Community Progress

• "Team Moose Jaw" Acts on Key Strategies to Grow the City

Team Moose Jaw has recorded a number of important “wins” over the years in executing its game plan to promote the city as “a great place to visit, live, work and do business”.

• Just a sample of recent accomplishments include:
  • In 2008 Moose Jaw REDA along with its partners undertook an initiative to further its goals.  From January to March a labour retention and attraction project was conducted.  It consisted of conducting tree focus group sessions with youth, SIAST students, and human resource professionals to determine their perceptions of Moose Jaw as a place to live work and do business, and the suggestions for improvement.  This was followed by a strategic planning session with community partners and a survey conducted with Team Moose Jaw/Pride & Promise members.  The outcome was a final report, with recommendations, presented to the community in March 2008.
  • The Chamber of Commerce continues to carry out several initiatives recognizing businesses and workers - MJBEX Awards, Citizen/Group of the Year, Focus on Trade and Service with a Smile.
  • The Pride and Promise group held a successful Soap box luncheon where members shared their stories of Moose Jaw's success.
  • Moose Jaw successfully participated in the hosting of two events for the 2005 Jeux Canada Games. 
  • Housing starts were high again in 2005, the City of Moose Jaw issued 60 new housing permits.  Since 2003, 189 housing units have been constructed and shows more people know Moose Jaw is a great City to live in!
  • South Central Community Futures has begun its YBEX (Youth Business Excellence) program.  The program promotes entrepreneurship to students from grades 7-12 by allowing them to experience what operating a business is like.
  • Tourism Moose Jaw reported 266,000 visitors in the first 9 months of 2004 and these visitors spent well over $40 million.
  • SIAST is receiving $1.25 million of upgrades to its facilities, renovations include 5 multi-functional smart classrooms and redevelopment of the instrumentation division.
  • The Holy Trinity Catholic School Division hosted a Catholic Section School Board Convention in 2005.  The convention was a success with attendees providing positive feedback on the City and its services.

Community Pride

• The annual economic impact of the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) Program at 15 Wing Moose Jaw is $52 million with direct and indirect employment of 920 full-time equivalent positions.
  
• In the G8 International 2008 KPMG Competitive Alternatives Study ranked Moose Jaw #1 for cost competitiveness for the North American Midwest, 4th in Canada and 12th overall for twelve operations among the 136 cities studied from the ten countries included in the analysis.  Moose Jaw placed better than Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg and Calgary.
  
• Moose Jaw is a major transportation hub for Saskatchewan with key transportation linkages to major North American markets and the highest concentration of employment in the Transportation & Storage Industry for Saskatchewan’s four major urban centres.  
  
• 2007 Statistics Canada figures indicate the City has 1,079 employers and a labour force of 19,000 workers between the ages of 15 and 65 with a participation rate of 70.1% and an unemployment rate of 6.8%. This represents an increase of 6.7% or 1,200 jobs in the City in 2007.
  
• Financial Post Markets - Canadian Demographics, estimates 2008 retail sales of $600.68 million, 38% above the national average.
  
• The value of building permits issued in 2007 was $40,859,200, an all time high. This represents an increase of 13.5% over 2006. There were 261 residential permits issued worth $24,738,700. The Industrial, Commercial and Government sectors accounted for 60 permits totaling $16,120,500.
  
• The average house price for 2007 was $129,043 up 28% over 2006. The average selling price of a home in March 2008 was $160,252 - 24% above March 2007. The number of houses sold in 2007 increased by 37% over 2006. Moose Jaw remains one of the most affordable housing markets among prairie cities with a population above 25,000.
  
• The City sold out of lots in 2007. Ninety-four lots will be available for construction in the Westheath subdivision in 2008. In addition builders own a number of lots where they have sales for new homes for the 2008 construction season. The City has approved the development of 600 lots in the new West Park subdivision which will be ready for construction in 2009.
  
  

Community Promise

• Together the groups will:
  • Work together towards a common purpose
  • Take responsibility for Strategies & Actions
  • Plan to meet the needs of Moose Jaw at its full potential
  • Grow the community from within
  • Serve as an international model for development and growth
  • Jointly communicate success