Thursday, July 30, 2009

Saint John Board of Trade urges Canadian Blood Services to reconsider

The Saint John Board of Trade is urging Canadian Blood Services to reconsider their decision to close the Saint John production center on University Avenue. The Saint John Regional Hospital is the tertiary care, level one trauma hospital in our province, it requires fast, secure, reliable access to blood products. Our Province and our City have a large industrial sector and rely upon this access to blood products for contingency planning.

In addition to tertiary care, the Saint John Regional Hospital also provides oncological, surgical, and haematological services which require blood products. Haematologists will be challenged to continue their program without a blood production centre nearby. Also, it puts the recent bone marrow transplant program in jeopardy.

The Saint John Regional Hospital, as part of the provincial trauma system, has experience in working with other hospitals in all regions of our province, both quickly and efficiently. As the new trauma system grows, access to blood products will become more important. The trauma system and cardiac centre, which are high users of emergency platelets which are needed within hours, require close proximity to a blood production centre. The production centre in Saint John has a proven track record of working with the hospitals throughout the province to provide the blood required to places like Fredericton and Moncton’s cancer and surgical units which rely upon this service within hours. The Saint John production center has been recognized nationally as a centre of excellence.

“Health is one of the growth sectors our community identified in the True Growth Strategy. Keeping a blood production centre on University Avenue compliments the hospital, the new Provincial Anglophone Medical Program at UNBSJ, and the co-location of the medical programs of NBCC-SJ at the Tucker Park campus. As a centre of excellence, there is great potential and opportunity for the further development of the Saint John production center and the Medical Program of both UNBSJ and NBCC-SJ” said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade.

The Board of Trade would like to see the business plan for moving the production centre to Halifax. “To our knowledge no one in New Brunswick has been provided with a copy of this plan. We just want to know how moving blood products multiple times across two provinces is more advantageous, economical, and sustainable than the system that is currently in place; a system that works very well all year round” stated Ms. Gilman. After consultation with some of our medical members, the Board of Trade understands that since the implementation of Phase 1 of the Canadian Blood Services plan, the amount of platelets that has been wasted has increased. The platelets have gone from having a 5 day life span to 36 hours.

“We support the work of Minister Jamieson and the bi-partisan committee of doctors, politicians and community leaders in their quest to explore all options beyond Canadian Blood Services, including a potential partnership with our neighbours in Quebec” Ms. Gilman stated.

Saint John Board of Trade excited ICSC conference is coming to Saint John

The Saint John Board of Trade is excited that Saint John will be hosting this year’s International Council of Shopping Centre’s (ICSC) Atlantic Provinces Idea Exchange, August 11th-13th. The ICSC conference will bring together national retailers and shopping centre professionals from both Canada and the United States. This conference gives organizers an opportunity to showcase the developing retail sector in Saint John.


“Members of our Retail Forum have been working with the organizers of this event with the mutual goal of promoting Saint John as a retail destination” said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade. “It’s an exciting time for our rapidly growing retail sector. This conference highlights the growth that we are experiencing as a community.”

Friday, July 24, 2009

Saint John Board of Trade understands decision by Irving Oil and BP

The Saint John Board of Trade understands the difficult decision made by Irving Oil and British Petroleum to suspend the investment in the Eider Rock refinery project announced today. The current global recession has already impacted other refining projects around the world.

“We are disappointed in this morning’s announcement that Eider Rock project will not be going through, however, we are positive that Saint John and the Province of New Brunswick will continue to develop our position as a regional Energy Hub and Gateway. We have significant foundational assets in our community to build upon including our existing refinery (the largest in Canada), Canaport LNG terminal (the first in Canada), the Brunswick Pipeline, and Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station” said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade.

The Board of Trade is pleased that Irving Oil will be investing in its largest Turnaround of the current refinery over the next two years and building their new headquarters at Long Wharf. This shows tremendous confidence by Irving Oil in our Energy sector and economy. The strong relationship forged by Irving Oil and British Petroleum over the past 18 months is positive and bodes well for future potential joint projects.

“As a Board of Trade we will continue to work on the community’s True Growth Strategy for our city and region to grow our Energy & Manufacturing, Health, ICT, Tourism and Retail sectors” continued Ms. Gilman.

“Although today’s announcement is disappointing, we are building excellent synergy in our city with the investment in the One Mile Highway Interchange, the Anglophone Medical School at UNBSJ, the recent investment by Aliant in Fibre to the Home, the new Cruise Terminal, the massive renovations and development in the retail sector, and the future development of Peel Plaza. Our economy has diversified greatly over the past decade” concluded Ms. Gilman.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Saint John Board of Trade supports the need for Peel Plaza

The Saint John Board of Trade is supportive of the creation of a new Police Headquarters and the development of Peel Plaza as a justice complex. “The creation of a long-term, sustainable building that enables our Police force to work in a more efficient and effective manner while meeting national standards and regulations is important to us” said Kathryn Craig, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade. “Presently they are having a hard time meeting national standards as the location in City Hall was only meant to be a temporary site”.

The new facility will enable the Saint John police force to better serve the public, victims, staff and prisoners. From a modern, properly equipped forensics unit, to the Major Crimes Project Room, to a LEED design which will eliminate harmful odours and chemicals Peel Plaza will be a proper building for our police force.

“These improvements over their current location are necessary, standard requirements that the force currently does not have. We can’t expect them to do their best without the proper equipment. Simple things, like ensuring that victims and prisoners are separate are capabilities our force does not have in its current location” Ms. Craig highlighted. “Ensuring that our force is well equipped to provide the best protection to our residents and businesses is key to growing our community.”

In examining the issue of Peel Plaza, the Board of Trade has met with the Police Chief, Police Commission Chairman, and the City’s Commissioner of Finance to determine the need and costs of the project. Presently, the breakdown of costs for the development of Peel Plaza is approximately: $25 million for the police station; $15-17 million for the parking garage; and $2 million for the Plaza itself. The Commissioner of Finance has assured the Board of Trade that the development of Peel Plaza will not impact the tax rate in Saint John.

The City is presently waiting for 3 proposals for public-private partnerships. “We look forward to seeing the quotes for the development of Peel Plaza as a public-private partnership to see if there will be substantial difference in the cost. We trust the City will choose the most effective, efficient and sustainable route in creating Peel Plaza”.

While the Board of Trade realizes the development of Peel Plaza will cost about one-third of the City’s Capital spending budget over the next 4 years, we would like to see the City develop a long-term list of priorities that balances new development with on-going maintenance and up-keep of current infrastructure. “This would indicate to current and potential investors, residents and businesses where our City plans to be in the next 10 years. A balanced, planned road map for our municipal infrastructure development should be designed in conjunction with the new municipal plan to ensure proper location and allocation of resources” Ms. Craig suggested.

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Saint John Board of Trade pleased with investment in New Brunswick Southern Railway

The Saint John Board of Trade is pleased with Tuesday’s announcement by the Provincial and Federal governments to fund the upgrading of New Brunswick Southern Railway lines in Saint John and McAdam. With matching funding from New Brunswick Southern Railway, the total investment in this project will be $36 million. This is a long-term investment which will lead to greater payload efficiency and improved costs for businesses.

“The continuing investment by New Brunswick Southern Railway and both levels of government in the lines makes New Brunswick and its businesses more competitive with the rest of Canada and enhances our role as an integral part of the Atlantic Gateway” said Kathy Craig, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade. “The economic and environmental benefits from this project will help us on the road to self-sufficiency. We were pleased to hear that New Brunswick Southern Railway will be using a local supplier for its environmentally friendly railway ties. This is in line with the Benefits Blueprint’s design for supporting local businesses through the supply-chain. ” added Ms. Craig.

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The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Saint John Board of Trade excited about the possibilities of Fibre Optic

The Saint John Board of Trade is excited about the possibilities of yesterday’s announcement regarding Bell Aliant’s installation of Fibre To The Home technology in the municipalities of Saint John and Fredericton. “The potential for growth and development is great” said Kathy Craig, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade. “The increase in the ability of individuals and businesses to send and receive large amounts of data will greatly enhance the competiveness of our businesses and the attractiveness of our Province as a place to do business. This is another step on the road to self-sufficiency. ”

“The investment of $60 million by Bell Aliant in our Province during these times of economic uncertainty is exciting. This infrastructure will lay the groundwork for future development which will further enhance our Province’s competiveness in business. The benefits of this investment encompass all sectors, including ICT, Health, and education” continued Ms. Craig.

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.