Greatest Boom Ever

Mortgage rates moved even higher again last week, as the war with Iran continues to stoke fears of inflation. As a result, total mortgage application volume fell again, down 10.4% from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index.       Read more:  https://tinyurl.com/4mtkkrhm       

Melbourne’s median house price has flatlined through March, with interstate homeowners now cashing out of other capitals and relocating here to beat mortgage pain.       Read more:  https://tinyurl.com/5bphv58w  

Suncor Energy Inc., one of Canada’s largest oil companies, is under pressure to resolve a challenge that’s been decades in the making.     Read more:  https://tinyurl.com/buwu6evy     

A new national rent report shows that one Alberta city is near the top in Canada for month-over-month rent price increases, only being beaten out by one other spot.           Read more:  https://tinyurl.com/34ks9y3c  

Oil prices could jump to $200 per barrel and even higher if the Strait of Hormuz remains near-closed as it is at the moment, Fereidun Fesharaki, Chairman Emeritus of energy consultancy FGE NexantECA, told Bloomberg on Tuesday.       Read more:  https://tinyurl.com/2v4e42ew  

Calgary homeowners can expect an 8.1 per cent hike to property taxes in May, following city council’s finalization Tuesday afternoon.       Read more:  https://tinyurl.com/ydyk8kbt     

The world is looking for more energy. Canada is trying to get major projects built.       Read more:  https://tinyurl.com/t9xcs2f3  

The recent Canada–Alberta Memorandum of Understanding has, to a degree, reset the relationship between Ottawa and Edmonton — replacing years of federal-provincial quarrelling with a chance to build a shared vision for the province’s energy future.       Read more:  https://tinyurl.com/2ks5vpzs  

        For decades, Alberta's economy has been synonymous with oil and gas. The towering derricks and vast pipeline networks that crisscross the province have long been the symbols of its prosperity. But a new kind of boom is taking root on the  prairies,  one fueled not by fossil fuels, but by the insatiable digital hunger of artificial intelligence. Alberta is rapidly emerging as a prime destination for the massive data  centres  that power the AI revolution, and the reasons are a compelling mix of geography, economy, and forward-thinking policy.   The single most critical factor is energy. AI data  centres  are voracious consumers of electricity, requiring a constant, reliable, and affordable supply to run thousands of servers 24/7. Alberta’s deregulated energy market offers some of the most competitive electricity prices in North America, a massive draw for companies where power is the single largest operating cost. More import...

Victorian landlords are now facing an even bigger battle to increase rents for homes with the state’s key consumer agencies able to reject rent rises for an expanded list of reasons.       Read more:  https://tinyurl.com/nhzkkd6n  

Calgary’s Ship & Anchor Pub is raising alarms over proposed residential developments planned above and beside the long‑standing venue, sparking a broader conversation about whether the city is doing enough to safeguard its live music culture.       Read more:  https://tinyurl.com/4674f2rk      

Construction season has officially arrived in the Culture + Entertainment District (The C+E), bringing road closures to the busy downtown Calgary area.   Read more:  https://tinyurl.com/vht6js2d     

Edmonton council is pressing forward with its Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) plan but how might the city-spanning bus lanes affect you?       Read more:  https://tinyurl.com/4umezkwv     

Okotoks Town Council approved a long-range plan that will guide future employment and commercial development in north Okotoks.      Read more:  https://tinyurl.com/4e8xjua6