom floor and all was cleaned up within 15 minutes. BUT…. We then thought could you imagine the amount of damage this would have done if this had happened tonight when we are at the lake? The water would have run for days before we got home.

So this brings me to the subject of home insurance. It’s a good time to check with your insurance company as most policies state that if your away for any length of time you MUST have someone come into your home to check on it every day, every 2nd day etc. or your policy is VOID. I know most of us think nothing of leaving for a long weekend or longer and have no one dropping in. What happened last night to us was a big reminder of that and I hope this may give some of you a heads up in case a toilet tank decides to crack for no reason at all or maybe a water line to a dishwasher etc.  comes off.

Have a great weekend! The weather looks like it going to be fantastic.

Cheers!

www.DeanBirks.com

Low-flow-toilet

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

New Dental building almost finished.

285810723

Located close to the corner of 5th Ave & Ospika Blvd here in Prince George. Just one of many buildings going up in town.

Cheers
www.DeanBirks.com

Friday, September 14, 2012

New medical building going up

280269597

This new medical building is going up at the corner of 6th & Vancouver St. It's reported to have residential space above.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Prince George MLS® stats Mth to Mth ending Aug for the years 2009,10,11,12.

MLS Sales Stats for Prince George - 2009-10-11-12 ending August.pdf Download this file

I just compiled the MLS® sales stats for the last 4 years (2009 to 2012) month by month ending in August of each year for single family homes here in city limits of Prince George BC.

As the months go by I will update the sales figures. So stay tuned.

Click on this link to access the stats & graphs. https://www.box.com/shared/static/kx2o9qxeu0d4jlbxr4u6.pdf

Best regards

Dean Birks

Top Office Producer 2011

Top MLS® Producer - Prince George 2011

Royal LePage Prince George
Phone/Text (Direct): 250-612-1709

 

Oh, by the way. I'm never too busy for your referrals!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Update on Downtown Hotel & Wood Innovation Center - Prince George BC

Great info on some of what is going on in downtown Prince George. Click on link to go to CKPG and watch video http://ckpg.com/news/20574-breaking-ground-downtown-video.html

091112_downtown_nm
Cheers!

Best regards

Dean Birks

Top Office Producer 2011

Top MLS® Producer - Prince George 2011

Royal LePage Prince George
Phone/Text (Direct): 250-612-1709
Fax (Direct): 1-888-870-4132

www.DeanBirks.com

 

Oh, by the way. I'm never too busy for your referrals!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

CN Rail to invest $12 Million in Prince George

CN to invest C$12 million in expansion of Prince George, B.C., locomotive shop as freight traffic increases along Edmonton-Prince Rupert corridor

Prince George area investments since 2004 will total over C$60 million by year-end 2012

Cheers!

Best regards

Dean Birks

Top Office Producer 2011

Top MLS® Producer - Prince George 2011

Royal LePage Prince George
Phone/Text (Direct): 250-612-1709
Fax (Direct): 1-888-870-4132

www.DeanBirks.com

 

Oh, by the way. I'm never too busy for your referrals!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

CN Rail success in Prince George

-2107597726

I was talking to a client that works for CN Rail here in Prince George and he mentioned the success of CN. The Intermodal container traffic has double since January's of this year and coal trains have tripled.

Companies that are using the container route through Pr.Rupert to Prince George to Edmonton to Chicago return shaves off 3 full days per container vs other routes. That's sounds like allot of savings.

Ain't it great.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

MLS® Sales (YTD) update for Prince George BC - 2011 vs 2012

Just a quick fyi... Sales total combined for in & out of city limits.
Sales to date (Jan 1, 2012 to Aug 22, 2012) this year is 805
Sales in 2011 (Jan 1, 2011 to Aug 22, 2011) was 810
The difference is this year allot of sales prior to summer and last year it was spread out more evenly.

Cheers!

Best regards

Dean Birks

Top Office Producer 2011

Top MLS® Producer - Prince George 2011

Royal LePage Prince George
Phone/Text (Direct): 250-612-1709

www.DeanBirks.com

 

Oh, by the way. I'm never too busy for your referrals!

Friday, August 10, 2012

BCREA Economics Now

See below the report I just received on the growth of FULL time jobs in BC.

Best regards

Dean Birks

www.DeanBirks.com


-----------------------------------------------------------------

BCREA ECONOMICS NOW

Canadian Employment - August 10, 2012

The Canadian economy shed 30,000 jobs in July, following two straight months of flat payrolls.  The decline in employment was entirely due to large losses of part-time employment while full-time jobs actually rose by 21,300.  The Canadian unemployment rate ticked higher by 0.1 point to 7.3 per cent.

BC employment fell by 15,000 in July, pushing the provincial unemployment rate to 7 per cent. BC saw nearly 10,000 new full-time jobs added in July, while part-time employment  fell 24,100.

Overall, today's labour force survey numbers are not nearly as bad as the headline. Full-time employment continues to post solid growth in BC, averaging nearly 5,000 full-time jobs per month, the strongest full-time job growth since 2005.  While month-to-month employment will continue to be volatile, we expect BC employment to grow 2 per cent this year.

For more information, please contact:
Cameron Muir Brendon Ogmundson Chief Economist Economist Direct: 604.742.2780 Direct: 604.742.2796 Mobile: 778.229.1884 Mobile: 604.505.6793 Email: cmuir@bcrea.bc.ca Email: bogmundson@bcrea.bc.ca

BCREA represents 11 member real estate boards and their approximately 18,000 REALTORS® on all provincial issues, providing an extensive communications network, standard forms, economic research and analysis, government relations, applied practice courses and continuing professional education (cpe).

Real estate boards, real estate associations and REALTORS® may reprint this content, provided that credit is given to BCREA by including the following statement: “Copyright British Columbia Real Estate Association. Reprinted with permission.” BCREA makes no guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of this information.

 

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Ensuring Canadian Access to Oil Markets in the Asia-Pacific Region

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the outlook for Alberta crude oil and bitumen production and an assessment of the economic attractiveness and feasibility of exporting oil to countries in the Asia-Pacific region instead of solely to markets in the United States. It also describes the extent of the new oil pipeline infrastructure that would be needed to allow oil exports to Asia-Pacific region under two scenarios: 1. no increase in oil sands bitumen production capacity from a base-case forecast; and 2. bitumen production capacity increased from that in the base case to supply Asian markets after 2026. The likely gross employment and overall economic (GDP) benefits from construction and operation of the required facilities are also discussed.

Best regards

Dean Birks

Top Office Producer 2011

Top MLS® Producer - Prince George 2011

Royal LePage Prince George
Phone/Text (Direct): 250-612-1709
Fax (Direct): 1-888-870-4132

www.DeanBirks.com

 

Oh, by the way. I'm never too busy for your referrals!

If you do not wish to receive future emails, please click the link to Unsubscribe: Unsubscribe.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

BC Home Sales Lower through June, Stronger Second Half Expected

Here is latest report. Hope you enjoy.
Cheers
www.DeanBirks.com

For the complete news release, including detailed statistics, click here.

For immediate release

Vancouver, BC – July 12, 2012. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that during the first half of 2012, BC residential sales dollar volume declined 17.1 per cent to $20.4 billion, compared to the same period last year. Residential unit sales dipped 9 per cent to 38,312 units, while the average Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) residential price was 8.9 per cent lower at $533,681.

The pace of home sales slowed during the first half of the year,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “However, the downturn is likely to be temporary as population growth, persistently low mortgage rates and encouraging employment figures suggest a stronger second half of 2012.

The 5-year conventional mortgage rate remains within 5 basis points of its 20 year monthly low. BC’s population is growing by approximately 45,000 individuals a year. Full-time employment climbed 3 per cent during the first half of 2012 at the expense of part-time employment, which declined 1.9 percent.

The dollar volume of homes sold through the MLS® in BC declined 24.1 per cent to $3.4 billion in June compared to the same month last year. A total of 6,815 MLS® residential unit sales were recorded over the same period, down 13.8 per cent from June 2011. The average MLS® residential price was $503,232, 12.0 per cent lower than a year ago.

-30-

For more information, please contact:

Cameron Muir Damian Stathonikos

Chief Economist Director of Communications and Public Affairs Direct: 604.742.2780 Direct: 604.742.2793 Mobile: 778.229.1884 Mobile: 778.990.1320 Email: cmuir@bcrea.bc.ca Email: dstathonikos@bcrea.bc.ca

BCREA represents 11 member real estate boards and their approximately 18,000 REALTORS® on all provincial issues, providing an extensive communications network, standard forms, economic research and analysis, government relations, applied practice courses and continuing professional education (cpe).

To demonstrate the profession's commitment to improving Quality of Life in BC communities, BCREA supports policies that help ensure economic vitality, provide housing opportunities, preserve the environment, protect property owners and build better communities with good schools and safe neighbourhoods.

For detailed statistical information, contact your local real estate board. MLS® is a cooperative marketing system used only by Canada's real estate boards to ensure maximum exposure of properties listed for sale.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Fantastic river front home on North Nechako

Spacious home on 1.09 acre river front lot overlooking the Nechako River with multi-level sundecks as well as many large windows throughout the home to take advantage to the incredible views over the river.  Click Here for more information.

Cheers

Dean Birks

www.DeanBirks.com

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

National price appreciation forecast to soften modestly for the remainder of the year

I just got this report and although it appears to be a tough road for those in the large centers of Canada the Prince George area is one of the best priced markets in Western Canada.

Here is a link to the Royal Lepage Home Price Survey post - http://www.royallepage.ca/en/media/120710-house-price-survey-market-update-q2-2012-canadas-housing-market-at-a-tipping-point.aspx?bottomcontent=874&toolstips=1052&relatedcontent=1074
Cheers!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Euro crisis = low mortgage rates

Global uncertainty's holding mortgage rates low as Euro-crisis heats up again - #BCREA Mortgage Rate Forecast (PDF): http://t.co/gnfs32mj -- BC Real Estate Assoc (@bcrea)

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

New business in Prince George - EnviroMold

I just had a chat with these guys and its great to have another reputable company here in Prince George to help with Mold and other environmental concerns in homes.
Check out their site www.enviromold.ca - Local contact is Geoff Q at 250.552.1628

I will also post their link on my site at www.deanbirks.com for future reference.

Cheers!

Best regards

Dean Birks

Top Office Producer 2011

Top MLS® Producer - Prince George 2011

Royal LePage Prince George
Phone/Text (Direct): 250-612-1709
Fax (Direct): 1-888-870-4132

www.DeanBirks.com

 

Oh, by the way. I'm never too busy for your referrals!

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Real Estate Market Update

More good news for BC and the Central Interior. Here is link to the most recent BCREA newsletter.  Click Here

Cheers!

Best regards

Dean Birks

Top Office Producer 2011

Top MLS® Producer - Prince George 2011

Royal LePage Prince George
Phone/Text (Direct): 250-612-1709
Fax (Direct): 1-888-870-4132

www.DeanBirks.com

 

Oh, by the way. I'm never too busy for your referrals!

Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Top 10 for May 12, 2012

More good news. See Pat's Top 10 below.

Cheers
Dean Birks

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Bell, Pat" <P.Bell@leg.bc.ca>
Date: May 12, 2012 12:53 PM
Subject: Top 10 for May 12, 2012
To:


Hi All

Premier Christy Clark heads off on another Trade Mission this coming week to Korea, Japan and the Philippines on what will be another major step forward in our Jobs Plan agenda. Korea continues to see strong growth in lumber, minerals and energy exports while Japan continues to be a major importer of BC products. Our cultural ties to the Philippines are significant and we see this as a major market opportunity as well.

Also this week on the Jobs Plan front was the monthly employment statistics. BC gained almost 20,000 new jobs which represents about 1/3 of all the jobs generated in Canada and well ahead of of Alberta and Saskatchewan. The real job growth took place in the key sectors identified in the BC’s Jobs Plan including Forestry, Mining, Energy, Manufacturing and Transportation. Is this a coincidence? I think not, the Jobs Plan is working and I expect more good news to come.

One more week in session before a break week in which I will be traveling in the Prince George and Mackenzie area ridings.

Have a great week!

Pat

 1.  British Columbia gained 19,700 jobs in April and the unemployment rate fell to 6.2%. Of this 16,700 positions were full time and 3,000 were part time.

 1.  2,318,800 people were working in British Columbia during April, up from 2,299,100 positions in March and an increase of 48,700 jobs compared with April 2011.  Of this 66,200 were full time positions offsetting a loss of 8,300 part time positions.

 1.  The unemployment rate for youth (15 to 24 years of age) was recorded at 10.5 per cent, down by 3.6 percentage points from March. In April 2011, the youth unemployment rate was recorded at 14.5 per cent.

 1.  Forestry, fishing, mining and gas extraction: 48,000 jobs, up by 6,400, Manufacturing:  186,600 jobs, up by 10,200 and Transportation and warehousing: 128,600 jobs, up by 4,500
 2.  Seven provinces added jobs in April. QC led the way with 23,300 new jobs, followed by BC (+19,700), AB (+10,700), SK (+6,800), NB (+4,500) NL (+3,900) and PEI (+1,000).
 3.  Congratulations to Derek Orr, Chief of the McLeod Lake Indian Band on his appointment to the Aboriginal Business and Investment Council. The Council was formed earlier this year to advise Government, Industry and First Nations on better ways of doing business together. Derek has a strong history of business success, leading McLeod Lake on a number of very successful business ventures in Forestry, Mining and Construction.
 4.  Earlier this week we announced the formalization of the first provincial partnership with the national, non-profit organization ParticipACTION to further promote healthy living and physical activity in British Columbia. >From 1971, the ParticipACTION name has been the brand behind which millions of Canadians have rallied to promote activity, fitness and healthy living. The partnership will build on British Columbia’s reputation for leading Canada in making the country the healthiest on Earth. The Province is supporting the announcement with the investment of $6 million in the partnership with ParticipACTION.
 5.  A new, powerful job-search tool is now available to make it easier for British Columbians to find jobs, making the WorkBC website an even more valuable resource for those searching for work in our province. B.C. is a leader in using new job-search capabilities that provide job seekers with a single portal to access job postings that are available within the provincial public service, posted directly to WorkBC by employers, and those externally imported from other job boards like Workopolis, Monster and company sites. The site can be accessed at www.workbc.ca<http://www.workbc.ca>. As of this morning there was just less than 8,000 jobs available across BC including 207 jobs in Prince George!
 6.  Investor response to B.C.’s credit strength has prompted the Province to launch a $1.25-billion US-dollar global bond issue as part of its annual borrowing program. The move follows Finance Minister Kevin Falcon’s annual investor tour, which saw investors buy more than $275 million in B.C. bonds after hearing about B.C.’s fiscal and economic position. B.C.’s US-dollar global five-year bond was well over-subscribed amid strong demand from European, US and Asian investors, with an order book of more than US$2 billion. The Province expects it could save up to $3 million compared to its domestic cost of borrowing. The strong reception affirmed the high value accorded the Province’s credit strength and reputation in the capital markets. B.C. bond yields are currently about 30 basis points below the Province of Ontario in the US-dollar market, showing the market considers B.C. bonds to be a secure long-term investment.
 7.  The Red Chris Development Corporation has been issued a Mines Act permit for its Red Chris copper and gold mine which is located 80 km south of Dease Lake in northern British Columbia. Red Chris Development Corporation, a subsidiary of Imperial Metals Corporation, projects the capital cost of this development to be around $444 million and it will provide 250 full time jobs.  The site is estimated to have a mine life of 28 years with a reserve of 276 million tonnes of copper and gold. The mine will be serviced by the new Northwest Transmission Line, which will begin construction in the summer 2012 and be completed in 2014. Once the mine is fully operational, material from the mine will be produced daily and transported to the Port of Stewart where it will be shipped to overseas markets.


Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Telus to Spend $103 Million in the North

By 250 News

Thursday, April 12, 2012 10:25 AM

 

Telus CEO Darren Entwistle makes announcement in Prince George

Prince George, B.C. – Telus has announced it plans to spend $103 million dollars in Northern B.C over the next 3 years to expand 4G LTE to Prince George, connect Northern communities to broadband internet and increase internet speed and capacity in several communities.

Of that $103 million, Telus says $60 million will be spent in Prince George.

Telus hired 150 people last yearin Prince George   as it expanded its customer service centre, and plans to hire another 70 skilled people in Northern B.C. this year to offer support for it’s Optik TV.  Entwhistle says Telus is hoping to add another 5000 Prince George homes to its Optik TV service, bringing the Prince George numbers to 30,000 homes with Optik TV.

Communities to be linked to broadband include Cluculz Lake, Kitwanga , Hansard, Wet’suwet’en and Reid Lake. Wireless coverage along critical northern highways will also be extended.

At a major announcement event this morning in Prince George, Telus also announced it is launching a fund raising campaign to raise dollars for the construction of the Prince George Library’s SkyLab.
Opinion 250
Above copy courtesy of:
Dean Birks - REALTOR®

 

Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

$40 Million Hotel & Condo Project announced for Prince George

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This is great news!

Here is a download link to Hotel-Condo - News Release - Prince George BC.pdf - https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D902256_3373154_610172

Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Getting ready for New Honda North

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The construction for the new location of Honda North dealership is about to start. Its right beside Wood Wheaton dealership. More good news for Prince George growth.

Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

Friday, March 23, 2012

Proposed 10 Storey Building in Prince George BC

VANCOUVER - B.C. is moving ahead with plans to build what is expected to be the tallest wood building in North America and possibly the world.

The proposed 10-storey Wood Innovation and Design Centre in Prince George will become a test case for creating a value-added forest products industry around tall wood building construction methods that would differ radically from the way traditional mid-rise and even highrise buildings are constructed.

Jobs Minister Pat Bell said this week that within 30 days, the province will seek qualified firms to design and construct the building out of engineered wood beam products instead of traditional concrete and steel beams. The province has already received 34 expressions of interest.

The wood building would be the tallest in B.C., ``likely North America and possibly the world,'' Bell said.

The plan comes at the same time a new study produced for the Wood Enterprise Coalition by Vancouver architect Michael Green and several others suggests engineered wood skyscrapers of up to 30 storeys can be safely built using this new wood technology.

In an interview, Green said he expects that within five years, buildings between 10 and 20 storeys will be built in B.C. using any one of a number of laminated engineered wood products. But for that to happen, the province needs to change its building code. The code now limits wood buildings to six storeys, but that is based on wood-frame construction methods using studs and wood cladding.

Green's study says laminated wood beams and slabs - which can range up to 1.2 metres (four feet) wide, 18 centimetres (seven inches) thick and 19.5 metres (64 feet) long - have similar properties to concrete and steel and can be used to replace them in many cases. The resulting building would be lighter, comparable in cost and far more environmentally friendly than steel and concrete.

The buildings would be more fire-resistant than wood-frame buildings, meeting the same requirements as concrete and steel buildings.

``There are a lot of people and nations starting to look at these ideas. But right now our report is the first to show how to do it in a predominantly wood way at the scale we are talking about,'' Green said. ``It is an extremely unique moment where Canada is really leading the world in this conversation.''

Green said he was motivated to propose tall wood buildings as a way to tackle climate change. Wood acts as a carbon sink, locking in carbon dioxide as long as it doesn't rot or burn.

``Concrete production is responsible for five to eight per cent of the world's carbon emissions. Steel production eats up four per cent of the world's energy.''

Manufacturing engineered wood products does require some energy, but the carbon footprint is less than other forms of production.

``We have been looking at solutions to make our buildings perform better, and that is important. But we really haven't stepped back and said, `Are we building our buildings with the right material in the first place?' ''

He said the cost of building a 12-storey wood building in Vancouver would be the same as for concrete, at about $283 per square foot. A 20-storey wood tower would cost marginally more than concrete, at $300 per square foot versus $294.

Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

Friday, March 16, 2012

Some good words about Prince George Real Estate

Hi all,

I just received this post below from Bob and thought it was very interesting. Hope you enjoy. Cheers

Dean Birks - www.DeanBirks.com

---

Searching through a microscope rather than a wide angle lens may be more of a threat to anyone's financial success in the next few years.  I have watched the Prince George world of real estate for the past 20 years to see the majority reacting to small changes rather than watching the big ones.  People who do well and will always do well, hold tight in times of uncertainty.  Many are presently looking past headlines to another opportunity.

Each day, extra light is shining on Prince George and area as the place to invest now and for the future.  We have the hub where a combination of human resources, finances, raw materials and transportation will bring more of the world to our door step.  Over the next at least two years, the cost of financing will not only be affordable but also predictable.  Budgets and prospectus' will be realistic.  Growth and prosperity will be overall good.  There will be idiots who try the get rich quick schemes as usual. Equity with reliable cash flow, rather than unsustainable growth will be there to pick up the pieces.  

As opportunities spawn ideas (some good and some not so good), many will push the envelope to see how far they can go. My belief is a standard must be kept if we are to come out the other end as winners.  The standard I have come to understand in the past 42 years in Central/Northern BC is Real Estate.  But more so, Organized Real Estate.  The standard many try to compare themselves to.  The standard many try to circumvent.  But mostly, the standard most come to rely on.

I learned how much the public wants and needs the information and security provided by Organized Real Estate. The Multiple Listing Service. The standard by which lenders, appraisers, government assesment authorities and of course the buyers and sellers use to make decisions about the most valuable asset they will probably own.  Land.   Real Estate.  

I also experienced the resentment to the cost of this service and protection. I next learned how much the lending institutions rely on: "what is the value of this property if it had to be sold today". What does the current market say about this property? They go to the MLS information to see how the subject property compares to the "real story". The current MLS market.

Contrary to popular belief, Real Estate Sales Representatives do not drive prices up or down. They simply provide an avenue for a buyer and seller to make a deal on a property.  (Buyers and sellers determine price/value.)  In doing that the realtor has undergone licensing, education and training requirements, all designed for the public's protection and confidence.  All actions allowed to assist the public are overseen by managers. auditors and government authorities.  Realtors educate buyers and sellers and help them negotiate a "mutually beneficial transaction".  For that they expect and deserve a fee.

The most amazing part of this system is that it is all negotiable.  Ordered by law.  Up or down.  You can find agents who belong to the Multiple Listing Service system and contract services both as buyer and sellers from next to nothing to as much as you are willing to pay.  However, in this day and age, you get what you pay for and more when you deal with standard.  People who will take your call at any time of the day or night to help you make a deal on some real estate.  An investment that will more likely benefit you a lot more than the fee the realtor receives benefits them.  "do-it-yourselfers"  can satisfy themselves as to their results.

One might think this is a plug for Realtors.  Not as much as a wake up to where our standard comes from.  I help all sorts of people improve their lives through the financing of the value of Real Estate... and the standard it requires.  

Oh by the way...   Mortgage Rates    are only going to go down.  Variable if you can, short term is excellent too.  However, long term is secure for those who can't sleep at night.  I welcome any questions you may have.

once again, thanks

Bob Quinlan
www.pgmortgages.ca
office: 250-564-9161
cell: 250-565-8444
fax: 250-564-9132
#2 - 1810 Third Ave.
Prince George, BC V2M 1G4

Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

Friday, March 9, 2012

Endako Mine Expansion Means More Jobs for B.C.

Here is some more great news for Central BC. 
Cheers
Dean Birks 
Royal Lepage Prince George
Ministry of Energy and Mines, Economy Sector, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Region, Kootenay Rockies Region, Northern B.C. Region, Provincewide, Thompson / Okanagan Region, Vancouver Coast & Mountains Region, Vancouver Island / Coast Region

Endako Mine Expansion Means More Jobs for B.C.

http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2012/03/endako-mine-expansion-means-more-jobs-for-bc.html
Economy Friday, March 9, 2012 12:45 PM

FRASER LAKE - Endako Mine has been issued a Mines Act permit amendment which will increase production, create approximately 160 new jobs and sustain a total of 400 employees in the north, announced Minister of Energy and Mines Rich Coleman.

Endako is a molybdenum mine owned by Thompson Creek Mining Ltd., and Sojitz Corporation. The mine is located 100 km west of Prince George near Fraser Lake. It has been in continuous production since 1965.

The expansion of the mine will amalgamate the three pits. It will also result in a major upgrade to the mine's 42-year-old mill and will create a new facility that will nearly double the current processing capacity to 55,000 tonnes. The expansion's projected capital cost is approximately $600 million.

Mining reserves are sufficient to continue operations until approximately 2028.

The expansion will generate approximately $90 - $100 million annually in economic activity such as direct wages, purchases and taxes.

The Endako expansion has been able to provide an employment opportunity for the 36 displaced mill workers who were negatively affected by the recent fire and explosion which closed the Babine Forest Products mill. The workers will help to start up the new mill, and these jobs may lead to permanent employment.

Mineral exploration and mining is an important economic driver for British Columbia. The production value of this province's mining industry was approximately $8.6 billion in 2011.

Under the BC Jobs Plan, the Province has expanded four mines. The goal is to open eight new and expand a total of nine mines in British Columbia by 2015.

Quotes:

Premier Christy Clark -

"Our government's number-one priority is jobs and keeping our economy growing. I am particularly pleased to see Endako working with the community that was so devastated by the fire at the Babine Mill. My sincere congratulations to those employees and their families who were displaced, but now have a new opportunity and work. This is a great example of neighbours helping neighbours in a time of need."

Rich Coleman, Minister of Energy and Mines -

"The expansion of the Endako mine will continue to provide well-paying, stable jobs in this area. The B.C. Government is committed to working with industry to ensure that mining jobs are available in communities across the province. Tax revenues from mines provide much-needed funding for essential infrastructure and social programs that benefit all British Columbians."

Kevin Loughrey, chairman and CEO Thompson Creek Metals -

"Our employees, contractors, and suppliers have performed an outstanding job meeting the many challenges necessary to reach operational and commercial production so quickly. We continue to make significant progress and ramp up production, and we anticipate full production will be achieved in the second quarter of 2012. Once at full production, the Endako mine is expected to increase molybdenum production from approximately 10 million pounds per year to approximately 16 million pounds per year (100 per cent basis)."

John Rustad, MLA Nechako Lakes -

"Endako Mine has been a rock of support for Fraser Lake and the surrounding area as it's one of the longest-operating mines in Canada. I'm very happy to see this will extend the mine's life by another 16 years, and that it will continue to be a cornerstone of the economy in this area of the province."

 

Quick Facts:

  • Today, B.C.'s mines are profitable, tax revenues are rising and direct mining jobs are increasing.
  • To ensure future prosperity, the Province is stepping up its permitting approval processes to ensure industry is in a position to achieve growth, while continuing to maintain high health, safety and environmental standards.
  • As well, the Province helps to ensure a profitable mining sector through the provision of variety of industry incentives:
  • Mining Exploration Tax Credit provides a 20 per cent refundable tax credit for companies.
  • Mining Flow Through Share Tax Credit provides a non-refundable 20 per cent tax credit. This incentive makes the cost of eligible exploration the second-lowest in the country.
  • New Mine Allowance provides the equivalent of a 133.3 per cent deduction of capital costs for mines that commence or expand production before Jan. 1, 2016.
  • Molybdenum is a type of coal ore which is used in the production of steel, particularly stainless- and construction-grade steel.

Contact:

Sandra Steilo
Media Relations
Ministry of Energy and Mines
250-952-0617

Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Latest Top 10 good news

I thought some of you would like some more good news and the positive things happening in and around central BC. Here is Pat Bell's Top 10.

---------------------------------------

Hi All

This is another milestone in my Top 10 series with this being the 450th edition! The first edition came out March 28, 2002 almost exactly 10 years ago and the good news is my 2 finger typing method has improved considerably over that time!

As many of you will know we released our ‘Jobs Strategy last September, a piece of work I am very proud of. It’s been a while since I talked about the Jobs Strategy in my Top 10 so I wanted to focus this edition an what I think will become the cornerstone piece of Government policy over the next 10 years. In this edition you’ll see that the strategy is already delivering results in our region with much more to come. I cannot think of a better place to live in the world than northern BC in the coming decade and I’m proud to be part of this community. I hope you enjoy #450 and please feel free to pass on to your family and friends. Have a great week! 

Pat Bell MLA for Prince George North http://www.patbellmla.bc.ca/

1)      Forestry 

The value of British Columbia’s softwood lumber exports to China jumped 60% in 2011, surpassing the $1 billion mark for the first time.  Since 2003, lumber exports have risen by more than 1,500 per cent. With lumber export sales of 4.28 billion board feet as of November, exports to China have already surpassed the province’s 2008 goal of exporting four billion board feet in 2011.The government is also investing $550,000 over 3 years to help the B.C. silviculture industry develop new human resource strategies to meet the challenges of a changing labour market. 

2) Mining

There will be $1.3 billion invested at Mt. Milligan where construction is underway on a copper-gold mine and now employs 800 people.  Mt. Milligan located 150 km northwest of Prince George will provide 300 permanent jobs in full production.We are also seeing the $443 million Red Chris copper-gold-silver mine project move forward, which is expected to produce 30,000 tonnes per day, have a lifespan of 25 years and create 250 jobs. There is also the proposed $2.5 billion expansion of the aluminum smelter at the Rio Tinto Alcan mine, which would increase production by 400,000 tonnes per year. And there is the proposed 470 km, $1.4 billion natural gas pipeline between Summit Lake and Kitimat. There has been a total of $17.8 billion invested in the mining industry. 

3) Natural Gas

One part of the Province’s Natural Gas Strategy is the Infrastructure Royalty Credit Program, which is providing up to $120 million in credits to encourage oil and gas development. It has led to 115 new pipeline projects and 84 new road-based ventures since 2004. We anticipate that the development of a Liquefied Natural Gas sector, and our three new proposed LNG plants by 2020, will generate over $20 billion in new investments, as many as 9,000 new construction jobs, and about 800 new long-term jobs. As well, the industry will support thousands of potential spin-off jobs and over $1 billion a year in additional revenues.

4) Agrifoods In Prince George

A new state of the art aquaponic system is being put to the test. Aquaponics is a technique that cultivates plants in water instead of soil, and raises aquatic animals within the same sustainable environment as the plants. Live tilapia fish provide nutrients for plants, and plants filter water for the fish in the symbiotic system. Northern Aquaponics Ltd. began operations last spring and is now yielding its first produce crops. 

5) Tourism Gaining

The Edge: A Five Year Strategy for Tourism in B.C. calls for stronger marketing in areas that are most likely to attract people to B.C. These areas include: touring vacations, city experiences, skiing, snowboarding, Aboriginal tourism, outdoor adventure/ecotourism, and meetings and conventions.In 2010, the tourism sector employed 127,000 British Columbians, generated over $13.4 billion in revenue for tourism-related businesses and contributed over $1.2 billion to provincial government revenues. A key priority over the next five years will be attracting more tourists from countries with large emerging middle classes.  

6) Transportation 

Canada’s Pacific Gateway is a streamlined transportation network that directly links Asia and North America. We are investing in infrastructure to maintain seamless road, sea, and rail connections to connect our markets to the world. The Port of Prince Rupert is Canada’s leading-edge port – leading in strategies for trade growth, maritime safety, environmental stewardship and community partnership. As the entry point to the Northwest Transportation Corridor, the Port supports an estimated 1,300 direct jobs and $80 million in wages annually. When direct, indirect and induced job creation is considered, the Port and the Corridor support a total of 2,720 person-years of employment and $150 million in wages.  

7) International Education

At the University of Northern BC, international students make up just over 9 per cent of total enrollment. Last year, UNBC had 396 international students from 43 different countries, including China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, India, the U.S. and Scandinavia. This is three times more than a decade ago. The College of New Caledonia had 286 international students, with 132 of them coming from China. International students also join CNC from Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, India and Korea.School District #57 currently hosts 90 international students. With a strong program that has been in place for a number of years, the School District has hosted students from diverse international countries. In 2011-2012, 50 students from Columbia will be attending schools throughout the district.

8) Technology

The Carbon Offset Aggregation Cooperative (COAC ) in Prince George has the only carbon protocol methodology in the world. This methodology is used for calculating, reporting and selling carbon offsets that are produced through the reduction of diesel consumption in heavy equipment.The COAC provides a Fuel Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Initiative for owners of heavy equipment and long or short haul trucks to reduce diesel consumption, and by doing so create, aggregate and sell carbon offsets. 

9) Growth in the Asia pacific

The BC Jobs Plan builds on the province increasing trade with Asia by focusing on opening and expanding markets for B.C. goals in key markets such as China, Japan, South Korea and India and making smart investments in the infrastructure that will help get B.C. goods to market. For the first time ever, Asian exports now exceed exports to the United States. Our neighbors across the Pacific are experiencing exponential growth and we recognize this as an opportunity to grow economically as well. The Japanese enterprise, Mitsubishi Corporation, has entered into a multi-billion dollar agreement with North American energy producer, Encana Corporation, to develop over 400,000 acres of undeveloped natural gas lands in Cutbank Ridge in northeast B.C. This project represents B.C.’s vision for the long-term development of our natural gas resources in safe, energy-efficient, sustainable ways. 

10) Mackenzie 

In an exciting and innovative new project, BC Hydro and Conifex Timber Inc. are teaming up to generate clean, renewable bio energy in Mackenzie. The new agreement will create 80 construction jobs and 20 permanent jobs in the region. It will also strengthen the local forest industry and add new clean energy to B.C.’s electricity mix.Conifex’s two-mill complex in Mackenzie employs 200 people and ships a majority of its product to China. The company hopes to expand production and employment in the coming year.   

Bell, Pat
p.bell@leg.bc.ca

Above copy courtesy of:

Dean Birks - www.DeanBirks.com

Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

Thursday, February 23, 2012

BC First Time New Home Buyer Bonus

Effective February 21, 2012, to March 31, 2013, the bonus is a one-time refundable personal
income tax credit worth up to $10,000. Great news if you buying a New Home for the first time.

Click Here for further details on my website blog.

Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

Sunday, February 12, 2012

CN Rail is growing in leaps and bounds

For those of us in the Prince George area keeping an eye on the growing transportation hub we are becoming this is just more support for what the potential is.

Here is a link to the Prince George Citizen article on CN's growth here.

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/article/20120212/PRINCEGEORGE0101/302129996/-1/princegeorge01/cn-rail-growing-leaps-and-bounds

Cheers!

Dean Birks - REALTOR®

Royal LePage Prince George

www.DeanBirks.com

Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Cold Weather Tip - Watch your furnace!

There has been a few clients in the past few weeks were their furnace stopped working and the home was left vacant for a few days which meant frozen pipes and not so nice outcome. But those are the obvious ones. The less obvious is your furnace switch in your home. Some times it is accidentally turned off due to someone flicking switches to see what light it turns on (not realizing its the furnace switch) only to leave it in the off position. This then shuts your furnace down and again if the home is left vacant you could end up with a frozen home.

I would guess that in a year only 1% of the homes I show have some kind of sticker or color to indicate the switch is for the furnace. I would recommend placing a sticker saying 'Furnace' on that switch. It only take a minute to do and could save your thousands of dollars in repairs due to frozen pipes.

Here is a picture of my furnace switch at home:

Furnace20switch

Best regards

Dean Birks

Top Office Producer (07, 09, 10 & 2011)

#1 MLS® Producer in Prince George (2011)

Royal LePage Prince George
Phone/Text (Direct): 250-612-1709
Fax (Direct): 1-888-870-4132

www.DeanBirks.com

 

Oh, by the way. I'm never too busy for your referrals!

Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

Thank you very much!

Prince George Real Estate - Top MLS agent for 2011.pdf Download this file

I wish to personally thank very much all my past and present clients, along with friends and associates for their continued trust when asking me or referring myself to help with either buying or selling real estate here in the Prince George area. I look forward to another great year and feel very optimistic about Prince George & area in the coming years.

Cheers!

Best regards

Dean Birks

Royal LePage Prince George
Phone/Text (Direct): 250-612-1709
Fax (Direct): 1-888-870-4132

www.DeanBirks.com

 

Oh, by the way. I'm never too busy for your referrals!

Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

Friday, February 3, 2012

More good news for North Central BC & Prince George

1- Foreign Trade Zones Eyed for Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Prince George - The British Columbia government is considering creating two foreign trade zones, one in the Vancouver region and one in the north. Click Here for the rest.

2- Clark Government Unveils LNG Plans:

By 250 News  Friday, February 03, 2012 10:05 AM

Prince George, B.C. - Premier Christy Clark today announced British Columbia's natural gas strategy will be established on a foundation of four priorities for long-term economic prosperity under the BC Jobs Plan.
   "We are creating new and exciting opportunities by diversifying our natural gas sector, strengthening job prospects for British Columbians and opening the door to new clean energy projects. My government is positioning liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a cornerstone of British Columbia's long-term economic success," said Premier Clark.
   The Natural Gas Strategy and a complementary strategy focusing specifically on the development of a brand-new LNG sector, were released today by Clark at BCIT. Their four priorities commit the province to:
* Greater emphasis on market diversification to increase the value of B.C.'s natural gas.
* Support job creation together with industry, educators and communities.
* Continued strong leadership on clean energy and climate change moving forward.
* A redefinition of the Province's self-sufficiency policy to ensure B.C. is well-positioned to power expansion.
   The Province's strategy will ultimately support job creation and economic opportunity. Over the next five years, job openings are expected to increase as a result of growth in the natural gas sector and the emergence of a LNG industry.
Development of LNG is expected to produce approximately $20 billion in new private sector investment. This investment will create 800 new long-term jobs for British Columbians working in LNG facilities and up to 9,000 more jobs during construction.
Indirectly, growth and a new LNG industry will support thousands of spin-off jobs in the fields of transportation, engineering, construction and environmental management.
   British Columbia will be home to the world`s first LNG export facilities that use clean energy. BC LNG Douglas Channel and Kitimat LNG will access clean energy from the Province's existing grid. As new infrastructure is built and the industry expands, future energy needs will be served by local, clean energy, with B.C.'s natural gas used to support energy reliability if required. Discussions are underway now with LNG proponents to assess power requirements for future projects.

Cheers!

Best regards

Dean Birks

Top Office Producer (07, 09, 10 & 2011)

#1 MLS® REALTOR® for Prince George (2011)

Royal LePage Prince George
Phone/Text (Direct): 250-612-1709
Fax (Direct): 1-888-870-4132

www.DeanBirks.com

 

Oh, by the way. I'm never too busy for your referrals!

Posted via email from Prince George Real Estate blog

Thursday, February 2, 2012

A cautious start to the new year

Here is a great email I got from Bob and thought I would pass it along. Enjoy!

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In the early 70's expanding competition from globalization brought competition that caused major fluctuations in interest rates charged by lenders as credit became more accessible and inflation caught the financial gurus off guard.  This explosion of the baby boomers transitioning into home owners with families fed it all.  There was no end to the prosperity.  Mortgage rates rose for a short time over 20%.  In 1982 the bubble burst as values had to be adjusted to suit the payments debtors could afford.  The world recovered slowly and here in Prince George as 5-yr interest rates settled into the 10-12% range and values/sales were determined again by the catalyst of credit... payments....

When UNBC was announced in 1990 Prince George immediately benefited over the next six to seven years until the Softwood Lumber Dispute slowed Northern BC substantially as many depended on the sale of word to the US.  A comment often heard was:  "imagine if we didn't have the University".  And it was true. Interest rates continued to slowly drop.

However, during that time growth did happen, even if it was not as robust.  Increased Global competition helped reduce the costs of borrowing as overall, interest rates dropped slowly and prior to September 11, 2001, the overall forecast for the global economy was for slow recovery and growth (how often have we heard that?).  Immediately after 9/11interest rates dropped world wide.  And they continued to drop.  Here in Prince George and surrounding area it was the catalyst that combined a new supply with the pent up demand.  In 2002 the market started to move for the better and by 2004 things here were chugging along pretty good.  About 2006 we started to see result of some success with the expectation of more to come.  Interest rates demanded began to rise and borrowers rationalized the cost..  Again, a new bubble burst.  This time in 2008.  Blame can be set upon the creditors and debtors alike, but it really takes two to tango.  Anyways, the enormity to the problem now was magnified by globalization.  Getting in... and now getting out (of the problem while maintaining accelerating access to world markets.

Once financial institutions started to fall, so great in 2008 was the fear of a collapse, the resulting damage and then letting order restore itself as it has in similar historical situations was too great for governments not to step in.  Values and amounts of debts along with payments are being adjusted in Greece and the same will probably happen in Spain, Portugal and maybe even Italy.  

This is not growth and does not spur any reason for an increase in interest rates.  For a long time.  Last week word came from the US that interest rates will not rise at all until late 2014.  We are tied closely enough that we will be in much the same boat.  

The advantage for investors/speculators in the Prince George area is that the growth in transportation alone to service the natural resources sector in Northern BC combined with the certainty of low interest rates equals opportunity.  We are seeing activity in both the commercial and residential market.  Some tire kicking and some actual buying.  But as in most trends, many will not join in until the trend is a full swell.  Now is the time when those with great insight, luck and guts will try to find the right real estate investment that will pay off handsomely in the next 4- 6 years.  Credit will be available but less so as returns for lenders remain low.

My point is, our financial world has become addicted to cash flow and low interest rates.  The two are related and value becomes secondary to.  The challenge debtors are faced with is maintaining the values they are contractually entitled to.  As we are seeing in Greece, that doesn't mean they will get it.  Interest rates will remain low and those who have asked for another "kit at the cat" should have it.

I believe that in spite of the challenges displayed to us by the media, here in Prince George and surrounding area, we are on the verge of growth with diversity.  What large cities are based and survive on.  I would like the opportunity to talk to some of you about it.  Please contact me if you have any ideas you want to work on.

thanks,

Bob Quinlan, mortgage broker
office:  250-564-9161
cell:  250-565-8884
fax:  250-564-9132
www.pgmortgages.ca

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Best regards

Dean Birks

Top Office Producer (07, 09, 10 & 2011)

#1 MLS® REALTOR® for Prince George (2011)

Royal LePage Prince George
Phone/Text (Direct): 250-612-1709
Fax (Direct): 1-888-870-4132

www.DeanBirks.com

 

Oh, by the way. I'm never too busy for your referrals!


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