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Alan Cochrane
Cochrane report

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Average home prices in New Brunswick reached a new record of $166,672 during the month of May.

The latest report from the New Brunswick Real Estate Association said this marks a nine per cent increase over last year and becomes the highest average price on record for the province.

But the number pales in comparison to the national average of $319,757.

The MLS residential average price rose in May 2009 from year-ago levels in all regions of the province.

Average price posted the largest gain in northern New Brunswick, up 23 per cent year-over-year. The average price for MLS home sales rose 12 per cent in Saint John, 4.6 per cent in Fredericton, and five per cent in Moncton.

The association reported home sales numbered 816 units in May 2009, the highest level in 10 months. Although activity was down 10 per cent year-over-year, the gap between monthly activity this year and last continues to shrink.

The dollar value of all MLS home sales in New Brunswick totalled $136 million, a decrease of two per cent from a year earlier ($138.8 million). The combined dollar value of all MLS sales activity in May 2009 amounted to $142 million, down 4.8 per cent from the dollar volume in May 2008.

New residential listings numbered 1,651 units in May 2009, falling 4.1 per cent from one year earlier after two months of increases.

The association said 5,698 active listings on the MLS system in New Brunswick at the end of May 2009, 12 per cent above the same time last year.

CBDC helps business grow

The Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC) of Westmorland Albert continues to help businesses get started and grow during this period of economic uncertainty.

"From April 2008 to March 2009, we helped business owners create or maintain 196 jobs, initiated 35 SEED Capital Loans, assisted 39 entrepreneurs through the Self-Employed Benefits program, and facilitated in arranging 58 other business loans equalling $ 8,730,163 including leveraged assistance with our business partners. These figures speak well to the effectiveness of the role that CBDC Westmorland Albert continues to play in supporting the growth of our business community," says Karen Robinson, executive director of CBDC Westmorland Albert. "We've adopted a semi-formal mission statement that we're 'In the Business of Building Businesses' and that is our first and foremost top priority. We firmly believe that a strong economic future is being constructed today by small to medium business owners, and that by assisting them in any way possible will ensure that our area remains a vibrant and thriving community,"

At this year's annual general meeting, the following volunteer board members completed their terms of service: Michel Gallant (representing Shediac), Sandy Harper, (Sackville), Amanda Feindel (Dorchester) and Joanne LeBlanc Skyrie (Shediac).

Four new board members were elected at the general meeting. They are: Robert Breau (Shediac), Darlene Teahen (Dorchester), Gloria Jollymore (Sackville) and Caroline Cormier (Shediac).

Other members of the board include Marc Gaudet (Memramcook), Elsie Constantine (Salisbury/Petitcodiac), Maurice Cormier (Shediac), James Barkley (Sackville), Tanya Hess (Sackville), Garry Parsons (Port Elgin), Harris Smith (Albert County) and Guy Donelle (Cap Pele).

For more information on CBDC, call 532-8312 or visit online at www.CBDC.ca.

N.B. awareness campaign receives awards

The highway safety public awareness campaign of the Department of Public Safety has received two awards.

The television and radio campaign, 'Be ... safe and sound,' won a regional award in the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators Public Affairs and Consumer Education (PACE) competition. This award recognizes public relations, public affairs and consumer education excellence among the motor vehicle, law enforcement and traffic safety agencies throughout North America.

Retiring judge to be honoured

A special session of the Court of Appeal will be held Tuesday to celebrate the career of retiring Justice Joseph Z. Daigle, a former chief justice of the Court of Queen's Bench, and a former chief justice for the Province of New Brunswick.

Daigle was called to the bar in 1960 after pursuing his education in the practice of law at the University of New Brunswick and l'Université de Paris.

For two decades he practiced law with an emphasis on criminal defence work and general civil litigation. He served as a provincial court judge from 1967 until 1974, the year he was elected as a member of the legislative assembly of New Brunswick. In 1975, he was named to Queen's Counsel.

Daigle served as leader of the Opposition from 1978 to 1981. A year later, he was appointed judge of the Court of Queen's Bench in New Brunswick, and was chief justice of the same court in 1994. He served as chief justice for New Brunswick from 1998 until 2003, when he elected supernumerary status.

The special session of the Court of Appeal will take place Tuesday, June 23, at 2 p.m. in Courtroom Number 6 of the Justice Building in Fredericton.

n The Cochrane Report appears each Wednesday and Saturday. Items for publication may be submitted by e-mail to cochrana@timestranscript.com, or by fax to 859-4904.