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Nalcor issues stop-work order to Astaldi; 500 workers being sent home from Muskrat Falls

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Nalcor Energy is breaking ties with the financially-troubled main contractor at the Muskrat Falls hydro megaproject, after weeks of fiscal and legal conflict between the two companies.

Nalcor has directed the Canadian subsidiary of Italian construction firm Astaldi to stop working on the site, and is arranging for Astaldi’s 500 workers in Labrador to return home.

The latest dramatic development comes after weeks of legal jousting, with Astaldi seeking more cash for its work on Muskrat Falls, and Nalcor insisting Astaldi is responsible for debts owed to subcontractors and suppliers.

Astaldi has been facing financial woes both in Labrador and Italy, where the parent company has filed for a type of creditor protection.

‘Closely monitoring’ Astaldi financial situation

In an emailed statement sent late Thursday afternoon, Stan Marshall — the chief executive officer of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Crown energy corporation — said Nalcor has been « closely monitoring » Astaldi’s financial situation.

« Given Astaldi’s inability to continue to pay its workers, Nalcor has directed Astaldi to stop work, » Marshall said.

Work is focused on ensuring we meet the critical path for first power as planned in 2019.– Stan Marshall

« We are taking this action to minimize the financial harm placed upon the workers by Astaldi. »

Marshall said Nalcor’s immediate priority is to « make arrangements for Astaldi’s approximately 500 workers living at the Muskrat Falls site in Labrador to return home in a safe and orderly fashion. » 

According to Marshall, there are financial protections for those workers in place. Astaldi’s surety has directed payment of funds to the Resource Development Trades Council (RDTC), in relation to the contractor’s obligations to the workers’ pensions and benefits plan.

‘Challenging situation’ for workers

On Wednesday, CBC News reported that the RDTC — the umbrella group for 16 local trades unions working on the hydro megaproject — filed a $7.8 million lawsuit against Astaldi and Nalcor over unpaid remittances to those plans.

« We understand this is a challenging situation for workers and will continue to work with the RDTC to address their outstanding concerns, » Marshall said.

Workers are pictured at the Muskrat Falls site in Labrador in this June 2018 file photo. The Resource Development Trades Council, which represents 16 unions there, has filed a $7.8 million lawsuit against Astaldi and Nalcor. (Eddy Kennedy/CBC)

According to Marshall, Nalcor recently notified Astaldi that all of the funds the contractor is currently eligible to earn under its contracts have been paid.

He said the action against Astaldi « will not have any impact to the ongoing work activities of the other contractors and workers on site, » and their work will continue as planned.

« Work is focused on ensuring we meet the critical path for first power as planned in 2019. »

Contingency plan in place

The Muskrat Falls project is billions over budget and years behind schedule. But Marshall said a Plan B has been in the works, to keep the project on the rails going forward.

« We have also been working on a contingency plan to finish the work should Astaldi be unable to complete its remaining scope of work, » Marshall said in a statement.

« We remain committed to have first power from the project in 2019 with full power in 2020. Our goal is to finish this project strong and we’re ensuring that we have everything in place to do this. »

Stan Marshall is the CEO of Crown-owned Nalcor Energy. (Terry Roberts/CBC)

Astaldi was selected in 2013 to build the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric generation facility on the Churchill River in Labrador. The contract included construction of the intake and powerhouse, spillway and transition dams, with an 824-megawatt generating station.

It was originally valued at between $1 billion and $1.1 billion. 

Astaldi asked for more cash to finish the project, citing delays and higher costs.

Two years ago, Nalcor and Astaldi reached a deal to make that happen, jacking the bill up to $1.83 billion.

The latest total estimated price tag to complete Muskrat Falls, including financing costs, is $12.7 billion.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline. 

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors. 

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity. 

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement. 

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level. 

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet. 

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.

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