Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Gas prices keep dropping, but what's the cost? #CalgaryCancerCentre #saveourCCC

I was visiting family in Thunder Bay this past weekend, and while we were there my Aunt filled up here car with gas for just under $1/L. Of course I bragged that I had just filled my car back in Calgary for 75cents/L. We laughed about how it was so nice to see the Ls go up faster the the price while you were filling.

For me, seeing gas dip so low is great. As a grad student, the budget is always tight and being able to fill my car for $30 instead of $50 makes a huge difference.

However, last night at our Grad Representative Council meeting, the question was asked, what does the drop in oil prices, and subsequent drop in revenue for the Alberta Government mean for us. We have already seen major cuts to post-secondary education in Alberta in the last couple years, with a scrambling provincial government, are we likely to be looking at even more? The answer, we won't know anything for sure until the provincial budget is released in March.

But there are some things we already know have been affected here in Calgary, by the drop in oil. And not just at the pump. Real estate here in Calgary, where rent before Xmas just reached the highest out of Canada's major cities, is already beginning to swing the other way. Last September I looked for a new apartment and couldn't find anything for even the same rent as what I was paying, let alone cheaper. Now? You can get yourself into a 2 bedroom for that same rent. And while some sources are predicting housing sale prices will still increase this year, they remain cautionary about it. And as for jobs, well energy giants like Suncor have already announced cuts to approximately 1,000 jobs. Overall, it seems like we are headed for an economic recession here in Alberta.

The effects of which may be far reaching. Today, the Concerned Citizens for the Calgary Cancer Centre are rallying in front of the McDougall Centre over the announced delay in breaking ground on the new Calgary Cancer Centre. The Centre, originally promised in 2005, is intended to provide more inpatient beds for Albertans fighting Cancer. Currently many patients are spending up to a week in Calgary's emergency rooms while waiting for beds to open up. Since I couldn't attend the rally in person, I'm following along right now on Twitter, here's some highlights.







So please, if this is a cause you care about, show your support with a retweet or two.

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3 comments:

  1. KeithJanuary 28, 2015 at 11:59 AM

    I was there! I tweeted! About 250 to 300 people, I think.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SaraJanuary 28, 2015 at 12:04 PM

      Awesome, I wanted to go, but I had scheduled experiments today. Great to see such awesome turnout from Calgarians tho!

      Delete
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