By Staff

September 4th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

Phil Pothen, Ontario Environment Program Manager at Environmental Defence said the following about the resignation of Steve Clark as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing over the Greenbelt scandal. .

“The resignation of Minister Clark is a predictable attempt at damage control but that is no substitute for reversing the $8.3 billion Greenbelt giveaways in their entirety.

“Given the findings of the Auditor General and the Integrity Commissioner and the vast 350km2 supply of designated development land we had in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area alone (before this government took office), sprawling further outwards, let alone into the Greenbelt, cannot be justified and will only make things worse. Any Minister who persists in claiming otherwise, will only be implicating her or himself in what, going forward, they will know is a false story and disreputable, harmful policy initiative.

“It is clear that the Greenbelt removals are not about housing, therefore the Premier, Cabinet and PC MPPs need to immediately take the following actions:

• Restore protection to every acre of land Minister Clark removed from the Greenbelt and prohibit any further removals
• Reinstate the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve Act
• Reverse the various boundary expansions and sprawl MZOs authorized by the Minister’s Office
• Overhaul land use rules to slam the brakes on sprawl and focus development on adding compact, affordable homes to existing neighbourhoods and settlement areas

Background Information:
There are 59,000 hectares of land designated for development in the GTHA alone, without including the 3,000 hectares removed from the Greenbelt.

If some of the lands were developed at even the modest densities of Toronto’s Trinity-Bellwoods neighbourhood, only 15,000 hectares would be needed to house the population projected for the region by 2051. See more at: https://environmentaldefence.ca/the-big-sprawl-the-gtha-has-more-than-enough-land-designated-for-development/

Ontarians know that we can build homes in cities and towns where we already have services and where public transit and walkability lead to lower costs and higher quality of life. In fact, a new public opinion poll conducted by Environics for the Alliance for a Livable Ontario shows that 83 per cent of Ontario residents want homes built within cities and towns where services exist – and not on the Greenbelt.

About ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (www.environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.

By Staff

September 4th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clarke gave Premier Doug Ford his letter of resignation and posted the contents on Twitter (X)

Steve Clark: Now just the MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.

The release of a damning report from Ontario’s integrity commissioner finding that Clark violated the integrity act “by failing to oversee the process by which lands in the Greenbelt were selected for development “, was the beginning of the end for Clark

In his letter Clark said:

“Although my initial thought was that I could stay in this role and establish a proper process so that these mistakes don’t happen again, I realize that my presence will only cause a further distraction for the important work that needs to be done and that I need to take accountability for what has transpired.”
Clark said he plans to continue as MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.

Marit Stiles: Leader of the Official Opposition NDP

Marit Stiles, the Leader of the Official Opposition NDP said in a media release:

“Steve Clark is finally taking some responsibility for his role in the government’s Greenbelt scandal. But the Auditor General’s report, the Integrity Commissioner’s report, and now a potential criminal investigation clearly show that this corruption reaches far beyond Clark’s office. 

“Now it’s time for Doug Ford to face the music.  

“Recall the legislature so we can restore these lands to the Greenbelt; and give Ontarians the transparency and accountability they deserve from a Premier.” 

By Evelyn Brown

September 4th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

Quality garage doors can last for decades. However, with that long of use, there are bound to be damages or breakdowns that require their repairs. As reported by Home Advisor and Improvement the average cost of a garage door remodel is $218, with high-end parts running around the $553 mark.

Is this a repair you can do yourself or do you need a trained person to fix it?

When repairs are needed, you have two options: do it yourself or call a handyman. The first option seems more advantageous financially, but it’s not always possible. We will look at all the options on how you can reduce the cost of garage door repair

At the stage of diagnosis

● Self-diagnosis. Try to identify the problem on your own. Read the manual for your door, they usually have a section with the most common difficulties and how to solve them. Or look for the answer to your question online, perhaps watch a few videos. This will help save you money on calling a professional.
● Online consultation of a craftsman. Some masters provide such services via the Internet and such a consultation can be free or cheaper than a house call.
At the stage of selection of materials
● Reuse of materials. Before buying, check to see if you already have some of what you need.
● Buying used parts. Sometimes used but quality materials can cost much less.
● Buying non-original parts. To benefit at the moment, you can opt for cheaper analogs of the part you need. However, this entails risks of its more rapid failure.

At the stage of work

● Self-repair. Many simple tasks, such as lubrication, replacing small parts, and re-configuring the remote control can be done with your hands. Find detailed video instructions and get started.
● Combining tasks: If you need to do something not only to the garage door but also something else to repair, try ordering all the work at once, it may come out cheaper than repairing individually. At least for the cost of calling a handyman.
● Call a handyman in advance. Urgency always affects the final cost of the work. If your breakdown does not require urgent repair, then call the master on normal terms in his nearest window.

At the stage of choosing an executor

If you are going to attempt to repair a garage door by yourself become familiar with all the parts.

● Price comparison. Compare the proposals from different performers. Not only by cost but also by the tasks included in it.
● Online auctions and platforms. Sometimes on specialized platforms, you can find performers who are ready to do the work cheaply.
● Discounts or promotions. Some companies offer discounts in the “dead” season or promotions for certain types of work.
Additional tips
● Training videos and tutorials. There are enough resources on the Internet where you can see how to perform this or that repair yourself.
● Sharing experiences. Ask for advice from friends or neighbours who have already faced a similar problem. Perhaps the neighbour’s son will fix your gate cheaper than the master.
● Preventive measures. Most people don’t worry about their garage door until something breaks. However, the truth is that your door should be well-oiled, nuts and bolts tightened, and well-balanced. This greatly affects both its functionality and how long it will last. Is your garage more than a couple of years old? Get an annual tune-up from a professional garage door service company and you’ll avoid costly repairs in the future.

Self-repair vs. calling a master: Where is the benefit?
When deciding whether to do the repair yourself or to call a master, you should take a responsible attitude and evaluate several factors:

1. Financial costs for materials, tools, and work. Remember that if you do not have the necessary equipment, the result may be more expensive than if you hire a professional.
2. Time and effort. Evaluate how complex the job is and how much time it will take. And what financial consequences will come with the risk of making a mistake,
3. Quality and results. If you have the necessary experience, the result can be at the level of a professional. But remember that the handyman gives a warranty on his work, which can be beneficial to you.
4. Personal Safety: Some jobs can be dangerous without the proper equipment and knowledge. And professional handymen know and follow the standards, removing the risks from you.

Based on these criteria, you can choose between self-repair and calling a handyman. Each case is unique, so it’s important to conduct a full assessment before making a decision.

When it is more cost-effective to call a handyman
In some situations, calling in a handyman can be more beneficial:

A broken cable can be done by an experienced handi-man or a neighbour who understands mechanics.

1. Technical complexity. If the breakdown involves complex mechanisms such as automatic opening and closing, it is better to entrust it to a professional. A mistake in repair can lead to costly consequences.
2. Need for specialized tools. Sometimes repairs require specialized tools, which are quite expensive and will not pay for themselves in one repair.
3. Parts. Professionals often have access to parts at wholesale prices and can offer a better price than retail stores.
4. Warranty case. If your door is still under warranty, repairs will probably be free or cheap as long as a certified craftsman does the work. If you do it yourself, you may even nullify your warranty.
5. Warranty on work done. Many professional services offer a warranty on their services, which can save you money in the long run.
6. Time Savings. If you don’t have the free time or desire to research how to make repairs, calling a handyman can be more cost-effective in terms of your time. And if you translate that into the cost per hour of your work as well, for sure.
7. Adherence to standards and norms There are some instances where repairs must be done according to certain standards that only a qualified professional knows.

While do-it-yourself repairs may seem cheaper at first glance, the long-term economic and safety factors often speak in favor of calling in the professionals.

This is probably going to require professional trained help.

Conclusion
With the variety of options in today’s world, finding a way to make garage door repair cheaper is not difficult. As a rule, the financial benefit requires balancing it with the investment of your time, risks incurred, or lost profits.

Choosing to make a financial outlay, such as calling a repairman, provides a strategic benefit that can be overlooked at the moment. Make an informed decision based on your priorities and you’ll be on the plus side either way.

By Staff

September 1st, 2023,

BURLINGTON, ON

It seems that Canadians are a little out of the loop when it comes to their own mortgages.

The Real Estate and Mortgage Institute of Canada (REMIC) painted a pretty dismal picture of Canadian borrowers earlier this month, reporting that 58% can’t recall what their monthly mortgage payments are “without looking them up.”

REMIC also revealed that 68% of current borrowers are “murky” on what their monthly payments would be if the Bank of Canada raised its policy rate to 5% (and mind you, the rate hit 5% in July) including close to 32% who say they don’t know and over 36% who say they’re unsure.

There’s shock value to those figures — at first blush, they’re uncomfortably high and seem to point to a sort of irreverence in a high-stakes borrowing scenario — but experts point out that mortgage holders these days are facing an unusual level of nuance. Interest rates haven’t held steady for more than a few months at a time since last March, and mortgage rate volatility has certainly been one of the fallouts.

How many of these home owners know what is set out in their mortgage?

Andy Hill, mortgage broker and Co-Founder of ratefilter.ca, says that it makes sense to him that only a portion of borrowers — and he surmises those with an adjustable-rate product, as well as fixed- and variable-rate carriers who are up for renewal — would be hyper-aware of their monthly mortgage payments, as only some are “at the whim” of interest rate fluctuations.

“If they’re not coming up for renewal, if they’re not an adjustable-rate mortgage, effectively, they have no reason to make that sort of calculation at this specific time,” he says.

Early mortgage documents were to some degree hand written.

Similarly, Victor Tran, mortgage and real estate expert with RATESDOTCA, notes that it’s not uncommon for current borrowers to be less “in tune” with the broader market dynamics that inform things like mortgage rates as they move away from the initial purchase of their home, saying that consumers tend to be “reactive as opposed to proactive.”

“They usually look into these sorts of things when they actually have to,” he adds.

READ: “Mortgage Malaise”: Over A Third Of Canadians Regret Their Current Mortgage

With another BoC rate decision slated for next week, Tran urges borrowers coming up for renewal in the coming months to be proactive: “shop around” with different lenders and, although predictions are mixed on whether the bank will opt to hike or hold, consider locking in a rate preemptively.

“If rates go up, you’re protected at a slightly lower rate. If the rates go down, then great, you just reapply for that new rate hold or a new pre-approval,” he says.

Tran also notes that, while the BoC’s policy rate dictates the prime rate, which is then tied to variable-rate mortgages and lines of credit, consumers can follow the Canada government bonds for some insight into fixed-rate mortgage products.

“As Canada government bonds increase, fixed rates will also increase. And vice versa — if bond yields are coming down, fixed rates will also come down,” he says. “And people can monitor that online. You can just Google ‘Canada five-year government bond’ or ‘three-year government bond.’ And the fixed rates are tied to those directly.”

Many churches and some families celebrate the end of a mortgage by burning it.

But regardless of the bank’s next move or the type of mortgage scenario Canadians are finding themselves in, Hill stresses that there’s power in doing your homework and not just relying on “experts” to inform your next mortgage move (or sticking with the same product out of convenience.)

“You really want to do a little bit of research into the mortgage you’re currently in and what you’re being offered,” he says. “Look at the bank that you bank with, look at what other banks have available, look at the broker network — I think all of those avenues are good to explore. Just like one would with any other investment, you want to check out the variety of different options available, and then be empowered in your own decision making.”

Content was picked up from STOREY.ca; the online platform for real estate news.