Red Deer Advocate, August 19, 2015

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DONALDSON LEADS JAYS OVER PHILLIES

FEAR THE WALKING DEAD Family foremost in zombie spinoff

C5

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Red Deer Advocate WEDNESDAY, AUG. 19, 2015

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Budget uncertainty looms PROVINCIAL BUDGET, 2019 CANADA WINTER GAMES UNKNOWN FACTORS BY MARY-ANN BARR ADVOCATE STAFF

CITY COUNCIL

The one thing that was certain during Red Deer city council’s budget review on Tuesday was that the future is uncertain. Council approved several new spending items in the 2015 operating budget while at the same time hearing from city administration that next year’s

budget will be a tough one. There are several unknown factors, not the least of which is this year’s provincial budget. Normally it would have been passed in the spring but it was delayed until fall following the change in government. The city does not fully know what the provincial

budget’s impact will be but is hoping to see money starting to come through for the 2019 Canada Winter Games. The games, described by city manager Craig Curtis as “a huge project involving so much of our corporation,” is ever-present in city planning as operating and capital expenditures are involved.

Please see BUDGET on Page A2

Photo by ASHLI BARRETT/Advocate staff

The ‘Laddies of La Cage’ perform a drag show during the Rainbow Tea at the Golden Circle Tuesday afternoon as part of the Central Alberta Pride Week celebrations. The event, aimed to address some of the challenges faced by LGBTQ senior citizens in the community, was attended by more than 70 people, many who currently live in retirement homes. Pride week will wrap up on Aug. 21 with a Pride at the Beach party in Sylvan Lake at 7 p.m.

Red Deer among most business-friendly Crime rate down in Q2 compared to 2014 micro cities in North America BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF Red Deer has made its mark among American Cities of the Future. In April, fDi Magazine, a Financial Times publication, ranked Red Deer among the top North American cities for 2015-16 when it comes to cost effectiveness and foreign direct investment strategy. “The more our profile is elevated because of these rankings, the more competitive we are in terms of attracting new business. But it also bodes well for us in retaining the business we have and instilling private sector confidence for business expansion,” Mayor Tara Veer said. Red Deer was ranked fourth for cost effectiveness among micro American Cities of the Future and was the only Alberta city in the top 10. Thirty-seven micro cities, with populations below 100,000, were part of the study. Criteria for cost effectiveness includes average salaries, annual rent for commercial and industrial space, electricity rates, cost to export/import, cost of establishing a business and tax rates. Nanaimo, B.C., took fifth place. Niagara Falls, Ont., was sixth. Brantford, Ont., was eighth, followed by Repentigny, Que., in ninth place and Saint-JeanSur-Richelieu, Que., in 10th position. Atlacomulco, of Mexico State in Mexico, took the top spot for cost effectiveness.

WEATHER Mainly sunny. High 26. Low 8.

FORECAST ON A2

INDEX Four sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-B3 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . D1-D3 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4 Entertainment . . . . . . . . C5,C6 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4-B6

Red Deer came in sixth in the foreign direct investment strategy category among micro cities and was the only Canadian city in the top eight. The list was restricted to eight due to shortage of suitable entries. Plattsburgh, N.Y., came in first. When it comes to foreign direct investment, judges consider economic development, attraction and retention of foreign investment, and plans, strategies and policies. City manager Craig Curtis said reaching top 10 status for micro cities in North America means Red Deer is a strong contender for attracting new business nationally and internationally. Veer said Red Deer is also known for having one of the highest ratios of small businesses per capita. In 2014, Red Deer was recognized for its entrepreneurialism, ranking sixth out of 121 mid-size cities, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business’ Top 10 Entrepreneurial Cities annual report. Veer said right now business permits for start up and expansion are holding steady. Diminished growth is forecast for 2016, but the city will have lots in the works with 2019 Canada Winter Games capital projects, like the Centre for Health, Wellness and Sport at Red Deer College, which were approved in previous budgets.

Please see BUSINESS on Page A2

BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF Red Deer’s overall criminal activity is no longer on the rise, according to statistics released on Tuesday. The City of Red Deer released second quarter crime statistics from the Red Deer RCMP on Tuesday morning. The statistics show a 9.91 per cent decrease in person crime, a 4.12 per cent increase in property crime and an overall 0.08 per cent increase in crime overall in 2015 as compared to 2014. And statistics in the second quarter of 2015 decreased by 5.97 per cent from the second quarter of 2014. “I don’t think there are any alarming trends,” said Red Deer RCMP Insp. Scott Tod, detachment commander. “I think its a positive indicator we are relatively flat compared to last year. “It’s been a good year for us, we’ve planned some new initiatives. Some were more work than we anticipated but they’ve been successful.” Some of those initiatives include the priority crimes task force, which targets property crime; school programs; and traffic safety targeting highcollision intersections.

Please see CRIME on Page A2

Former PMO lawyer contradicts Harper Stephen Harper’s top aide and election director boomeranged back into the centre of the Mike Duffy coverup scandal. Story on PAGE A5

PLEASE

RECYCLE


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