I don’t know if political ‘machines’ are as well oiled as some people like to think. For example, some folks have told me that ‘top’ potential candidates will stay out of a leadership race if they don’t think the party…
Continue ReadingThe pendulum keeps on swinging
15 years ago, there was very little ‘seek and find’ activity undertaken by local economic development agencies. Those were the heady days of Frank McKenna. Then slowly, in response to perceived underperformance from provincial economic development efforts, local ED agencies…
Continue ReadingQuick follow up: The role of an economic developer
Just a quick follow up to my last post because I can already hear the response of some: “Economic developers shouldn’t be in the business of real estate development competing with the private sector”. How many times have I heard…
Continue ReadingBuildings are needed infrastructure, too
Interesting article in the G&M today about an historic building in Summerside, PEI that was redeveloped into a softwar One of Summerside’s oldest structures, the former Holman’s department store, has been gutted and is being retrofitted to serve as a…
Continue ReadingAnother example of cheap power economic development
Norwegian solar company Renewable Energy Corp. plans to build a silicon plant in Quebec, to take advantage of that province’s cheap and abundant electricity. REC, one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of silicon and wafers for solar power applications, will…
Continue ReadingEmployment by Industry
This is kind of interesting. The following table shows the change in employment by industry from 2001 to 2006 in New Brunswick (you may have to click to see it better). Overall, the economy added 11,165 employed persons from 2001-2006…
Continue ReadingChickens, eggs and economic development
This kind of thing in my opinion is emblematic of what is wrong with economic development in New Brunswick. This is a CBC story from a couple of days ago: Seven months after the creation of a federal fund directed…
Continue ReadingI don’t want to post another blog about data centres but there is a good article that was sent to me (with some good links) about Iowa’s ability to attract big name data centres. I have posted at least 20-30…
Continue ReadingLight, heat and economic development
This is key to taking advantage of alternative energy from an economic development perspective: State investments of $9 million helped a Germany-based company choose Allegheny County for its first solar mirror production facility in the United States, creating 300 manufacturing…
Continue ReadingNewfoundland Premier Danny Billions
Do you think Danny Williams will be in power in Newfoundland for just about as long as he wants? Hugo Chavez is constitutionally bound to serve only two terms. No such prohibition for Danny. He’ll stay until he gets bored.…
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