Enterprise Saskatchewan

Carnduff
Viterra has two projects for the Carnduff site. Upgrades include expanding railcar capacity from 56 to 112 cars and increasing storage capacity by 7,000 for a total of 33,000 metric tones. Construction is to be completed by fall 2010. (Carnduff Gazette Post, June 7, 2010)

Glen Ewen
The Glen Ewen Hotel, which was destroyed by fire, has been rebuilt and opened for business. Karolyn Stubbington is the owner. (Carnduff Gazette Post, June 7, 2010)

Midale
Erick Vandenhurk and Jarika Penny from Midale Central School received the Ernest C. Manning Innovation Achievement Award for their engineered grain bin lid at the Canada-wide Science Fair held in Peterborough, Ontario. The lid has a unique design for sliding shut which eliminates the problem of the wind blowing it open. This in turn prevents water from getting into the bin and also keeps birds from feeding on the grain. (Estevan Mercury, June 2, 2010)

Redvers
Cruisin Chicken has opened for business. (Redvers Optimist, May 29, 2010)

Marge Garnier who began by sewing earmuffs for calves has changed her business, Marge’s Muffs, to Marge’s Muffs Etc. They now produce a wrap for cam locks on hoses of tanker trucks used in the oilfield. The strap wraps around the cam locks and keeps them secure despite vibration which solves a big problem in the oil patch. (Pipeline News, June 2010)

Weyburn
Legacy Oil and Gas Inc., an exploration and oil production company, has opened its new office in the city. (Black Gold May 2010)

The Oil Show, held biennially in Weyburn, had a booth at the Calgary show which is one of the biggest oil shows in the world. Weyburn’s next show is in June 2011. (Weyburn Review, June 2, 2010)

Aurora Safety Services has opened a drug and alcohol screening clinic to promote safe and efficient workplaces. (Weyburn Review, June 9, 2010)

Family & Friends Yard Care has opened for business. Services include mowing grass, hedge trimming, landscaping and rototilling. (Weyburn Review, June 2, 2010)

Extreeme Transport is now doing deliveries in Weyburn such as crew transport and light delivery. (Weyburn Review, June 2, 2010)

Moose Jaw
A company out of Saskatoon has paid $672,000 for the old Ross School site in Moose Jaw. The Prairie South School Division has officially approved the sale of the land and the historic building to Betchar Holding Ltd. (www.discovermoosejaw.com, Tuesday, June 8, 2010.)

The City of Moose Jaw issued 41 building permits in May, with a total value of $6.47 million. (The Moose Jaw Times Herald, June 9, 2010)

The South Central Enterprise Region (SCER) held its annual general meeting in Assiniboia. Chief Executive Officer, Deb Thorn, reported on $140,000 worth of projects that were launched and have another $121,000 worth of projects underway. SCER will also potentially meet with about 300 businesses to see what barriers they have for preventing expansion and growth. (www.discovermoosejaw.com, Wednesday, June 9, 2010)

Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs, a Saskatchewan Young Professionals & Entrepreneurs (SYPE) chapter, is a new Moose Jaw based group formed to promote business and opportunity in Saskatchewan. SYPE is hosting the annual Silver Spade Awards in Saskatoon with Alison Anderson representing the Moose Jaw chapter. SYPE helps new entrepreneurs succeed by providing mentorship. PX2 training, which is a product of the Pacific Institute, is also coming. (www.discovermoosejaw.com, Thursday, June 10, 2010)

Four Moose Jaw students, Siera Bearchell, Justice Eashappie, Emmett Harrison and Michael Holzer, have been named to the Lieutenant Governor’s Leadership Forum. The forum, which takes place October 11th to 22nd in Moose Jaw, Regina, Saskatoon and La Ronge, engages students in discussion and exposes them to opportunities in Saskatchewan. (www.discovermoosejaw.com, Thursday, June 10, 2010)

Battleford
Realty Solutions AKL Ltd., a new real estate office, has opened in Battleford. Lynne Burton, Kandice Tomaz and Alberta Mak are the owners/brokers. (Regional Optimist, June 4, 2010)

Lloydminster
The Lloydminster Farmers Market celebrated 35 years in the community. (Meridian Booster, May 28, 2010)

Onion Lake Cree Nation (OLCN) and the Royal Bank of Canada announced Phase II of a $25.9 million financing agreement for OLCN’s economic stimulus plan. Projects include on reserve housing construction and renovations, road improvement construction and a low pressure water distribution system to all homes. As well the school roof will be replaced. (Meridian Booster, May 28, 2010)

Meadow Lake
Sandstone Salon has new owners. (Northern Pride, June 1, 2010)

Nadine’s Hair Studio opened for business. (Northern Pride, June 1, 2010)

Nifty 50 Diner has re-opened as Nifty Discount Outlet. (Northern Pride, June 1, 2010)

North Battleford
Retrofit renovations commenced at Battlefords Union Hospital. The project is expected to be completed by October and will include installation of a fire suppression sprinkler system and energy efficient lighting on each floor as well as upgrading the heating, ventilation and HVAC systems, and the ceilings. (Daily News Online, June 3, 2010)

Norsask Farm Equipment Ltd. has now relocated into their newly constructed facility on Highway 16. (Regional Optimist, June 4, 2010)

Lesmeister Construction is building two new buildings. Each will have three bays and encompass 5,400 square feet. Construction began in April and should be completed in September. Lesmeister is already in negotiations on three of the available bays and believes the remainder will be occupied quickly as there is a shortage of commercial rental space in the city. (Daily News Online, June 8, 2010)

Developers Glenn Hornick of Hornick Enterprise and Management Ltd. and Ed Stromsmoe of Golden Health along with the City of North Battleford announced the construction of Harwood Manor, an $8 to $10 million dollar Senior Care Home facility to be constructed in the Fairview Heights subdivision. The facility will provide 90 beds in 72 rooms and provide services similar to what is provided in Level 1 to Level 4 care facilities. Construction should start within four to six weeks. (City of North Battleford, June 8, 2010)

Paradise Hill
Novlan Bros. Ford was among a group of Ford and Lincoln dealerships recognized with the 2009 President’s Award by Form Motor Company of Canada. The award recognizes excellence in automotive retailing. Business owner is Randy Novlan. (St. Walburg & Area Gazette, June 2, 2010)

St. Walburg & Area
Lorna Sim and Bonnie Boser have opened Friends & Flowers Greenhouse. (St. Walburg & Area Gazette, June 2, 2010)

Unity
Heitt”s Welding Shop is now open in Unity. (Unity Herald, May 31, 2010)

Wilkie
SaskCan CEO, Murad Al Katib, announced a $1.5 million laser technology expansion at the former Finora facility which they purchased last year. The new laser light technology equipment can scan seven tones of grain per hour. (Wilkie Press, May 31, 2010; Western Producer, June 3, 2010)

Birch Hills
The King George Hotel in Birch Hills has new owners, Mick Kurchirka and Rupert Rabut. Veeda Boudreault and Mellissa Kurchirka will be co-managing. (Melfort Journal, June 1, 2010)

Carrot River
Carrot River Co-operative is building a new convenience store. The $1,000,000 project should be completed in December 2010. (Federated Co-operatives Limited)

Fort a la Corne
Red Earth Cree Nation and Shore Gold signed an agreement that will allow for a study to determine the impact the Shore Gold diamond mine project at the Fort a la Corne provincial forest will have on the lands traditionally used by the Red Earth Cree Nation. (The Parkland Review, May 21, 2010)

Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay Co-operative is upgrading its convenience store. The $600,000 project should be completed in October 2010. (Federated Co-operatives Limited)

Melfort
Prairie North Co-operative is upgrading its food store at the Melfort Mall. The $1,000,000 project should be competed in late 2010. (Federated Co-operatives Limited)

Nipawin
Warehouse One – The Jean Store recently set up a temporary store in Nipawin to give the residents an opportunity to see their clothing and to sample the local market as a potential location for a new store. The test market took place from May 13 to May 16. (The Nipawin Journal, May 26, 2010)

Tisdale
Beeland Co-operative is upgrading its cardlock. The $600,000 project should be completed in August 2010. (Federated Co-operatives Limited)

Wakaw
Ben Nagy Plumbing & Heating has the Trane dealership for the area and is back in business. (The Wakaw Recorder, June 2, 2010)

Earl Grey/Bulyea
The Eddy Golf Course has a newly constructed cart shed which holds eight golf carts with individual steel roll up doors. All spaces have been rented out which will generate $2,000 a year in revenue for the golf club. (Last Mountain Times, June 1, 2010)

Regina
The new location of the Regina Trade and Skills Centre (RTSC) opened in the Turner Crossing Mall on Albert Street. RTSC is a not-for-profit organization that offers experience in the trades to high school students and adults. The Centre provides eight to twelve week courses with hands-on learning, safety training and help with finding employment upon completion. There are currently 28 young adult programs available in areas such as plumbing, framing, roofing and short order cooking. The Centre has a 90 per cent completion rate and an Aboriginal participation rate of 45 per cent. (Leader Post, May 28, 2010)

Sounds of Life Hearing Center held their grand opening. The Center is located in the business wing of the Best Western Seven Oaks Inn on Albert Street. (Leader Post, May 28, 2010)

Progress2Capital held its limo session of the business planning competition. The seven competition finalists were each given five minutes in a stretch limousine to make their pitches to the judges. Longer and more formal presentations will be made and the winner and runner ups will be announced at the Casino Regina Show Lounge in June. (Leader Post, May 28, 2010)

The grand prize winner of this year’s Progress2Capital business planning competition is The Booby Trapper, developed by Nancy Armstrong. The Booby Trapper is a device to help mothers breastfeed their babies in privacy and safety. The patent pending design prevents the fabric of the canopy from collapsing on the nursing baby’s face. Armstrong will receive up to 200 square feet of office space, Internet access and parking at Innovation Place Regina for one year at no cost. In addition, Armstrong will receive $5,000 in kind accounting and consulting services from Deloitte and a $5,000 cash prize from Information Services Corporation. (Leader Post, June 3, 2010)

Wholesale Sports, a store that specializes in camping, hunting and fishing equipment, held its grand opening. The store, located in Regina’s east end, has about 28,000 square feet of space and will employ 30 people. (Leader Post, May 29, 2010)

Regina Airport Authority and Access Communications held the grand opening of the new Access XpressWay Airport Lounge. The Access XpressWay Lounge features both wired and wireless WIFI Internet access, flat-screen television and digital phones for local calls. The lounge, which replaces the airport’s old business centre, is located in the departure lounge just past the security screening area. (Leader Post, June 2, 2010)

Harvard Developments announced an application has been submitted to the City of Regina proposing a new office tower, 18 to 20 stories tall, for the northwest corner of 12th Avenue and Hamilton Street. The building would be the first major A class office tower to be built in Regina since 1992. The lead tenant in the tower would be The Mosaic Company, which would occupy the upper floors of the new building and would have rights to the building’s top signage. Construction could begin this summer. (Leader Post, June 4, 2010)

The Western Canada Farm Progress Show will take place at Evraz Place from June 16th to 18th. (Western Producer, June 3, 2010)

Data released by the City of Regina, indicates that building permits valued at $61.6 million were issued by the city in May, which was up from $49.7 million in May of last year. Building permits worth $213.2 million have been issued by the city in the first five months of the year which was up from $169.5 million last year. (Leader Post, June 5, 2010)

Southey
Lots are now available in a new subdivision. Lot sizes vary with pricing starting at $35,000 per lot. (The Fort Qu’Appelle Times, June 1, 2010)

Saskatoon’s largest project, the construction of a new six-lane bridge costing $272 million to be completed by Graham-Flatiron, is officially underway. The project has $288 million in funding available, from the federal government ($96 million), the provincial government ($98.5 million), the City of Saskatoon ($93 million) and the Rural Municipality of Corman Park ($200,000). (Star Phoenix, May 29, 2010)

Saskatoon noted a 98 per cent increase in building permit value, rising to $83.9 million in April from $42.4 million during the same month last year. (Star Phoenix, June 5, 2010)

The Saskatoon Soccer Centre Inc. tax break expires this year. In a previous agreement, the centre paid no property tax on the Kinsmen-Henk Ruys Soccer Centre but made an annual contribution to the youth sport subsidy program equivalent to its tax bill. The organization would like this fee to be eliminated and taxes on the facility be waived for an additional five years. (Star Phoenix, June 11, 2010)

Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl announced the federal government would inject $4 million into the First Nations University of Canada (FNUC) to cover costs from September 1st to March 31st. The funding provided by the federal government comes from the Indian Studies Support Program with conditions that FNUC meets milestones for governance and accountability changes. (Star Phoenix, June 3, 2010)

The Saskatoon Public Schools Foundation, a charitable foundation designed to fill the gaps at Saskatoon’s public schools, will help support community initiatives. Last year, 25 grants were given to Saskatoon schools for $500 each. (Star Phoenix, June 3, 2010)

A before and after school program at King George School will continue to operate this year after receiving $30,000 from Royal Bank of Canada. The YMCA's First Base program provides supervised care for more than 30 students with programming specifically designed for King George, an inner-city school with a large portion of at-risk youth from economically disadvantaged families. (Star Phoenix, June 4, 2010)

The Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Arts and Science Technology (SIAST) have increased tuition by five per cent due to higher operating costs and inflationary pressures. (Star Phoenix, June 4, 2010)

The University of Saskatchewan (U of S) will receive $4.7 million toward the first training program in North America for human and ecological risk assessment. Risk assessment researchers assess how risky products are to humans and the environment and how to manage the risk. The U of S project specifically trains students in the risk assessment of environmental contaminants such as contaminated soil, water, air, foodstuffs and consumer products that pose risks to humans and the ecosystem. (Star Phoenix, June 5, 2010)

Canadian National Railway Co. donated $50,000 to the Royal University Hospital Foundation. This funding will be used to replace monitoring equipment such as vital sign monitors for children in the emergency department which are almost obsolete at Royal University Hospital. (Star Phoenix, May 29, 2010)

Saskatoon Regional Health Authority members chose Royal University Hospital (RUH) as the site for the Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan. The RUH option was estimated to cost $218 million, one-third of the cost for the City Hospital option. (Star Phoenix, June 10, 2010)

Housing starts in Saskatoon more than doubled in May compared to last year. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) reported 205 new homes were under construction in the Saskatoon census metropolitan area (CMA) last month, up significantly from the 99 foundations that were poured during the same month last year. (Star Phoenix, June 9, 2010)

The number of homes sold in Saskatoon and surrounding area dropped in May, while the average price for residences in the region has risen from the previous year. According to the Saskatoon Region Association of Realtors, 354 homes sold in Saskatoon last month, a four per cent drop from the 369 homes sold in May 2009. However, the houses were sold at an average price of $294,516, a five percent increase from $279,287 in May 2009. (Star Phoenix, June 2, 2010)

The price of a new home in the Saskatoon region rose by 3.1 per cent between April 2009 and April 2010. (Star Phoenix, June 11, 2010)

A Pleasant Hill housing complex for people with chronic mental illness will open after renovations have been completed. Saskatchewan Housing Corporation provided $1.3 million for the Saskatoon Housing Coalition project. The City of Saskatoon gave $131,000 to the project, with the housing group providing the remainder. (Star Phoenix, June 2, 2010)

A University of Saskatchewan pilot project aims to help aboriginal women in Saskatoon find housing, jobs, health care and day care service. The Indigenous Peoples Health Research Centre will be running a weekly information session that will familiarize women with services available in the city. (Star Phoenix, June 2, 2010)

The Saskatoon Health Region hopes to have a contract in place this summer with the Saskatoon Surgicentre for the private clinic to host certain surgical procedures. The two are negotiating in the wake of the provincial government's announcement in March that it would contract out some surgeries to private centres as part of its strategy to reduce bloated waiting lists. (Star Phoenix, June 4, 2010)

Quint Development Corp. is 99 per cent certain that they will rebuild the apartment damaged by a fire that left 22 Saskatoon families homeless. If the insurance company approves the rebuild, it will take eight months to finish and cost $1.2 million. (Star Phoenix, June 5, 2010)

Class A office vacancy is less than one percent in Saskatoon. To fill the void, Pillar Properties Corporation has released plans for a four storey, 50,000 square foot office building on Pacific Avenue, beside the Holiday Inn being built on the corner of Pacific and 22nd Street. (Star Phoenix, June 11, 2010)

According to Colliers McClocklin Real Estate Corporation, Saskatoon has the second lowest retail vacancy rate in Western Canada. With retail sales, population growth and income forecast to remain high, retail tenants may react to the shortage of retail space by finding and redeveloping alternative areas in the city to fill growing demand. (Star Phoenix, June 10, 2010)

The City of Saskatoon was awarded the 2010 Watershed Award for the Prairies and the North, from the Insurance Bureau of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. The award is for the city’s super pipe sanitary storage tanks, an engineering solution that forms part of its flood protection program. (Star Phoenix, June 2, 2010)

The 29th YWCA Women of Distinction Awards honoured fourteen Saskatoon women who demonstrated outstanding achievements in the following categories:

Art, Culture & Heritage, Carrie Catherine Horachek
Athletics, Darcy Hryn
Community Building, Susan Barrett
Education, Laurel Chelsom
Entrepreneurship, Vickie Dyck, Colleen Dyck and Jane Dyck-Friesen
Health and Wellness, Barbara Schultz-Hurlburt
Leadership and Management, Patricia Katz
Science, Technology or Research, Colleen Dell and Sharon Acoose
Youth, Tie: Lindsey Li, Ashley Smith
Lifetime Achievement, Vera Pezer
(Star Phoenix, May 29, 2010)

The winning team of student entrepreneurs has been chosen in the W. Brett Wilson Centre Entrepreneurial Excellence's I3 Idea Challenge. A group of four University of Saskatchewan MBA students, Matt Ralph, Dawn Gibbons, Carolina Martinez and Mark Lobraico, were awarded first place for their business plan for Envirowood, which would see scrap wood diverted from the landfill and turned into profit generating products. Second place went to Kendra James for her line of clothing, Designs by Kendra, made specifically for women who show horses on the quarter horse circuit. Third place went to Kendal Netmaker for his line of clothing, Moose Meat Apparel, which consists of shirts featuring humorous slogans being sold to fund aboriginal volleyball and soccer teams. (Star Phoenix, May 31, 2010)

Emergency response and mine rescue personnel from 16 mine sites around the province competed at the 42nd annual Emergency Response and Mine Rescue skills competition held at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon. The overall winners of the emergency response competition were: surface winner, Mosaic Belle Plaine; underground winner, PotashCorp Lanigan. (Star Phoenix, June 8, 2010)

Point2 has been named one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People for 2010 by the editors of the Canada's Top 100 Employers project. (Star Phoenix, June 10, 2010)

BioExx Specialty Proteins Ltd. is on track working as it prepares toward the start-up protein production at its Saskatoon plant. The company is in the process of adding a protein isolate plant to its 40,000 metric tonne per year canola processing facility near Saskatoon. The addition is expected to be operational in late June or early July. (Star Phoenix, June 11, 2010)

An Alberta judge will decide Friday whether or not to approve the sale of Cover-All Building Systems Inc. to an Edmonton based competitor, Norseman Structures Inc. Norseman plans to create a new division, Norseman Structures Inc., to operate the fabric building business. (Star Phoenix, June 9, 2010)

Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. launched the first phase of its feasibility study for the Steenkampskraal rare earth mine in South Africa. The Saskatoon company plans to bring the mine, a high grade former producer with a known process for recovering rare earths, back into production as one of the first new mines of its kind outside of China. (Star Phoenix, June 10, 2010)

49 North Resources Ltd. purchased 25% of Vicarage Capital Ltd., a private London, England-based corporate development firm, to gain access to new sources of capital and market awareness for exploration and development opportunities in Saskatchewan’s rapidly growing resource sector. (Star Phoenix, June 5, 2010)

Saskatoon Fastprint, owners Doug Gillespie, Dwayne Sikorsky and Steve Regehr, has relocated to Millar Avenue. The larger facility is equipped with more printing equipment to equal expanded services. (Star Phoenix, June 7, 2010)

Morris Interactive, owners Ron Morris and Mathew Cey, have relocated to 4th Avenue South. The facility offers customized professional development packages in a number of areas, including leadership and development, customer service and sales training, communication and conflict resolution and staff retreats. (Star Phoenix, June 7, 2010)

Rona, at Preston Crossing, celebrated the opening of its new store location. With more than 25,000 products, the new Rona also boasts an indoor lumber yard and a garden centre. (Star Phoenix, June 9, 2010)

New Businesses:
Goodlife Fitness, owner David Patchell-Evans. (Star Phoenix, May 29, 2010)
Sunsera Salons, owners Fino Grosso, Kevan Keating and Kelly Krause. (Star Phoenix, June 5, 2010)
Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan Inc., owner non-profit membership. (Star Phoenix, June 5, 2010)
Footpark, owners Lisha Zeng and Zhaoguo Liang. (Star Phoenix, June 5, 2010)

Biggar
The new Biggar Insurance Services held their grand opening on Main Street. (The Independent, May 25, 2010)

Kindersley
Daryl Olson has intentions of building a unique indoor equestrian facility in town. This business would act as a transitional living space using animals as part of social therapy. (The Clarion, Kindersley, June 2, 2010)

Sagebrush Studios hosted their 10th Annual Art Show. (The Crossroads, Kindersley, May 21, 2010)

Regional
Strong land sales of oil and gas rights for June saw $3.2 million in sales for the Swift Current region. (www.swiftcurrentonline.com, June 11, 2010)

Swift Current
The City of Swift Current will move forward with the designing and construction of a new municipal waste cell at the west landfill. The three quarter sections of land about eight kilometers northwest of the city will host the $187,000 construction plan. (www.swiftcurrentonline.com, June 4, 2010)

Fine Furniture Oasis held their Red Tag 34th Anniversary event. They offered incredible deals throughout the store. (The Southwest Booster, June 2, 2010)

The provincial government is investing approximately $4.4 million with Modus to build environmentally friendly, portable classrooms and child care structures. The 31 units are to be built on site and shipped to communities across Saskatchewan. (www.swiftcurrentonline.com, June 2, 2010)

Sasktel announced that 73 communities have received higher maximum download speeds. Abbey, Chaplin, Consul, Fox Valley, Hazlet, Kyle, Ponteix and Waldeck are some of the communities now receiving high-speed internet. (www.swiftcurrentonline.com, June 1, 2010)

The Celebration of Excellence Award Class Gala was held in May at the Sky Centre in the Living Sky Casino in Swift Current. The winners were:

New Business: Collier’s DSM Laboratories
Young Entrepreneur: Rejuvenate Day Spa
Customer Service: Herbal Magic Weight Loss & Nutrition Centre
Growth and Expansion: Armstrong Implements (1993) Ltd.
Community Development: M & M Meat Shops
Southwest: Winquist Ventures Ltd.
Business Hall of Fame: Pharmasave and R.J. Moving and Storage
Business of the Year: Wallace Construction
Citizen of the Year: City of Swift Current- Sandy Larson
Southwest- Cecile Blanke
(SCBEX 2009 Reception Program)

Kamsack
Wolkowski Funeral Service Ltd. held their grand opening. (Kamsack Times, June 3, 2010)

Buck’s Dollar Store is the first business in Kamsack to use the Downtown Action Plan’s Business Improvement Initiative. They installed more than 40 linear feet of awning on the front and side of the building, allowing 50% of the cost of improvements, to a maximum of $2,500. (Kamsack Times, June 10, 2010)

Langenburg
Rocky Mountain Dealerships, a Calgary based agriculture equipment dealership chain, has announced they have purchased certain assets of Wardale Equipment, including its Case IH dealerships in Langenburg, Yorkton and Preeceville for an undisclosed sum, plus 292,643 shares in Rocky Mountain. The three Wardale sites will become part of Miller Farm Equipment. The business will continue to operate under the Wardale name and the former owner will continue on as manager of the three dealerships. With the addition of the three Wardale sites, Rocky Mountain will have a total of 29 locations throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. (The Four-Town Journal, Langenburg/Churchbridge, June 9, 2010)

Whitewood
Building permits for the Town of Whitewood are nearing $1 million dollars, indicating a huge growth for the town. (The Whitewood Herald, June 7, 2010)

Yorkton
A grand re-opening of the newly renovated and expanded Parkland Ability Centre & Tillman Quality of Life Centre took place. The renovations were funded by the combination of $350,000 from the Tillman’s Endowment Fund estate and $400,000 from the Ministry of Social Services. (Yorkton This Week, May 26, 2010; The News Review, Yorkton, June 10, 2010)

Residential permits for the month of April were up by 110.7 per cent over April 2009. Overall, Saskatchewan residential and non-residential permits combined increased by 57.1 per cent. (Enterprise Saskatchewan News Release, June 4, 2010)

New housing starts in Saskatchewan cities are up considerably according to a report released by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Saskatchewan’s urban housing starts were up 63 per cent in May 2010 when compared with last May, the third highest percentage increase among the provinces. (Enterprise Saskatchewan News Release, June 28, 2010)

Members of the joint team from Enterprise Saskatchewan and the Ministry of Energy and Resources will be staffing the Province’s booth at the Global Petroleum show in Calgary which runs from June 8-10. The show features more than 2,000 exhibiting companies and 60,000 registered attendees from countries across the world and is one of the industry’s premier oil and gas exhibition and conference. The Global Petroleum show draws industry players from around the globe, making it a perfect place for Saskatchewan to do business. (Enterprise Saskatchewan News Release, June 8, 2010)

June 4 – 10 has been proclaimed Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs Week in Saskatchewan. Leading the celebrations during the week is the Saskatchewan Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs Inc. (SYPE), an organization that helps young Saskatchewan business people and professionals recognize the opportunities the province has to offer. The highlight of the week is the 7th Annual SYPE Silver Spades Awards Gala. (Enterprise Saskatchewan News Release, June 8, 2010)