Northwest Business

Pipeline Pandemonium

Bruce Lantz — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:11:29 +0000

Snaking along mostly underground, for decades pipelines have been a rarely thought of fact of life in Western Canada and, indeed, the entire nation. They carried the economic life’s blood of the West to market and, while a line carrying gas or oil might occasionally burst, landowners were by and large more concerned about getting [...]

Size Does Matter

Joei Warm — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:45:41 +0000

As the industry grows, so does the equipment and finding the best way to coordinate its use is as important as the equipment itself.

RyTy knows how to do it big and do it with confidence. It’s no small undertaking to move an 84-wheel trailer – 98 if you count the push truck – [...]

The Peace County Innovator

Centre for Research and Innovation — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:39:10 +0000

In recent issues we noted that Alberta receives more patents per capita than any other province, and that the Peace Country may be the most innovative region in Canada. Grande Prairie is the most entrepreneurial city in Canada.

Who then are these innovators? Finding the answer to this question may have important implications for public [...]

Survey Says… Overload Kills Innovation

NWB Staff — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:35:48 +0000

While organizations need an influx of fresh ideas, their efforts may be hindered as staff are often too busy juggling their day-to-day responsibilities and dealing with problems that arise, results of a recent Robert Half survey suggest.

Nearly half (49 per cent) of chief financial officers (CFOs) interviewed blamed being bogged down with daily tasks or [...]

Our Own Gas-To-Liquids

Bruce Lantz — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:25:39 +0000

Within a month two major energy firms should be deciding if they will embark on a project that would see a Gas-To-Liquids (GTL) plant being built somewhere in northwestern Alberta or northeastern British Columbia.

South Africa’s Sasol Ltd. and Talisman Energy Inc. last year formed a joint partnership that involved Sasol buying [...]

The Environmental Puzzle

NWB Staff — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:17:02 +0000

While collapsible frac tanks are being promoted as better for the environment and a financial boon for industry, others say they won’t do much to reduce the debate over this controversial natural gas extraction method.

SEI Industries of Delta, BC has developed a collapsible frac tank system they say will reduce [...]

Managing the Future with Foresight

Centre for Research and Innovation — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:10:51 +0000

Long term planning.

Sound planning is an important component of business success. Many businesses plan between one and five years ahead with some assurance but beyond year five, uncertainties often make reliable planning problematic.

Uncertainties include the vagaries of the business and commodity cycles, shifting markets and foreign exchange rates, changing consumer trends and environmental [...]

Northern Opportunities: A Pretty Good Deal

NWB Staff — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:09:08 +0000

Ryan Gilmore was frustrated with high school and considered dropping out. Then he learned of the dual credit programs offered by the Northern Opportunities initiative and signed on to train as an automotive service technician while still in high school. Now he’s graduating with the highest mark in his course.

“It’s the best decision I’ve [...]

Open to Everyone

NWB Staff — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:06:38 +0000

Nicole Schartner says she is glad to be in the Power Engineering program at GPRC (Grande Prairie Regional College) Fairview Campus not only because she enjoys the work, but because it allows her to “talk shop” with family.

The soon to be 19-year-old, whose grandfather and two uncles are also power engineers, became interested in [...]

Fort St. John: Energized & Ready to Roll

NWB Staff — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:02:52 +0000

Priding itself on being a family friendly community, Fort St. John still manages to find plenty of room for industry and business.

“There’s tons of stuff going on,” said Fort St. John Brent Hodson.

Mayor Lori Ackerman agrees. “I have always loved the energy here. We have a very strong volunteer base here [...]