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Booster Juice Partners with Canadian Developer to Create Video Games Exclusively Available at The Fit & Fun Zone in Toronto Pearson International Airport

Published

8 years ago

7 minute read

Booster Juice Partners with Canadian Developer to Create Video Games Exclusively Available at The Fit & Fun Zone in Toronto Pearson International Airport

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Raoul Bhatt CEO | Bhatt.ca (Left) Dale Wishewan CEO | BoosterJuice.ca

EDMONTON, Alberta – Dale Wishewan, President and CEO of Booster Juice, announced the launch of Booster Juice Game Studios at the Fit & Fun Zone Grand Opening in Toronto. He confirmed the newly formed studio will feature several new and highly anticipated games, consisting of mind challenges, 2D retro games and an interactive Microsoft Kinetic body motion detection games, developed by Bhatt.ca Game Studio. These titles will be made available exclusively at Toronto Pearson International Airport in the Booster Juice Fit & Fun Zone, which opened in October 2016.

This Grand Opening event launched a new store concept for Booster Juice, who transformed a passenger waiting area into a vibrant and interactive destination for commuters. The Fit & Fun Zone was designed to embrace the Booster Juice lifestyle; offering nutritious and delicious smoothies, freshly squeezes juices, grilled food and grab n’ go items, in addition to a dynamic concept that extends beyond the store to feature interactive large format games. The games were created to offer travelers the opportunity to stay active while on the go.

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“We are truly excited about the Grand Opening of our fourth location at the Pearson Airport” said Dale Wishewan. “Our team is dedicated to pushing the envelope when it comes to store design, so working with the GTAA on the concept and Raoul Bhatt on the launch of Booster Juice Game Studios has been fantastic. These games can be enjoyed by individuals of all ages and skill levels, so we hope people enjoy them as much as we do.”

Bhatt.ca Game Studio CEO, Raoul Bhatt, commented “Millions of customers have come to expect the best in innovation and compelling content from Booster Juice, and Bhatt.ca Studios is proud to partner on these phenomenal titles. Partnering with Booster Juice creates a complementary blend of talents, a massive audience base and a shared passion to create something incredible for their customers and beyond.”

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Game Descriptions
The motion game immerses players in an intense and cinematic world, enabling players to use their body for the hyper-realistic, dynamic and interactive environments. Booster Juice Surf places the “cool” you in board shorts riding a branded surf board in the centre of a giant wave. Points accumulate as you avoid dolphins and buoys while trying to keep your balance.

Juice Bar Jumper is a 2D running style game and closely resembles the recognizable Booster Juice stores. With incredibly cute illustrations and a suspenseful storyline, a strawberry speedily whisks across counter tops, earning extra points upon collecting yummy blueberries. As time passes, the difficulty increases.

In another 2D game, the same superstar character—a strawberry with a dashing smile—rides a Booster Juice cup like a rocket, fruits firing out instead flames. He flies through the skies avoiding evil candy, collecting tasty fruit and racking up the points.

The third game unravels a darker, more riveting plot involving the destiny of the strawberry. This is a uniquely-styled, intense game, with challenges above and below, where the player has to double tap to slip in between terrifying blenders. In these vibrantly drawn worlds, players must use a variety of skills to survive and gain points.

Additional games were also designed to challenge your mind. These puzzles are formulated to make you think as you match fruit and test your reflexes. Certainly the game play experience is enhanced while sipping one of Booster Juice’s delicious smoothies.

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(Left to Right: Giovanna Verilli | Associate Director for retail Food and Beverage GTAA, Scott Collier VP Customer and Terminal Services, Raoul Bhatt CEO Bhatt.ca Inc, Dale Wishewan CEO Booster Juice, Suzanne Merell Senior Manager Food and Beverage GTAA)

About Booster Juice
The first Booster Juice was opened in Sherwood Park, Alberta in November 1999 by Dale Wishewan, Booster Juice President & CEO, a guy who thought it would be a good idea to sell smoothies in the middle of a Canadian winter. Turns out, taste trumps temperature, and 17 years later there are over 300 locations worldwide. Booster Juice serves its intensely loyal customers a delicious, convenient and healthy alternative to fast food. In addition to their signature smoothies, their menu offers fresh-squeezed juices, grilled food, and snacks. A vibrant brand that attracts an active clientele, Booster Juice has earned multiple awards for the concepts unique offerings and store design.

About Bhatt.ca
Raoul Bhatt has combined his design and coding skills to become the current CEO of his company, Bhatt.ca. His company has created a winning formula allowing him to win contracts with companies like Twitter, Yahoo, Bosch, Edmonton Oilers, Edmonton Eskimos, Calgary Flames, Wrestlemania, Northlands Park, Carlton University, Edmonton Police Service (plus Alberta’s 14 other police agencies), among others. One of Bhatt.ca’s software, FireText, was used during the live event surrounding President Obama’s inauguration. They specialize in video games, desktop software and web and mobile app development.

For further information, please contact:


Booster Juice

Karen Enticknap, National Marketing Lead

Phone: 780 293 3064

Email: [email protected]


Bhatt

Raoul Bhatt

Phone: 780 498 3779

Email: [email protected]

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Alberta

Alberta’s fiscal update projects budget surplus, but fiscal fortunes could quickly turn

Published on November 21, 2024

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From the Fraser Institute

By Tegan Hill

According to the recent mid-year update tabled Thursday, the Smith government projects a $4.6 billion surplus in 2024/25, up from the $2.9 billion surplus projected just a few months ago. Despite the good news, Premier Smith must reduce spending to avoid budget deficits.

The fiscal update projects resource revenue of $20.3 billion in 2024/25. Today’s relatively high—but very volatile—resource revenue (including oil and gas royalties) is helping finance today’s spending and maintain a balanced budget. But it will not last forever.

For perspective, in just the last decade the Alberta government’s annual resource revenue has been as low as $2.8 billion (2015/16) and as high as $25.2 billion (2022/23).

And while the resource revenue rollercoaster is currently in Alberta’s favor, Finance Minister Nate Horner acknowledges that “risks are on the rise” as oil prices have dropped considerably and forecasters are projecting downward pressure on prices—all of which impacts resource revenue.

In fact, the government’s own estimates show a $1 change in oil prices results in an estimated $630 million revenue swing. So while the Smith government plans to maintain a surplus in 2024/25, a small change in oil prices could quickly plunge Alberta back into deficit. Premier Smith has warned that her government may fall into a budget deficit this fiscal year.

This should come as no surprise. Alberta’s been on the resource revenue rollercoaster for decades. Successive governments have increased spending during the good times of high resource revenue, but failed to rein in spending when resource revenues fell.

Previous research has shown that, in Alberta, a $1 increase in resource revenue is associated with an estimated 56-cent increase in program spending the following fiscal year (on a per-person, inflation-adjusted basis). However, a decline in resource revenue is not similarly associated with a reduction in program spending. This pattern has led to historically high levels of government spending—and budget deficits—even in more recent years.

Consider this: If this fiscal year the Smith government received an average level of resource revenue (based on levels over the last 10 years), it would receive approximately $13,000 per Albertan. Yet the government plans to spend nearly $15,000 per Albertan this fiscal year (after adjusting for inflation). That’s a huge gap of roughly $2,000—and it means the government is continuing to take big risks with the provincial budget.

Of course, if the government falls back into deficit there are implications for everyday Albertans.

When the government runs a deficit, it accumulates debt, which Albertans must pay to service. In 2024/25, the government’s debt interest payments will cost each Albertan nearly $650. That’s largely because, despite running surpluses over the last few years, Albertans are still paying for debt accumulated during the most recent string of deficits from 2008/09 to 2020/21 (excluding 2014/15), which only ended when the government enjoyed an unexpected windfall in resource revenue in 2021/22.

According to Thursday’s mid-year fiscal update, Alberta’s finances continue to be at risk. To avoid deficits, the Smith government should meaningfully reduce spending so that it’s aligned with more reliable, stable levels of revenue.

Author:

Tegan Hill
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Alberta

Alberta fiscal update: second quarter is outstanding, challenges ahead

Published on November 21, 2024

By

Alberta maintains a balanced budget while ensuring pressures from population growth are being addressed.

Alberta faces rising risks, including ongoing resource volatility, geopolitical instability and rising pressures at home. With more than 450,000 people moving to Alberta in the last three years, the province has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to address these pressures and ensure Albertans continue to be supported. Alberta’s government is determined to make every dollar go further with targeted and responsible spending on the priorities of Albertans.

The province is forecasting a $4.6 billion surplus at the end of 2024-25, up from the $2.9 billion first quarter forecast and $355 million from budget, due mainly to higher revenue from personal income taxes and non-renewable resources.

Given the current significant uncertainty in global geopolitics and energy markets, Alberta’s government must continue to make prudent choices to meet its responsibilities, including ongoing bargaining for thousands of public sector workers, fast-tracking school construction, cutting personal income taxes and ensuring Alberta’s surging population has access to high-quality health care, education and other public services.

“These are challenging times, but I believe Alberta is up to the challenge. By being intentional with every dollar, we can boost our prosperity and quality of life now and in the future.”

Nate Horner, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance

Midway through 2024-25, the province has stepped up to boost support to Albertans this fiscal year through key investments, including:

  • $716 million to Health for physician compensation incentives and to help Alberta Health Services provide services to a growing and aging population.
  • $125 million to address enrollment growth pressures in Alberta schools.
  • $847 million for disaster and emergency assistance, including:
    • $647 million to fight the Jasper wildfires
    • $163 million for the Wildfire Disaster Recovery Program
    • $5 million to support the municipality of Jasper (half to help with tourism recovery)
    • $12 million to match donations to the Canadian Red Cross
    • $20 million for emergency evacuation payments to evacuees in communities impacted by wildfires
  • $240 million more for Seniors, Community and Social Services to support social support programs.

Looking forward, the province has adjusted its forecast for the price of oil to US$74 per barrel of West Texas Intermediate. It expects to earn more for its crude oil, with a narrowing of the light-heavy differential around US$14 per barrel, higher demand for heavier crude grades and a growing export capacity through the Trans Mountain pipeline. Despite these changes, Alberta still risks running a deficit in the coming fiscal year should oil prices continue to drop below $70 per barrel.

After a 4.4 per cent surge in the 2024 census year, Alberta’s population growth is expected to slow to 2.5 per cent in 2025, lower than the first quarter forecast of 3.2 per cent growth because of reduced immigration and non-permanent residents targets by the federal government.

Revenue

Revenue for 2024-25 is forecast at $77.9 billion, an increase of $4.4 billion from Budget 2024, including:

  • $16.6 billion forecast from personal income taxes, up from $15.6 billion at budget.
  • $20.3 billion forecast from non-renewable resource revenue, up from $17.3 billion at budget.

Expense

Expense for 2024-25 is forecast at $73.3 billion, an increase of $143 million from Budget 2024.

Surplus cash

After calculations and adjustments, $2.9 billion in surplus cash is forecast.

  • $1.4 billion or half will pay debt coming due.
  • The other half, or $1.4 billion, will be put into the Alberta Fund, which can be spent on further debt repayment, deposited into the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund and/or spent on one-time initiatives.

Contingency

Of the $2 billion contingency included in Budget 2024, a preliminary allocation of $1.7 billion is forecast.

Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund

The Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund grew in the second quarter to a market value of $24.3 billion as of Sept. 30, 2024, up from $23.4 billion at the end of the first quarter.

  • The fund earned a 3.7 per cent return from July to September with a net investment income of $616 million, up from the 2.1 per cent return during the first quarter.

Debt

Taxpayer-supported debt is forecast at $84 billion as of March 31, 2025, $3.8 billion less than estimated in the budget because the higher surplus has lowered borrowing requirements.

  • Debt servicing costs are forecast at $3.2 billion, down $216 million from budget.

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