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Tuesday November 15, 2011 Serving Surrey and North Delta www.surreyleader.com
Surrey’s real estate market hottest in the province: Report Number-one place to invest, research organization says Black Press SURREY HAS been rated the hottest market for housing investment in the
FILE PHOTO / THE LEADER
Surrey is in the number-one spot in B.C. for current and future prospects for real estate investment opportunities, according to a report by the Real Estate Investment Network.
province by the Real Estate Investment Network (REIN). REIN, a leading real estate research organization in Canada, has released its latest report on the top cities and towns in B.C. for real estate investment. Surrey landed in the number-one position. The report, titled Top British Columbia Investment Towns 2011, analyzes the current and future prospects for real estate investment opportunities across the province and identifies the top regions that will outperform in the coming decade. The findings are based on in-depth research, analysis of the latest statistics, economic and social trends, and on-the-ground reports from REIN’s research staff and members, along with reports and statistics from organizations such as Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Statistics Canada, Multiple Listing Service, Canadian Home Builders Association, city and regional real estate boards, and local economic development offices. Anita Huberman, CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade, is not surprised by Surrey’s positive performance. See SURREY / Page 4
Pattullo dogged by delays TransLink aims to open new tolled span in 2018 by Jeff Nagel A NEW and likely tolled Pattullo Bridge won’t open
before 2018 at the earliest, according to internal TransLink estimates. That timeline calling for procurement in 2013 and a construction start in 2015 is contained in reports obtained by Black Press under Freedom of Information legislation. But even those dates are starting to look doubtful because TransLink is now more than a year behind schedule in launching a promised round of public consultations on the new bridge’s design.
The delay is largely due to months of wrangling between TransLink officials, who insist a new bridge is needed, and the province’s transportation ministry, which argued as recently as last spring to instead refurbish the existing 74-year-old bridge to save money and avoid the need for tolls. TransLink spokesperson Erin Dermer said public outreach sessions are being planned by the end of this year to update the public on the status of the project in advance of formal consultations. “Our plan is to undertake public consultations in the
LEADER FILE PHOTO
The construction start date for a replacement for the ageing Pattullo Bridge may in fact be delayed further than 2015.
See PATTULLO / Page 4
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