ELECTION: Candidates talk forestry issues at UNBC A3 Friday, March 29, 2013 CNC opens a gathering place A5
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Beth Pawluk with dozens of her beautiful hand-painted Ukrainian Easter eggs (Pysanky.) The one in her hand is made from an ostrich egg.
Housing market looking good in the North DELYNDA PILON newsroom@pgfreepress.com
Central 1 Credit Union says the B.C. housing market, overall, is dismal and slow to recover, however the organization’s economist, Bryan Yu, said things in the North are far more positive. “As we go forward it’s going to be one of the leaders for the province in the housing market and the overall economy,” he said. He added the weak numbers reflect what is happening in the Lower Mainland.
“There are regional differences across the province. If we look at the province’s numbers cited in the report, the weakness of the overall numbers are really reflective of the Lower Mainland. There is a drop in sales volume and price declines.” In the North, however, things have improved. “We saw a sharp drop-off in 2009 following the recession period,” he said. “There was a big drop in sales but there has been a gradual increase in the last few years we expect to continue in 2013 through 2015. A lot will have to do with what happens with major projects and capital investment across the north.”
The northeast area, he said, is doing very well with relatively stronger sales and low unemployment rates. The northwest, with its terminals, is doing well, and the Nechako area is a little weaker. “The Cariboo, which includes the Prince George region, has a lot more localized demand,” Yu said. “The sales growth in Fraser Fort George was flat in 2012 and underperformed some of the other areas in the north, but we may be seeing some of the impacts of more stringent insurance rules. Over the longer term I expect to see stronger price growth with Prince George acting as a hub for northern B.C. That will also filter into local economic activity.”
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