ATLANTIC SHOWCASE

GREATER MONCTON Dieppe | Moncton | Riverview

68 | Atlantic Business Magazine | September/October 2013 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Surging opportunities By Alec Bruce

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in 2011, the municipality remains one of key to Greater Moncton’s the most affordable housing markets in success can be narrowed down the country. The total value of building The permits issued in 2011 reached $184 to three critical pillars. “One is location,” says million, the second highest level on Denis Melanson, Interim CEO of Enterprise record. Add to this, retail sales reached $2.1 billion in 2011, 17 per cent higher Greater Moncton. “Another is the labour than the Canadian Cities’ average. force. And the other is our cost-effectiveness.” In less than 30 years, the City of Dieppe population (23,310) has more than quadrupled (up by more than 25 per cent since 2006, alone). Across the Indeed, he says, “On the location Moncton, and Riverview to make their Petitcodiac River, the Town of Riverview side, we really are logistically well- homes and places of work and enterprise has enjoyed a 20 per cent hike in its centered for any company that wants in recent years, this “offering” has been population (19,128) since 1986. Like to increase its exposure to the Atlantic irresistible. Moncton, both of these communities Canadian market. We have one of the Greater Moncton (population: 112,438) display all the metrics of eminently fastest growing international airports in is the fifth-fastest growing Census livable, dynamic centres: A booming, Canada, and we have the rail capabilities. Metropolitan Area (CMA) in the country. yet still affordable, housing market, We are also very close to the New England In fact, the region has typically attracted comparatively low unemployment market.” at least three times as many people rates, comparatively high participation As for labour, he says, “We have one every year than any other area in New rates, robust retail sectors and plentiful of the highest percentages of post- Brunswick. recreational and cultural amenities. secondary grads in the county. About Since 1990, the CMA has added more It’s no wonder, then, that Greater 59 per cent of our labour force has post than 25,000 jobs to its workforce. The Moncton is becoming one of the secondary education, which is higher annual unemployment rate is one of Atlantic region’s true Meccas for than the national average. Having access the lowest in the Atlantic region and skilled newcomers. If you are on the to qualified labour is very attractive for substantially below the national average. outside looking in, all of this might any business. Having a high percentage In Moncton (population: 70,000), seem miraculous. After all, in the wake of bilingual workers is another plus.” home sales in 2011 reached the fourth- of the past decade’s global financial Then, there is the cost competitiveness. highest level in the city’s history. Yet, downturns and resulting recessions, “KPMG continues to rank Greater with an average house price of $158,561 Greater Moncton’s success is almost Moncton as the number one place to do counterintuitive. Still, Greater Moncton business in North America,” Melanson has never just let things happen to it. THE AREA BOASTS A says. “And of course, there are other KPMG NAMED Consider, by way of example,BILINGUAL a (FRENCH factors, including quality of life, a safe GREATER MONCTON AND ENGLISH) LABOUR THE NUMBER 1 PLACE ceremony at Moncton City Hall last place to raise a family. This adds to the FORCE, LOW TAXATION TO DO BUSINESS IN year when representatives from Google beautiful mix of the offering.” RATES, AND A SUPERB NORTH AMERICA Canada were on hand to present the For the droves of diverse, skilled QUALITY OF LIFE. FOR 2012. municipality with its Google eTown professionals who have chosen Dieppe,

THE AREA BOASTS THREE UNIVERSITIES, TWO PUBLIC COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND SEVERAL PRIVATE POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES.

70 | Atlantic Business Magazine | September/October 2013

THE CANADIAN MONCTON REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION WAS ONE OF FIVE DESIGNATED GREATER CANADIAN CITIES MONCTON AS ONE OF THE TO WIN A GOOGLE TOP FIVE SAFE HAVENS ETOWN AWARD FOR REAL ESTATE IN 2012. INVESTMENT IN CANADA. THE AREA BOASTS A KPMG NAMED BILINGUAL (FRENCH GREATER MONCTON AND ENGLISH) LABOUR THE NUMBER 1 PLACE FORCE, LOW TAXATION TO DO BUSINESS IN RATES, AND A SUPERB NORTH AMERICA QUALITY OF LIFE. FOR 2012.

THE AREA BOASTS THREE UNIVERSITIES, TWO PUBLIC COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND SEVERAL PRIVATE POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES.

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

THE CANADIAN MONCTON REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION WAS ONE OF FIVE DESIGNATED GREATER CANADIAN CITIES MONCTON AS ONE OF THE TO WIN A GOOGLE TOP FIVE SAFE HAVENS ETOWN AWARD FOR REAL ESTATE IN 2012. INVESTMENT IN CANADA.

The Chocolate River station is located on the Petitcodiac River in Riverview Award, the first community to receive and houses many local businesses and events. the honour in Canada. The Google eTown Award is designed to recognize those towns where small businesses are investing in online tools and resources to find new customers, grow their business, and improve their operations. “We are, of course, extremely proud and honoured to be the first Atlantic Canadian community to be awarded with the Google eTown Award,” said Deputy Mayor Merrill Henderson in accepting the award. “We are a tech-savvy city, which thrives on new ideas. We enjoy being at the leading edge and strive to be innovative and creative in all that we do.” In fact, Google looked at thousands of cities and towns across Canada to identify one town in each of five regions that demonstrated strong engagement and potential for growth in the digital economy. Some of the criteria were local businesses utilization of some of Google’s business products including, Google AdWords, the Canada Get Your Business Online initiative, and products such as Google Apps for Business. The Google eTown Award was the latest in a long list of honours the City of Moncton has received over the past few years, a testament to how the City and

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

THE AREA BOASTS A KPMG NAMED BILINGUAL (FRENCH GREATER MONCTON AND ENGLISH) LABOUR THE NUMBER 1 PLACE FORCE, LOW TAXATION TO DO BUSINESS IN RATES, AND A SUPERB NORTH AMERICA QUALITY OF LIFE. FOR 2012.

Champlain Street in Dieppe is full of retail opportunities, also boasts Champlain its businesses continue to succeed. “Our Place, the largest mall in the province. entrepreneurial spirit, and the growth of small and medium business in our city, THE AREA BOASTS is testament to the fact that Moncton has THREE UNIVERSITIES, tapped into the digital economy, and the TWO PUBLIC COMMUNITYcity’s knowledge-based sector continues COLLEGES, AND SEVERAL to grow,” added Henderson. “That is why PRIVATE POST-SECONDARYin 2009, the ICF recognized Moncton as COLLEGES. one of the Top 7 Intelligent Cities in the world.” Today, this bilingual community is a major Canadian customer contact and back office centre with a robust “near- shore” IT outsourcing industry. And it continues to leverage its success with a plan thatTHE calls CANADIAN for new partnerships MONCTON withREAL regional ESTATE universities ASSOCIATION to deepen the WAS ONE OF FIVE region’sDESIGNATED knowledge economy, GREATER diversify CANADIAN CITIES MONCTONthe IT economy, AS and ONE actively OF promote THE TO WIN A GOOGLE tech-basedTOP FIVE entrepreneurship. SAFE HAVENS ETOWN AWARD As forFOR the REALfuture, ESTATE Greater Moncton IN 2012. continuesINVESTMENT to refuse INto rest CANADA. on its laurels. Riverview, while maintaining its reputation for residential opportunities, is undertaking a coordinated approach to promoting commercial development. Says Shane Thomson, the Town’s Director of Economic Development: “We have the urban context with the small-town feel. We have a largely residential community where a large portion of the region’s workforce lives. There are high levels of education, high levels of disposable income. There is an available workforce. And we think it’s time that companies start to recognize this. Additionally, we’ve had some recent investments in infrastructure, such as the bridge, and the Gunningsville Boulevard, which have unlocked opportunities for commercial growth. We have the development of a big box

Online extras: atlanticbusinessmagazine.com | 73 In Moncton, we dream big! We dream of new businesses starting up and then we watch them growing up. We dream of locations for those businesses and then we build industrial parks.

Moncton has a skilled bilingual workforce, low corporate taxes, a quality of life second to none and a central location that makes us a transportation hub. It also has the new Moncton Industrial Park West and the ever growing Caledonia Industrial Estates, with sites ready to help make your dreams a reality.

Moncton Industrial Park West and Caledonia Industrial Estates, where your dreams meet our dreams.

MonCton IndustrIal dEvEloPMEnt 655 Main Street, Moncton NB E1C 1E8 506 857-0700 www.moncton4businessdreams.ca [email protected] THE AREA BOASTS A KPMG NAMED BILINGUAL (FRENCH GREATER MONCTON AND ENGLISH) LABOUR THE NUMBER 1 PLACE FORCE, LOW TAXATION TO DO BUSINESS IN RATES, AND A SUPERB NORTH AMERICA QUALITY OF LIFE. FOR 2012.

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

THE AREA BOASTS THREE UNIVERSITIES, TWO PUBLIC COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND SEVERAL PRIVATE POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES.

The scenic waterfront of downtown complex in Findlay Park on the retail Moncton at dusk. side, with 50-plus acres of land yet to be developed adjacent to national chains.” Currently, Riverview boasts more than THE CANADIAN MONCTON 500 acres of land to be developed; overREAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION WAS ONE OF FIVE 200 acres are zoned commercial. DESIGNATED GREATER MONCTON AS ONE OF THE CANADIAN CITIES Paul Lavoie, for one, is convinced. He TO WIN A GOOGLE TOP FIVE SAFE HAVENS ETOWN AWARD owns and manages MPL Homebuilders FOR REAL ESTATE IN 2012. in Riverview. “There’s no question thatINVESTMENT IN CANADA. it is a very good and growing place. We own land there, right on the new Gunningsville Boulevard. Our land is a prime area for residential development. We have approximately 200 acres, 90 of which is zoned commercial….The Greater Moncton area is still flourishing. We’re building homes on spec and they

are selling. The outlook is very good for PHOTO - TIMES & TRANSCRIPT Riverview.” In Dieppe, where the pace of residential and commercial development has been stunning, the community remains in an There’s expansionary mode. Says Pierre Dupuis, the General Manager of the City’s En voici la preuve... Economic Development Corporation: somethinghappening here... Ça bouge ici! “For us, it’s all about (capitalizing) on but don’t just take our word for it! the growth that has occurred in the past Ville la plus concurrentielle en affaires en Amérique du 10 years. Certainly, it’s the demographic Most cost competitive city for Nord (KPMG, 2012) growth, but it’s also on the commercial business in North America e and industrial side. So, where we’ve (2012, KPMG) 5 position des RMR ayant la plus forte croissance seen our industrial park get fuller – the 5th fastest growing CMA au Canada (Recensement 2011) old Dieppe industrial park achieving in Canada (2011 Census) Meilleur endroit pour les maturity and being completely full – #1 place to buy real estate achats en immobilier this has led to new expansions of the (2010, MoneySense) (MoneySense, 2010) industrial park north and east of the Greater Moncton International Airport. Our focuses include air transport and related businesses and the development of a business and technology park. Dieppe has also invested in the development of a vibrant downtown core, focused on bringing higher density moncton.ca | 506.877.7700

Online extras: atlanticbusinessmagazine.com | 75 THE AREA BOASTS A KPMG NAMED BILINGUAL (FRENCH GREATER MONCTON AND ENGLISH) LABOUR THE NUMBER 1 PLACE FORCE, LOW TAXATION TO DO BUSINESS IN RATES, AND A SUPERB NORTH AMERICA QUALITY OF LIFE. FOR 2012.

THE AREA BOASTS THREE UNIVERSITIES, TWO PUBLIC COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND SEVERAL PRIVATE POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES.

ATLANTIC SHOWCASE

THE CANADIAN MONCTON REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION WAS ONE OF FIVE DESIGNATED GREATER CANADIAN CITIES MONCTON AS ONE OF THE TO WIN A GOOGLE TOP FIVE SAFE HAVENS ETOWN AWARD FOR REAL ESTATE IN 2012. INVESTMENT IN CANADA.

developments and a stronger residential/ commercial mix, where people can live, work and play.”. Terry Malley, who owns and operates Malley Industries puts it this way: “We’ve been in Dieppe since 2003. The motivator for moving here… we needed a building of a certain size and that’s what we found in Dieppe. The experience we’ve had as far as dealing with the City of Dieppe, as far as requirements for business – permits, getting things done, working with the city to achieve the goals we wanted – has been super. They are thinking ahead. They are being proactive instead of reactive.” For Moncton, the preeminent focus for the foreseeable future is on building a downtown, multifunctional sport and entertainment facility. A long-time dream for successive city councils, the project is moving closer to fruition. “There has been some really strong headway with council’s recent decision to acquire the Highfield Square site and to begin to prepare a request for proposals, which is scheduled to be Shaping LiveS released in November 2013,” says Kevin Silliker, Moncton’s Director of Economic Shown here is the Greater Moncton International Airport Runway 06-24 Extension Project. GENIVAR provided a wide variety of services including engineering design and project management. Development. “Downtown development is on an upward swing again, and I think GENIVAR prides itself on the fact that its multidisciplinary services are it’s because of the attention to detail. managed by people living in the communities that benefit from their work. If you take a look at even the on street The end users are always top of mind, because they include our own families. parking program that was implemented We offer a full range of related services including: some time ago… Technically, it’s in a EnginEEring – SurvEying – Planning – EnvironmEntal SErvicES trial, but I would be quite shocked if it ProjEct managEmEnt – architEctural SErvicES was something we didn’t continue with NS Halifax – Dartmouth NL St. John’s because it has been so successful to date NB Moncton – Saint John – Fredericton and warmly received.” PE Summerside – Charlottetown So, too, will a downtown centre, www.genivar.com according to straw polls of many urban dwellers. The reasons are abundant.

76 | Atlantic Business Magazine | September/October 2013 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Jacques Dubé, Moncton’s City Manager, more, “the cost to service the downtown In these and many other ways, the said in a recent presentation to Council, is much lower compared to many other communities of Greater Moncton “A new downtown centre is much, much neighbourhoods and commercial areas are embracing their futures with the more than a replacement for the aging in the city.” attributes that matter most. “Our Coliseum. It is really about developing Given that the downtown plays economic diversity has also been our downtown – and what a downtown host to hundreds of businesses, bars, a strength,” Melanson says. “The centre would do for our downtown. restaurants and cafes, 18,000 workers, pendulum swings here are a lot less While Moncton’s reputation as the sports and thousands of residents (depending severe. The entrepreneurial spirit that and entertainment hub of the Maritimes on how one fixes downtown “borders”) the community has is important. This is solid, the stakes are even higher now.” – the importance of a centre to anchor really fuels our economy.” GM Specifically, he said, “A new such activity is not insignificant. downtown centre would kickstart and increase the demand for more shopping and entertainment, downtown bars and restaurants as the demand for the ‘enhanced experience’ increases. It’s really all about creating a vibrant, dynamic downtown that is the heart and soul of our community/region.” . Indeed, according to an economic Land impact study, a new centre will annually Lots of Land. “attract between 317,000 and 396,000 people… generating between $12 and With over 200 acres of fully serviced land available $15 million in spending.” In the process, for mixed development in the Bridgedale Commercial it will “support retail, food service, accommodation and other services in zone, this is the Land of Opportunities. Easily accessible the downtown,” where it “should also to all of Greater Moncton and points beyond, support residential growth.” you won’t be fenced in. Meanwhile, another recent report estimates that the construction phase alone would generate $340 million worth of “economic impacts” for New Brunswick and other parts of the country, as well as nearly $17 million in taxes for the provincial and federal governments. Moreover, it indicates, sales from ongoing operations could easily reach $9.5 million in 2015 (assuming, of course, the centre is open for business by then). The important point, the first study argues rigorously and cogently, is that a new centre is not a luxury; it is quite nearly a necessity. “Downtown – only 1.5 per cent of the city’s land area – generates nearly 10 per cent of the total assessed tax base and over 14.4 per cent of property tax revenues,” the report noted. In fact, the urban core “generates Department of Economic Development nearly 11.5 times as much property tax revenue, compared to the rest of Contact us: Tel: (506) 387-2022 | [email protected] Moncton, on a per hectare basis.” What’s

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