Around the North

An increasing number of Canadians are browsing, interacting, learning and buying over the Internet, according to a recent released report from The Conference Board of Canada.

Single-detached housing starts for the City of Greater Sudbury continue on an upswing, with year-to-date totals to July 46 per cent ahead of last year's figures. Canada Mortage and Housing Corp.

URSA Major Minerals Inc., a Toronto mining firm, has staked additional claims in the Sudbury area, hiking their number of mining claims to 308.

One of Northern Ontario's largest Internet service providers and Web-hosting companies has been purchased by Persona Communications Inc.

St. Marys Paper Ltd. found its new mill manager from within its own ranks, appointing long-time woodlands manager Marc Dube as its top administrative official in August.

A pre-engineering study in Sault Ste. Marie is recommending a $23.5-million upgrade to the city's east-end water pollution control plant, and an additional $19.48 million to install secondary treatment technology.

A Taiwanese trade delegation invited by Sault Ste. Marie Mayor John Rowswell arrived in the city in mid-August for exploratory talks on the transpolar air freight initiative.

The Roberta Bondar building in Sault Ste. Marie will undergo a $6-million facelift to accommodate more staff with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. Lottery staff has grown from 415 to more than 500 in the past year.

The cost to clean up North Bay's former CP Railway lands and install its waterfront vision is pegged at $43 million.

On the heels of a Sudbury political push for the four-laning of Highway 69, North Bay business leaders are lobbying for fast-tracking of the four-laning of Highway 11.