There also are plans for new long term care facility in Tyne Valley. May- nard indicated tenders will begin to be posted for this project in late May/early June. and create many jobs,” premier Brian Gallant said at the event. “Plus, once the centre is complete, it will enhance the quality of life for families in the re- gion.” Gallant also credited Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc, who is not running again for office, for his role in seeing the centre become a reality. While the sod turning event oc- curred in late March, in fact site work had started earlier in the spring. The new downtown centre is scheduled to open in 2018, creating 713 construc- tion jobs. The overall project has a construc- tion budget of about $85 million, in- cluding a combined $48 million federal/provincial contribution and Moncton city’s plans to borrow about $39 million. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND Riverview Manor construction to start in Montague The provincial government has called for site preparation and founda- tion work for a new $12.5 million Riverview long term care facility in Montague to replace the existing nearly 49-year old structure. Last April, Premier Wade MacLauch- lan announced the new 49-bed manor would be built on the site of the old Montague High School. The initial bidding process was to close on May 5. Government will issue tenders for further work in mid to late May. Charlottetown condos at Passmore and Chestnut now one step closer The rezoning required for a contro- versial 50–unit Charlottetown condo- minium has passed first and second reading at city council. There is still a need for a third reading for final ap- proval. The project has faced some back- lash, particularly around the issue of eight houses in an established down- town neighbourhood that are slated to be demolished to make room for the development. Approval to demolish the mostly vacant homes has already been granted by council, CBC has re- ported. At a public meeting in February, de- veloper Phillip O’Halloran faced ques- tions and concerns from many Charlottetown residents. O’Halloran said after that meeting, he went out and knocked on doors to listen to what people in the neighbour- hood wanted. “We did canvas around the neigh- bourhood, which reaffirmed that we were given back almost a year ago, was a mandate to develop the area, and we have more than 230 sheets signed for the development, in support of the development in the immediate area,” he said. Along with the condominiums, the building will have commercial space on the bottom level. O’Halloran said he wants a grocery store in that space be- cause the downtown needs one. He said he is also in talks with coffee shops and a daycare. NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR St John’s housing market slows More cool water is being dumped on the once hot real estate market in St. John’s, according to data released by two housing groups. The Canadian Mortgage and Hous- ing Corporation released a survey showing construction activity was down in March in the capital city, after a small recovery in the latter half of 2015. Home prices have also been flat throughout the last year in St. John’s, according to a second survey by Royal LePage. In its release, the CMHC called con- struction in the St. John’s area “weak” in March. Prices for bungalows and two- storey homes were relatively flat, both increasing less than one per cent over the last year. The price for condominiums plum- meted, falling almost 10 per cent in the same time frame. Government to explore tunnel viability between island and Labrador The provincial government is spending $750,000 to commission a study to see if a fixed, underground link between Labrador and the island of Newfoundland is feasible, VOCM reports. The idea dates back to the days of Joey Smallwood. In 2004, Nalcor did a similar study exploring all available options. It found that a tunnel with a single railway track was the only possible option at that time, but the high construction costs and low traffic volumes weren’t feasi- ble. However Premier Dwight Ball says now is a good time to revisit the idea. The Canadian Design and Construction Report — May-June 2016 – 25