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WHITI3Y FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1984, PAGE 7 Whitby accounts for 63% of ail housing starts iii Durham The Town of Whitby accounted for 63 par cent of ail home con- struction starts in the Region of Durham as of the end of April accor- digto regional plan- ning commissioner Mofeed Michael. In a report tabled today before Durham Regional Council, Michael said that of the 739 residential building permits issued throughout the region between Jan. 1 and Apr. 30, 468 were issued in Whitby. However, overal housing starts in the reglon are down 26 per cent over the same period last year. Michael noted that when compared to the last quarter of 1983, apartment construction has gone up'from 9 per cent of aIl permits issued ",to 34 per cent. The number of row and townhouse units has risen from 10 to 13 per cent',of ail homes con- structed. The planning com- missioner also reported that housing com- pletions as of the end of Speaking to You W;u>M By SCOTT FENNELL, MP (PC - Ontario) Recently I received a copy of an independent sur- vey conducted by Wilfrid Laurier University and the Elliot Research Corporation, concerning how the Canadian public feels about the solution to the issue of foreign cars overtaking increasingly larger portions of the market. The survey was conducted over a three-month period, and represents the views of over 3,000 Canadians'of ail ages ail across the country including those who drive both domesticaily-produced vehieles and imports. The resuits of the survey indicate that Canadians are definiteiy not ready for high tariffs'or even the continuances of the current tariff but are in favour Of '"sourcing of parts in Canada". On a Canada-wide basis, 59 per cent favour this.as a possible solution. The respondents were aiso asked to identify the strategy most preferred for dealing with the automotive- trade problems. Again, there, was significant regional variation with most provinces choosing Canadian sourced parts over the stated alternatives. The major deviation was the Atlantic region, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia who- saw quotas as the most effective solution that they preferred. As you may be aware, the task force report on the automotive industry which was submitted to the federal governent in May of 1983, cailed for al automobile companies operating 'ini Canada, either as assemblers or importers, to reacll a level of 60- per cent Canadian content, similar to the provisions in the existing Canada-United States Automotive Agreement (the Auto-Pact) which has been in effect for the past 19 years. Thus the Survey indicates that there is support across the country for the recom- mendàtions contained in the task force report. Yet, the Lâiberal government seems to be ignoring the report.. I wish to assure you that after the next election, the P.C. government wiil be giving this matter our immediate attention'. We are committed to ensuring the survival and'growtb of the industry which has done so much to lead Canada out of the recent recession. April were down 19 per cent over the first quar- ter of 1983. Neariy haif of ail housing com- pletions during this pariod were in the Town of Ajax. The major thrust of local housing construc- tion is stili in the development of single family detached homes. These units accounted for 52 per cent of the starts and 54 per cent of the completions registered throughout the region. Michael said that the decline in- residential building activity is due primarily to the lack of government housing programs. "The reduction in residential building ac- tivity experienced this year is primarily due to the absence of gover- nmental incentives for both ownership and market rentai housing units," he wrote in his report. The other factor af- fected house construc- tion has been the recent rise in interest rates. "The housing market is particularly sensitive Chamber te meet June 27 The marketing of Durham Region wiil be, the topic of discussion at a general meeting of the Whitby Chamber of Commerce on June 27. Gerard Gervais, regionai commissioner, 0f "economic develop- ment, wiil summarize what the region is doing in the highiy com- patitive field' of marketing.at a luncheon to be held at the Marigold Dinner Playhouse, 419 Brock Street North. There wiil bea social half-hour starting at 11:45 a.m., followed by luncheon at 12: 15 pan. Anyone interested in attending this meeting is'asked to confirm hils or her attendance by phoning the Whitby Chamber of Commerce at 668-506 by June 25 at the latest. to interest rate changes," Michael said. "If house buyers believe interest rates are too, high, they are hesitant to purchase new homnes due to their reduced affordabtlity positions and developars builders therefore, have dif- ficulty in seliing their products. " The commissioner pointed out that residen- tial developars tend to carry more "floating- rate debt" than do other members of the com- mercial/industrial sec- tor. "As a result, finan- cing costs soar as inter- est rates rise. " The fluxuations in in- terest rates, Michael added, wili do much to determine building ac- tivity for the rest of the year. "Stability of interest rates will be a key determinant for con- tinued residential con- struction activity in Durham this year," his report concluded. 0 SPECIAL OFFER FOR NEW SIPERCHANNl SUBSCRIBERS 0 FREE ONE WHOLE MONTH ,jj0F GREAT SUPERICHAN1111NELM M11,' ,IM With the "3 months for 2" Summer Special from Rogers Cable TV! Pay fir2 months of superb SUPERCHANNEL movie entertainment for (>nly $ 15.95 a month * .. . get a bonus month abso- lutely free - a $ 15.95 value! Enjoy 24-hour, commer- cial-free movies, ail su mmer long -a great way to relax SA1 2o on.weekends, after workora day in the sun. Plus as a s Movie Service subscriber, yoýu'l save on Rogers up- coming aIl-music, al-sports and U.S. satellite services. le e nfl'y$,9-9,5~ Enter a new age in TV entertainment with Rogers and Caior visîit today' SUPERCHANNEL! OFFER EXPIRES JUNE 30, 1984. CALL OR VISIT ROGERS CABLE TV NOW! 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