'Already struggling' Calgary downtown core will be hit hard by job cuts from Cenovus-Husky merger - National Post

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“It’s an unfortunate thing, because, the timing being such, the pandemic has affected everyone in Calgary and certainly in Alberta,” Ball said. “For non-profits it means there’s been an increase in the demands for their services.”

It’s especially acute for the cultural non-profits, most of which are based downtown, she said.

“Of course people working downtown creates a vibrancy 5 to 7 and 7 beyond for bars and restaurants and also live in-person events and so the arts sector is tied to, in some ways, the vitality of the downtown core.”

Still, in spite of the doom and gloom, there are bright spots: On Monday, Suncor announced it would be relocating employees at its branch offices in the Toronto area to Calgary, essentially bringing 700 positions to Calgary.

“Yesterday, Suncor’s leadership spoke with our Downstream employees and let them know that over the course of 2021, we’d be moving our Downstream head office from Mississauga and Oakville to Calgary,” Suncor spokesperson Sneh Seetal said in an email.

Nenshi said that Suncor moving people to the city is good news, evidence of the city’s appealing real-estate market, compared to overheated business markets such as Toronto, something he hopes will bring even more business to the city.

“That’s really the pitch that we’re making to a lot of firms,” said Nenshi.

Woolley, for his part, also remains optimistic: “There is hope, I am a hopeful, optimistic Calgarian, I believe in our city, but it really does speak to the importance of us taking a look at economic diversification,” said Woolley.

With files from Geoffrey Morgan

• Email: tdawson@postmedia.com | Twitter: tylerrdawson

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicWh0dHBzOi8vbmF0aW9uYWxwb3N0LmNvbS9uZXdzL2NhbmFkYS9jYWxnYXJ5LWRvd250b3duLWNvcmUtd2lsbC1iZS1oaXQtaGFyZC1ieS1qb2ItY3V0cy1mcm9tLWNlbm92dXMtaHVza3ktbWVyZ2Vy0gGfAWh0dHBzOi8vbmF0aW9uYWxwb3N0LmNvbS9uZXdzL2NhbmFkYS9jYWxnYXJ5LWRvd250b3duLWNvcmUtd2lsbC1iZS1oaXQtaGFyZC1ieS1qb2ItY3V0cy1mcm9tLWNlbm92dXMtaHVza3ktbWVyZ2VyL3djbS81YTNjYmNmYS1hNTI2LTRmNTItODVhNC1jNzcyN2E1MDVkYWIvYW1wLw?oc=5

2020-10-27 23:25:05Z
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