Brant Seeking Permission To Utilize Leftover Stimulus Funding
Brant County is looking to get a little more mileage out of its stimulus funding from the federal and provincial governments.
The 6.3-million dollar resurfacing of Bishopsgate Road, and the 3-1/2-million dollar resurfacing of Highway-54 both had surpluses, and the County is now asking Ottawa and Queen's Park if those remaining monies can be put towards other projects.
Those initiatives would be a 221-thousand dollar resurfacing of Vanessa Road, a 1.3-million dollar overhaul of Oakland Road, and the 440-thousand dollar resurfacing of five streets in Burford.
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Feeling Lucky With The Booze Young Motorist?
The province has a heavier book ready to throw at young drivers who take the chance of drinking an alcoholic beverage before getting behind the wheel.
As of the first of next month, motorists 21-years of age and under, who do not have a zero blood alcohol level in their bloodstream when tested by police will face an immediate 24-hour licence suspension, a 30-day licence suspension, and up to 500-dollars in fines.
Meantime, effective the 3rd of next month, eligible motorists convicted of an impaired driving offence for the first time, will be able to reduce their licence suspension period of they agree to have an ignition interlock device installed on their vehicles at their own expense.
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Brant Has A Need---The Need For High-Speed
Brant County is playing catch-up on the cyber front---at least that's the plan.
County council has agreed to file a grant application with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs to help finance the expansion of high-speed internet across the municipality.
Council has been told by staff that through the province's Rural Connections Broadband Program, the county could qualify for over a half-million dollars in funding if the municipality kicks-in around 330-thousand dollars.
Should the province give the green-light, the high-speed infrastructure could be operational in less than two years from now.
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Provincial Parks Going Wireless?
Provincial parks are moving to answer the call of campers who need to remain connected even while they're getting away from it all.
They're experimenting with wireless internet service at Pinery Provincial Park on Lake Huron, and if it proves successful, the cyber offering will be extended to other parks.
At Pinery, the wireless zone is restricted to a terrace outside the store located in the middle of the park, and does not service campsites.
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The CRTC And The Future Of Telephone Service
This country's broadcast regulator wants to determine exactly what basic telephone service should mean in the digital age
As it now stands, it means a phone line, access to a directory and emergency services, long distance, voice mail, and a telephone book.
But, the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission is condering the addition of high-speed internet access to the package, and also trying to determine if cell phones and wireless internet can replace traditional telephone and cable lines.
The C-R-T-C has launched an online consultation, and will begin public hearings in the fall.
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South Side Half Done
Slope stabilization is about to begin at the south side of Colborne Street demolition zone in downtown Brantford.
Tony D'Angelo---of Aim Waste Management in Stoney Creek---says that part of the project should begin this week at the extreme west end, where his crew started tearing down forty-one old buildings.
D'Angelo says so far, they've demolished about twenty-five structures, which is well past the half-way mark, and they were also ahead of schedule in opening the walkway to the parking garage.
Meantime, D'Angelo is very impressed with the results of the project to date, saying the folks living on the north side of Colborne "now have a beautiful view".
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Last Second Deal Nixes OMB Hearing In Brantford
Before an Ontario Municipal Board hearing in Brantford could get underway, a lawyer for the developers wanting to construct a mixed apartment building-townhouse complex on the old Penman's site on Grand River Avenue announced a deal to side-step the formal appeal.
He told O-M-B commissioner Marc Denhez yesterday that the project's proponents had agreed to install a trail access point that's wide enough to accomodate emergency vehicles, construct a bus stop/shelter before half the units in the complex are sold, and hand out transit schedules and related information when selling residences.
"Keep Our River Public" spokeswoman Mary Ellen Kaye---who's running for city council in October's municipal elections---says her group is concerned about public access to the municipal trails, and traffic congestion.
Meantime, the development---which features two, six-storey apartment buildings having a combined total of 136 units, and two-dozen townhouses---won city council approval for the required zoning changes a couple of years ago.
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Provincial Wage Freeze Plan Get Unions' Cold Shoulder
This province's Finance Minister, Dwight Duncan, hasn't had much success in selling the idea of a public sector wage freeze to union leaders.
Duncan discussed the McGuinty government's proposed two-year freeze during a meeting with union executives.
But, Smoky Thomas---of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union---says workers shouldn't have to accept a pay freeze unless the government scraps proposed corporate tax cuts totalling 4-1/2-billion dollars.
About 710-thousand public sector employees would be affected by the Liberals' wage cap.
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Hospital Deficit Fears
The Opposition at Queen's Park is warning the McGuinty government that more hospitals will sink into red ink if the Liberals don't move to save health care services.
While Brantford General continues in the black, statistics indicate that thirty-eight percent of this province's hospitals were in deficit last spring.
Health Minister Deb Matthews expects the picture to improve next year, but New Democrat leader Andrea Horwath thinks shortfalls will get worse, and Tory leader Tim Hudak says the government should be moving increased numbers of patients out of hospital settings by investing more in nursing homes, and community services.
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Positively Surprising Jobless Report
A big turnaround for the unemployment rate in the Brantford area.
Last month, it dropped an entire point to 10.8-percent from May's 11.8-percent.
Nationally, the jobless rate dipped to 7.9-percent from 8.1-percent in May as more than 93-thousand jobs were created.
The monthly Statistics Canada report is so surprisingly positive, analysts are wondering if it's accurate---it has also led to speculation that it will prompt the Bank of Canada to boost its key lending rate this month.
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Development Values Surge
The overall value of approved development in the city of Brantford has caught and surpassed totals from a year ago.
At the half year mark, the total of all approved projects neared $66-million, up from 59-million recorded through June of last year.
The city's building department director, Doug Clark, says a couple of major institutional developments approved last month---another Laurier-Brantford project downtown, and the city's water treatment plant upgrade---helped boost this year's numbers.
But, Clark says he remains most impressed with this year's single family home permits issued for 104 units and almost 14-million dollars development, compared to only 42-units and just over five-million dollars' worth of development, a year ago.
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New House Sale Benchmark In Brantford-Brant
The president of the Brantford Regional Real Estate Association says there continues to be upward pressure on house prices dspite weakening demand.
Dan Marchuk's comment relates to last month's average house price of over $237,500, which is a local record, and was up five-percent from June of last year.
But, Marchuk points out that a few big sales can skew the overall totals.
Marchuk says considering last year's post recession surge, it's not surprising that last month's combined total of 47-million dollars in house sales was down six-percent from the previous June's numbers.
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1380 Sports
C-F-L......The Edmonton Eskimos blew an 18-10 half-time lead, but rallied from behind to edge the visiting British Columbia Lions 28-25 for their first win of the season. Both struggling Western Conference clubs now have one-and-four records.....Meantime tonight, the Hamilton Tiger Cats visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders.....and.....the Winnipeg Blue Bombers play the Stampeders in Calgary.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.....The Toronto Blue Jays exploded for six runs in the fourth inning---thanks mainly to a grand slam by Jose Bautista, who cracked his major league leading 31st home run---as they routed the visiting Cleveland Indians, 8-1.....the New York Yankees fell 3-2 to the Tampa Bay Rays.....the Boston Red Sox rallied with four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but fell short of the Detroit Tigers, 6-5.....and.....the Baltimore Orioles were outscored 7-5 by the Kansas City Royals.
MAJOR INTERCOUNTY PLAYOFFS......The Brantford Red Sox are the first to advance to the sem-finals after downing the Hamilton Thunderbirds, 5-3, before their home fans last night to complete a four-game sweep of their preliminary round series......and......the Kitchener Panthers bounced back on the road to romp 8-1 over the London Majors to even that series at three-wins-each........This afternoon, at 2:00, the Guelph Royals will host the Toronto Maple Leafs, leading their series two-games-to-one.....and.....the Mississauga Twins will be home to the Barrie Baycats who are one win away from sweeping their series in four.
JUNIOR "A" LACROSSE PLAYOFFS......The Six Nations Arrows visit the Orangeville Northmen tonight in Game-1 of the championship final. The opening face-off is set for 7:00.
JUNIOR "B" LACROSSE PLAYOFFS....The Six Nations Rebels will again have their backs against the wall tonight when they visit Elora Mohawks who lead their best-of-five semi-final two-games-to-one. Game time is scheduled for 7:00.....and......at 7:30, the Clarington Green Gaels will play the Halton Hills Bulldogs in Georgetown, leading that semi two-games-to-one.
MAJOR LEAGUE LACROSSE.....The Toronto Nationals will be on Long Island tonight to play the Lizards.
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER.....Toronto F-C will play the Kansas City Wizards at 8:30 tonighht at B-MO Field.
CANADIAN SOCCER LEAGUE......Milltown F-C visits the Toronto F-C Academy at 7:00 tonight.
