North Toronto Post April 2021 by Post City Magazines

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BLUE JAYS & RED HOTS MARK MCEWAN SAMPLES T.O.’S MOST DECADENT DOGS FOR OPENING DAY

REAL ESTATE 14th ANNUAL

ROUNDTABLE OUR EXPERTS ON RAPIDLY RISING HOUSE PRICES & THE REMOTE WORK REVOLUTION

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APRIL 2021 · VOLUME 27 · ISSUE 9

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CONTENTS APRIL 2021

SUSTAINABLE SPRING ESSENTIALS Jeanne Beker picks 10 stunning and eco-conscious wardrobe staples

T.O.’S COUNTRY SWEETHEARTS Shannon Ella and Steven Lee Olsen met at the Canadian Country Music Awards

BLUE JAYS AND RED HOTS Chef Mark McEwan samples T.O.’s most decadent dogs for opening day

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APRIL 2021

REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE Our experts on rapidly rising house prices and the remote work revolution

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Laeticia Amihere went from slam-dunking teen to a championship at the University of South Carolina

Congrats to local basketball star Laeticia Amihere who won the

2021 SEC Basketball Championship alongside her Gamecocks teammates at the University of South Carolina, beating the University of Georgia Bulldogs. The game was also notable as the first championship matchup featuring two Black head coaches. The Mississauga native is in her second season down south, in addition to her playing on the Canadian national team. The budding superstar has come a long way from the time when videos of her at 15 years of age slam-dunking went viral.

Dallas Green has had a long career in music under the name City and

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Colour and as part of the band Alexisonfire. Now, he’s giving back to the community by teaming up with Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse in support of the Nick Nurse Foundation, an organization devoted to helping youth balance academics with other passions like music and sports. In celebration of the foundation’s one-year anniversary, Green and Nurse have collaborated on a limited edition hoodie that comes in three colours, pink, black and white, and sports a funky illustration representing Green’s love for music and Nurse’s career in basketball. Proceeds go toward the Indspire City and Colour Indigenous Student Bursary, which helps First Nations, Inuit and Métis students accomplish their educational goals.

Toronto comedian Michael Kolberg posted a hilarious new video on

social media on March 10 declaring a passionate desire for a movie theatre to be located at Dufferin Mall. The mall will soon be part of a massive redevelopment project, and Kolberg insists that there is nothing better for the location than to include a cinema. Since its release, the tweet has gone viral and garnered responses from Mayor John Tory, movie giant Cineplex and others.The video includes three guest appearances, including one from radio broadcaster Raina Douris.

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The Canadian closer Ace pitcher Jordan Romano on the coming season, the team’s high-profile signings and missing Mom’s home cooking by Ron Johnson

You know, I’m not sure. They haven’t talked about defined roles yet. But I’m just hoping to be used in some high-leverage spots, wherever they may be. You guys are one of the teams to beat in the East going into the season. What are the expectations around the clubhouse?

Definitely some big names have been added, you know. All the guys here were super excited when we saw these guys that we signed, and, yeah, with that I think the expectations are a little bit higher. You know, we made the playoffs last year. And I think this year, a goal would be to get a lot deeper in the playoffs with the new guys we have. Who do you think will have the biggest impact this year?

We got a lot of great players, but one that sticks out is George Springer who has been, over the past five, six years or so, one of the best players in the league. So I’m just really happy he’s on our side now. How does it feel playing for the hometown team, but being stuck in Florida to start the season?

Growing up in Markham, I was obviously a big fan of the Blue Jays. It is a little different not playing in front of the Toronto fans, definitely gonna miss that. But it’s the situation we’re in. So we’re gonna make do and try to make the best of it. Tell me about your first major league appearance.

It was a pretty exciting moment. That was like my fifth or sixth season, just trying to work up to that goal to finally get the call up. The first thing that stands out was how nice hotels were compared to the minor leagues. And it honestly felt like a movie almost. When I got out there, it didn’t feel like it was real. I was super nervous, super anxious but really excited and I felt pretty prepared. But yeah, I almost blacked out. That’s kind of how it felt. And who is the toughest batter you’ve faced?

You know, I would have to say Mike Trout. He's a pretty great player that I had to face when the Angels came to town. I got him that day. But I’d say Mike Trout is probably the toughest hitter I've ever met. So you grew up in Markham. Tell me about your introduction to baseball and what it was about the sport that clicked for you.

Growing up in Markham, or Canada in general, hockey is, you know, the big

34 The number of new neighbourhoods officially added to the City of Toronto list for a grand total of 158.

Who were some of your favourite players growing up?

Roy Halladay was a big one for sure. Ricky Romero. Even guys like Brett Lawrie and J.P. Arencibia. They were getting big when I was in college. So that was pretty exciting. Vernon Wells was another big one. We all liked Vernon when he was out in centrefield. Was it pretty special to play your first home game at the Rogers Centre?

Yeah, just going to the Rogers Centre and I’m getting ready to play a big league game, instead of going to be a fan in the stands. Just walking through the tunnel and then on the field and kind of looking around the stadium at field level. It was so cool. Did you have some family there?

Oh, yeah, pretty much all my home games I’d have my mom, dad, sisters and cousins out there. And uncles. They’re all really big fans as well. So they would come to pretty much every home game I played.

79 The percentage of townhomes, semis and detached homes that sold over listing price in February.

2011 The year Kim’s Convenience premiered at the Toronto Fringe Festival before going on to TV acclaim. The show was recently cancelled after five seasons on CBC-TV.

What do you miss most being away so much?

I think first and foremost just seeing my parents and family. When I was playing in Toronto, I was living at home and got Mom’s home cooking. That’s one thing that I miss and especially even my parents. This is the first spring training that they’ve missed. How’s it been under the pandemic and having your parents up here?

67 The age of Toronto-born guitarist Jim “Kimo” West, who picked up a Grammy Award for Best New Age Album in March.

It’s tough, right. But it’s tough on everyone. Hopefully things clear up and they can come to games or when we play up there. What does it mean for you to be the only Canadian on the team?

It makes me take a little more pride in the situation I’m in. I’m Canadian playing for the Canadian team, and I have to try to represent myself in a good way.

1956 The year Longo’s opened a fruit stand in midtown Toronto. A share of the grocery store chain was just purchased for $357 million.

APRIL 2021

Do you know your role yet this season? I know the closer role is a question mark.

sport. So I was playing hockey and baseball. And you know what, with baseball, I always wanted to go to practice. I always wanted to stay late. I always wanted to play baseball with my friends instead of hockey. Growing up, you always dream about playing for the Blue Jays. But there is such a small possibility. So I’m pretty fortunate to get this far.

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How’s spring training going for you so far?

It’s been going great so far, you know. I have a couple outings under my belt and it’s going well. I have to just get timing and everything down. But my body feels good.

Toronto’s COVID lessons could help If we learned anything from the pandemic, it’s that ignoring issues makes it worse

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But, there still does not seem to be a real sense of urgency from any levels of government. Premier Ford actually took the federal government to court over a carbon tax, one of the few measures designed to reduce carbon. He lost, wasted a ton of money that could have been used for the greater good and dismantled the more effective and efficient cap-and-trade system. Mayor Tory and the City of Toronto declared a climate emergency. Remember that? It happened more than 18 months ago. In February, the city voted to delay funding for the TransformTO program set up to tackle said emergency. Am I missing something? If we are to learn anything from the pandemic, it is that taking decisive measures early is the best way forward. Ignoring issues or taking half measures, like closing all stores other than giant big box retailers, is not going to get the job done. Yes, we need to get through the pandemic, but we can no longer stick our heads in the sand and hope other issues will simply wait for us to catch up. This Earth Day take time to consider personal impacts and push for meaningful change right now before it’s too late.

Lisa London Lynne London

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Although the pandemic continues to disrupt our lives, it is important to look at the big picture. Over the last year, we’ve managed to do incredible things to get this under control and save lives while not stripping society bare. That experience will come in handy when we set our sights on the looming climate crisis. An issue that already has the potential to be far more destructive than the pandemic and one that is only going to get worse the longer we wait. With Earth Day upon us, it seems an appropriate time to reflect on Toronto’s legacy of environmentalism and use it as inspiration. One of the founders of Greenpeace was born here: Paul Watson, who went on to found the Sea Shepherd Society. Bob Hunter, another founder of Greenpeace, lived and worked as a journalist in Toronto for much of his life. Jane Jacobs, an early champion of complete streets and progressive city policies, was a beloved fixture in the Annex neighbourhood alongside Margaret Atwood, who confronts the realities of climate change in much of her recent fiction. Former mayor David Miller works with C40 Cities and just published a new book on how cities are instrumental in averting the climate crisis. There are so many more, especially the younger generation, who are faced with cleaning up the mess we left.

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With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging in Toronto, people need distractions more than ever before. And with galleries, theatres and music venues closed for the foreseeable future, it takes more than a little creativity to bring art to the people. For instance, recently two groups are taking fun and clever arts projects to the streets. Luminosity is a series of public art installations (pictured above)

in the Beach neighbourhood. It runs until April 11 and includes a number of fantastic works. In addition, there is Toronto’s venerable Clay and Paper Theatre, which is exploring neighbourhoods with its travelling LuminUS outdoor puppet and lantern show. And there will be more on the way as theatre companies and other arts groups start to move outdoors to engage and support the city.

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Rewarding a city starved for culture

APRIL 2021

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Councillor Josh Matlow has questioned the height and impact of proposed development

Forest Hill condo has residents concerned Developer claims it is an appropriate size for the area but councillor says not so fast by Eric Stober

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A new residential development is being proposed for St. Clair Avenue West and Avenue Road that exceeds the city’s planning guidelines and is being called “disrespectful” by a neighbour. The proposal from Plaza Partners, in partnership with Main and Main and Woodbourne Canada, calls for a 13- to 15-storey building on 175 to 195 St. Clair Ave. W.

“It will be as if a big Caribbean cruise ship pulls up and docks right on our fence.” The development would replace a number of buildings, including the First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto Church. However, local councillor Josh Matlow said he cannot support the project in its current design given that its proposed height is almost double the city’s limit of nine storeys for the area. “We have concerns that the development industry is continuing to try to set new height precedents above and beyond what is supported by our own professional planning staff,”

Matlow said. The councillor explained that the height restriction was set by city planners who have taken into consideration how the area can grow sustainably. He said that the height proposed causes some concerns, such as the possibility of shadows on Glenn Gould Park across the street, as well as overlook neighbours to the south and greater traffic in the area. “There’s work to be done on [the proposal],” he said. John Curtis, who owns property directly to the south of the development site, on Lynwood Avenue, said the proposal is “downright greedy” and “disrespectful.” “It will be as if a big Caribbean cruise ship pulls up and docks right on our fence,” he said. “All of their million balconies will be looking over the neighbourhood.” Plaza Partners chief development officer Ornella Richichi said that the developers feel that the plan features an “appropriate height and transition” given the context of the tall neighbouring buildings. She said that the development’s application took into consideration the area’s growth plans and the developer still feels the height is appropriate. The proposal is awaiting a preliminary city staff report that was scheduled to go before Toronto City Council in March.

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City tries to save century-old stables Hogg’s Hollow home was purchased in 2019 An early 20th-century Hogg’s Hollow home may be saved from the wrecking ball after Toronto City Council adopted a motion from the Toronto Preservation Board to include the building on the city’s Heritage Register. The home, located at 19 Plymbridge Cres., is a twostorey stucco-clad structure built in 1912 as stables for the Boultbee family and designed in the Tudor Revival style. It is believed to have been designed by architect Samuel Hamilton Townsend (1856–1940), a prolific architectural designer in Toronto who specialized in the design of large residences and estates for wealthy Torontonians, particularly in the Rosedale, Chestnut Park and Annex neighbourhoods. The home is currently owned by Mohammad Kassirian and Marzieh Beigum Taheri. In November of 2020, a minor variance application was submitted to the city to demolish the existing building to construct a new two-storey home on the property. The variance was opposed by several neighbourhood residents as well as city councillor Jaye Robinson, who, in a letter to the manager of the City of Toronto Committee of Adjustment North York District, noted the length of the proposed building was 36.6 metres, more than double the 16.8 metres permitted in the zoning bylaw. Kassirian and Taheri purchased the property in

November of 2019. A heritage property nomination had been submitted to Heritage Planning in March 2013 on behalf of previous owners, but the Toronto Preservation Board did not recommend the property be included on the Heritage Register until its meeting on Feb. 17, 2021. The initial hearing on the minor variance had initially been scheduled for Feb. 25, 2021, but was deferred to allow heritage staff time to assess the heritage value of the property.

The process was unfair as it came very late without fair notification or dealing with the owners. In a letter to councillor Robinson dated Feb. 26, 2021, Frank Gardner, of Gardner Law Firm, who represents Kassirian and Taheri, said that heritage staff came to the conclusion the property should be included on the register without attending the site to view the property or undertaking an inspection. Gardner stated that the process was unfair as it came very late without fair notification or dealing with the owners, and thus the minor variance should be considered on its merit.

by David Olsen

Tamara Anson-Cartwright, program manager of Toronto Heritage Planning said the long delay between the property’s nomination and eventual inclusion on the register is due to a backlog created by nominations outpacing available resources. “As a result, Heritage Planning adopted a strategic approach to the nominations, prioritizing research and evaluation for properties subject to a planning application and or ones that were at risk of demolition or irreversible change to provide advice to council,” said AnsonCartwright. Anson-Cartwright added that the pandemic had made visiting the property unfeasible. “In these extraordinary times of the pandemic ‘stay at home orders’ and or generally when the visibility of a structure or building on a property is limited from the public right-of-way, additional sources of documentation about the site including photographs may be considered,” said AnsonCartwright. “Should the property be evaluated further for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, staff would seek permission from the property owner to access the property in order to document the building and site.” The owners of the property have now deferred the minor variance application to discuss the situation with heritage staff, and the file is on hold.

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More than a century ago, the Hogg's Hollow home was the stables of the Boultbee family (inset) who had an estate nearby

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The Green Line would link numerous parks and green spaces in midtown

5 km linear park starts to take shape Macpherson will act as gateway and will include neighbourhood amphitheatre by Eric Stober

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Plans are being finalized for the first park within the Green Line, a new five-kilometre linear park being built in midtown Toronto and stretching from Davenport Road and Lansdowne Avenue through to the Annex neighbourhood. Macpherson Avenue Park will act as the eastern gateway to the Green Line, which will run west to the West Rail Path at Caledonia Road and Davenport. The Green Line will consist of 45 parcels of land, connected to create a “contiguous” path that runs along an existing hydro corridor, according to local councillor Josh Matlow. The area already contains 11 existing parks, but the project will fill in the gaps and connect the spaces, with plans to create 10 new parks. The Green Line vision has existed since 2012 and has come about “organically,” given the area’s need for green space and the already existing corridor where power lines run, Matlow said. “It has been mostly a derelict, wasted space,” he said. “It is not being used to its best potential.” Now, the city is taking inspiration from New York City’s High Line and the Beltline near Eglinton Avenue West to beautify the area. So far, only Macpherson Avenue Park and a park at Geary Avenue and Bartlett Avenue are

in the works because they are the “lowest hanging fruit,” Matlow said. This means they are the easiest land to begin work on, given complex land rights and uses split between the city and province-led Hydro One along the corridor. Plans for Macpherson Avenue Park include picnic tables, fitness equipment and a small amphitheatre, along with new plants and signage that explains the area’s history. Matlow said the area used to be an Indigenous portage route and that there is an “important story to be told.” “[It] is a recognition that they were the first people to walk those lands,” he added. The Green Line is being done in close consultation with the community, which local resident and co-president of the Rathnelly Area Residents Association (RARA) Pym Buitenhuis said has been an enjoyable process. She said she is especially looking forward to the planned amphitheatre in Macpherson Avenue Park, which she said could hold community meetings or plays from nearby Tarragon Theatre. “[The consultation] was just a really fascinating conversation about the use of public space,” she said. “I think [the Green Line] is a signal of an investment in beautifying the midtown living experience.”

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City councillor Jaye Robinson does not support the Gupta Group condo proposal for Yonge and York Mills

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Two huge towers above York Mills not consult with residents before appealing to the province-led Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT), where it may have better chances of getting approved than at city council, according to Robinson. “They’re just completely usurping the city planning processes,” she said. “And they had the gall to [appeal] in advance of the public meeting — I mean, who does that? It's literally gobsmacking that they did that.” Six years ago, Gupta Group purchased the Hoggs Hollow

“They’re just completely usurping the city planning processes.” land for the development for $25 million in a deal with the city of Toronto’s former real estate division Build Toronto. In a previous interview, Gupta Group stated that it was drawn to the project due to its location overlooking the Don River and Don Valley Golf Course with close proximity to Highway 401, the York Mills subway station and three hospitals —Sunnybrook, North York General and the Humber River Regional Hospital. Robinson said another height limit of 163 metres above sea level has been in place for the area

since Mel Lastman’s days as mayor of North York. The measure is meant to prevent developments from reaching above the ridge of the York Mills valley. Now with that limit potentially broken (the tallest proposed tower would be 250 metres above sea level), obstruction could become an issue for residents. In addition there are questions regarding “major traffic impacts,” strains on infrastructure and potential environmental issues related to erosion and flooding given the site’s proximity to the Don River, Robinson said. “They're just barrelling ahead with something that does not really suit the neighborhood and also sets a very worrisome precedent,” she said. Local resident Mitchell Schnier agrees that the development is not right for the area. “Toronto used to pride itself as a city of trees and a city of neighbourhoods,” he said. “Promoting tall buildings instead of trees and filling in the York Mills valley with concrete is bad development, bad for the community and bad for the neighbourhood,” Schnier added. He said the developer has not been open to feedback and is “hiding behind their consultants.” The developer’s justification for the project is that the nearby Don Valley Golf Course has left little room for other developments, according to Schnier. Robinson expects the proposal to go before the LPAT in April.

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Two tall towers are being proposed for Yonge Street and York Mills Road that are more than double the height restrictions that City of Toronto Planning has put in place. The development is for 4050 Yonge St. on the northwest corner of the intersection, currently home to a large surface parking lot and entranceway to York Mills TTC station. The proposal includes a 35storey and a 21-storey tower, both connected by a six-storey podium. The towers would include up to 300 residential units, nearly 250 hotel rooms and approximately 4,000 square metres of office space and over 900 square metres of street-level retail. The plan also integrates with the York Mills TTC station with an on-site entrance, if plans are approved. However, the proposal greatly exceeds the nine-storey height limit city planning has put in place, which local councillor Jaye Robinson said is “worrying.” “It’s a lot of excessive density done in an ad hoc way,” she said. Robinson explained that this development application goes back nearly a decade and had been previously approved by the city when it was originally a ninestorey proposal. She said that residents weren’t happy about that height at the time, so now that it is more than three times taller, residents are “very upset.” That’s not to mention that the developer, the Gupta Group, did

by Eric Stober

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Proposal is for double height restrictions

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STINTZ ON MIDTOWN

Fast-growing Yonge and Eglinton needs a school now Why isn’t the province acting on this? There is no question that midtown needs a new elementary school. Already the schools in the area rely on portables to meet neighbourhood needs, and with thousands of more families on the way with ongoing condo development, it begs the logical question of where are these kids going to school. Unfortunately, the city cannot answer that question. Although the city controls the planning process, it does not control the school board. It didn’t used to be this way. There was a time when local school board trustees raised money for the Toronto District School Board to meet the operational and capital needs of the school system. Local trustees would work together with the municipality. Mike Harris’s conservative government passed Bill 160, and the funding formula was dramatically changed. Local trustees no longer had taxation powers, and all education funding was centralized to Queen’s

North Toronto Collegiate Institute gained an entirely new school after a deal with a condo developer

Park. The unintended consequence is that the TDSB does not have the ability to meet local needs nor the resources to build new schools in fast-growing communities. An example of this is North Toronto Collegiate Institute. The secondary school was desperately in need of capital renewal, but the TDSB didn’t have the resources, so

it sold the land to a developer. The developer was able to build a condo tower, and the school board got a new school. An ideal location for a new school is at Yonge and Eglinton’s Canada Square, which is set for massive redevelopment. Unfortunately, the TDSB doesn’t own the land. The project could include 2,700 residential

units, but the approval process can’t mandate a new school. Although councillor Josh Matlow is threatening to hold up the development unless a school is included, all the city can do is ask the school board and all the school board can do is ask the province. At the end of the asking, there is still no school. There are solutions. The province could allow the TDSB flexibility in accessing education development charges, which would mean developers would help fund new schools as units get built. At present, the regulation requires the TDSB to demonstrate new capacity is required on a districtwide basis, which doesn’t account for neighbourhood variations. According to the TDSB’s own

website, if the provincial regulation were amended, the TDSB would qualify for an additional $500 million over the next 15 years. This would solve the overcrowding problems. The province could also provide more flexibility in its funding formula to allow the TDSB to lease space for schools. Typically leasing space is considered an operational cost and is not included in the funding formula. The city could also transfer the land to the TDSB or consider a land swap so the project could be developed in conjunction with the school board. One of the lessons learned is that governments can be nimble and creative. Let’s hope that lesson is applied to the creation of badly needed new schools.

KAREN STINTZ Karen Stintz is a former city councillor, elected in 2003, and was a chair of the TTC. She lives in Ward 8.

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NEWS

– WE RE OPEN – With Safe Options to Serve You

U of T professor Ran Hirschl's new book is ‘City, State: Constitutionalism and the Megacity’

Is a city vote worth only half a rural one? Provincial government hobbling T.O.’s ability to be progressive

“Few countries in the world have witnessed Canada’s level of resistance by senior levels of government.” government to loosening restraints and regulation of cities. With the exception of London (UK), Toronto stands out as the world city most limited in its taxation powers,” he writes. In Europe, Berlin and Hamburg are considered city states, but the designation is mostly administrative and does not entail enhanced revenue-generation powers. London and Paris have very limited powers. Of European cities, Hirschl

notes, “None enjoy extended constitutional status or selfgovernment authority.” Cities in Asia and Africa are exploding with population but are limited in powers and cannot address the issues they face. The handful of cities that have real independent power and status are all progressive. Tokyo is treated as a prefecture: 82 per cent of its revenue is generated from its own sources, with its annual budget exceeding that of Sweden. It funds an extraordinary transit system and, unlike Japan’s national government, has recognized samesex marriage. Seoul has legal and fiscal autonomy and has invested heavily in transit and affordable housing. It has 270,000 public housing units, with another 60,000 to be finished by 2022. (New York City hopes to have 200,000 units by 2024.) Singapore has all the powers it needs. Buenos Aires has constitutional status and has pursued a very strong environmental agenda. Enhanced status allows cities to pursue progressive agendas that their residents support. Cities need independence from provincial and state governments, gaining powers to control local political decisions. Will Toronto City Council be willing to press hard for this change?

JOHN SEWELL Post City Magazines’ columnist John Sewell is a former mayor of Toronto and the author of a number of urban planning books, including The Shape of the Suburbs.

APRIL 2021

to do, as Texas is trying to do to Austin. Even the big cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco have little control over important urban issues. “Structural anti-urbanism is an enduring feature of American federalism,” writes Hirschl. And then there is Canada. “Few countries in the world have witnessed Canada’s level of resistance by senior levels of

| POST |

You may have caught the news clip about the State of Texas going to court to stop the City of Austin from requiring that masks be worn while the pandemic continues. If you think American legislators are weird in their ideas about interfering in local decisions, you would be wrong: it is the way of the world. Senior governments everywhere are determined to hobble city governments. When Premier Ford legislated in the middle of the 2018 municipal election that Toronto should have 25 wards, not 47, he was following in the footsteps of other senior politicians. U of T professor Ran Hirschl declares in his new book City, State: Constitutionalism and the Megacity that in many countries urban residents are now a clear majority of the population. But constitutions remain within their 18th or 19th century rural framework, and those constitutions hobble megacities. In the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia, cities are under the thumb of state/provincial governments. Voting systems are consistently prejudiced against city voters (on average a city vote is worth half a rural vote and overall state or provincial voters are much less progressive than voters in cities, as we know here in Ontario. The senior governments that are elected won’t permit cities to be as progressive as cities would like. American state governments often pass legislation prohibiting cities from doing things they want

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Bike lanes and patios could be taking over Yonge Street as midtown gets active Road closures and new people-centred pilot projects get underway as the city moves outdoors for pandemic relief by Harriette Halepis A City of Toronto ActiveTO report proposing the return of weekend road closures and a new pilot project along Yonge Street as part of the city's Complete Streets proposal was set to be reviewed by the Toronto City Council Infrastructure and Environment Committee on Tuesday, March 23. A year or more ago, the thought of sacrificing automobile lanes for separated bike lanes would have been a monumental struggle. Doing so on the city’s main thoroughfare of Yonge Street? Utter madness. Not so fast. Now, the world has changed. And the success of the Destination Danforth pilot project has shown that complete street projects that include separated bike lanes are a boon for neighbourhoods. The new pilot project on Yonge Street at Bloor Street to Davisville Avenue would include bike paths, CaféTO sidewalk and street patios, parking spaces that would allow for loading and deliveries and various road adjustments. The proposed project is modelled after Destination

Danforth that launched in 2020. Jennifer Keesmaat, Toronto’s former chief city planner and an avid cyclist who lives in midtown, has long advocated for bike lanes on Yonge and is supportive of the new project. “One of the challenges with creating a cycling city is that gaps in the network mean only part of your trip is safe on a bike, and that is a significant disincentive to new riders, women, children and other vulnerable riders that should have access to safe cycling in the city,” she said. “Filling the gap in the network on Yonge from Bloor to Davisville will make it possible to ride from midtown to downtown safely on a bike.” Destination Danforth was largely successful last year and allowed both cyclists and motorists to coexist while also providing restaurants and shop owners with expanded outdoor access. Cycle Toronto heavily supported the Danforth project and pushed to make the new bike lanes permanent. “Adding bike lanes on Yonge from Bloor to Davisville is about

mobility, but it is also a grand place-making gesture. Walking down the street, dining on the street, shopping locally — all of this will be transformed.” According to Cycle Toronto, the Destination Danforth pilot project and all other ActiveTO bike lane projects are temporary. The group is also in support of the new Yonge Street project and explained that it has about a year

manager for Cycle Toronto. “Adding CaféTO patios will be a lifeline for struggling local businesses, and the ActiveTO protected cycling lanes will keep local residents safe as they look to maintain their physical and mental health by cycling, or conduct essential trips by bike without straining our transit or road network. When combined with new planters and greenery, on-

“Yonge has always held the potential to become a great street — designed for people, rather than cars.” to convince the city to make it permanent. "Following strong local support from businesses, community leaders, residents associations and community groups, Cycle Toronto is looking forward to the Complete Streets proposal along midtown Yonge Street, which was inspired by the transformation of Danforth Avenue last summer,” said Kevin Rupasinghe, campaigns

street parking and street artwork, this stretch of Yonge will transform,” he said. Councillor Mike Layton has been a strong proponent of ActiveTO and is also in favour of the Yonge Street project and additional ActiveTO road closures. “ActiveTO showed us that Toronto can build safe and fun streets that better serve all road

users and local businesses. This year we will bring those lessons to Yonge Street between Bloor and Davisville,” he writes in a recent newsletter. “It is anticipated that a virtual public meeting will be hosted on April 27.” The ActiveTO program was created to allow city residents space to walk and be physically distant while also expanding Toronto’s bike paths to allow cyclists more significant movement throughout the city. Unlike revamped streets, ActiveTO road closures are a problem for some residents. The closure of main streets last year caused traffic jams and frustration. Still, many shop owners are optimistic that more accessible streets may mean increased business and a chance at financial recovery. “We welcome the initiative. It will increase foot traffic, which will mean greater visibility for our business (so long as we are able to stay open) and hopefully increase sales," said Lyndsay Borschke of the Tuck Shop Trading Co. in Summerhill. "I look at this as a lifting one another up scenario. Close the streets so that restaurants can provide the service they excel at, and ultimately, it will benefit the other businesses that surround them. We all need a little hope right now, we all need a little pickme-up. I think this could do the trick," she said. In a city poll, residents that used the ActiveTO street closures to walk or bike were in favour of additional closures. Ninety-two percent of people polled wanted closures to continue, and seventyfive percent noted that they were more active because of ActiveTO measures. When the city breaks ground on the new project or which roads will close and when remains to be determined and will largely depend on city construction dates along with council and residents approval. Keesmaat, for one, thinks Yonge is ready for the move. “Adding bike lanes on Yonge from Bloor to Davisville is about mobility, but it is also a grand place-making gesture. Walking down the street, dining on the street, shopping locally — all of this will be transformed,” she said. “Yonge has always held the potential to become a great street — designed for people, rather than cars. This cycling infrastructure begins to deliver on that possibility. It is good 21st-century city building.” 15 APRIL 2021

Clockwise from left: Separated bike lanes and increased patios should enliven Yonge Street this summer, local stores such as Tuck Shop Trading Co. should benefit from foot traffic and Jennifer Keesmaat looks forward to cycling on Yonge

NEWS

| POST |

FEATURE

NEWS

NEIGHBOURHOOD BUSINESS

A Leaside pizzeria finds a new home Plus a local glam grocer opens a new location in Forest Hill, and Wychwood gets a boutique cannabis shop Conspiracy Pizza will be reopening in Leaside. After

a short closure, the pizzeria will relocate to 856 Eglinton Ave. E. The popular pizza is made with sixday fermented dough and uses smoked meat and high-quality ingredients. A favourite is the Cowspiracy, which is loaded with 12-hour smoked brisket and topped with homemade tangy barbecue sauce. The pizzeria will also be selling pints of ice cream by Churnt Up, just in time for the warmer months ahead. Summerhill Market has opened a new location in

Forest Hill at 484 Eglinton Ave. W. The boutique grocery store took over the former home of Edo restaurant and has gone through a top-to-bottom makeover. Spanning two storeys, Summerhill Market features a full selection of house-made prepared foods and grocery essentials, as well as a meat counter for prime cuts.

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The Golden Goose flagship store will feature exclusive items only available at Yorkdale

A new virtual market is featuring a curated selection of local bakers, restaurants, farmers and other unique vendors. Toronto Market Co. (torontomarketco.com) has more than 100 food vendors to choose from, making it a one-stop shop for all your culinary needs. The virtual store highlights new and upcoming spots with unique offerings such as Isabella’s mochi doughnuts, Heirloom’s cookie pies and Better than

Yia Yia’s dips alongside local staples like Schmaltz Appetizing, Fidel Gastro’s, Sanagan’s Meat Locker, Pukka Restaurant, Momofuku and Pizzeria Libretto. Delivery is available in Toronto and parts of the GTA, and pickup is at 369 Dupont St. Golden Goose will open its first Canadian flagship

store at Yorkdale mall. The new boutique will feature Golden Goose’s most iconic sneakers as well as introducing local exclusives. The store will carry full women’s, men’s and kids’ collections as well as new product categories, such as accessories and small leather goods, which are entirely unique to Yorkdale. A new cannabis boutique retail store is coming to Wychwood-Cedarvale. Edition is opening at 764 St. Clair Ave. W. This is the brand’s second Toronto outpost. The first is in the Annex. It will feature a curated selection of cannabis, cannabis products and accessories. Spinco is opening a studio in Thornhill at 31 Disera

Dr. on April 3. The studio will be offering its traditional 50-minute structured, full-body classes designed to strengthen the body, energize the mind and feed the soul. On Fridays, a Spin-It-Forward class will be offered, where a portion of proceeds goes to various charitable and philanthropic organizations.

CRIME

NEWS

AREA BREAK-INS MARCH 2021 - TORONTO WHERE

WHEN

TIME OFOF DAY TIME DAY

YONGE ST. AND ROEHAMPTON AVE.

MAR. 1

6 P.M.

LAWTON BLVD. AND WALMSLEY BLVD.

MAR. 1

6 P.M.

MOUNT PLEASANT RD. AND ROEHAMPTON AVE.

MAR. 3

3 A.M.

BEDFORD RD. AND PEARS AVE.

MAR. 4

5 A.M.

ASQUITH AVE. AND PARK RD.

MAR. 5

12 A.M.

CHARLTON BLVD. AND GRANTBROOK ST.

MAR. 5

8 A.M.

BETTY ANN DR. AND STAFFORD RD.

MAR. 5

2 P.M.

DREWRY AVE. AND RODEO CRT.

MAR. 5

4 P.M.

MOUNT PLEASANT RD. AND KEEWATIN AVE.

MAR. 7

12 A.M.

SPADINA RD. AND THELMA AVE.

MAR. 8

11 P.M.

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Auto theft continues to rise in central Toronto

CRIME BRIEFS Toronto Police Service officers are asking for assistance in identifying a suspect involved in a criminal harassment investigation after an incident in the area of Dufferin Street and Bloor Street West. On March 10, at approximately 5:45 p.m., three young female victims were playing in a park. A male suspect followed the three victims around the park and chased them. The victims were able to run away from the suspect. TPS has released a security camera image of the suspect.

ous charges as part of a sexual assault investigation. Police officers began their investigation on March 4. It is alleged that a 16year-old female victim and a 26-year-old female victim attended a medical clinic in the area of Marlee Avenue and Glencairn Avenue for appointments between June 2016 and December 2020, during which both were sexually assaulted. The male suspect faces nine counts of sexual assault and four counts of sexual exploitation. suspect of Toronto has been arrested in connection with a retail store robbery

A 32-year-old male

doctor has been arrested and is facing numer-

A 54-year-old male

in the area of Dupont Street and Spadina Road. It is alleged that on Feb. 26 a male suspect entered the store, approached the checkout counter, indicated he had a gun and demanded lottery tickets and cash. The suspect picked up the debit card reader and threatened to throw it at the store employee before reaching over the counter and taking a quantity of lottery tickets. He fled the scene on foot. The suspect was arrested on March 2 and faces charges of robbery, two counts of possession of property obtained by crime and two counts of failure to comply with probation.

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APRIL 2021

intelligence-led data to identify areas of focus for our divisions and units — targeting specific concerns and issues. This will include auto thefts. Residents can also raise direct concerns with our community resource officers who can offer crime advice, security tips and also provide a physical presence in the area,” she said. Sidhu said police are combatting auto theft with initiatives that include increased visibility in high-risk locations at targeted times and reinforcing auto theft preventative measures through online community meetings and news releases. TPS offers several tips to reduce the risk of auto theft, such as parking in a well-lit area, locking all of your valuables in your trunk and backing into your driveway if you have a rear-wheel drive vehicle or front end first in a front-wheel drive car, both of which would make the vehicle harder to tow. — David Olsen

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Instances of auto theft continue to increase in the city of Toronto according to 2020 statistics kept by Toronto Police Service (TPS). According to TPS statistics, the police divisions with the greatest number of auto thefts are 23 division (768), 31 division (683) and 32 division (643). These three divisions are located adjacent to each other and together stretch through the middle of Toronto up to Steeles Avenue in the north and Eglinton Avenue as the southernmost point. “While we recognize there has been a six per cent increase in comparison to 2019, that increase has been getting smaller since 2018. While the numbers do fluctuate and can change across divisions, service-wide we work hard to tackle auto theft,” said Jenifferjit Sidhu of Toronto Police Service. “Our deployment and operations are based on

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REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE SPONSORS

REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE Our 14th annual Real Estate Roundtable was a lively event. Our panel discussed remote work and rapidly rising house prices with more than 1,400 people in virtual attendance.

Moderated by Nikki Gill & Ron Johnson | Special thanks to our incredible sponsors The RE/MAX Collections and Great Gulf Homes

ODEEN ECCLESTON Co-founder (Wiltshire Homes Canada) & Broker of Record (WE Realty Inc.) JOSH FLAGG Realtor and Original Cast Member, Million Dollar Listings LA BRIAN GLUCKSTEIN Principal, Gluckstein Design; Author TIM HUDAK CEO of the Ontario Real Estate Assoc. MICHAEL KALLES President, Harvey Kalles JENNIFER KEESMAAT CEO, The Keesmaat Group BRAD LAMB Developer, Lamb Development Corp. SANGITA PATEL HGTV Canada Host and ET Canada Entertainment Reporter MICHELE ROMANOW Dragon on CBC’s Dragons’ Den; Co-founder & President, Clearbanc WILLIAM STRANGE SmartCentres Professor of Real Estate and Director - Centre for Real Estate and Urban Economics, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto BENJAMIN TAL Deputy Chief Economist, CIBC World Markets Inc.

POST: We will kick things off with the state of the market update from Benjamin Tal. BENJAMIN TAL: Thank you very much. I’m trying to remember what we discussed last year, and the only thing I remember saying is that we have no clue what’s happening. This was just before COVID started, so we had no clue what we were talking about. If you had asked me a year ago, given COVID and all this craziness, the housing market will be on more than a V-shaped recovery? I would say I’m not so sure, and that’s exactly what happened. So the question is why? Why the housing market is so strong. And the first answer is interest rates are so low. Yes, but interest rates were also low in other situations, like in 2008. From a qualification perspective, interest rates today are actually higher than they were in 2008 because now we have the B20 mortgage stress test. So there's something more than that.

And this something is the abnormality of this recession. This is the most asymmetrical recession in Canadian history. All jobs lost, all, not some, all jobs lost were in lowpaying occupations. In fact, highpaying occupations have seen their number rising by 350,000 during this crisis. This is the most abnormal recession ever in this sense. Two implications: Most of the people that lost their jobs are young in rentals. They are not homebuyers. So the impact on the housing market was secondary. It was visibly the rental market. Second, and even more important, a huge segment of households were not touched by this crisis financially. Their job was there; their income was there, in fact, it was rising; and interest rates are in the basement. That’s the opportunity that they were looking for. And then you have the shift toward the need for space. You need your office. So I believe that about 30 per cent to 35 per cent of home price inflation in Toronto was just due to the compositional factor, namely more activity happening in the more expensive segment of the market, namely detached. POST: Professor Strange, do you agree with Benjamin’s assessment?

WILLIAM STRANGE: I agree. And he has stolen most of my notes for pointing out that this is an incredibly heterogeneous economic shock. The only small qualification that I would offer is that the people who have not been hit so far, which is probably most of the people on the panel, we’re going to be paying some pretty big taxes in future years to cover all of the stuff that the government has been doing. So there may come a point where we feel like we have been touched. I personally don’t think that’s grossly unfair, but that is something that would affect a lot of economic decisions. BENJAMIN: So let’s discuss it for a second because I think it’s important. There are two things happening here. One is the government is spending like there’s no tomorrow. And without even noticing, without even paying attention, we are putting together the infrastructure for tomorrow's social assistance program. We’re talking about a universal daycare system. That will cost money. We’re talking about some elements of basic income. That will cost money. We’re talking about making the EI system permanent. That would cost money. So all of

us [here] will be paying more taxes. It will start with capital gains taxes and probably even higher HST. That will not happen today, not even tomorrow, not even two years from now. But eventually, it will happen when we are removed from the crisis. Second, the Bank of Canada is printing money in order to allow the government to spend. Now, if you’re under 30 years old, you’re probably not familiar with this word, but there is a word in the English language. It’s called inflation. It’s in the dictionary. I checked. It was missing in action over the past few decades. And all of a sudden, we are re-learning how to spell “inflation.” That’s very, very important because inflation will be the number one factor impacting the housing market. And the big discussion now in the market is to what extent inflation will rise with the Bank of Canada printing money. POST: We’ll go to Michael Kalles next.

APRIL 2021

BARRY COHEN Luxury Homes Specialist; Principal, Barry Cohen Homes Inc.

As it has been for the past 14 years, what follows is an unscripted and unrehearsed discussion involving 12 leading real estate experts on the Toronto real estate market.

MICHAEL KALLES: One thing I’d like to say just before we start is something that I wish it was my thought, but it came to me from a friend, and they said that people 19 | POST |

2021 PANELLISTS

COVER STORY

2021 REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE

keep talking about how we’re all in the same boat. Actually, we’re all in the same storm in different boats. And fortunately for all of us on the panel, our industry continues unabated when so many others are absolutely getting decimated. So I think what’s important about the real estate market is that it’s right across the country. You know, I just looked. It’s the smallest amount of active listings across Canada in the history of statistics being kept, 21 years, less than 100,000. There’s two-months supply across Canada, and in Toronto, we have 33 days worth of supplies. So that means that, if nothing new comes on the market, there will be nothing for sale in 33 days. One thing that’s important is to know that we’re 50,000 people fewer today than we were 12 months ago [according to a Statistics Canada report on urban dwellers who left the city]. So the situation is real. People are moving out of the city. But I’d like to say that condo sales in January were up 85 per cent. So don’t count the city of Toronto condos out.

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POST: We know detached and semi-detached homes are flying off the shelves with bidding wars and bully offers. Barry, you have boots on the ground. What are you seeing?

BARRY COHEN: So it’s not just semis and detached. It’s pretty much anything under $2.5 million is in multiple offers, and sometimes as much as 15 offers, but commonly three offers. It’s really an accelerated market, a spring market brought on by COVID. If you remember last year, before the lockdown, we were in a pretty hot market then, and then we came to a dead stop. And then there was an adjustment period because supply was constrained, and real estate just went off the rails. So this year, the spring market is off to a strong start. It’s two to three times greater than last year, same time. It’s up about 20 per cent greater than the peak of 2017. In fact, real estate prices are up 15 per cent over the same time last year. Condo sales lagged through 2020 as people were adjusting to COVID in tight spaces, but they roared back in January. And prices were only — after all that correction last year — down five per cent. Luxury is on fire. I’m looking at the activity, you know, two

to get out of the city and get more space. So at the moment, we have basically a couple of buildings that are sitting empty. POST: Brad, what’s happening in the downtown Toronto market? BRAD LAMB: Last year, we did see

This Lawrence Park home sold for $3.58 million, almost $100,000 over asking. Barry Cohen says activity for homes over $3 million is two times greater than last year. times greater over $3 million, 2.5 times greater over $5 million price range. Over $10 million, it’s 400 per cent greater. POST: All right. Tim? TIM HUDAK: At the Ontario Real

Estate Association, we did polling of consumer attitudes. And we have seen a palpable shift in people in three directions. Number one is they are looking for more space. Whether that’s to move Grandma in, there’s a big shift across the board, but particularly younger people, for more space. Number two, they’re looking for an ability to have an office in their homes. And third, an increased interest in areas outside of the major cities, although that's really at the margins. One of my main messages will be that the death of Toronto real estate has been greatly exaggerated. Those who say we emptied out, that's not the case, but it’s accelerated some trends. And this has been enabled by low mortgage rates, as Benjamin said, for the COVID-haves as he indicated. They have a bit more spending power because there are savings to make do. POST: Odeen, you have experience in areas that are outside of Toronto. What are you seeing?

ODEEN ECCLESTON:

The increase of people wanting multi-generational homes is through the roof. I think it’s been a trend that’s always been somewhat popular. But throughout the pandemic, people have been evaluating who is in their bubble. So we’re seeing Mom and Dad, and even grown teenagers, all put their resources together and get larger homes with more land and more space in the suburbs and even beyond the suburbs. Our firm has seen a huge increase as far away as Bowmanville and Kingston. And

leading luxury realtor, what are you seeing in the condo-heavy downtown L.A. market? JOSH FLAGG: So when we’re referring to condominiums, we’re referring mostly to those in West Hollywood, what we call the Wilshire Corridor, or some in Beverly Hills. For years, Los Angeles was not a condo city. It was always just houses. I believe the reason being is that, when you buy a property, you’re buying the dirt. You’re not actually buying the structure. The structure is a di-

“People that were living in condos

panicked and sold and bought houses in the 905.”

then, of course, Oshawa has seen record numbers: as the 50,000 people moved out of the downtown core, a lot of them did go to places like Durham Region. POST: The downtown Toronto condo market has been one of the hardest hit since the pandemic. We wanted some international perspective for this year’s event, so Josh Flagg, thank you for joining us from California. As L.A.'s

minishing asset. The actual structure goes down in value. The value of land is what appreciates. So L.A. has never really been a condo city like New York because it is just a different animal. But then we had a run of developers building up these magnificent condo projects built by famous architects. And then we have COVID, which strikes, and people are not really getting excited about buying in buildings with elevators. In fact, people are trying

about a 10 per cent drop in the 416 in the value of condos, largely from people who were landlords who panicked and sold, Airbnb hosts that panicked and sold. And I think, to some extent, people that were living in condos panicked and sold and bought houses in the 905. All those people are out of the market now. They pretty well were gone by November. We saw the number of condos for sale peak in October. Almost 4,000 condos on MLS last year in October. That’s really like an alltime high for October. It’s now come down to around 1,200. It’s actually gone down every month, every week from Jan. 4, which is not typically what happens. Usually from Jan. 4, which is the lowest inventory day of the year, we see an increase of 100 to 200 units a week, and we’ve seen a decrease of about 50 units a week. So we’re now at a point where all of the 10 per cent has been recuperated, and we’re now actually sitting at prices higher than last February. And our condominium market is hot as I’ve ever seen. It’s insane. And I can tell you that I expect condominiums to rise between 15 per cent and 25 per cent this year over last year. POST: You’re suggesting a 15 to 25 per cent increase in condo prices for 2021? Is there any kind of geographic dispersion, like right in the downtown core or on King West? BRAD: No, it’s everywhere. For instance, we put a condominium on the market in the east end, and we had eight offers, and it sold for $1,250 a square foot. The buyer of it bought it five years ago for $540 a square foot. And we’re launching a project, a 220-unit building that I’m going to start construction on in September. We’re at an average of $1,370 a square foot on King East at Sherbourne, and I can tell you that they’re all going to get taken up. We’ve got thousands and thousands of real estate agents registered for units. So the marketplace is as hot as I’ve seen in 35 years. POST: OK, Brian and then Barry.

2021 REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE

BARRY: The underlying problem that everybody has to recognize is still the same message we’ve talked about year after year. There’s just no available land for freehold condos, the government has got to free up the land and make the process easier. I think that’s the only way we’re going to see prices stabilize if that can happen. This is all exacerbated by immigration, wealth transference. A plumber that paid $300,000 for his home 20 years ago can afford what’s worth $2.5 million now and can afford to give his daughter or son a $300,000 down payment. So this trend is going to continue until there’s more supply. POST: Ms. Keesmaat. JENNIFER KEESMAAT:

Well, that was almost like a perfect lead-in. I will say this is a very strange conversation because Benjamin gave a really good overview of how we’ve had this accelerated divide. People who’ve lost jobs have primarily been low-income earners. And on the flip side, people who have done really well, for lack of a better way of putting it, during the pandemic are people who already have a lot of money. So far, we’ve been talking about the people with a lot of money. We’ve been talking about the luxury market, and there’s an enormous portion of the population in GTA that, you know, their heads

would be spinning to listen to this conversation because it’s so flipping irrelevant to the housing situation that they find themselves in. Including, I think the aspiration, as Tim said, for more space and thinking about home in a different way. I think that’s something that is across every single socio-economic category. And if you think about it, it’s the people who need more space, the family with two kids living in a condo on Davisville, that have the least amount of access to getting more space. And I think that’s something that we have to talk about when we talk about housing. We also have to talk about the

current challenge of urban life. Every reason you would live in an urban place went out the window, and it’s been gone for a full year now: going to restaurants, going to Raptors games, being able to walk to work. All the reasons for wanting to live in an urban place are out the window, they’re gone. So I don’t think we should be surprised that people have left. I have a nephew in this category. He’s 30 years old. He got rid of his condo in which he was renting, and he moved in with his mom and dad because he’s working remotely, and he can’t see his friends, and he can’t go out. So he’s going to wait out the pandemic at home. Does he

want to stay living with his parents in the suburbs? No, he does not. So once the pandemic is over, you’re going to see a really big shift take place. The good news is we can look to cities like Sydney, Australia, that have already opened up where there is that rush, like the Roaring Twenties, of people moving back into the city, people wanting to go to parties and events and to meet and see each other, street festivals. It’s like urbanism on steroids. I think there’s going to be a tremendous amount of demand as we start to see the light at the end of the tunnel for urban living. And there’s just one little piece

Q&A

Michael Kalles says Toronto has more cranes than New York, Chicago, Boston and L.A. combined

QUESTION FROM ROTMAN MBA STUDENT BAISEN LI: With the recent price surges in suburban markets, do you see the prices of suburban homes going down after everyone is called back to the office? And also, would you say the condo prices now are experiencing an adjustment period? MICHAEL: Well, if you look at some of the high-tech companies, they're making a commitment to work at home more of a permanent thing. I think there’s going to be a lot of elements of what we’re living with. One thing that will come back is our desire to be social beings. It has not changed. The office will come back. People want to be together. People want to see one another. And condominiums received a bad rap during the height of COVID in March at the very outset. Just a quick statistic — there are, I think, 124 cranes in Toronto. That's more than New York, Chicago, Boston and L.A. combined. So we’re leading the world in condominiums, and it's like what Toronto has always said: We have to grow up, not out. That’s our only option. JENNIFER: Michael hit the nail on the head when he said we’re social beings. I have full confidence that we’re going to return to our very urban ways. If I had to make a prediction, I think that you’re going to see the suburban market deflate as the economy opens up again as we all get our vaccines and we go back to living the way we want to live, which is in communities where we can interact with people. And I also agree on the employment side. I think there’s going to be a mix moving forward in the future. We’ve been through a digital transformation. It’s not like we go back to not having been through a digital transformation. That has happened. But in keeping with the comments about being a social people, I think we'll want a combination. That will mean some people will have the option of now living in the suburbs without a long commute because they can work on a screen. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I think it’s a good thing, but it won’t upend our urbanism.

that I’ll add in. We really have to talk about climate change and sustainability issues. When we talk about opening up the Greenbelt, remember why we created the Greenbelt: Walkerton, water, clean water. This whole dream disappears if we don’t have access to clean water. It all goes down the toilet in one quick flush. So the whole reason for protecting the Greenbelt was to protect the water supply for the urban areas and to protect agricultural land in close proximity to the city. POST: Michele, as someone in the tech industry, how widespread do you think working from home is going to be moving forward and how will that impact housing decisions? MICHELE ROMANOW:

Let me start off with my own personal bias: I was an enormous fan of the office. We had an office where people were in there all the time. They were brainstorming all night. There was an energy about being in our office at all times, and I couldn’t imagine a world without that. We didn’t hire anyone that was working remotely. This was as big a shock to me as anyone else that, even for a tech company, we would go fully remote. And so here’s the reason that I think this will not return to normal levels and everyone’s footprint will be a bit smaller. I’m with many of our other panellists, what Jennifer said, in terms of we need community. But here’s what changed over a year of COVID. For all of these tech companies, what we started saying is, “I can go get talent from anywhere.” And that was game changing for us. We’ve hired 100 new people since the start of COVID. We used to force everyone to move to Toronto. Now those people are in Seattle and Virginia and San Francisco and New York City. We just hired a German engineer. It’s all over now. I think they’re going to look very different. I think they’re probably going to look closer to the hotelling model where you can drop in. I think we’re looking at a model where we do six retreats a year where we all get together to meet each other. But it’s really a remote-first environment. This will make a huge difference on both condo prices and commercial prices because tech companies were what was driving this insane commercial real estate market. There was a two per cent

APRIL 2021

GLUCKSTEIN: So we launched two new luxury projects this past year, and they’re selling around $3,000 a foot. And what we’re finding is that purchasers are combining units. So there has been a pent-up demand for what I call real luxury. Real luxury projects with the services and the ceiling heights and the fancy ovens and things like that. But what’s happening is those same purchasers are also buying huge lake houses that we’re doing in Muskoka. The Muskoka market has gone completely crazy. We’ve never seen anything like it with the prices. It’s quite unbelievable up there, and there’s a shortage of that property also. People are thinking: I don’t know how long this is going to go on, but if I’m going to be in a condo, I need a backyard somewhere. I need some outdoor space. And there’s just nothing out there. They’re literally knocking on doors to buy properties. They’re going by boat around the lakes just to buy these properties.

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2021 REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE

BRAD: So there isn’t really a mar-

BRAD: First of all, Michele, I think the difference is that you’re willing to hire someone from Germany to work for you in your Toronto office and maybe in other countries and maybe in other cities. But I think the point that’s being made here is they’re not going to want to work for you that way. If you think about who your friends are, where your contacts are, where your entertainment comes from and your mental health comes from, it often is from work because that’s where you spend most of your time. If you don’t get to mix with the people you work with socially, it’s going to lead to very high levels of depression. So I have to strongly disagree with you. I think it works well for you. I think as an employer, it’s great. Your real estate imprint goes down, you could probably pay them less because they’re not coming to the office, they’re not driving a car. But for the worker, it’s going to be way worse. And I think workers will not put up with that. MICHELE: And I think the only

rebuttal to that would be in the technology industry I would say we disproportionately hire introverts. Software developers in offices often don’t want to be interrupted. I’ve worked with hundreds of them in my career. I would totally agree that I get a deep amount of satisfaction from having a social environment at work. But I think there are a bunch of folks that are actually very happy being remote. I didn’t think the world would shake out this way. I would have never made this prediction 12 months ago. POST: OK, Sangita. SANGITA

PATEL:

I disagree with Brad. I think a lot of people are finding ways to have different coping mechanisms. In my industry, I don’t think I'll be travelling as much. I used to travel every week to do interviews and go to the locations of these sets. Now I’m doing interviews with Dwayne “the Rock”

Brian Gluckstein noted that many condos in midtown have signs alerting buyers that new students cannot be accommodated in local schools. Johnson at midnight, and we’re capable of doing that. For us as well, it looks like we will go into studios slowly. We’re not going back until the end of the year because we’re able to do this from home and make television. The one thing we are learning is, like Michele mentioned, you get together once in a few months and chat with each other and catch up. We’re learning different ways to communicate. I do not see people going back to the office. My husband, he’s a doctor and he’s doing a lot of remote work from home now. And just the safety of it, this is not going to go away this year. It’s going to be a while before that happens. So, I don’t see people trying to make that move and say, “Hey, I want to give you a hug. I want to see my friends.” I don't see that happening for a while. It’s going to be a very slow process. I agree with Michele. I think the changes that are happening are going to stay around for a while. POST: We’re going to go to Brian and William. BRIAN: Toronto is slowly getting to the point, different from European cities or cities in Asia, where we see families living in condos. Typically, the condos that we’re building, most of them are small and for single people, roommates, couples. The concept of having a

family in a condo, we’re just not building big enough units to accommodate families and working from the house at the same time. You’ve got two people working, and they’re on their computers having Zoom meetings, and then they’ve got two kids. We’ve got to create affordable apartments, condos, where they can actually live in them.

WILLIAM: There is a consistent relationship between the distance you are from the centre of a market and the price of a house. There’s some recent research that’s looked at how that relationship has changed postCOVID, and it’s changed in a pretty robust way for both rental and home prices. It’s become flat-

“So, if you want to have a family and

you want to stay in the city, where are those apartments?”

Also one of the issues is I drove by a condo site, and it had a notice on it that said don’t expect there to be schools in the neighborhood to accommodate families. Everybody says, “I want a house, I want a house, I want a house.” Well, that’s really going to be very challenging going forward, to live in Toronto and have a house. So if you want to have a family and you want to stay in the city, where are those apartments? They’re not 500square-foot, 700-square-foot, even 1,000-square-foot apartments to raise a family in and possibly work out of. The buildings have to be designed to have amenities for children also.

ter. So the premium you pay for being in the centre is smaller. It is not zero. So all the people who say we want to come back to the office, I couldn’t agree more. But if you’re coming back to the office three days a week, which is common for people in my industry, and staying home and getting stuff done the other two days a week, you can tolerate longer commutes. POST: With the exodus from the city, housing prices have skyrocketed in small towns and suburbs, while within the city prices are stagnant by comparison. Brad, will this impact where developers decide to build?

ketplace that I’m seeing now that’s stagnant. We’re active in Cambridge and Hamilton and the core around Mississauga. We’ve also been active in Ottawa, in Calgary, and we’re looking in areas like Niagara Falls. I’ve got to tell you that I don’t see any area that’s stagnant for new development right now. There’s two markets in Toronto. We have the new condominium development market, and we have the resale market. The resale market is driven by people who want to live in a home. They go and they open the door and they sit on the couch, and they see if they like it and they make a decision based on that. Then there’s a market that exists to build new buildings, which is entirely driven — 100 per cent driven by investors. Investors are rabid for places to put their money right now, and there's no stagnant place. POST: Mr. Hudak. TIM: Let me give you some quick data here. Teranet, our land registry system, tracks every move in the province. The number of GTA transactions or people leaving the GTA — that’s Toronto, Peel, Durham and York — their data has gone up 27 per cent from the previous year. It’s a big number, right. And that’s why the move to Sarnia or Fort Erie, it causes a big fuss. A small number of people can really drive a smaller market. But here’s the important point. It’s only six per cent of GTA transactions. The rest move somewhere else in the GTA. In the city of Toronto, 55 per cent stayed in Toronto. It’s down a little bit but pretty constant. Twenty-two per cent went to the GTA. So while you see a big impact in small towns because a few people can make a big difference, the reality is the vast majority of people, when they’re moving, continue to stay in the big cities. It’s a shift at the margins and acceleration of choices, but it is not a revolution. POST: Josh, do you see a similar trend in your area where people are looking to buy outside the core? JOSH: Everybody’s buying outside

APRIL 2021

vacancy before COVID, and it was what’s driving all of these employees that wanted to live downtown in condos. And so if we actually see that now there’s just smaller footprints from these tech companies and now more of our workers aren’t being forced to relocate, that is going to make a really big difference in the numbers.

of the city because they want air and they want to breathe. So what’s going to happen when the pandemic ends or when people return to civilization? Are they just going to love their life so much, 23 | POST |

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2021 REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE

which is outside of the cities, and they’re going to continue living like this? Or are they going to go, “Oh, OK, well, I guess we can go back to town now. It was a nice little vacation while it lasted?” I don’t see people retreating out of these areas to go back to town, and then the prices sink. I think that those areas are now an attractive area for people to live that weren’t before. And now people have choices, city or country.

the pandemic has worsened this, not made it better. POST: Benjamin.

POST: We’ll go to Michele and then Odeen. MICHELE: I actually think it’s less

about what Tim was saying: “Are you a city person or another person?” I think people, for the first time, could be, like, “I could be both of those people. And now I have the chance to buy these things because I am not using discretionary income on a huge portion.” We’ve seen this happen with a lot of different segments where people are looking for different things to invest in because largely spending has gone down for this specific segment. That does not address lowincome earners. But I think it is an interesting point because it’s actually going to lead to some very irrational behavior that economists haven’t seen before because typically, spending among these earners looks the same on discretionary items.

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ODEEN: Toronto has always been a robust real estate market, and it'll continue to be. And with the 905, buyers now have the options of being elsewhere. I think a lot of people have now experienced the 905 and are realizing it’s not so bad. So whereas a couple of people mentioned that we’re going to be seeing a reversal, I think the fact is, with supply and demand, and with population increase worldwide, some people won’t be able to afford going back to Toronto. So I think that Toronto will continue to be robust because of immigration. But I’m happy that these tertiary markets are markets that people are considering.

POST: Jennifer, you’ve long been an advocate for affordable housing. Now we have a situation where rental prices are down, and condo prices are more affordable. Should we try to keep it like this? JENNIFER: I don’t think prices

have dropped in the condo market over the long-term. I think, if you

A rendering of the lobby of Fitzrovia's new purpose-built rental called the Waverley set to open this spring near Spadina and College. look at the trend line, they’re going to continue to accelerate as long as we get our city building. Meaning we’re building the schools and building the parks and building everything else that is needed to make urban living really appealing. Because you can kill a city very quickly in just one generation. Just go look at San Francisco. You have to have all of those amenities as part of the mix in building your housing. This is a temporary situation that has been brought on by a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. So I’m rejecting the premise that condo prices are going to continue to be down. But I do think we’re already seeing the correction in the condo market. We started seeing it at the end of December. We started seeing bidding wars again on condos after everyone was saying everyone’s left the city. So I think the prognosis is a little bit different than you’ve portrayed. As the pandemic lifts and people embrace, once again, the amenities of urban living, I think that you will see more demand. I’m partial to Michele’s analysis that there’s a portion of the population that is lost and isn’t coming back. I think there are people who’ve discovered a different way of living and maybe they were thinking about leaving the city. Benjamin said it himself that the trends that existed before the pan-

demic have been accelerated through the pandemic. People that were thinking of downsizing and leaving the city or upsizing, leaving a small place in the city and moving to a Muskoka property or somewhere else, that decision may have been accelerated by the pandemic. But will that result in a wholesale significant loss of housing demand that will somehow recalibrate the shortage of supply that we have overall in the city of Toronto? Not even close. And I think there’s another

and the cost of housing. That problem did not go away as a result of the pandemic. But then there’s a whole other layer, that is people who were poorly housed, under-housed, who could not access housing, people who are working poor. And I actually think that we do need to be spending more time actually talking about this divide that has accelerated through the pandemic and the significant amount of job loss that has taken place, and overwhelmingly in racialized commu-

“To what extent COVID-19 is an event or a condition? I think it’s an event.” layer to this, which we have to be talking about, which is affordable for who. So there’s affordable for middle-income earners who are people who are earning between $50,000 and $110,000 a year, people in entry-level positions who are educated, typically, they have a little bit of student debt. They’re not even remotely yet thinking about possibly owning, if ever. And that is a segment of the population that is going to continue to be squeezed and is the segment of the population that was squeezed prior to the pandemic. So that’s like people who are working, but there’s a mismatch between wage

nities and Black communities. We have to be talking about that. Because there’s an element of the population that doesn’t actually see any light on the horizon with respect to being able to access housing where they can raise their families. And, you know, forget suburban and urban, that’s not even a question. It’s a stable home, that’s the problem. And on the affordability side, it didn’t actually get better because of the pandemic. It got worse. Because now, many of those people do not even have jobs to pay the rent. So we have to talk about affordability on a few different scales. But I think

BENJAMIN: Yes, I think that going back to the question: to what extent things will last or not, I think that the key question that we should ask ourselves, from a housing perspective and any other economic perspective, is to what extent COVID-19 is an event or a condition? I think it’s an event. And you know why? Because I look at pictures from Toronto, from New York, from London taken in 1919, a year removed from the Spanish Flu of 1918: life was back to normal. No masks, everybody together, partying. That’s Toronto a year from now, two years from now. And therefore, exactly as Jennifer said, all the housing problems that we were discussing in previous years did not disappear. They are there. The supply issue is there, the affordability issue is there. So that’s one aspect that we have to take into account. Now given that, it means that the affordability aspect is definitely an issue that will continue to be. And I suggest that, although the rental market is soft now, it will not be soft a year from now or two years from now. The number of new immigrants will come back. Non-permanent residents, especially students, will come back. In fact, it will rise. The demand will come back. The Airbnb factor will not be the same in terms of supply. You will not have enough supply, rent will rise again. The solution must be, in my opinion, a rental solution. And this rental solution must be purpose-built. So we need to provide the ability, the motivation for builders to do so. We are starting to see some joint ventures in this direction. That’s a direction we should go. It should be purpose-built design to enhance affordability in this city. Otherwise, it will be totally unaffordable. BRAD: I hate to be the bearer of bad news: there is no solution to affordable housing. It’s always going to be a massive problem. We’re never going to fix it. We can do a little bit with it. It is not going to come from the private sector, sorry. The cost of building a highrise building in the city of Toronto now is $350 to $400 a square foot for gross construction area. And land prices for zoned land are close to $300 a square

2021 REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE

BRAD: Everything you

said is absolutely true. I’m by no means saying it’s not something that we want to try to reach for. I’m saying it’s not going to be possible in Toronto, and you just proved that because you’re talking about people that are subsidizing the cost of land through a social reason, right. So yes, if there is government activity that is allowing subsidies for cost to come down, and if landowners feel the social urge to give their land away, like they give to our churches, absolutely, that can happen. But I’m saying, free market, housing for rent is dead. JENNIFER: There’s a vast amount

of land in the city that is owned by not-for-profits and other entities that have an interest other than trading land. And the good news is many of these entities have held this land for a very long period of time. So the equation that you just gave, the math actually doesn’t

POST: Where would you say is the best place to invest in real estate now? BRAD: I think Hamilton has some tremendous value in that it’s kind of the most cosmopolitan city closest to Toronto. Toronto is my favourite city in the world, and I think that we have a really great future here. I think that, if you were looking in Toronto, I’d look east into Scarborough for tremendous value still. But I also think

downtown is a good value. At $1,300 or $1,400 a square foot for a small apartment, it might seem like a high price, but we’re still able to find tenants for those properties, pre-COVID rents, and show a positive return for people with 30 per cent down in year one. And that’s hard to do in any other city as dynamic as Toronto, so I like all of it. I’m very positive on London, Ontario, and cities like Kingston, Niagara Falls. It’s all amazing. You can’t go wrong in southern Ontario. BARRY: I’d be a little bit of a stat-

istician and look at the areas that came down the most as a result of

Q&A

COVID. I know York Mills was very much affected by it, any neighborhood that was really in the eye of foreign investors. The 905, north of the 416 area, that was good too. So I think if you are a little statistician, ask for the results from your real estate agent. You’ll find out that those areas will probably be the first ones to recover. I do agree with Brad about the condo market. I think it’s just going to flare up, if you can afford it and if it’s your lifestyle to live in that size. POST: We always end with a crystal ball question on what’s coming in the year ahead. Last year, the pandemic was just arriving, and nobody knew what we were in for. What does everyone think the coming year will bring? JOSH: Well, here’s the

confusing part. The market was softening a year ago in Los Angeles. People forget this because maybe they weren’t really paying attention to it, but it was starting to soften. And then we had a pandemic, and all of a sudden people started buying a bunch of real estate. So did we just skip a step and the market is now going to continue to go up like this or is this going to just fade away and then the market will go back to slowing?

Brian Gluckstein says the best way to increase value is to create a space that wows buyers

QUESTION FROM ROTMAN’S BIBIAN AGUIRRE: For those who live in the city and want to remain in the city, what kind of recommendations would you give them in terms of renovations or improvements to their properties in order to gain value? Especially with the need perhaps for more space because people are working remotely. If someone has a semi in midtown Toronto and they want to gain value, what would you recommend they do? ODEEN: During COVID, renovations skyrocketed. The top trend of course was adding offices. We were jamming workspaces in corridors and just really anywhere we could for parents and the kids. We were also converting garages. That's going to have a long-term effect on value. But we were doing it in a way that it can be converted back when the time comes to sell. People need more space, so a lot of the times garages were that space where we can create a dance studio for somebody or a fitness area or a gym. And then we were finishing quite a few basements because people were getting tired of staring at their home, being essentially trapped at home. So for value adds — offices, finished basements and converting garages. BRIAN: I would not renovate a house to add value based on what we’ve been through for the last year. I think if you want to increase value, purchasers want to see something that wows them. So it really is about the esthetics of the house. It is the kitchen, it is the bathrooms, it is the flooring, it is staging the house. That’s how you add value to these houses.We’ve done projects where the buildings have been selling OK, and then you do a model suite that’s aspirational and looks fantastic, and everybody wants it because there’s an emotional connection. That’s how you add value. Add value in creating a space that seems beyond what they can afford. They walk in, and it seems so beautiful and so complete in its design that they will pay a premium for it. And I think that’s really how to sell your house at a profit..

WILLIAM: If the vaccinations happen under the planned schedule, then I think everybody is predicting economic recovery, in part because public policy tried to keep businesses semi-alive so that they could come back when the economy came back. I agree with everybody’s general sense on the fundamentals of Toronto. So I think it’s a good year. SANGITA: I think we’re underesti-

mating how long this is going to be around for. I’m not hearing any positive views, even though the numbers have gone down. There’s all these fluctuations and new variants that are being exposed now. So I think it’s going to be a while until we recover. TIM: I think we’re going to see

APRIL 2021

JENNIFER: Oh, I don’t know where to begin. So I’ve created a company that is building purposebuilt affordable rental that is designed for middle-income earners. And we have over 2,000 units under development right now in the city of Toronto. And the good news is that we know the minute those units are available, they will be occupied because there are so many people in that category who simply do not have access to housing that they can afford. So it’s kind of a low-risk proposition, actually building affordable rental because there’s such incredible demand. Our approach involves collaborating with existing landowners who have an interest in building affordable rental housing, for whatever reason that interest might be. Think of churches, think of universities. Universities have an incredible interest in affordable housing because they have trouble attracting faculty in this market. So there’s a viable business model. Interestingly, more and more developers in the city of Toronto are actually getting into this space because there is such unrelenting demand.

different government mechanisms, low-interest rates, that determine the viability of being able to build.

more focus on bidding wars, on affordability issues. It will put pressure on the province and the city. I hope that all those in government resist interfering in the market with new taxes or trying to slow it down. They should focus instead on stimulating supply, 25 | POST |

POST: Jennifer, did you want to jump in there?

matter because the land cost is not relevant to that equation. In addition, there’s incentives that have been put in place by the federal government around the forgiveness of fees for affordable housing that do make it a viable proposition. Sixty years ago when we were building affordable housing, it was created through policy incentives and a series of partnerships. It’s the same way it will be done in the future. The one part I will agree on is it won’t be done by a free-market approach. But I would argue there’s not much of a free-market approach in any of our housing market. Because there’s so many

foot. You need to be able to rent apartments for $5 a square foot across the board: studios, ones, twos, threes. Never going to happen.

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2021 REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE

getting more inventory in the marketplace. BRIAN: I think once we get everyone vaccinated and we get everything back, which may be not six months, but maybe a year from now, people have a very short-term memory of pain. I think they will be back to their life and they’ll be excited and accelerated to get on with life. So I think it may be a little rocky in 2021. By 2022, I think people will be so excited to get back to life. And it’s full steam ahead.

MICHELE: I think it’s going to be

Panellists say properties in Hamilton have tremendous value as the closest cosmopolitan city to Toronto. ket that’s already begun. And unfortunately, I think we’re going to be seeing a larger gap between the rich and the poor. So it’s quite unfortunate, but I do think that the wealth gap is going to continue to grow in 2021 and likely beyond.

a strange year. I think that this year is going to look the same way that GameStop looked in the financial markets: things that we’d never thought would happen. I think all of us a year ago would not have anticipated rental prices where they were or high-end prices where they were. And I think there is this point on offices: I think they will certainly come back but maybe not at the capacity they were before. And so I think we’re going to see behaviour largely in these markets that we have never seen before that we don't have models and explanations for.

MICHAEL: I’m very bullish on Toronto and Canada. Toronto had the third best [real estate] year in history and prices are at an all-time high. If you look at January of 2020, when we were discussing those stats last year, people were concerned because it started at a screaming pace. January of 2021 is 37 per cent higher in unit sales than last January. So I think we’re going to be setting new records for this year in price and unit sales.

ODEEN: Yeah, I agree largely with Michele. I think it’s going to be another unprecedented year in terms of growth in the real estate market. I think we’re going to continue to see a frenetic spring mar-

BRAD: I think that we are — from a real estate standpoint — going to have a very strong year. We will see price increases, we’re going to see shortages. The fundamentals of Toronto real estate are that we

can build 20,000 highrise homes in the GTA, and we have a demand for 35,000. There’ll be a shortage as far as I can see. And I think it’s possible that businesses will change some of their models largely to suit them rather than their workers. But all in all, I feel quite optimistic about 2021 and beyond. JENNIFER: So I’m really bullish on Toronto over the long haul as well. And I’m hopeful that, by the end of 2021, we’re all vaccinated, the kids are back in summer camp this summer. And inevitably, I suspect that there’ll be many people who have not been moving around during this period because they were concerned about safety. People that are sitting tight are going to get on with their plans because they have the vaccine. But I think there’s another real opportunity here. I don’t think it would be a bad thing if the city had to work a little harder to build the urban narrative and to focus on some of the gaps in infrastruc-

ture. We’ve just been building a lot of condos downtown. We need schools, we need parks, we need walkable streets, we need pedestrian streets, we need a cycling network that is consistent with a city of our scale. We don’t have that. Montreal is way ahead of us. I’m hoping that in the competition to attract people back into urban living that we’ll deliver on some of those great urban assets that make urban living worthwhile. On the flip side, I think there’s a phenomenal opportunity for mid-size cities: London was mentioned, Hamilton. For those cities to actually attract some of those remote workers and to also see some growth and to offer some additional supply given the incredible supply crunch that we’ve had. So I’m very optimistic that the next 18 months are going to look rosy, but there’s going to be some uncertainty to get to the rosy part. I’m sure of that. BENJAMIN: Yes, I think that the

year will be relatively strong, but it

We are mindful that the pandemic has severely impacted many people across our city. With that in mind, a donation has been made to each of our sponsors' charities of choice. The RE/MAX Collection asked that we support the Children's Miracle Network and Great Gulf selected CAMH, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Post City Magazines and the Rotman School of Management have also donated a further amount raised from ticket sales to The Centre for Women and Trans People at the University of Toronto on behalf of our panellists and you, our incredible readers.

Download the entire Roundtable podcast on iTunes and TRNTO.com.

APRIL 2021

BARRY: I think every segment of real estate is going to appreciate. I think luxury is going to go through the roof. But look, money is cheap. There’s a lot of money in savings. People have saved so much money by being at home, and they’re going to spend. And as we become vaccinated, I think there’s going to be that mind shift that existed two years ago where the baby boomers were selling off their mansions. I’m now seeing the shift starting again that we do want that downtown lifestyle. And as Brian says, people will quickly forget. You may not shake hands for a couple years, but everything else is going to come back.

depends where you start the year in terms of activity because we are now in a double-dip recession: the economy is shrinking as we talk, that’s a given, that’s the winter. The spring would be a transition period, if we are lucky, then we’ll have the second half of the year without the summer. We have seen last year that activity was very strong during the summer without a vaccine. Now we are going to have some sort of a vaccine. So the summer will be relatively strong. So to put some numbers, now it’s about negative two per cent. The spring, maybe plus one per cent, two per cent, and then the second half of the year, we are talking about five, six, seven per cent GDP growth. That’s what we’re talking about. Why? Three reasons. One, the damage of COVID is very deep but also very narrow. Namely, if you feel the pain, you feel it very strongly. But it’s very narrow in terms of the number of industries that are impacted relative to any other recession, which means that, when we get to the other side of this madness, it won’t take much to see a rebound. Second, all the damage is in the service sector, and that’s the bad news. The good news is that a service business can recover very quickly. It’s much easier to start a new restaurant than to establish a new manufacturing facility. So it will be very speedy, the recovery. And the number three factor, the most important one, is cash. We are sitting on $100 billion of excess cash, looking for direction. The finance minister is asking us, “How can we convince those people to spend that cash?” And I said, “Provide the vaccine and get out of the way.” They don’t need any motivation. They are dying to go to a restaurant, but they are not willing to die doing so. So they are waiting. That money will be unleashed into the economy. We are going to have a relatively strong second half or maybe fourth quarter, depending on the vaccination. And I believe that the housing market will be part of this trajectory, with the condo market actually rebounding fastest, given some resistance price level in the low-rise segment of the market.

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COVER STORY

COVID -19 NOTICE Rest assured, all aspects of my business are conducted with strict safety precautions in place. COVID-19 related restrictions are done in accordance with the Ontario government’s framework to protect the health and safety of our clients and colleagues.

321 DAVENPORT RD. #PHO1

$6,349,990. 2+1 BEDS & 3 BATHS, APPROX. 2,670 SQ. FT. + 575 SQ. FT. TERRACE.

60 CODSELL AVE.

$3,299,000. 63’ x 156’ LOT, 4+1 BEDS & 7 BATHS, APPROX. 4,880 SQ. FT. + BSMT.

$2,450,990. 2 BEDS & 2 BATHS, APPROX. 1,298 SQ. FT. + OUTDOOR SPACE.

SOLD

277 CRANBROOKE AVE.

23 BARWICK DR.

RECEIVED 19 OFFERS & SOLD FOR 142% OF ASKING!

SOLD

120 COLDSTREAM AVE.

10 HARGRAVE LANE #2

437 FAIRLAWN AVE.

RECEIVED MULTIPLE OFFERS & SOLD FOR 104% OF ASKING!

R E A L

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130 DUNBLAINE AVE.

SOLD FOR THE HIGHEST PRICE EVER!*

$1,895,000. 26’ x 110’ LOT, 3+1 BEDS & 4 BATHS, APPROX. 2,460 SQ. FT. + BSMT.

321 DAVENPORT RD. #201

E S T A T E

RECEIVED MULTIPLE OFFERS & SOLD IN LESS THAN A DAY!

RECEIVED 7 OFFERS & SOLD FOR 119% OF ASKING!

B R O K E R

*ON A 40’ LOT IN C04 BEDFORD PARK-NORTOWN (NORTH OF LAWRENCE AVE.W. & WEST OF AVENUE RD.) AS OF 01/31/2021.

REAL ESTATE

WYCHWOOD

NEWS

FOREST HILL SOUTH

A MID-CENTURY MODERN GEM

This private lot is set back from the street with a modern gate at 41 Alcina Ave. The fully renovated home features two bedrooms, four bathrooms, luxury finishes in every corner and is listed for $5.295 million with Chestnut Park Real Estate Ltd.

A THREE-STOREY SEMI WITH A DREAMY ROOFTOP

This home at 8 Relmar Rd. boasts premium luxuries, such as an elevator and a rooftop pool, along with three bedrooms and five bathrooms. It is listed for $3.918 million with Re/Max Realtron Realty Inc.

THE PRICE OF PRIVACY

Whether you’re looking for the seduction of a gated estate or the personal solitude of a dreamy rooftop patio, these four homes will not disappoint

A RENOVATED VICTORIAN WITH A ROOFTOP DECK

This row home at 120 McGill St. features five bedrooms and six bathrooms across three storeys along with a rooftop deck. The fully renovated Victorian home is listed for $1.739 million with Living Realty Inc.

This gated estate sits on a 2.2-acre lot at 15 Provence Crt. in Richmond Hill. It features four bedrooms, six bathrooms, a seven-car auto gallery and more. The property is on offer for $7.995 million with Forest Hill Real Estate Inc.

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A BEAUTIFUL BUNGALOW IN THE 905

APRIL 2021

RICHMOND HILL

DOWNTOWN

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REAL ESTATE

CABBAGETOWN

NEWS

RIVERDALE

A BOUTIQUE UNIT IN AN OLD WAREHOUSE

This warehouse building at 264 Seaton St. dates back to 1876 and is now home to lofts such as Unit 204. This three-level loft features three bedrooms, two bathrooms and is listed for $1.799 million with Keller Williams Advantage Realty.

A TWO-STOREY LOFT WITH A MASSIVE TERRACE

Unit 240 inside the i-Zone lofts at 1173 Dundas St. E. features contemporary and hard loft elements. It has one bedroom and one bathroom and is on offer for $1.295 million with Chestnut Park Real Estate.

BOUTIQUE SUITES

Looking for those one-of-a-kind features like a spiral staircase entrance to your bedroom or a glass wall wine cellar in your dining area? Then look no further than these four condos featuring unique finishes and ultimate luxury living.

A LUXURY CONDO WITH A SPACIOUS BALCONY

This two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite at 2202-60 Colborne St. features high-end upgrades and an almost 600-square-foot balcony. It is listed for $1.495 million with Royal LePage Your Community Realty.

Unit 5B at 36 Hazelton Ave. is a sprawling suite with two bedrooms and three bathrooms. Its luxury finishes include a massive two-sided fireplace and a glass wine cellar feature. It is listed for $13.5 million with PSR Brokerage.

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AN ULTRA-LUXURY SUITE

APRIL 2021

YORKVILLE

ST. LAWRENCE

LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU

TIMES HAVE CHANGED BUT OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD HAS NOT.

TheEglintonWay.com

BEAUTY

Le Drew Costello Salon

Go Dutch

Victory Menswear

536 Eglinton Ave W . 647-351-6527 www.costellobeauty.ca

523 Eglinton Ave . 647-271-1351 www.godutch.ca

LTS Nails and Spa

Glass Dreams

453B Eglinton Ave W 416-901-1116 www.victorymenswear.com

ANGEL'S Touch Spa

540 Eglinton Ave W . 416-487-9430 www.ltsnails.ca

525 Eglinton Ave W . 647-388-3399

Lola’s Skin Care

284 Eglinton Ave W 416-480-2325 www.glassdreams.ca

Ayham's Barbershop

429 Eglinton Ave W, 2nd Floor 416-440-0453

Global Pet Foods

Alexis Hair Experts 380 Eglinton Ave W . 416-483-3339 www.alexishairexperts.com

1047 Avenue Rd . 437-882-2223 facebook.com/ayhambarber

B. Beautiful 402 Eglinton Ave W . 416-486-3000 www.bbeautifulbeauty.com

381 Eglinton Ave W . 647-971-6910

504 Eglinton Ave W, 2nd Floor 416-485-1225 . www.chebellaspa.com

One to One Studio

527 Eglinton Ave W . 416-484-1802 www.thehiclass.ca

Enrico Hair Design 468 Eglinton Ave W . 416-482-8055 www.enricohairandspa.com

Flawless Skin Cosmetic Clinic 418 Eglinton Ave W L101 416-822-7418 www.flawlessskinclinic.ca

Forest Hill Nails Spa 382 Eglinton Ave W . 647-345-8855 www.foresthillnailsspa.com

Guillermo’s Creative Hair Studio 570 Eglinton Ave W . 416-440-2589

Hair by Toula 577 Eglinton Ave W . 647-297-2227 hair-by-toula.business.site

Haley Bogaert Face 456 Eglinton Ave W . 416-901-7261 www.hbface.com

Haute Spa and Nails 467 Eglinton Ave W . 416-481-0772

Jenny's Hair Design 1041 Avenue Road Unit 11 416-264-1546 www.jennyshairdesign.ca

Joy Nails and Spa

506 Eglinton Ave W . 416-483-1212 www.One2onestudio.ca

Salon Dimou Shelley's Hairstyling

460 Eglinton Ave W . 416-485-0070 www.shophoney.com

482 Eglinton Ave W . 416-489-0555

Shirley Margarita Aesthetics 1041 Avenue Rd, Suite 7 416-799-6220 www.shirleymargarita.ca

Skin Vitality 351 Eglinton Ave W . 416-969-9669 www.skinvitality.ca/toronto

Tanya's Natural Skin Care 425 Eglinton Ave W . 416-440-1672

RETAIL & FASHION Ameri Hempire

Jewellery by Varouj 515 Eglinton Ave W . 416-322-9775 www.varouj.ca

Johny Watches 353 Eglinton Ave W . 416-322-4994 www.johnywatches.com

Josephson Opticians 466 Eglinton Ave W . 416-545-1845 www.josephson.ca

La Compania 367 Eglinton Ave W . 416-487-7747 www.lacompania.ca

Mark Lash Fine Jewellery

306 Eglinton Ave W . 416-489-6660 www.amerihempire.com

480 Eglinton Ave W . 416-256-5229 www.marklash.com

Bella

Rukaj Gallery

498 Eglinton Ave W . 416-440-8852 www.shopbellatoronto.ca

384 Eglinton Ave W . 416-481-5995 www.rukajgallery.com

Bijoux Village Fine Jewellers

Oliver Jewellery

406 Eglinton Ave W . 416-486-0460

Di Moda European Lingerie 461 Eglinton Ave W . 416-484-1700 www.dimoda.ca

The Dragon

Kozeta Salon and Spa

The Fireplace Shop

363 Eglinton Ave W . 647-343-1486 www.thelaserlounge.ca

371 Eglinton Ave W . 416-546-3810 www.hill-home.ca

Honey

290 Eglinton Ave W . 416-486-6677 www.joynails.nail-salons.ca

The Laser Lounge

Hill Home

353 Eginton Ave W . 416-480-2972

282 Eglinton Ave W 416-482-4367 www.thedragon.ca

573 Eglinton Ave W . 416-932-3131 www.kozetasalon.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Forest Hill Pharmacy Pharmasave

426 Eglinton Ave W 416-788-7700 www.soulsoundwellness.ca

Active Care Physical Rehabilitation

Acupuncture on Eglinton

Che Bella Spa

361 Eglinton Ave W . 416-482-1889 www.dermedicaspa.com

Soul Sound Wellness

491 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 302 416-640-1103 . www.fhmi.ca

Hempishere Cannabis

Hi Class Cannabis

Dermedica Laser and Spa

Forest Hill Medical Imaging

410 Eglinton Ave W 416-780-1036

Medical Skin and Aesthetics Clinic

Micky European Aesthetic

504 Eglinton Ave W . 416-489-3100 www.facebook.com/covihair

Vivace

491 Eglinton Ave W, 2nd Floor 647-748-1661 www.activecaretoronto.com

418 Eglinton Ave W . 416-489-0770 www.medicalsac.ca

379 Eglinton Ave W . 416-483-1443 www.thefireplaceshop.com

French Collection Imports 253 Eglinton Ave W . 416-483-3861

366 Eglinton Ave W 416-322-5996 www.oliverjewellery.ca

Royal Antique Rugs 270 Eglinton Ave W . 416-488-2029 www.royalantiquerugs.ca

Sleep Country 256 Eglinton Ave W . 416-322-5501 www.sleepcountry.ca

TNT Clothing 388-394 Eglinton Ave W 416-488-9602 . www.tntfashion.ca

Vicky’s Jewellery 404 Eglinton Ave W . 416-488-1888 www.vickysjewellerytoronto.com

Shaul Psychology 421 Eglinton Ave W 416-780-1791 www.shaulpsychology.ca

Hakim Rugs 374 Eglinton Ave W . 416-922-3330

Forest Hill Family Health Centre 491 Eglinton Ave W . 416-782-6111 www.fhfh.ca

418 Eglinton Ave W . 647-363-7507 www.laserbodymd.ca

381 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 200 416-486-7434 www.facebook.com/benitoandfranksalon

CoVi Hair Design and Spa

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LaserBody M.D.

381 Eglinton Ave W . 416-482-4995 www.globalpetfoods.com

518 Eglinton Ave W 416-519-4156 www.hemispherecannabis.com

Benito and Frank Hair Salon

@EglintonWay

491 Eglinton Ave W . 416-619-7768 www.pharmasave.com

Forest Hill Physiotherapy & Health Centre

Springer & Title and Associates 505 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 403 416-922-3075 . 647-348-0098 www.springerandtitle.ca

361 Eglinton Ave W 416-551-7111 www.foresthillphysiotherapy.ca

Toronto Head and Neck Clinic

418 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 304 647-447-5768 www.acupunctureeglinton.com

Guardian Uptown Pharmacy

Toronto Teeth Dr. A Lakkovici

Andrew Hyman Medicine

Home Care Assistance

563 Eglinton Ave W

Arnold Goldman D.P.M

243 Eglinton Ave W . 416-485-5005 www.guardian-pharmacy.ca 355 Eglinton Ave W 416-488-8777 www.torontohomecareassistance.ca

491 Eglinton Ave W . 416-787-5511

270B Eglinton Ave W 416-487-8683 www.torontoteeth.ca

Uptown Health Care Center

547 Eglinton Ave W . 416-485-4421 www.goldmanpodiatry.com

Hormone Rebalance Centre

243 Eglinton Ave W . 416-489-2106 www.uptownhealthcentre.com

Breathe Easy

427 Eglinton Ave West, 2nd Floor 416-548-7459 www.hormonerebalance.com

Watson Medical Centre

369 Eglinton Ave W www.breatheeasycanada.com

Brush, Floss, and Smile

Kid E Care

561 Eglinton Ave W . 416-551-7606 www.watsonmedicalclinic.ca

471 Eglinton Ave W . 416-485-5001 www.brushflossandsmile.com

491 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 301 416-480-6696 . www.kidecare.ca

FITNESS & SPORTS

The Centre for MindBody Health

Kindercare Pediatrics and Neurology

BeatBox

250 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 200 416-855-2624 . www.cmbh.space

Dentistry @ Momentum 418 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 101 416-483-5555 www.momentum.dental Dr. Krystina, ND, RP | Integrative Psychotherapy Toronto 418 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 302 416-726-9424 integrativepsychotherapytoronto.com

Dr Matthew Orzech Associates 505 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 103 416-481-9131 www.eglintonavenuewestdental.com

Eglinton Way Dentistry 458 Eglinton Ave W 416-483-5956 www.eglintonwaydentistry.ca

The Eglinton Way Massage Therapy 357A Eglinton Ave W . 647-352-5233 www.eglintonwayrmt.com

Forest Hill Dental 507 Eglinton Ave W . 416-484-6235 www.foresthilldental.ca

491 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 301 416-848-7665 www.kindercarepediatrics.ca

Magenta Health 418 Eglinton Ave W 647-479-8410 www.magentahealth.ca

Michael P Williams 505 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 511 416-482-7182

Midroni Family Dental Care 551 Eglinton Ave W 416-485-4855 www.midronidental.com

Russell Hill Chiropractic and Natural Health 565 Eglinton Ave W 416-482-1332 www.russellhillchiropractic.com

Satori Midtown

388 Eglinton Ave W 416-484-9292 www.beatboxto.com

Body & Soul Fitness 378 Eglinton Ave W 416-484-1500 www.bodyandsoul.ca

Detox Club 500 Oriole Parkway 416-545-1414 www.detoxclub.ca

eMbody Fitness Club 490 Eglinton Ave W 416-481-3000 www.embodyfitnessclubs.com

Master Parks Taekwondo 500 Oriole Parkway, Unit 2 416-486-8688 www.torontotkd.com

North Toronto Karate School

418 Eglinton Ave W, Unit 102 647-233-9116 www.satorimidtown.com

491 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 400 416-875-9820 www.northtorontokarate.com

Second Medical

North Toronto Soccer Club

563 Eglinton Ave W 416-551-7700 www.secondmedical.com

1041 Avenue Rd, Unit 315 416-924-9911 www.ntsoccer.com

COME VISIT US. SAFETY PROCEDURES ARE IN PLACE!

Kimono Japanese Grill & Sushi

434 Eglinton Ave W 1-866-569-9436 www.oxygenyogaandfitness.com

359 Eglinton Ave W . 416-487-8660 www.kimonosushi.com

Trainer+

The Mad Bean Coffee Shop and Book Store

367A Eglinton Ave W +1 800-605-6990 . trainerpl.us

519 Eglinton Ave W . 647-235-2456 www.themadbean.com

True North Sports Camps

Nikko Sushi

510 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 3 416-619-1224 www.truenorthcamps.com

376 Eglinton Ave W 647-349-1866 www.nikkosushidelivery.ca

The Urban Athlete

Phipps Bakery

505 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 302 416-481-8880 www.theurbanathlete.ca

420 Eglinton Ave W . 416-481-9111 www.phippsbakerycafe.ca

VRTU Muay Thai

233 Eglinton Ave W . 416-487-4550 www.pizzahut.ca

243 Eglinton Avenue W, Lower Level 416-482-2222 . www.vrtu.ca

Pizza Hut

The Queen's Legs 286 Eglinton Ave W . 416-481-3555

FOOD & DRINK

Sake Bar Kushi

7 Numbers

257 Eglinton Ave W . 647-748-7253 www.sakebarkushi.ca

516 Eglinton Ave W 416-322-5183 www.sevennumbers.com

The Abbot on Eglinton 508 Eglinton Ave W 416-487-8350

Bagel House 450 Eglinton Ave W . 416-901-9594 www.thebagelhouse.com

Blooming Orchid Restaurant 525 Eglinton Ave W . 416-481-3825 www.bloomingorchid.ca

Shah Abbas Persian Cuisine 530 Eglinton Ave W . 416-546-3315 www.shahabbas.ca

Sophie's Dine-in & Sina Persian Cuisine 302 Eglinton Ave W 647-350-6788 sophies-dine-in-and-takeoutrestaurant.business.site sinapersiangrill.business.site

Starbucks

233 Eglinton Ave W . 416-487-1974

444 Eglinton Ave W 416-488-0178 www.Starbucks.ca

Chinese Food Gallery

Subway

557 Eglinton Ave W . 416-322-3230 www.chinesefoodgallery.ca

365 Eglinton Ave W . 416-901-1094 www.subway.com

Burger Shack

Crosstown Coffee Bar

Thai Room Grand

187 Highbourne Rd 647-347-7738 www.crosstowncoffeebar.com

288 Eglinton Ave W . 416-444-7223 www.thairoomgrand.com

Ferraro 502

333 Eglinton Ave W . 416-322-3140 www.timhortons.com

502 Eglinton Ave W . 416-488-7729 www.ferraro502.com

Ghost Kitchens 500 Oriole Pkwy www.ghostkitchenbrands.com

GTA Sushi Catering

Tim Hortons

Tokyo Sushi 373 Eglinton Ave W 416-486-9006 www.tokyosushisimon.com

359 Eglinton Ave W 647-280-5211 www.gtasushicatering.com

GROCERY, GENERAL & CONVENIENCE

Hotel Gelato

Crosstown Convenience

532 Eglinton Ave W . 416-932-2663 www.hotelgelato.com

524 Eglinton Ave W 647-347-1915

House of Chan

Dave Young Fruit Market

514 Eglinton Ave W . 416-781-5575 www.houseofchan.ca

494 Eglinton Ave W 416-489-1118

Fresh Harvest Fine Foods 546 Eglinton Ave W 416-487-0388 instagram.com/freshharvestfoods/

The Healthy Butcher 298 Eglinton Ave W 416-674-2642 www.thehealthybutcher.com

LCBO

SPECIALTY The Eglinton Grand 400 Eglinton Ave W 416-485-5900 www.eglintongrand.com

Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses

333 Eglinton Ave W 416-488-4700 . www.lcbo.com

256 Eglinton Ave W 416-488-4668

Shoppers Drug Mart

Taylor’s Coins

550 Eglinton Ave W 416-485-3093 www.shoppersdrugmart.ca

Summerhill Market 484 Eglinton Ave W www.summerhillmarket.com

EDUCATION, TRAINING & SKILLS Art Barn School 250 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 101 416-518-6108 www.artbarnschool.com

Camp Arowhon 555 Eglinton Ave W 416-975-9060 www.camparowhon.com

Forest Hill Driving School

1043 Avenue Rd . 416-440-0379

Fine Alterations 189 Highbourne Road 416-486-0016

Fleur De Lis 294 Eglinton Ave W 416-929-8599 www.fleurdelis.ca

Goldcon 510 Eglinton Ave W 416-487-0071 www.goldcon.ca

Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd Brokerage

RCM Health Consultancy Inc. 1006 Avenue Rd, Suite 100 647-350-5500 www.rcmhealthconsultancy.com

Regency Upholstery 542 Eglinton Ave W 416-489-9290 www.regency-upholstering -interiors.business.site

Royal LePage Infinity Realty 386 Eglinton Ave W . 416-256-0888 www.royallepageinfinity.com

PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

532 Eglinton Ave W, 2nd Floor 416-441-2888 www.harveykalles.com

Alexandroff Real Estate Ltd Brokerage

418 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 303 1-877-977-4478 www.higherground.agency

Scotiabank 438 Eglinton Ave W . 416-932-2140 www.scotiabank.com

Invitation House

Slavens and Associates

453A Eglinton Ave W, Suite 204 416-593-0519 www.Invitationhouse.ca

435 Eglinton Ave W . 416-483-4337 www.slavensrealestate.com

KPOPME Entertainment

526 Eglinton Ave W . 416-483-9536

243 Eglinton Ave W, Unit 9 647-244-8279 www.kpopme.com

263 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 200 416-347-9883 . www.simplistics.ca

505 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 508 416-322-0444 . www.alexandroff.com

Ashford Cleaners 535 Eglinton Ave W . 416-322-3127 www.ashfordcleaners.com

Beyond Marketing Group 533 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 203 416 262 8566 www.beyondmg.ca

BMO

Higher Ground Collective

Sara Bederman Design 427 Eglinton Ave W 416-792-7594 www.sarabederman.com

Sid’s Cleaners Simplistics

Solutions with Impact

419 Eglinton Ave W 416-489-5020 www.bmo.ca

La Prima Investment 491 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 101 416-789-9000

369 Eglinton Ave W 416-703-5371 . 416-703-7245 www.solutionswithimpact.com

Bucharest Tailor

Lawyers & Lattes 511 Eglinton Ave W . 416-304-0541 www.lawyersandlattes.com

Sound Designs

429 Eglinton Ave W . 416-487-8796 www.bucharest-tailor.business.site

Choice Talent Agency

Levy Zavet 315 Eglinton Ave, Suite 201 416-777-2244 www.levyzavet.com

Sure Locks

Mathnasium of Forest Hill

505 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 500 416-964-8982 www.choicetalentagency.com

501 Eglinton Ave W . 416-482-6284 www.mathnasium.ca

CIBC

Mosaic Tour 1041 Avenue Rd, Suite 2 416-489-0699 www.mosaictour.net

TAS Real Estate Developer

333 Eglinton Ave W, Unit 4 416-487-7708 . www.cibc.com

1041 Avenue Road, Suite 6 416-486-1771 www.foresthilldrivingschool.ca

Groove School of Dance 491 Eglinton Ave W . 416-919-2914 www.grooveschoolofdance.com

Oxford Learning Forest Hill 481 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 200 416-367-4455 www.oxfordlearning.com

Sew be it Studio 243 Eglinton Ave W . 416-488-1607 www.sewbeitstudio.com

Spirit of Math 259-265 Eglinton Ave W 416-223-1985 x113 www.spiritofmath.com

Toronto Arts Academy

CMG Group Inc 253 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 2 416-485-9998 . www.cmggroup.ca

David Batori Group 357 Eglinton Ave W 416-485-7575 www.batorigroup.com

Deluxe Cleaners

N49 Interactive 505 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 402 416-385-2714 . www.n49.com

500 Oriole Parkway . 416-932-0858

New Age Tattoo

Dog Star Pet Boutique and Spa

191B Highbourne Rd 647-519-9046 www.tattoocontact.com/studio/ new-age-tattoo

538 Eglinton Ave W . 647-748-2787 www.torontoartsacademy.com

292 Eglinton Ave W 647-797-2248 www.dogstarpetboutique.com

Toronto Pottery Studio

The Fell Group

558 Eglinton Ave W 647-298-9745 www.torontopottery.ca

Museum Picture Frame Company 384 Eglinton Ave W 416-481-2152 www.museumframeco.com

505 Eglinton Ave. W, Suite 510 416-806-8830 www.thefellgroup.org

Pure Cleaners 544 Eglinton Ave W 416-483-8985

534 Eglinton Ave W 416-364-4800 www.sounddesigns.ca 1045 Avenue Rd . 416-486-5077 www.surelocks.ca 491 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 503 416-510-8181 www.tasdesignbuild.com

TD Canada Trust 472 Eglinton Ave W . 416-481-5171 www.tdcanadatrust.com

Travel ABC 243 Eglinton Ave W . 416-979-1313

Tuscany Cleaners 556 Eglinton Ave W . 416-486-8537 www.tuscany-dry-cleaners. business.site

Walden Homes 250 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 252 416-487-2300 www.waldenhomes.ca

Rational Root

Win Bar and Win-Life Insurance Brokers Inc.

491 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 503 416-317-3770 . www.rationalroot.com

250 Eglinton Ave W . 416-486-1295 www.winbar.ca

APRIL 2021

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@ RichardLibrachArchitect Richard Librach Architect

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Greta Constantine — a high-end fashion label started by Toronto’s own Stephen Wong (left) and Kirk Pickersgill — has become a celebrity favourite for awards season. In the last month, actor Viola Davis (top right) rocked a Greta gown on her virtual red carpet at home while attending the Critics Choice Awards, and actor Cynthia Erivo (bottom right) donned a luxurious Greta full skirt to an

event recently. What’s more, the brand has also been spotted on U.S. youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman on the cover of Time magazine, on To All The Boys I’ve Loved star Lana Condor in Vogue Singapore and on Priyanka Chopra Jonas as she announced the Academy Award nominations. Looks like 2021 is off to a great start for this local label.

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Toronto label is getting the celebrity treatment

APRIL 2021

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10 SUSTAINABLE SPRING ESSENTIALS With Earth Day on April 22, what better time to highlight the local companies embracing slow fashion with ethical sourcing, sustainable materials and local labour. So we asked Jeanne Beker to pick the perfect items for your spring wardrobe that are also eco-conscious.

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Kotn.com, $69, “I love that this hoodie is reversible, a great way to get more bang for your buck. And this mustard colour is all the rage right now.”

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BirdsofNorthAmerica.com, $174, “This yellow colour, I love it so much. It's so sunny and optimistic. This jumpsuit is a great little summer uniform.”

Elahandbags.com, $88, “This pale pink blush is a very big colour for the season. It's a vegan leather, and the lining is made from recycled plastic bottles. I really love the design of this clutch.” LAVENDER LOOKERS

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Noize.com, $180, “This peachy windbreaker has a nice sheen to it. It looks very feminine and practical, a great jacket you can just grab and go.”

AiTorontoSeoul.ca, $150, “I love this mini croc in mustard. It really lifts a wardrobe in a big way. I love the look of this mock croc. You can dress it up or down.”

AliceandWhittles.com, $48, “I love these red boots that are made from fairly traded natural rubber, and I adore the little sporty chevron lines — a salute to the athleisure trend.”

Encircled.ca, $52, “These little leg warmers really take you back to the ’80s. There’s something really fun about them, and they just add an extra touch of pizzazz to your workout wear.”

JEANNE BEKER | One of Canada’s most trusted authorities on fashion, Jeanne has covered the industry for more than 30 years. Now watch her on TSC’s Style Matters with Jeanne Beker or tune into her new podcast Beyond Style Matters.

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CHIC ANORAK

APRIL 2021

Shambhalaclothing.ca, $84.50, “These sunglasses are 100 per cent biodegradable, which is quite shocking. I love the retro styling, and this lavender colour makes it look summery.”

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FASHION NEWS

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Local accessories brand launches collab project with Tanya Kim

Thanks to a new collaboration between Toronto accessories brand ai Toronto Seoul and Canadian TV personality Tanya Kim, you can now buy a vegan leather bag and matching dog leash. Both Kim and the founders of ai Toronto Seoul are Korean-Canadian, and they share the same core crueltyfree fashion values. “As a brand founded by KoreanCanadian women, we felt an instant connection to Tanya and it quickly became apparent that we shared a core set of values, including a commitment to cruelty-free fashion, animal welfare and advocacy,” says ai Toronto Seoul cofounder Hannah Kim, in a recent press release. Both items in the new Mabel line, named after Tanya Kim’s rescue dog Mabel, are made from premium caramel-coloured vegan leather. The bag was designed to be worn hands-free around the waist or cross-body and has a lining made from recycled plastic bottles. The Mabel leash that accompanies the bag can withstand weight up to 1,000 pounds, is waterproof and designed with Highland Hounds (a local canine accessory brand) to ensure quality and practicality. Tanya Kim is best known for her role as a former etalk co-host and a former entertainment reporter for BT Toronto. She has two emotional support dogs — Mabel and Frankie — and has long been an animal advocate as an OSPCA ambassador. The ai x TK limited edition set will retail for $175 and will be released on National Pet Day, April 11, online at aitorontoseoul.ca. Ai Toronto Seoul is a sustainable luxury brand that works with local artisans in Seoul, South Korea. — HH

L-R: Melissa Grelo, Stacey McKenzie and Mitsou Gélinas in the Pink Tartan suits

Pink Tartan releases a new line Campaign features Stacey McKenzie and Melissa Grelo Hold onto your shoulder pads: the power suit is seeing a major resurgence from the 1980s — a defining decade for women advancing in the workforce and staking their claim in previously male-dominated industries. At once bold, sexy and statement-making, rocking a power suit is a shortcut to feeling like your most empowered self, and it’s making a comeback in 2021. Mercedes-Benz Canada and Canadian fashion brand Pink Tartan have collaborated on the She’s Mercedes Power Suit Project to create a collection of women’s power suits, each designed with a distinct style in mind. The project is part of the global She’s Mercedes platform, which is dedicated to sharing unique success stories of women from all countries, backgrounds and industries to unite, connect and empower. With three Canadian powerhouse women as muses — songstress Mitsou Gélinas, The Social co-host Melissa Grelo

and Canadian model and TV personality Stacey McKenzie — the project aims to showcase the different ways women express their personal style and dress to impress. The collection of suits includes three distinct designs, each reflecting a different interpretation of the power suit for modern women. “The goal of the She’s Mercedes platform is to connect and inspire successful women,” says Virginie Aubert, vice-president of marketing at Mercedes-Benz Canada. “We are truly humbled by the incredible Canadian women who have contributed to this initiative and are excited to now share the collection — as well as the campaign — with Canadians.” Designed by Kimberley Newport-Mimran of Pink Tartan, each suit takes on the persona of different women at each stage of their journey. In keeping with the theme of women supporting women, all the muses have gifted the suit to an important woman in their life such as the inspiring colleague,

by Mackenzie Patterson

the determined entrepreneur and a friend in need of additional confidence. “Using fashion to make women feel confident and strong has always been at the heart of my design ethos,” says NewportMimran. “The She’s Mercedes Power Suit Project allowed me to tap into that passion while creating three suits that reflect each of these women’s individual perspectives, power and confidence.” Canadian photographer Caitlin Cronenberg was commissioned to photograph Gélinas, Grelo and McKenzie wearing the suits, and the full content series can be viewed at Mercedes-benz.ca/powersuit. A portion of the project’s proceeds will go to Dress for Success, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing low-income women with clothing to help them make a good impression and land a job. The collection launched on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2021, and is available online at pinktartan.ca.

T.O. actor in spring Holt Renfrew campaign

APRIL 2021 | POST |

paign based on advice from her grandmother. “My grandma always taught me the value of beautifully made garments and the art of being well dressed,” says Alexander. “I have great memories of wandering the aisles of Holt Renfrew, soaking up all her fabulous fashion tips. She is a complete original and inspired a strong sense of independent self-expression in me. We can hardly believe I’m doing a campaign with Holt Renfrew.” The theme for Holt’s spring campaign is empowering self-expression, and it reflects the company’s newly drafted mission: to empower self-expression and ignite positive change. The video featuring Alexander also includes scenes and local landmarks from Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver alongside dancers from various disciplines and backgrounds.

Holt Renfrew’s new spring 2021 campaign will feature actor and singer-songwriter Jordan Alexander. Alexander will be the face of Holt’s new spring line and will appear in a series of photos and videos. The new campaign will also feature Alexander’s rendition of the classic Bruce Cockburn song “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” produced by Canadian artist Haviah Mighty. Alexander has been in the spotlight ever since the news dropped that she will appear on the reboot of Gossip Girl on HBO Max. The show was expected to launch in 2020 but was delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Alexander is portraying the role of Julien Calloway in the reboot, who is said to be an empowering and fashionable character in the series. Alexander says she decided to join the new Holt Renfrew cam-

by Harriette Halepis

Jordan Alexander is set to star in the Gossip Girl reboot

Jordan Alexander

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Cornell University professor Thomas Eisner said a new insect could be discovered in Central Park any day

A new species could be discovered any day Little is known about oceans and forests

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Getting you on bikes for this summer. www.rideawaybikes.ca

I was once at the cutting edge of genetics research. The textbook I co-authored was the most widely used in the world. But we ended up writing numerous editions to keep up with evolving knowledge. Newer versions had to account for information that had become irrelevant or correct for ideas that were later disproven. That’s not to denigrate our research or any other. It’s how science progresses. We try to make sense of what we observe by setting up a hypothesis, then testing it with experiments and further observation. Then we modify or throw out the hypothesis, depending on the findings or in response to subsequent research. Like much of everything, science can be influenced by money and profit. So there’s often a rush to patent every new insight to get something to market even if its application might turn out to be ineffective or harmful. Think of thalidomide, a drug used to help pregnant women sleep better. It resulted in babies born with severe limb malformations. Geneticists in the early 20th century extrapolated from studies of heredity in insects and plants to human intelligence and behaviour. Their claims were used to justify laws that discriminated against immigrants from nations believed to be inferior. They incarcerated Japanese people born and raised in North

America, sterilized people in psychiatric institutions and slaughtered Roma, Jews and homosexuals in Nazi Germany. Some scientists continue to claim that criminality, differences in intelligence, alcoholism, etc., are inherited. When scientists focus on a fragment of nature, they gain powerful insights into a bit of how the world works. We discover all kinds of things because we often start from a place of relative ignorance. The late Cornell University professor Thomas Eisner, a leading insect expert, told me he could discover a new insect species in New York City’s Central Park any day — in one of the biggest cities in the world. Think of how little we know about life in the Amazon rainforest, the Great Bear Rainforest or the oceans. Science is great at description. But every discovery needs to be put in a perspective that acknowledges our ignorance. Not long ago, marine biologists assumed the base of the marine food chain was microscopic phytoplankton. In the mid1980s, they found cells 10 times smaller than phytoplankton called “picoplankton” that went

through the mesh in their nets. Picoplankton are so abundant, they may produce as much oxygen as all phytoplankton. Yet until recently, we didn’t know they existed. As useful a tool as science is, it often fails to consider the big picture. Paul Mueller won a Nobel Prize in 1948 for developing the insecticide DDT. As its use ramped up, Swiss company Geigy made a lot of money, and DDT knocked the hell out of insects. But over time, birdwatchers began to notice bird populations were declining. Biologists tracked it to DDT accumulation in shell glands, making eggshells thinner and prone to breaking. They had discovered biomagnification, a phenomenon that scientists didn’t know about until DDT was used. Science is often considered to be objective, but that means it can be used for good, bad or indifferent purposes. We need more observational science, but we have to recognize its fundamental weaknesses and inadequacies, and scientists must be careful not to confuse their biases with truths. Science is a specific way of knowing that must be situated within a broader context to be significant and relevant. In many ways, Indigenous knowledge is more encompassing and profound than science. It embraces gratitude, love, respect and a deep sense of responsibility. Scientists scrub such emotions in the name of objectivity and try to find universal principles that can be replicated anywhere. Indigenous knowledge is the accumulated observations, trials and errors, successes and failures of people living in place. It’s critical for a peoples’ survival and has been tested by their presence over thousands of years. It’s also deeply subjective and meaningful, considering the web of relationships with all other animal and plant species and air, water, soil and sunlight. The element of reciprocity, of responsibility, is missing in contemporary science and society in general. We need both science and Indigenous knowledge for a fuller understanding of our place in the world.

DAVID SUZUKI David Suzuki is the host of the CBC’s The Nature of Things and author of more than 30 books on ecology.

Three glam getaways for April break All within a 90-minute drive from Toronto First, March break travel in 2020 was a bust. Then we all hoped 2021 would bring an opportunity to jet-set somewhere, but again we had to rethink our spring break plans. On the bright side, we have been thrown a first-time opportunity — April break. Though most of us are still waiting to fly south, in the meantime we should be thankful we live in a province ripe with luxurious getaways, stunning scenery and some of the most sensational food and drink spots. With COVID restrictions and precautions in mind, here are three ideas for where you can celebrate the one and hopefully only April break. Alabaster Acres Glamping

A short drive from Toronto is the ultra-glamorous, ultra-relaxing glamping site, Alabaster Acres. Here you will find a gorgeous canvas tent with a luxurious kingsized bed opening to a covered porch with a hammock and an open-air bathing room just waiting to be enjoyed. Whether you spend the night stargazing with a glass of wine around your private firepit or cuddled in the hammock with a local craft beer, this destination is the epitome of tranquility. The farm is also home to cows, rabbits, ducks, pigs, chickens, horses and, most famously, goats, who love to participate in Alabaster Acre’s seasonal Goat

Yoga. Enjoy a 50-minute yoga class while the pygmy and Nigerian dwarf goats play, jump, cuddle and climb beside and sometimes on top of you and your mat. Once you’re fully relaxed, ramp things up with a geocaching adventure — a scavenger hunt that uses GPS coordinates as your guide. Each coordinate leads you to a cache, and each cache contains a clue, which continues your hunt. Adventures can be tailored to accommodate everyone from young kids right up to experienced geocachers. It’s the perfect family activity. Nestleton Waters Inn

This property is right out of Gilmore Girls, a quaint and charming B & B in Nestleton, Ont., just east of Toronto. This beautiful country home sits on 96 scenic acres and partners with local vendors, farmers and musicians to create a unique, warm and inviting experience for guests. Nestleton Waters Inn has won awards for its picturesque weddings, hospitality and chef Moss’s delicious locally sourced dishes. Days can be spent forest bathing, birdwatching or perusing

the B & B shop. While here, take the opportunity to discover the enchanting town surrounding the inn: Stroll through beautiful Port Perry, explore upscale Victorian boutiques, discover new favourites in the local chocolatiers or indulge in locally made gelato in the marina. A getaway to Nestleton Waters Inn would not be complete without a visit to Old Flame Brewing Company, a Port Perry landmark. This award-winning brewery has six signature beers, all lagers, with seasonal stouts available year-round. When restrictions allow, Old Flame Brewery offers tours that share the history of the beer, the building, the people and the process. Finish your tour in the tasting room to find your favourite Old Flame lager, fill your growler and then take it home to enjoy another day. Millcroft Inn & Spa

Take in the country air at the elegant Millcroft Inn & Spa in nearby Caledon. This property consists of three separate buildings, originally built as a knitting mill in 1881. Here you can indulge in homemade maple syrup and fresh honey from the on-site forest and hives, unwind in the lavish spa or spend the day wandering through the acres of woodland. Definitely enjoy a meal at Headwaters Restaurant, a culinary exploration of locally sourced produce, guided by the fruits of the season with executive chef James Buder at the helm. When you finally tear yourself from your cosy room and your views of Shaw’s Creek Falls and Mill Pond, wander over to the Alton Mill, a national, awardwinning heritage building that hosts artist studios, unique galleries, a heritage museum and shops. Here you will find handcrafted jewelry and one-of-akind fine art pieces. You’ll also find small batch, handmade artisanal wares at the Noodle Gallery. Finish your day at Heartwood Farm & Cidery, a regenerative farm that focuses on biodiversity with a commitment to the natural process that takes place from farm to table. At Heartwood, they raise grass-fed livestock, make maple syrup and press craft cider from their forest garden and orchard.

Students consistently make 1-2 years of growth in 50hrs of instruction Regardless of age, disability, challenge or label, Fit Learning provides a transformational learning experience for every child. “He learns more in a Fit session than he did in weeks of regular school. And he feels so good about himself. I love this. Thank you.” − Erin, Lawrence Park

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Wishing our Customers Happy Easter & Happy Passover!

Join us this Spring on our Newly EXPANDED and HEATED PATIO Curbside Pick-up Available www.windfieldsrestaurant.com Delivery Now Available

NATALIE PREDDIE Natalie Preddie is a travel and lifestyle writer, speaker and guest expert on Cityline, Your Morning and Global’s The Morning Show.

Windfields will remain open at our current location (801 York Mills Road) for several more years!

801 York Mills Road (at Leslie) 416.445.1630

APRIL 2021

The luxurious canvas glamping tent at Alabaster Acres

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GREAT ESCAPES

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LOCAL GRADUATES

A COVID career launch Maya Zita on producing hit songs in the midst of a pandemic by Julia Mastroianni

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Maya Tisdale GRADUATED:

Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts BEST SUBJECT:

Law © Brian Hamilton

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Math CURRENT JOB:

Singer-songwriter

Zita’s next track will be released this spring

Maya Tisdale is a Toronto artist who goes by the name of Maya Zita. She launched her music career during the pandemic with her first single and music video dropping back in January. She says she was one of those people who always knew she would pursue music. It clicked when she was just seven years old singing “Alegría” by Cirque du Soleil at a talent show, a song with lyrics in English, Italian and Spanish. “Singing in different languages and seeing my teachers’ reactions to it — they were so shocked that

“If it’s meant to be, it will be, you know. It’s destiny.”

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I was like, ‘I have to do this,’ ” she says. “And that face of shock, that's what really inspired me to just keep going and be the best I can be.” Since that moment, Zita has been devoted to her craft, taking vocal lessons and learning all she can about creating and recording music. At Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts, Zita involved herself in as many singing opportunities as she could, and by age 16, she started recording music and learning all the behind-the-scenes components of producing a song. “I didn’t realize how long the process of actually getting a song finished would take,” she says. “The business side really gives you

a different perspective on your music. The thought of actually selling this product, wanting to make sure that everything is perfect and marketable just kind of lingers in the back of your mind.” Zita started working on her debut single, “Ouija Board,” back in September 2019 and connected with producers Harrison Fine and Ben Pelchat in January. However, once COVID-19 hit, they had to put everything on pause. She was grateful that, later on in 2020, she was able to reconnect with not only her producers but an entire team to finish the song and create a music video to accompany it. “It was so fun. It was probably one of the best days of the year for me,” Zita says of the day they shot the music video. The alternative pop song also incorporates jazzy elements, and Zita’s voice shines throughout the track. Zita has been managing the launch of her career while also studying at Metalworks Institute in Mississauga, which she says has been almost “impossible” to manage the two at the same time. “But honestly, just with the way things have changed now, I don’t think I could stop. If I’m idle for too long I would freak out,” she says. Although Zita doesn’t know for sure what life will look like in five years, she says she’ll be happy as long as she’s doing music in some way. “If it's meant to be, it will be, you know. It's destiny,” she says. Her next song with producer Fine will be out this spring, and she’s working with EDM artist Zoë Starra on a summer track.

HOW THEY MET

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I would actually time it perfectly and make a surprise 14-hour drive from Nashville and show up unannounced at her door right after the delivery. The proposal

Steven: We were going to a Dan + Shay show in Nashville, and I thought about asking her onstage, but I knew that wasn’t her style. So, the next morning, Shannon was just finishing brushing her teeth, and I hugged her and just started telling her how much I loved her, and she turned around, and I had the ring in my hand and was on one knee. We just cried and hugged for hours and then called all our family and friends. Oh yeah, and she said, yes!

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How Toronto’s country sweethearts found love Steven Lee Olsen and Shannon Ella on their COVID wedding and new baby boy Toronto’s own country sweethearts Steven Lee Olsen and Shannon Ella started their love story in the city before heading to Nashville. Olsen is a Grammynominated songwriter and country artist, and Ella hosts a radio show on Bell Media’s Pure Country station. Here’s how country music brought them together. How they met

Shannon: We met at the Canadian Country Music Association Awards in Hamilton. I was interviewing artists on Radio Row [the press area] and had just done 30 interviews. Steven’s representative came up and asked if I had time to squeeze him in. I agreed, but didn’t know anything about Steven, so I had to research some quick facts before the interview. We started the interview, and the entire time we were both staring at each other, not looking at the camera once and clearly smitten. The cool thing about it is that one day we will be able to show our kids the moment Mom and Dad met.

The first date

Shannon: Our first official date was sometime in September. We went to Urban House in Leslieville for lunch and then just walked around for hours. We ended up sitting on a rock together by Hideaway Park and talked about everything and anything. All of our dates at the beginning were us strolling around

“One day we will be able to show our kids the moment Mom and Dad met.” Toronto, thrift shopping, exploring different coffee shops, going to parks. That’s where our love story started. The courtship

Steven: The element of surprise was definitely my friend while doing long distance. Sometimes I got creative and even had food delivered to her from wherever I was in the world. And sometimes

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Steven: We just welcomed our first child on Dec. 11, 2020. His name is Lincoln Paul Olsen. Balancing careers and marriage

Shannon: We have careers and passions that we set time aside in our days for, but especially now since we had our son, we are way more precious with our free time. We always try to have our mornings together no matter what, waking up, drinking our coffee and catching up, and we always make time for date nights. The home

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Shannon: We currently live in Nashville, but once the borders open up, we plan to split our time between Nashville and Toronto! Life after retirement

Shannon: We would love to have a home base, a cottage or farm in Canada and then a beach house somewhere and take two big trips each year. I definitely want to have a farm with some horses to ride around on, and Steven will most likely always be writing songs.

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APRIL 2021

Steven Lee Olsen and Shannon Ella got married in their backyard in Nashville

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The wedding

Shannon: After getting engaged on March 8, 2020, we decided to get married in Hawaii in April. Of course, due to COVID-19 we had to cancel our plans. Neither of us wanted a big wedding, so once May rolled around we couldn’t wait any longer. On May 7 in Nashville, we had an officiant come to our home, and we got married in our backyard. We took videos and put together a little something for our families since they weren’t able to be there, but it was absolutely perfect. Once it’s safe, we will plan another trip to Hawaii and to renew our vows.

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BOOKS

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The moving story of one amazing mom Olympian Perdita Felicien’s debut book is an ode to her mother who sacrificed much to give her child a better life by Ron Johnson

Newly minted author Perdita Felicien and the subject of the book, her mother Catherine

what the immigration status was here and what is the culture like in St. Lucia, what are the rules around abortion, all this stuff. So there was a lot of that research that I had to do.” To truly give the story justice, she also had to not only touch upon but delve into some painful memories. And that was tough, she says, “because the story deals with poverty, it deals with homelessness, it deals with identity, it deals with a lot of domestic abuse,” she says. “There’s so many parts that I put

“She knew that her only hope and her only chance was to make it in Canada.” Perdita, she makes the decision to uproot and move to Canada to become a nanny. Felicien considers her mother a hero and feels that without her mother she wouldn’t be where she is today. The former Olympian, Canadian icon and journalist is also set to attend another Olympic Games this summer with the CBC broadcast team. She is honouring her mother’s sacrifice in telling her story. But it took a lot of work both here and in St. Lucia. “A lot of this book is oral history. And of course, there's historical fact as well,” Felicien says. “I had to go back and figure out

off writing because I didn't want to face them early. I would say having to put on the page witnessing my mother live through an abusive relationship, witnessing that and having to tell that story on the page was very hard. I was my mother's defender in many ways. But I’m six, seven years old. I don’t have the tools to defend her. And so it was hard revisiting that because I had to relive that for myself but also to ask that of her again. That was hard.” The Felicien family settled in Oshawa and then Pickering. And it was in Durham Region during a nationwide school fitness program that a gym teacher first saw her

potential as an athlete. It’s not like her family didn’t want that for her, more like they just didn’t have any frame of reference for that possibility. “Nobody in my family knew that I had anything special because they weren’t athletes themselves,” Felicien says. “We didn't aspire for me to go to the Olympics or to get a scholarship. That was not on our radar.” But it worked out quite well, and for years Felicien was the top sprinter in the world, attending three Olympic Games and winning the World Championship twice. Following her running career, Felicien studied journalism and is part of the CBC’s Olympic broadcast team. Felicien credits her mother for getting her where she is and setting her own child up for success as well. Her strength and her outlook on life are what she hopes to pass on to her daughter Nova. “No matter where you start, you have the opportunity to steer yourself towards your dreams and towards your goal,” she says. “I want Nova to know that she is standing on my shoulders but that I'm standing on my mother's shoulders, and my mother's standing on the shoulders of my grandmother, who took care of her kids as a teen mom, so she could go to Canada and see what she could make of that experience.”

SWEET SPRING READS A TOWN CALLED SOLACE New York Times bestselling author and Toronto native Mary Lawson is back with a new novel, A Town Called Solace. A suspenseful and moving book about a family in crisis by one of our best storytellers. YEARBOOK Seth Rogen is having a year, from Twitter battles with American senators to founding his own cannabis company. Now, Rogen is set to release his debut book. Yearbook is a collection of funny essays sure to provide some much-needed laughs. THE RELATIVES Author Camilla Gibb has penned many moving and honest novels in her long career as one of the country’s top novelists. The writer of Sweetness in the Belly and others returns with The Relatives, a stirring tale of one woman’s long journey to motherhood. FARM, FIRE & FEAST One of Canada’s top celebrity chefs, MIchael Smith always turns out brilliant and beautiful cookbooks. His latest, Farm, Fire & Feast, is packed with recipes to cook over a fire. The perfect collection for our outdoorfocused lives.

APRIL 2021

mother’s story. “I think the assumption is that this book is about my athletic journey. And that is a thread throughout,” she explains. “But I always felt like my mother's story was incredible. The person I learned and grew to know as I got older.” Felicien’s family roots are found on the island of St. Lucia where her mother, Catherine, began working on the beach when she was just 12 years old. Later, pregnant with her second child, who would come to be named

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Toronto’s Perdita Felicien is best known as a hurdler, a former World Champion and Olympic athlete of the highest calibre. Despite her incredible ups and downs as a world-class athlete, the story of how her family came to Canada and how she survived and thrived thanks to the sacrifices of her mother is about as epic as they come. Her mother’s story is the subject of Felicien’s first book, an emotionally charged memoir entitled My Mother’s Daughter: A Memoir of Struggle and Triumph. Felicien says she was inspired to write the book, scheduled for release on March 30, following a year in pandemic limbo, when she had her own child. “When I had my own child in my hand, in my bosom, I understood why my mother fought so hard for us,” she says, “and why she endured, you know, the name calling and the people taking advantage of her, because she knew that her only hope and her only chance was to make it in Canada.” One might think, based on the author, that this is a book about the making of an athlete, and yes that is included. But it is only one part of a much more expansive narrative that is really a microcosm of the Canadian success story. Felicien acknowledges that assumption but is hopeful that people will take a lot from her

CAMPS & PROGRAMS St. Michael's College School

CAMP TYPE: Virtual AGE RANGE: 10+ years TOTAL ENROLMENT: 10 participants per ses-

St. Michael's College School Summer Camps offer youth ages 10 and up exceptional academic, athletics, and arts programmes. Led by certified teachers who are experts in their field of instruction, your child will be supported and challenged based on their skill-level and experience. Whether your child wants to explore something new or is looking to improve an existing skill set, SMCS Summer Camps are the perfect opportunity for boys and girls to have fun, create memorable experiences, and receive the high-quality instruction that they deserve. Our programmes are virtual this summer, with most running for 60 minutes per day (our Athlete Performance, Math, Literacy, and General Learning Skills camps may run longer). Our 2021 offerings include: Theatre, Public Speaking, Creative Writing, Digital Photography, Chess, Backyard Habitat, Makers, Math and Advanced Math, Literacy, General Learning Skills, and Athlete Performance.

sion. Math, Literacy & Gen. Learning may incl. 10+

SESSION LENGTH: One week SESSION COST: $100+

SMCS CAMPS DIRECTOR:

Stephen Antolin

CONTACT: 416-653-3180 ext. 210 SMCSCAMPS.COM

Prestige School

CAMP TYPE: Day Camp AGE RANGE: 3-19 years TOTAL ENROLMENT: 50-70 CAMPER/STAFF RATIO: Varies SESSION LENGTH: July & August SESSION COST: $350 per wk

Prestige School’s Summer Camp Program is just the fun, activity-filled, yet educational summer that your children are looking for! Our camp, that offers a wide variety of exciting activities that keep all kids engaged, educated, and entertained, starts on July 5th and ends on August 27th, 2021. Our sports program includes Outdoor Games, Basketball, Volleyball, and Soccer. We also offer educational programs such as English and French studies, English as a Second Language, and Logic Boosters. We also provide activities such as Fun Science, Computer Design, Computer Animation and 3D Modelling, Drawing, Painting, Sculpting, and Chess. Campers attend exciting weekly Field Trips throughout the summer and visits to the Swimming Pool twice a week. The camp runs from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Hot lunch is provided daily. Door-to-door transportation is available. Summer School Credit Courses for grades 9-12 now offered.

CAMP DIRECTOR: Olga Margold

CONTACT: 416-250-0648 prestigeprivateschool.ca

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PRESTIGE SCHOOL’S SUMMER CAMP

2 Convenient Locations Toronto Campus: 21 Eddfield Avenue (Sheppard & Yonge) Richmond Hill Campus: 11 Headdon Gate (Bathurst & Major Mackenzie)

416-250-0648

KIDS

CURRENTS

Local dad creates inclusive swimwear for trans girls

Marital stress the unexpected COVID side effect A pandemic-fuelled increase in separations is not inevitable What does all this mean for parenting? It means that COVID has made an already challenging job about 10 times harder. There is so much more for parents to disagree about. Let’s take remote schooling. We know this is way too challenging for a great many kids, that they’re having trouble doing their schoolwork, struggling to concentrate and focus in online classes, and that many kids are falling behind in school. This is the perfect parenting minefield because it’s almost impossible for any two people to agree on the strategy for dealing with a kid who is struggling that way. The situation sets the stage for a perfect storm, for parenting World War 3. Stated baldly, the two extremes are the laissez-faire relaxed parent who wants to let it go. This sounds like: “All the kids are in the same boat, let’s not worry about it. You’re stressing too much and making the kids even more uptight.” Versus the other parent who says: “These are academic losses that matter to their future. It’s fine for you to say it doesn’t matter — you’re not the one who thinks about that stuff. I’m the one who helps with homework.” Notice the judgment and hostility

thrown in on both sides. This is the stuff of which true marital discord is made. Add to this the marital conflict over how much screen time COVID kids should be allowed, how much to try to control their (potentially contagious) contact with their friends and then throw in a dash of anger over who’s doing the parental heavy lifting. Here too we’ve got statistics. Apparently COVID has exaggerated the already unequal time that men and women put into parenting, with women doing even more than they were preCOVID. All of which is resulting in increased stress on marriages and thus a pandemicfuelled increase in marital separation and divorce. How could it not? And what is to be done? Is there a fix? This depends on how much credit remains in each person’s “emotional bank.” If there’s no gas in the tank and spouses have given up on each other and have decided that their partner is not worth fighting for, it’s game over. If there’s emotional credit in the great ATM of marriage, then there’s hope. The Zoom marriage counsellors are open for business. Get one.

JOANNE KATES

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The most wonderful thing in the world is to look at your children, your partner by your side, and bask in loving them together. Knowing that the two of you adore these beings with all your heart, and you’re in it together. Until you’re not. It turns out that one of the unexpected side effects of COVID is marital stress and a resulting rising divorce rate. Pre-COVID statistics told us that the relationship between spouses suffers when they have kids, and yet the likelihood of them divorcing declines! They stay together for the kids. That was pre-COVID. Add new stresses to the marital mix, and it can turn sour. Imagine if I had told you a year ago that both parents would be working from home, schools would be mostly closed and your kids would be doing remote learning, and summer camps and extracurriculars would be mostly closed so your kids would really be stuck at home. Oh, and they can’t hang out with their friends. Or mark major life events in any meaningful way. And your child care arrangements go to hell in a handbasket. And the grandparents can’t get near them to help take care of them. And nobody can go away on vacation. It’s no wonder that kids are depressed, lonely and anxious.

APRIL 2021

The pandemic has created a parenting minefield when it's impossible to agree on a coping strategy

Bathing suit shopping can be anxiety inducing at the best of times, for those of all shapes and sizes. The experience can be even more stressful for parents in search of swimwear for young girls that offers both comfort and adequate coverage. Yet another layer of apprehension gets piled onto the process, however, when it comes to swimwear for trans girls, something Jamie Alexander learned first-hand — and what inspired him to start Rubies, an inclusive Canadian brand specializing in creating form-fitting clothing for trans girls. The idea stemmed from his daughter, Ruby, a trans girl who just wanted to fit in with and be as comfortable as her friends. Alexander had anxiety around how Ruby could safely wear form-fitting clothing, so for a while he and Ruby opted for board shorts for swimming and sweatpants for gymnastics. A trip to Panama spurred him on further to find the right fit for her that wouldn’t compromise style. “We were planning a trip to Panama and were concerned about what Ruby would be able to wear at the beach. Instead of wearing a bikini that she wanted, we had her wear board shorts,” he explains. “When I returned, I started searching for options and found them very lacking. Once I realized there were limited options, I went for it.” And so, Rubies was born in the spring of 2020. He describes the feedback received so far as amazing. “It feels really good to be able to make a real difference in people’s lives, especially those in the trans community and parents of trans girls,” he says. “They are so excited that someone is designing products for their children. They see both the work I am doing as a role model for other dads and that Ruby has been able to inspire their children.” Alexander now has plans to further expand internationally as well as work on new products like underwear and bikini tops. Rubies also runs the campaign Every Girl Deserves to Shine, dedicated to providing free swimwear to families in need. In addition, with every purchase, Rubies includes handwritten postcards by trans and nonbinary children and their allies with positive messages for the receiver. Rubies products can be ordered online via rubyshines.com. — Jessica Padykula

Parenting columnist Joanne Kates is an expert educator in the areas of conflict mediation, self-esteem and anti-bullying, and she is the director of Camp Arowhon in Algonquin Park. Ruby and her dad Jamie Alexander

POST CITY X BAYVIEW GLEN

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Bayview Glen students flying paper airplanes

Capable and Curious Curators of Their Own Learning Beginning the youngest of students on a successful learning journey How early does a child’s attitude towards learning develop? At Bayview Glen School, they begin with children at the age of two in their Preschool program, where they encourage their students at this young age to begin to discover the joy of learning. Learning at this age needs to be very “hands-on” so children have a chance to explore, wonder about things and develop their natural curiosity. It’s a time of astonishing growth, when children’s inherent inquisitiveness, insight and empathy spark constant discoveries about themselves and the world.

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As children discover new experiences and new opportunities for challenge and success, tasks must be age appropriate and based on the rate of development for each child. An individualized approach allows children to progress at their own pace and allows children to excel in areas that are unique to their personality, character and interests. By encouraging children to take initiative with guidance and discover who they are, it establishes not only the foundation of their learning journey but also the groundwork on which future success will be built. Creating a learning environment that is safe, happy and stimulating, where each child feels welcome and secure, is just as important to the success of building that foundation. In this type of space, positive interactions with teachers and peers can help develop and facilitate purposeful

Preschool student practicing his painting skills

learning that is created with intent and based on children’s curiosities. The arts, music and painting allow children to wonder, question and practice critical thinking skills, as they plan out their next stroke. Paint is a material that can foster deep connections and curiosity when we allow for space, time and freedom to explore. Handson learning is the framework that will lead children towards a life full of successful learning. Bayview Glen celebrates and cultivates children’s natural love of learning through the Reggio Emilia approach, helping them uncover not only what but how they learn. Bayview Glen’s “whole child” philosophy begins in the early years with their wellrounded learning experience from nurturing faculty. Their approach to learning provides children with a head start on becoming confident, kind and collaborative contributors to their environment where they can also develop friendships that last a lifetime.

When children then move into the Kindergarten years at Bayview Glen, they have started to develop that eagerness and delight in learning. They have also acquired a belief in themselves and a sense of confidence that they can tackle anything. They are ready for an enriched academic experience, which at Bayview Glen includes reading, writing, math, French, music, technology and physical education. Their continued learning journey expands and deepens as they move through the Lower, Prep and Upper Schools. Students develop a natural love of learning that is age appropriate and differentiated. A breadth of experiences provides students with the opportunity to make global connections, explore their interests and develop their passions. Building a stable foundation in Preschool and introducing that spark of joy for what learning can be at such a young age can start a journey of a lifetime. ------We hope that you will contact Diane Weston, dweston@bayviewglen.ca or Judy Maxwell, jmaxwell@bayviewglen.ca to further explore if Bayview Glen is the right fit for you and your family. BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

KIDS

CURRENTS

Day trips for earth-loving families Seven of the area’s natural wonders ripe for you and your kids to explore by Ron Johnson

Clockwise from left: A lookout at Rattlesnake Point, birdwatching at Long Point and a cave at Eramosa Karst

Although Evergreen Brick Works is best known these days for its Saturday morning farmers market and community vibe, it’s also home to some very unique geological features. The north wall of the site at the very back, past the ponds, is a provincial treasure. This wall of exposed earth tells the history of the area going back an astounding 450,000 years to the age of the Georgian Bay Formation. And each section of soil tells of a subsequent era. It’s all topped by a sandy beach layer dating back 12,000 years to Lake Iroquois, one of the defining geological features of the city. Interested in teaching your kids about natural history and geology? Nothing’s better than pointing out some 450,000-year-old dirt. They’ll love it. 2. The Bluffs

Yes, the Scarborough Bluffs are best known for the beaches and boarding, but the unique towering bluffs are hard to miss, with some rising a staggering 90 metres, or 25 storeys. The natural features and surrounding open space are a wonder to explore, with plenty of

4. Cheltenham Badlands

It’s hard to find an area in southern Ontario as unique as the Cheltenham Badlands with its exposed red shale and rolling hills. This Government of Ontario Earth Sciences Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) has a bit of a Jurassic Park vibe that kids will love while on a 16-kilometre nature walk through the park.

Buffalo Crag Lookout Point and take in the incredible views from one of the escarpment’s highest points. There are some great trails, including one 4 to 5 hour round trip hike from Rattlesnake Point to nearby Crawford Lake. Unknown to some visitors, Rattlesnake Point is home to incredible ancient cedars clinging to and above the massive rock wall that are more than 800 years old.

EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES

5. Eramosa Karst 3. Tommy Thompson Park

There is no natural area in the Greater Toronto Area quite as unique as Tommy Thompson Park and the Leslie Street Spit, which shoots out five kilometres into Lake Ontario from the base at the end of Leslie Street in the city’s east end. The spit itself is mostly made of landfill, construction debris accumulated over the past 50 years. But Toronto and Conservation Authority has worked tirelessly to transform the area into a special part of the city, complete with pretty wooded areas, ponds and trails. It’s best known as a spot for birding and butterflies during monarch season and is home to a massive colony of cormorants. Although there is a pungent aroma, checking out the hundreds of cormorants perched and squawking in the trees stripped bare of foliage is something to behold.

There are dozens of great spots for caving in southern Ontario, including Eramosa Karst near Hamilton, which has many underground caves to explore. Karsts are geological formations created by dissolving rock, which produces most of the caves in the area. At this park, run by the Hamilton Conservation Authority, there are many sinking streams, overflow sinks and other rock oddities to check out, as well as an epic 335-metre-long cave. There is also a natural limestone bridge to a sinkhole. Great place to explore for an afternoon with the family. 6. Rattlesnake Point

The Niagara Escarpment is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, and there are a slew of parks, waterfalls and green spaces to explore. One of the best spots for families is Rattlesnake Point where visitors can experience the

7. Long Point

Lake Erie is not like Lake Ontario: it’s warmer, it’s shallower, and the north shore from Port Dover to Long Point is gorgeous and a burgeoning foodie paradise complete with new wineries, craft breweries, fruit stands and farm-to-table agriculture. Long Point is a sand spit about 40 kilometres long and one kilometre at its widest point that extends into and along Lake Erie. The massive sand dune is the largest erosion deposit formation in the Great Lakes. The area is wonderful for recreational activities, environmental significance and, of course, local food tourism. It is an incredible birding area, especially when some 30,000 tundra swans swing by each spring on their migratory journeys. Much to explore here with the family and some great camping opportunities.

DIY bird feeders

SCAVENGER HUNT Spring has sprung. Take your family for a walk in a natural area and give them a list of things found in nature. BIKE RIDE The humble bicycle is one of the best planet-saving devices ever invented. Teach them early with family bike rides instead of drives in the car. MAKE A BIRD FEEDER There are literally thousands of bird feeder plans on the Internet. Gather materials, then spend an afternoon with the kids to construct one for your own backyard. PLANT A BEE-FRIENDLY GARDEN Take the time to teach your kids about saving the bees, and go to the next level by turning your own garden into a bee-friendly wildflower oasis.

APRIL 2021

1. Brick Works

birds and other wildlife such as deer and coyotes wandering about. There are some sections of the bluffs, such as at the bottom and just west of the Doris McCarthy Trail, that are so secluded and wild that with just the right weather it feels like one is far from Toronto. The top of the bluffs is the mark of the old Lake Iroquois shoreline that dates back to the last ice age. Tell that to your kids, and it will blow their minds.

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This month we celebrate Earth Day. What better time to take a day trip and explore the unique and amazing natural areas close to Toronto and a few right in the city.

2021

T.O.’S TOP PROFESSIONALS

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRY

CHILDREN'S DENTAL CARE - MAKING THEM FEEL SAFE & SECURE

Dr. Deborah Aber and Dr. Vandna Sharma

BIO Dr. Deborah Aber and Dr. Vandna Sharma are co-owners of Little Pearls Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Aber received her dental degree from New York University College of Dentistry and her specialty training at St. Barnabas Hospital in Bronx, New York. Dr. Vandna Sharma received her dental degree from the University of Saskatchewan and her specialty training and Masters Degree from the University of Toronto.

Q: What are the ways Pediatric Dentists can render treatment for children? A: There are several choices of treatment modalities that help children be more at ease to receive dental work. These choices are made weighing the patient’s age, scope of work to be done, previous dental and medical history. With every patient interaction, Pediatric Dentists employ behaviour management techniques. Some of these techniques are: Tell-Show-Do where every step is explained in age- appropriate language and demonstrated visually before starting, Distraction, Positive Reinforcement, and many more. In addition to behavior management Pediatric Dentists offer treatment with nitrous oxide or laughing gas, oral sedation, and general anesthesia. Nitrous Oxide or laughing gas provides analgesia and helps the child feel more relaxed during dental treatment. Oral sedation can be combined with laughing gas to help children who are moderately anxious receive dental treatment awake and calmly. Pediatric Dentists also can prescribe a medicine that a child takes prior to their dental appointment to help them relax. Lastly, general anesthesia can be used when the child’s age, scope of work, and the patient’s degree of

nervousness for dental treatment prohibit completion of dental care awake. General anesthesia is a mode of treatment where the patient is treated asleep. General anesthesia is given by anesthetists trained to administer this type of sedation. The anesthetists work with Pediatric Dentists as a team. Nitrous Oxide, Oral Sedation and General Anesthesia are all safe treatment modalities that can be tailored to meet each child’s dental and developmental needs. Pediatric Dentists strive to render treatment with positive behaviour outcomes so that children feel safe and happy to receive dental care. Q: Why should I seek treatment for my child at a Pediatric Dentist? A: Pediatric Dentists have 2-4 years of extra training treating children. The training includes clinical and pharmacologic training in the dental management of children while focusing on their emotional and psychological needs. Pediatric Dentists aim to foster positive relationships with their patients so that they continue to seek good oral care throughout their lives.

CONTACT Little Pearls Pediatric Dentistry 81 Billy Bishop Way Unit D2, North York

416-960-4422 www.littlepearls.ca • info@littlepearls.ca

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

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If you still haven’t considered making your Will and Powers of Attorney aim at giving yourself a New Year’s present and get this done. To refresh your memory, a Will is your way to ensure that your property is distributed to the individuals and charities you would like to benefit on your death. The Will comes into force the day you die. If you don’t have a Will in place when you die, your estate will be distributed in accordance with the provisions of the Succession Law Reform Act, with the result that your assets could go to people you may not intend to benefit, and people you want to leave to benefit your assets to may miss out. Don’t let that happen. To be valid, a Will must be in writing and signed by yourself in the presence of two witnesses. There must be three people at the table to see each other sign. Sounds straight forward, but these formalities must be followed, otherwise the Will may not be valid. Your witnesses should not be persons also named in your Will to receive a gift, nor should either witness be the spouse of a person named to receive a gift in your Will.

No time for the formalities of a proper Will? In a pinch, you may make a Holograph Will. This is a less formal document, entirely handwritten by you, signed and dated by you at the end of the document. If all these particulars are followed, it may be valid. It may be dangerous to do a Holograph Will if you don’t know what you are doing and certainly if you have assets of any size. Not only do you have to follow the formalities highlighted here, but you have to word the document correctly so that everyone understands it. Furthermore, if you type your Will out on the computer, then print, date and sign it, this Will may not be recognized as a valid Holograph will as it is not in your own handwriting. Then your estate is back at square one and your property will be distributed in accordance with the Succession Law Reform Act. Don’t forget Powers of Attorney, a real must for both Property and Personal Care. An experienced Wills and Estates lawyer can streamline the process and ensure you don’t trip in to any pitfalls.

Mary Anne Shaw, B.A., LL.B.

BIO Mary Anne Shaw is an established lawyer whose law practice focuses on Wills and Estates, Residential Real Estate and Family Law. Mary Anne Shaw is very active in the community, and has served on many boards and foundations in the not-for-profit arts and health sectors. She provides personal service and practical solutions.

CONTACT Mary Anne Shaw - Barrister and Solicitor 1366 Yonge Street, Suite 308

Toronto, Ontario, M4T 3A7 Tel: 416-968-0096

2021

T.O.’S TOP PROFESSIONALS

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRY

NEW OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE RECENTLY AMENDED DIVORCE ACT

Cheryl Goldhart – Expert Family Law Lawyer, Mediator and Arbitrator

BIO Cheryl Goldhart is a certified specialist in Family Law with over 30 years of experience practicing exclusively in the field. She specializes in complex, high conflict and high net worth cases. She is an accomplished lawyer, OAFM accredited family law mediator and a certified family law arbitrator by the ADR Institute of Ontario.

On March 1, 2021, the Divorce Act was amended for the first time since 1985. The amendments include new duties for both parties and lawyers. Although children’s best interest have been the focal point of any parenting decision for separated parents, they are now legally required to place the best interests of their child(ren) at the forefront of all of their decision-making and parenting time. Parents are also required to try and resolve the issues arising from the breakdown of their marriage through a family dispute resolution process such as negotiation, mediation or collaborative law, to the extent that is appropriate to do so. Lawyers are similarly required to encourage their clients to resolve their matters through a family dispute resolution process, unless it would clearly not be appropriate to do so (for example: mediation or arbitration may not be appropriate in a case where there has been family violence). Lawyers are also required to advise clients of family justice services, which are defined as public or private services intended to help persons deal with issues arising from separation or divorce. Family justice services include supervised

access centers, parent education programs and family law information centers. The use of a family dispute resolution process to resolve some or all issues offers families the opportunity to craft their own settlements, create detailed plans about how to raise their children, and can save time and money. An out of court process is often less adversarial; it allows parties to resolve their issues without the need to “win” or “lose” and supports their ability to communicate in the future, which is particularly important in cases with children. The amendments recognize the value of these alternative dispute resolution processes and strongly encourage parties to take advantage of these family friendly options to the greatest extent possible.

CONTACT Goldhart & Associates 20 Eglinton Ave. W. Suite 1305

416-967-6111 www.goldhartlaw.com

HEADACHES? JAW CLICKING? GRINDING OR CLENCHING TEETH AT NIGHT? TMD (temporomandibular disorders) is a disorder affecting the body’s two temporomandibular joints, which are located directly in front of your ears. They are triangular-shaped and designed to act like hinges for your jaw, allowing you to comfortably and easily open your mouth to eat, drink, and speak. A patient struggling with TMD may experience a wide range of painful or aggravating symptoms, among them frequent headaches or migraines. Other TMD symptoms include neck, shoulder, or lower back pain; difficulty hearing or ringing/ pressure in the ears; pain, tenderness, or swelling of the face; jaw popping/clicking; tooth sensitive to cold or ice and worn or broken teeth. The causes behind TMD can range from misaligned teeth and/or teeth grinding to whiplash, sports injuries, or missing teeth. TMD is a disorder of the jaw joint, nerves, teeth and chewing muscles. Stress can also be a cause of it.

Tek-Scan/EMG is a revealing diagnostic tool to analyse the bite and measure the muscle activity, allowing the dentist to precisely evaluate your bite, muscles, and range of motion. It also measures the forces and timing of the bite to see if they are even or need adjustments. Disclusion Time Reduction (DTR) is a computerguided form of treatment that makes minor adjustments to teeth, improving occlusion and allowing the muscles to relax. By improving occlusion and relaxing muscles, pain can often be improved or eliminated. This computer-guided treatment for patients predisposed to TMD (grind or clench a lot or have sore muscles and teeth) has proven to improve or halt disease progression. Lawrence Park Dental is among few dental offices that offer digital bite analysis and DTR therapy in Toronto.

BIO Dr. J. Olavo Queiroz received his DDS degree in '91 from the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas, Brazil. He obtained his licence to practice in Canada in '95 and has been providing modern dentistry to our community ever since. He's been trained by leaders in dentistry such as Drs. John Kois, Peter Dawson, Frank Spear, Robert Kerstein, Ben Sutter, Carl Misch, Ken Hebel, Les Premier, and more.

CONTACT Lawrence Park Dental 20 York Mills Road – suite 209 Toronto

(416) 488 7454 • info@lawrenceparkdental.com www.lawrenceparkdental.com

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APRIL 2021

Dr. J. Olavo Queiroz D.D.S

2021

T.O.’S TOP PROFESSIONALS

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRY

DOES YOUR ELDERLY PARENT NEED CARE NOW, DURING COVID-19?

Lisa Wiseman

BIO Lisa Wiseman is the President and founder of Eldercare Home Health Inc. Lisa is Gerontological Nurse Certified (Canada) GNC(C) through the Canadian Nurses Association. Eldercare Home Health has been providing PSW care, that is actively case managed by Nurses, to Seniors in Toronto for over 25 years. Call us today to learn more.

Seniors are more at risk from COVID-19, that’s why it’s especially important now, that you hire an experienced, reputable company to provide the care your parent needs. Hiring the right senior care provider will reduce your parent’s risk of contracting COVID-19, minimize the chance that they may need to go to hospital – a significant worry now that hospitals have very restrictive visiting protocols – and help reduce your stress. Experienced, reputable senior care companies: • Provide daily COVID-19 screening – monitoring results and replacing caregivers who are unwell. • Provide PPE – appropriate personal protective equipment for the type of care provided. • Restrict caregiver assignments – do not schedule staff working in facilities to also provide care in private homes. • Are selective about taking on new clients - do not take on clients who are positive for COVID-19 • Provide Nurse case managed and supervised care acting proactively to help minimize the need to go to hospital. • Hire only qualified caregivers – so that proper care is provided, further reducing the need to go to hospital.

What about hiring a caregiver for cash? Caregivers wanting to work for cash are seeking an illegal working arrangement and, by doing so, are showing they are untrustworthy. If they are prepared to lie about their work arrangements to the Canadian government, are they also prepared to lie about their credentials, their immigration status, references, and experience, to you and your family? How will you know if a caregiver hired for cash is actually qualified to provide the care they say they can provide, or are even legally entitled to work in Canada? What happens if they steal from your parent, or worse, verbally, or physically abuse them? If you participate in a “for cash” arrangement with someone not entitled to work legally or not qualified, will you be prepared to report them to the police? Your elderly parent’s care is too important to leave in the hands of just anyone. Hire a reputable, experienced private senior care company and get the care your parent deserves and the relief you need.

CONTACT 234 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 207, Toronto Phone: 647-792-4036

www.eldercarehomehealth.com/postcity wiseman@eldercarehomehealth.com

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THE VALUE OF YOUR LOCAL INSURANCE AGENT

Dina Constantinou

BIO A U of T alumni, Dina was born and raised in Toronto. She holds her CHRL designation and is licensed to provide auto, property, and life insurance, living benefits and financial services. Dina is passionate about helping families realize their dreams, and is committed to philanthropy and making a difference for people and their loved ones. Dina’s team is eager to help you get to where you want and need to be!

Through the good times, and, especially in the bad, an insurance agent can be a beacon of calm — a trusted person who offers the kind of valued advice that can give you both comfort and protection. Insurance is all about protecting the things that are most valuable to you – your life, your home, your cars, boat, cottage, and more. The right agent will assist you with covering these critically important things in your life. Look for someone who is well-qualified, caring and sincere, and invested in make a difference for you and your family. Here are just a few ways the right agent can help you navigate through life’s rough waters: • Are you moving? You may need home-, condo- or renter’s insurance for your new place. Lenders require evidence of insurance prior to providing a mortgage, and most landlords will require proof of liability insurance before they even give you a key. So, be prepared, you will need insurance and your agent will help you get the right coverage for liability, contents and put you at ease during an already exciting, but also stressful time. • Drive a car? More than one vehicle? You are required by law to insure it. Rest assured, your agent can help you get a competitive rate with the appropriate coverages for your needs.

• Have children? A mortgage? Debt? Capital gains? You will likely want to make the responsible decision to maintain a life insurance or critical illness policy to ensure debt and taxes are taken care of in the event of your death or illness. You’ll want to select the right coverage for your circumstances. A licensed agent will identify what your needs are and customize the protection for you and your family. Remember, employer life insurance plans are often not necessarily enough, because there is no guarantee you will always be employed there – and life insurance becomes more expensive the older we get! You need the right people in your corner for the various scenarios life throws at you: the ones who have your back and will make a difference for your family when you need it and even when you don’t! Get yourself the right insurance professional who is qualified and knowledgeable. They will help you navigate through the smooth sailing and the choppy waters of life.

CONTACT Desjardins Insurance Dina Constantinou

416-792-8997 dinaconst.com

2021

T.O.’S TOP PROFESSIONALS

Up to 7-9%* annualized net returns, paid monthly

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED DIVERSIFYING YOUR PORTFOLIO? A unique opportunity for accredited investors to participate in primarily first position residential and commercial mortgages on high profile development and construction projects across Canada. Historically, real estate investments have served as a tangible asset to diversify your portfolio. While there are a variety of different vehicles that can be used to invest in this space, Cameron Stephens offers institutional and private lenders an opportunity to invest in mortgages with what have been historically stable returns. Established in 2004, Cameron Stephens Mortgage Capital Ltd. (CSMC) has positioned itself as a leading non-bank lender in the real

estate lending space. The company has a portfolio of $1.6 billion of assets under management, with a mix of $1.1 billion of institutional capital and $500 million of private capital. CSMC provides land, development, construction, mezzanine, bridge, inventory, and term financing in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, with plans to continue to expand into new markets. CSMC has a long track record of performance in delivering competitive, custom real estate

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRY

As CSMC continued its growth trajectory to expand and diversify the business, the Cameron Stephens Mortgage Trust (CSMT) fund was created in 2019. Open to accredited investors looking to add real estate to their portfolio, the fund is a great alternative investment opportunity. It aims to offer superior risk adjusted returns with a target net return range of 7-9%*. The fund was created to provide an additional source of private capital that would be managed by CSMC for residential land, development, and construction loans. These asset classes have remained resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, since this is a private fund, its lack of correlation with public markets and no anticipated unit price volatility (based on CSMC’s limited loan loss history), provide additional stability. With a positive outlook for 2021 and projected growth of the portfolio, Cameron Stephens Mortgage Capital remains committed to the goal of preserving the capital of their investors, while providing them with consistent growth and stable returns over the long term. *This is a target return range. The actual return cannot be guaranteed.

financing solutions across all asset types for their clients. CSMC operates with strong guiding principles and a forward-thinking approach. Known for their prudent investment philosophy, strong underwriting, and exceptional performance track record, CSMC’s infrastructure allows for a collaborative approach to deal structuring, underwriting, and funding to help ensure that the needs of their Investors and Borrowers are aligned in a win-win fashion.

TORONTO • CALGARY • VANCOUVER PHONE: 416-899-9701 EMAIL: kbonar@cameronstephens.com

HAVING TROUBLE NEGOTIATING YOUR LEASE?

Kevin Roher has made his mark as a leader in the retail industry for over 30 years. He ran two successful stores - Higher Ground and HG Girls - before retiring and pivoting to create his retail consulting firm. As a former retailer, it has given him the insight and skill set to work collaboratively with each client. He is currently focused on securing rent reduction and renewal for retail & professional offices.

What kind of services can you expect from a Leasing Consultant? • Representation of the business owner with their landlord in all leasing and lease renewal negotiations • Work with the business owner and the landlord to come up with viable strategies to manage these unprecedented times • Help the business owner get the best possible lease terms on their most important business expense In this climate, tenants would be wise to seek out an experienced and knowledgeable third party to help come up with a game plan to approach landlords seeking rent concessions and/or the most favourable long-term leases. This approach and strategy would cut costs significantly for many businesses who are struggling to stay alive.

Let’s Succeed Together

CONTACT HG Consulting hgretailconsulting.com

Email: kevin@hgretailconsulting.com 416-618-2488

APRIL 2021

BIO

area can improve your success rate, decrease your stress and allow you to focus on your business.

| POST |

Kevin Roher

For many businesses, negotiating a new lease or a renewal can be a daunting task particularly during these challenging economic times. A key area of concern these days for many retailers and professional offices, has been leasing, paying rent, and their relationship with their landlords. The pandemic has put a tremendous amount of additional stress on most business owners, so much so that some are simply struggling to survive. As a business owner it can be intimidating to negotiate with a landlord for concessions, renewing a lease or even establishing a new lease. An experienced consulting firm in leasing can be a business owner’s best solution, serving as an effective and knowledgeable mediator to help a tenant navigate seamlessly through what can be a complicated and confusing process. A mediator will formulate a strategy with the tenant, setting out to achieve temporary rent relief to get businesses through the next 8 to 12 months - or simply securing the best possible long-term lease. So, who needs Leasing Consultant Services? Anyone who is struggling with lease issues due to COVID-19, has been dealing with difficult lease negotiations, or is looking to secure a better deal at renewal time. Having an experienced negotiator working on your behalf in this complicated business

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FOOD

SECTION

Top Toronto chefs are popping up near beloved Bloor West Village shop the Cheese Boutique this summer. Owner Afrim Pristine is bringing a whole new meaning to “borrowing a friend’s car,” offering up his on-site food truck, which is located across from the shop at 8 Ripley Ave., to a rotating series of chefs and restaurant menus from now until August. The truck has already hosted pop-ups

from chefs like Trevor Lui, Victor Barry and Leña chef Julie Marteleira. Antler, Famiglia Baldassarre, Marben and La Palma are reportedly among the restaurants that will pop-up in the truck in the coming weeks. Keep an eye on Cheese Boutique’s Instagram (@cheese_boutique) for updates on who you can catch taking over the truck next.

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Food Truck gives Toronto chefs a lift

APRIL 2021

Clockwise from top left: Julie Marteleira (left) with her mother and sister, Trevor Lui, Victor Barry and Opal Rowe

Outdoor Education is the and way to learn. We focus on situational-based learning to help students make daily connections with nature. Our coupling of strong academics with a unique environment makes it the ideal private school for your child to learn and prosper. It is through these techniques that we develop confidence and self-esteem; the true meaning behind a successful learner. Visit us at for more information.

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DANIEL PUSTIL

TOP 1% REALTOR IN TORONTO Dollar Sales

Salesperson, Vice-President, Partner

Direct: 416.565.4001 | Office: 416.944.1818 | 192 Davenport Road | danielpustil@gmail.com

Forest Hill Living At Its Finest | POST | A P R I L 2 0 2 1

23 Delavan Avenue

An absolute masterpiece situated in the heart of Forest Hill village. Rarely does a home that exudes elegance and functionality come to market like this beauty. Impeccable designer finishes and a fantastic layout blend together all under one cedar roof. Chefs gourmet eat in kitchen featuring caesarstone counter tops, top of the line appliances, oversized island, custom built in cabinetry and a walk out to an oversized sun drenched deck. A heavenly spa like ensuite bathroom with heated marble flooring, large principal rooms, 11’ coffered ceilings, state of the art lighting, walk out from lower level , a two car garage and so much more!! The true epitome of luxury living has arrived. Footsteps to the best public and private schools. This may be sold by the time you read this ad.

TASTE TEST

FOOD

TOP DOG Chris van der Ahe is said to have sold the first hot dog at a St. Louis Browns game in 1893.

MCEWAN TESTS OPENING DAY DOGS As the Toronto Blue Jays kick off an unconventional season this month, Taste Test judge Mark McEwan tries some of the city’s most out-of-the-ordinary takes on the ballpark classic.

FANCY FRANKS FRANKIE GOES TO BUFFALO “So much crunch, which is a texture that hot dogs usually lack,” said McEwan, noting that the chopped celery and carrots topping helped to take the crunch factor up an additional notch. He described the hot dog as “quite tasty” overall. 1507 Avenue Rd., $8.89

GRANDMA LOVES YOU

CHUNGCHUN RICE DOG

NOORDEN SNACK BAR

CENTRE STREET DELI

FRENCH DOG “This was my first experience with brie and blueberries on a hot dog — it worked and made a very haute couture street snack,” said McEwan. He noted the croissant was crispy enough to hold the layered hot dog together. 1084 Yonge St., $9.74

GAMSUNG POTATO “There is something inviting about snacks on a stick. This was particularly fun to eat,” said McEwan. He said the batter was pleasantly “sweet and chewy” and the crispy potatoes coated on the outside added a nice crunch. 11 Byng Ave., $4.99

THE DUTCH DOG McEwan appreciated the high hot dog to bun ratio in this snack from Little Sister’s ghost kitchen. He noted that the hot dog was topped with a “generous helping of spring and white onions” and delivered big on onion flavour. 2031 Yonge St., $6.95

CLASSIC HOT DOG “This one was reminiscent of a Chicago-style hot dog, dressed like a hamburger at a backyard BBQ with tomatoes, pickles and lettuce on a sesame seed bun,” said McEwan. He found the nostalgic flavour palate “easy to enjoy.” 1136 Centre St., $5.75

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UNCLE BETTY’S THE ULTIMATE HOT DOG “This one was almost intimidating to eat at first glance. I wasn’t sure how to attack it, but I'm glad that I did,” said McEwan. He described the dog as “beautifully grilled,” and he complimented the “tender, lightly seasoned” pulled pork topping. 2590 Yonge St., $16

APRIL 2021

RUNNER-UP

WINNER

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™ ™

FEATURE

FOOD

HOT CHOCOLATES From bean-to-bar treats to artistic eggs, these Toronto chocolate purveyors have your Easter chocolate needs covered with their locally-made goodies. Send a sweet surprise to a loved one to celebrate the holiday or treat yourself to an elevated afternoon snack.

INTERNATIONAL ICON

Run by husband-and-wife team David Castellan and Cynthia Leung, Soma Chocolatemaker has scooped up numerous international awards for its exquisite bean-to-bar chocolate. They’re widely recognized as some of the best chocolatiers not just in Canada, but in the world. Their spring holiday selection includes stunning Easter pods, which are designed to look like wild cacao pods. They feature egg-shaped pods in blueberries & cream or sour cherry flavours, set onto a twisting hand-sculpted nest of hazelnut. somachocolate.com

TRADITIONAL TREATS

A sixth generation konditor (confectioner), chef Daniel Stubbe grew up learning the art of chocolate making in his family’s pastry shop in Germany. With Stubbe Chocolates, the chef aims to bring a modern approach to European chocolate-making traditions. The shop’s newest Easter treat is a Smash Egg, a chocolate shell painted with coloured cocoa butter, which can be cracked open to reveal a filling of berry clusters, milk almond clusters, nonpareils, tropfin and florentines. Stubbe also does classics like Easter bunnies and chicks. stubbechocolates.com

SMALL-BATCH SNACKS Katie Wilson was inspired to get into the bean-to-bar chocolate business after touring chocolatemakers in Australia and New Zealand. She now makes smallbatch chocolate from scratch at her Toronto café, Soul Chocolate, which she co-owns with her husband Kyle. Easter offerings include a higher-quality take on a classic chocolate bunny, made with 60 per cent Madagascar dark milk chocolate, and milk chocolate eggs filled with salted caramel “yolk” and creamy “egg white” fondant or marshmallow swirled with raspberry. soulroasters.com

APRIL 2021

ARTISTIC APPROACH

Local pastry chef and chocolatier David H. Chow is known for making colourful, intricately decorated bonbons, bars and other chocolate creations. It perhaps comes as no surprise that Chow was an engineer by trade before becoming a pastry chef, with the geometric patterns of his chocolates reflecting an almost scientific level of detail. For Easter, expect chocolate shell eggs topped with yellow passion fruit couverture and white chocolate to resemble a “sunny side up” egg, as well as eggs decorated with graffiti-like splatter patterns. davidhchow.com

| POST |

FOOD

NEWS

Clockwise from left: Glazed doughnuts, Harry and Heels owner Shant Mardirosian, filled doughnuts

Popular pizza shop is now making doughnuts

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The Fourth Man in the Fire launches Harry and Heels by Christine Hogg

A new doughnut shop has glazed doughnuts, buttermilk opened in the Dundas West crullers and apple fritters are our best sellers,” says Mardirosian. neighbourhood. Depending on the day of the Operating out of the Fourth Man in the Fire Pizzeria’s dining week, specialty doughnuts, such room, which is temporarily as varieties flavoured after closed, due to the current breakfast cereals like Cinnamon restrictions on indoor dining, Toast Crunch or the Glazed Fruit Harry and Heels Donuts is now Loops, might be on the menu. selling a wide variety of Doughnuts range between doughnuts as singles, by the half- $2.99 and $3.29 for a single, or dozen or by the dozen. $18 for a half-dozen, and $36 for Described as “California” a dozen, with no tax. doughnuts, the Harry and The Fourth Man in the Heels take on the Fire is a cashless sweet snack is based establishment, which ON THE MENU on a style of means orders must Flavours include doughnut Shant be purchased using glazed toasted Mardirosian, owner credit or debit only. coconut dip and of Harry and Heels All of the doughnuts chocolate sprinkle Donuts and the are made fresh inFourth Man in the Fire house and are available Pizzeria, came across in while quantities last each Los Angeles. day. All of the doughnuts are yeastCustomers can pre-order based and are extremely soft and doughnuts from Harry and Heels flavourful. They’re oversized and for pickup, which gives the option feature a wonderfully light and to choose their own flavours in a fluffy texture. half-dozen or dozen pack. The pop-up features 18 tasty You can also order an assorted flavour profiles, including classics box of flavours via the Fourth like rainbow-sprinkled and Man in the Fire’s Uber Eats, chocolate-dipped. Some of the DoorDash and SkiptheDishes more unique choices include the pages (giving you the option to chocolate Hawaiian, chocolate pick up a pizza at the same time) cream filled and glazed cinnamon from Wednesday through Sunday sugar. from 12 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. or until “Right now, our cream-filled they’re sold out.

NEWS

FOOD

Due to Covid we are presently not having open houses. We welcome you to book a private tour. Please call the school

L-R: Dishes from Chica’s Chicken and Tokyo Hot Fried Chicken

T.O’s best spots for fried chicken From breakfast waffles to piled-high sandwiches

Japanese-style street food meets Louisiana’s classic fried chicken sandwich at Tokyo Hot Fried Chicken. The restaurant serves sandwiches that are unlike anything else available in the city, such as the Nashville “ice” fried chicken sandwich — Nashville hot chicken on a soft, brioche bun with sweet slaw, dill pickle and buttermilk scallion ranch, complete with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. tokyohotfriedchicken.com The Stockyards Smokehouse and Larder

Better known for its woodsmoked BBQ briskets, the Stockyards Smokehouse and Larder in the St. Clair West neighbourhood has a competitive edge because it also serves fried chicken. Just two dishes are on the menu — fried chicken and Belgian waffles, drizzled with chili honey glaze, and the Stockyards fried chicken dinner, which comes as four pieces of

Cluck Clucks

One section of the Cluck Clucks menu is dedicated to unconventional chicken and waffles combos, with six bone-in or boneless options, including the Cluck Yeah, which features chicken breast, a jalapeno and cheddar waffle, coleslaw, chipotle aïoli and dill mayo. Other fried chicken specialties, including sandwiches, wings, strips and even fried chicken bites in a waffle cone, are also available. cluckclucks.ca Chica’s Nashville Hot Chicken

Run by husband-and-wife duo Matt and Carolyn, who wanted to replicate the fried chicken they enjoyed in Nashville, Chica’s uses fresh ingredients that are made in-house. The restaurant offers a variety of fried chicken eats, including crispy chicken sandwich combos, boneless chicken bites with a choice of sauces, wings and half-chicken meal deals. chicaschicken.net London Fried Chicken

Anyone who has been to London, England, knows there’s something magical about their fish and chips batter that can’t be replicated in Canada. The same is true for the fried chicken, but that’s something that London

Fried Chicken is hoping to change. The restaurant aims to bring a taste of the U.K. to the GTA, with a variety of fried chicken offerings, including twoto 16-piece meals as well as hot wing combos. londonfriedchicken.ca Cabano’s Comfort Food

Owner/chef Kevin Boyd trained in Michelin-starred restaurants, like Chicago’s Sepia, before opening Cabano’s. The menu is informed by Boyd’s background in high-quality cooking, bringing an elevated approach to casual cuisine. Opt for the fried chicken supreme, which sees golden fried chicken topped with cheese, lettuce, mayo, pickles and a choice of house sauces, which come in flavours like burnt chile and a mustard-based hot sauce. cabanos.ca

COME THRIVE WITH US

Dave’s Hot Chicken

California import Dave’s Hot Chicken recently opened its first Canadian location in Parkdale, and a second outpost is coming to Davisville later this year. The brand is known for its spicy Nashville-style chicken, which comes in heat levels ranging from mild “no spice” to the tonguetingling “reaper.” The lean menu features a choice between chicken tenders or sliders, which comes with sides like crinkle fries and mac and cheese. daveshotchicken.ca

Registration open for SUMMER SCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMPS

OPEN HOUSES SPRING 2021 April 6 | May 4 | June 1

for more information

WillowWoodSchool.ca • 416 444-7644

APRIL 2021

Tokyo Hot Fried Chicken

buttermilk-marinated chicken. thestockyards.com

by Christine Hogg

| POST |

Whether you prefer it smothered in maple syrup on a bed of buttermilk waffles, served up extra crispy with a side of fries or tucked away in a brioche bun and topped with a pickle, fried chicken is the ultimate comfort food. The next time a craving for crispy comfort food hits, check out one of these fried chicken spots.

Celebrating 40 years

Canadian Bicycle Recycling

FOOD

NEWS

Donate Your Used Bicycles We’ll pick them up for free! canadianbicyclerecycling.com A taco platter at Playa Cabana Bar Esquina

Mexican resto arrives at Yonge and Eg Mas Playas comes to midtown

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by Erica Commisso

Mas Playas, the Mexican chain of eateries known for high-end tacos and cocktails, is opening another Toronto location, this time in the Yonge and Eglinton area. Playa Cabana Bar Esquina will join the Mas Playas roster that includes the original Playa Cabana in the Annex as well as Cantina in the Junction, Barrio Coreano in Koreatown and Hacienda on Dupont. Esquina, which showcases the same trendy and fashionable vibe as the other locations, set up shop at midtown’s busiest intersection. The decor includes brightly coloured tables and chairs, high ceilings, cement walls with multicoloured murals and stained glass windows. The restaurant frontage invites passersby with oversized floor-to-ceiling windows. Once construction at Eglinton TTC station is completed, visitors will be able to walk directly into the restaurant in addition to its street entrance. “We chose the location because it’s a young, trendy and up-andcoming area, and there aren’t a lot of Mexican restaurants nearby,” says Karon Johnson, manager at Bar Esquina. “It’s an area we really believe in.” Of course, with the city of Toronto currently in lockdown, diners have not been allowed to

take in the atmosphere of Esquina, but the outpost is getting established thanks to takeout and delivery options. “We provide a great facility, hand-off is seamless with COVID precautions in mind,” Johnson says. The dinner menu, similar to all of the Mas Playas locations, includes favourites, such as burritos, ceviche and guacamole, but also offers up house specialties: enchiladas Suizas, tres tacos suaves (three soft tacos), tres tacos chorreados (three crispy tacos with cheese) and postres. “We try to be as authentically Mexican as we can be,” Johnson says. Esquina is the only eatery in the Mas Playas family that currently serves lunch. The menu is served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily and includes two tacos with rice and beans, as well as burrito options and a plato bowl. For takeout, Esquina also offers beer and half litres or litres of the renowned Dave’s Margaritas. Playa Cabana Bar Esquina is open Wednesday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Orders can be placed via delivery apps, on the restaurant’s website or by walking in.

NEWS

FOOD

L-R: Sanjeev Sethi and Sanjeev Masala Co.’s first masala kit

The Host honours its late founder really separates our food from everyone else’s: the spices,” says Ashish, explaining that Sanjeev Masala Co. produces its blends using the same double spice grinder that Sanjeev used to use. “There’s a chai masala that’s really good for tea and desserts; a biryani masala that’s good for curries and spiced rice; and dhaniya jeera is a more authentic masala that we use every day,” he explains, adding that the kit also includes a basic garam masala, which is the foundation of a range of Indian dishes, and a tandoori masala that’s ideal for adding a finishing touch to fried foods. “It’s what you need to start Indian cooking,” he says. The Sanjeev Masala Co. site includes cooking tips and recipes to help guide those who are new to working with masalas. The recipes are based on ones that Sanjeev developed for the Host’s restaurants. As part of the project, a new foundation, the Sanjeev Sethi Foundation, has also been established in Sanjeev’s name. A portion of sales from the masala kits are being donated toward various charitable organizations that the Host has worked with in the past, including Trillium Health Partners, World Vision and the William Osler Foundation. Ashish says they’ve already raised more than $2,000 for the foundation from pre-sales of the kits.

“I think this was a good way to do two things that he always wanted to do,” says Ashish. “We wanted to find a way to give back to the community in his way but also preserve his recipes and his way of life,” he adds, noting that his father had always quietly made charitable donations and given free meals to the city’s homeless population over the years. One of the long-term goals with Sanjeev Masala Co. is also to create a culinary scholarship for aspiring young chefs. In addition to honouring his father’s memory, creating the kits for Sanjeev Masala Co. has also helped keep much of the Host’s longtime staff employed amid the dining room closures. “Our team is excited about it,” Ashish says. “A lot of our staff have been working with us for twenty-something years.” He says that Sanjeev developed almost 30 different masala blends, which Sanjeev Masala Co. plans to gradually release in the coming months, along with tandoori marinades and sauces. Although the first five spices are currently only available together in a group as a kit, Ashish says they will eventually sell the masalas individually as well. “There’s a lot that goes into an Indian pantry,” he says. “We want to make everything that was available in his kitchen available to everyone else.”

APRIL 2021

Ashish Sethi’s new venture, Sanjeev Masala Co., is a tribute to his late father. After emigrating to Canada in the 1980s from India, Sanjeev Sethi opened his first restaurant, the Host Fine Indian Cuisine, with his brother in 1996. The pair went on to launch five restaurants, including a muchloved outpost in Richmond Hill, and found the Host Hospitality Group, of which Ashish is now director of food and beverage. When Sanjeev passed away from cancer in February 2019, Ashish wanted to find a way to honour his father’s culinary talent and generosity. “He had a lot of knowledge and his recipes are quite authentic,” says Ashish. “The processes he took to make his masalas — sourcing each individual spice and roasting them at different times — it was something very special.” Ashish says that Sanjeev considered selling his masala blends in the past, but the project was never fully realized. “It’s finishing one of the things he never got to finish,” says Ashish. “It’s one of the first ways we wanted to commemorate him.” Sanjeev Masala Co. will soon launch its first masala kit, a collection of five masala spice blends developed from the recipes Sanjeev used at the Host’s restaurants. “That's one of the secrets that

by Jessica Huras

| POST |

Popular 905 restaurant launches new spice line

Limited Space for September!

SPRING RESTAURANT DELIVERY GUIDE

www.Holychuck.com

www.kathmandurestaurant.ca

www.cestbonrestaurant.com

www.karbouzi.com

1450 YONGE STREET • 416 962 4825

12 CUMBERLAND ST. • 647 345 4214 + 416 924 5787

2685 YONGE STREET • 416 932 2811

2048 AVENUE ROAD • 416 483 3846

OPEN FOR TAKE-OUT & DELIVERY

New location opening very soon at College and Spadina

OPEN FOR PICK-UP, TAKE-OUT & DELIVERY

The Big Yianni

NEW SPECIALTY BURGERS All our burgers/fries & desserts are 100% gluten free. All our meats are 100% certified halal. All burgers served on a warm potato bun The Holy Chuck (Our signature): Aged beef, maple smoked bacon, cheese, caramelized onions The Big Yianni NEW Aged beef, maple smoked bacon, cheese, panko crusted onion rings, chipotle mayo The Holy Cluck NEW House-breaded crispy chicken thigh, lettuce, tomato, pickle, mayo The Holy Vegan NEW Ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, vegan cheese, served on a gluten free vegan/keto bun The Wagyu Weiner NEW 7” of gluten free wagyu beef, warm bun, your choice of toppings

FRIES & POUTINES

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Waffle Fries NEW Traditional Poutine & Hand-Cut Fries

Our location at 1450 Yonge St. is open for Pick-Up, Take-Out & Online Delivery. Additional safety measures are still in effect to ensure the ongoing safety of our customers & employees. Thanks to all of our loyal customers for their support. Rated best burgers & milkshakes in Toronto year after year.

Visit our website to see our full menu at holychuck.com Call us directly for pick up and take-out.

Pictured: Tandoori Tikka

Pictured: Black Bean Basil Chinese Eggplant

FEATURING THE EVEREST FEAST FOR TWO $46.99

MENU HIGHLIGHTS

A royal banquet spread includes: Soup of the day, tandoori chicken, seekh kebob, chicken tikka, king tandoori prawns, choice of meat curry, choice of vegetable curry Rice, Naan and Dessert

House Pan Fried Dumplings

OTHER SAMPLE MENU ITEMS INCLUDE: Starters: Chicken/Vegetable Momos - Nepali style chicken/veg dumplings Shrimp Butterfly - Large king prawns are deliciously spiced and deep-fried

Spicy Peanut Chicken

Lamb & Goat: Lamb/Goat/Nilgiri - Authentic lamb dish from the mountains of Nilgiri Lamb/Goat/Kadai - Cooked with ginger, green pepper, tomatoes and hot spice in a deep iron wok Seafood: Shrimp Vindaloo - Cooked in a fiery red-hot curry sauce. A specialty of Goa, south of Bombay Seafood Vindaloo - A famous fiery red-hot assorted seafood curry sauce

Located in the heart of Yorkville our restaurant brings you our signature dishes that we’ve perfected over the last 20 years! From our famous Everest Feast that features mouthwatering Tandoori dishes to our popular Curry options, our staff is committed to providing the best that Nepalese and Indian cuisine has to offer. We have aspired to assemble a menu to reflects its unique Nepalese culture and culinary specialties. Enjoy a 10% discount for all pick-up orders so that you can bring the flavours of the Himalayas to your home! Order online at: www.kathmandurestaurant.ca

BBQ Pork Spare Ribs Crispy Ginger Beef

General Tsao's Chicken Basil Chicken House Mix Vegetable House Chili Prawn Special Fried Rice

Pictured: Pork Souvlaki

TRADITIONAL GREEK DELICACIES Appetizers: Pork, Chicken, Lamb or Beef Souvlaki Stick Spanokopita, Shrimp, Pita Bread Fried Calamari, Dolmades, Greek Salad Tzatziki, Hummus, Taramosalata Entrees: Pork, Chicken, Lamb or Beef Souvlaki Dinnerserved with rice, roast potatoes and tzatziki Moussaka - potato, eggplant, zucchini, ground beef topped with béchamel sauce and served with rice and vegetables

Seafood Cantonese Chow Mein

Gyros on a Pita topped with marinated tomatoes, onions and tzatziki

Also Wide Selection of Vegetarian and Tofu Dishes

Check out our full menu on-line!

C’est Bon would like to thank all of our customers for their continued support during this period. All our staff are taking additional safety measures to ensure the safety of both staff and all of our customers.

Order Direct Online

www.cestbonrestaurant.com or call 416-932-2811

There is no need to travel to Greece for the authentic cuisine, simply go online to www.karbouzi.com. A Toronto restaurant tradition for over 50 years, Karbouzi Greek Taverna has become a staple on Avenue Road known for the warm atmosphere, the friendly service, and of course, the delicious home cooking! Karbouzi boasts a menu filled with traditional Greek delicacies from Souvlaki to Moussaka to flaming Saganaki. And don’t forget to try our much loved Tzaziki! Call direct or order online at www.karbouzi.com

NEWS

FOOD

Le Sélect Bistro gets a second life under different ownership

L-R: Cocktail from the Cloak Bar and head bartender Farzam Fallah

The Cloak Bar launches cocktail hotline Customers place on-demand drink orders via Instagram We don’t know how long it will be before we’ll find ourselves back in a bar, asking for a recommendation from the bartender for our next drink order — but one Toronto bar is aiming to recreate the experience in takeout form. The Cloak Bar, a hidden cocktail bar located under Marben Restaurant in the King West neighbourhood, has launched a new Cocktail Hotline that allows customers to place on-the-spot, custom cocktail orders via direct message to the bar’s Instagram account. On Fridays and Saturdays from 4 to 10 p.m., you can message @TheCloakBar to place a drink order. Ask for your favourite cocktail customized to your liking or leave it up to the Cloak Bar’s head bartender, Farzam Fallah, to recommend a drink for you based on your preferences. Whatever you choose, Fallah will bottle it up immediately, and it will be ready for

pickup within about 15 to 30 minutes, complete with garnishes to add at home. Restaurants are required to serve food with alcohol orders, which means your to-go cocktail also comes with a small snack. “I want people to treat this like their regular cocktail bars and me as their neighbourhood bartender,” says Fallah. Although plenty of Toronto bars have launched cool batched cocktail programs amid the pandemic, the Cloak Bar wanted to offer customers more choice. Batched programs typically give customers a limited selection of cocktail options plus don’t allow guests to tweak how sweet (or dry) they want their drink to be. The Cloak Bar’s new program allows customers to order exactly the kind of drink they want and on demand. It also opens up the option to order the kind of freshly shaken drinks that don’t have the shelf life needed for standard bottled cocktail programs.

by Jessica Huras

“I was finding myself getting a little bit tired and uninspired,” says Fallah. “When you’re working with bottled cocktails, you’re making 20 or 30 of the same thing. It’s been fun getting back behind the bar and starting to use those muscles again, both in my brain and in my hand.” He says that Paper Planes and margaritas have been the most popular orders so far, but customers also have plenty of opportunities to try something more adventurous. The Summer Romance, for example, is a refreshing riff on a manhattan made using fresh lime leaf, a blend of scotch and bourbon, a French herbaceous liquor and fortified wine. “It’s not just getting a drink — it’s the whole experience of having that [Instagram] conversation and coming to the shop and knowing that the drink was made specifically for you,” adds Fallah. “It’s something different. It’s almost like being open again.”

Le Sélect Bistro is saying au revoir, but not goodbye. After 40 years, the beloved restaurant at 432 Wellington St. W. will be under new ownership by Allied Properties and will reopen with a new management team. Le Sélect’s former team outlines the reasons for keeping its door closed in a colourful and heartwarming press release. Amongst the apparent reason, COVID-19, the group notes that they have had property bills, problems with the city and the ongoing issue of significant construction projects on all sides. “In short: Le Sélect had been through an earthquake and a tornado, and then Godzilla stomped down Wellington Street. Such was COVID19,” the release says. Allied Properties’ takeover is one that the Le Sélect team welcomes, noting that the real estate group is one aligned with their values. “Allied is a company with a vision we admire. They build pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods. They believe in preserving heritage buildings, making beautiful designs by leading architects, and meeting Platinum LEED standards to leave the smallest footprint. They are exactly the people we want to do business with,” the release says. Le Sélect Bistro’s future menu is unknown, but the restaurant will live in its current location. Whether or not the restaurant will open during the pandemic remains unclear, but it will open again, at least. “We don’t know yet what will happen in the sunny future after COVID-19. It may be the Le Sélect that you remember. It may change a little or a lot,” the release says, “but we think our legacy is in good hands.” — Harriette Halepis

Midtown is getting a new Thai restaurant riander and crushed peanuts, is another fan favourite, as are the cold spring rolls, which see lettuce, egg, cucumbers, coriander, avocado, carrots, mango, mint and tofu nestled in fresh rice paper rolls and served with dipping sauce. Peran says the seven Thai Room restaurants have fared relatively well amid the dining room closures over the past year. “Thai food travels well for takeout,” he says, adding that takeout already comprised about 60 per cent of the business prior to the pandemic. “With takeout, we can break even,” he adds. “When dining rooms reopen, it’ll be a bonus.” Peran says that the new midtown location will have a capacity of 60 seats when indoor dining is permitted to reopen. A third Thai Room Grand location is also slated to open in Mississauga this summer. -JH

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Midtown will soon have a new destination for flavourful Thai and Malaysian cuisine with the upcoming opening of Thai Room Grand at 288 Eglinton Ave. W. this spring. The new restaurant will be the second outpost of Thai Room Grand, which originally opened in York Mills in 2018, and sister restaurant to Thai Room, which has six locations around the GTA. As its name implies, Thai Room Grand is designed to offer Thai Room’s crowd-pleasing menu in a more upscale and grand setting. Fresh, high-quality ingredients are key to the success of the Thai Room restaurants, according to owner Kugan Peran. The restaurant’s most popular dishes are Thai cuisine staples like pad Thai and khao soi. Peran says the green mango salad, which features shredded green mango mixed with red peppers, red onions, co-

APRIL 2021

Thai Room Grand opens outpost at Eglinton and Avenue

Popular dishes from Thai Room Grand

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HOMES

CFL player turned builder Sebastian Clovis is back with another season of $ave My Reno on HGTV Canada alongside interior design expert Samantha Pynn. They are known for their cash-conscious and luxe-on-a-budget approach, and viewers will get an inside look at how they use the budget as effectively as possible while upcycling items and incorporating some DIY designs. The projects are all

based in the GTA, and the local homeowners will also be strapping on a toolbelt of their own to help bring the space together. Canadians have been spending more time than ever inside their homes, and Clovis and Pynn are helping them make the most of their space. $ave My Reno airs Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on HGTV Canada.

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Sebastian Clovis and Samantha Pynn are back again

APRIL 2021

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SPRING HOME DESIGN GUIDE

From Concept to Creation, We Inspire by Building Your Exquisite Home.

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DECOR

HOMES

The five design trends that are taking off this spring Luxury designer Michael London on the return of terrazzo flooring and wall panelling, but with a twist

Unique tile patterns

Bold colours like burnt orange and navy blue for accent pieces, such as pillows and accessories, are being replaced by softer hues on large furniture items. In my last project in Yorkville, I used a sofa upholstered in a blush pink fabric, which packs a punch when placed against a neutral backdrop. This spring, designers are using a wide range of soft accent colours this way.

Designers love to push the envelope, and thankfully manufacturers are starting to produce all sorts of materials to allow us to create spaces that are creative and immersive, especially when it comes to tiling. Tiling in 2021 is no longer about standard sizes. Tiles are being cut into smaller pieces and incorporated into tile designs. Tile designs such as a unique square diamond effect add more depth and dimension to a space. In my last project, I had the slabs cut into trapezoids and added a metal inlay for the floor tile pattern.

Softer metals

Metals in hard finishes such as polished brass, chrome and glossy black are being replaced with brushed or matte bronze, brushed or satin nickel and even matte black. This trend of using softer metal finishes allows designers to use

Incorporate softer metals for finishes such as light fixtures

more subtle metal colours that won’t conflict but instead enhance the space, allowing all aspects of the design to come together as a whole. Retro is back

Terrazzo was the flooring of choice in the ’20s, and it has come and gone throughout the last

century, and it’s definitely back this spring. I love this trend in flooring as these updated versions of terrazzo tile still hold true to its known durability and reliability. However these newer versions include beautiful colours from neutral greys to unique colour combinations.

Wall panelling with a twist

Traditional elements such as wall panelling are being reimagined.

Toronto: T oronto: Castlefield Design District *HZ[SLMPLSK (]L ࠮ *HZ[SLMPLSK (]L ࠮

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APRIL 2021

Light accent colours

Traditional panelling as a backdrop in one room can be played up to add more layers and give more depth. Whether you’re dealing with a traditional recessed panel or applied moulding style, wall panelling takes on a whole new dimension when you tweak the proportions and the placement of the panels. The trick is to maintain symmetry. Try wrapping the panels around the corners of a room. Or use the baseboard to surround the door as a casing. The result is a gorgeous rethink of traditional panelling. This is a trend that will inspire designers at all levels this year.

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Another amazing retro look that is back this year is the use of metal inlays. They add an extra dimension to your space and layering is critical in good interior design.

After a year of the pandemic, are you sick and tired of looking at the same old rooms in your home? This spring, embrace the five top trends in interior design and give your space the refresh it needs.

SPRING HOME DESIGN GUIDE

ON N ALL AL LL L 2021 202 2 021 OUTDOOR 02 OU UTD TDOOR OO OR FURNITURE FUR FU FURN RN NIIT TUR URE FOR FOR THE FO THE TH HE MONTH MON MO NT T TH H OF OF APRIL APR A PR P RIL IL Centurian Window Fashions, 3737 Major Mackenzie, Vaughan 416-998-9993 CenturianWindowFashions.com

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• Please email: appointment@ofthingspast.com to book an appointment to consign your items.

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Janet Rosenberg wants to bring biodiversity to your yard

Esthetically, they are beautiful. They have incredible size, seasonal colour, gorgeous branching structure and unparalleled character. Some of my favourites are the American beech, sugar maple and black locust. A new generation of growers and foresters are studying

Toronto’s historical native trees and using them to grow native trees that can be reintroduced into the environment. Wilder Ventures is at the forefront of this work, and the team, led by Eric Davies, has successfully started Toronto’s first native tree nursery, providing a seed bank and tree supply for

specimens in order to ensure that they are protected for the duration of construction. We’ve also added native trees throughout the landscape, which gently feathers down into the ravine. I am excited about this work because in a place where we are otherwise seeing a decline in the quality of the ravine landscape ecology, as well as a natural end to the lifespan of many trees originally planted when Rosedale was developed well over a hundred years ago, we have an opportunity to consciously plant with hardy native species that will thrive and bring biodiversity back to the area. JANET ROSENBERG

Janet Rosenberg Studio Inc. is an award-winning landscape architecture firm. Her most recent project is No. 7 Dale, an ultra-luxury residence in Rosedale.

APRIL 2021

A rendering of Rosenberg’s latest project on Dale Avenue in Rosedale

trees that have proven to survive and thrive in the GTA. The DNA of these “ecological elders” is being valued, harnessed and reintroduced to the landscape, and I think it’s brilliant. As you get into the garden this season, ask your local nursery about indigenous plants, trees and shrubs that you can incorporate into your space, especially if you’re near the ravine system. Understanding and valuing that your garden is part of the city’s natural ecosystem is critical, and it’s something I focus on in all of my projects. At my most recent project in Rosedale, it was a key priority of ours to preserve and protect some of the majestic heritage trees on site, which lend significant character, presence and privacy to the property. We worked with Hariri Pontarini Architects early on in the process to site the proposed residential building outside of the tree root zone of several large

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With the arrival of spring comes that wonderful sense that everything is coming back to life. As weather warms and our deciduous trees slowly begin to leaf out, we become immediately aware of their visual impact on our landscapes. But we are also reminded of the critical role they play in the function of our ecosystem. Trees are the lifeblood of Toronto’s landscapes. Maintaining and restoring our native and heritage trees is critical to preserving and enhancing biodiversity and ecological function in our urban spaces. Native trees provide a myriad of benefits, including creating habitat for birds, insects and animals; creating shade and cooling temperatures in summer; producing oxygen and absorbing CO2; reducing erosion; and managing storm water runoff. They support the growth of other native plant material, require less water, fertilizer or pesticides and are more resilient to extreme weather events.

Do your part by consciously planting native plants, trees and shrubs in your garden this spring

SPRING HOME DESIGN GUIDE

Eames chair and ottoman replica. Open Boxes: $699

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SPRING HOME DESIGN GUIDE IMPROVE THE C URB APPEAL

IMPR OV E OR ADD GAR DENS

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RETHINK YOUR SPAC E

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GARAGE DOORS & OPENERS FULL REPAIR SERVICE, PARTS & ACCESSORIES Our mission at The Garage Door Depot is to offer our customers the best service and value they can find anywhere. We educate and help our customers to make informed buying decisions.

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APRIL 2021

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We do this with a dedication to positively outrageous service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, integrity and company spirit.

SPRING HOME DESIGN GUIDE Your Condo Reimagined: Think Outside The Box.

MASSIVE CLEARANCE SALE UP Many items below cost! TO 80% OFF AND FURNISHINGS Redesign your dysfunctional condo and turn that tired drab box into a fab spot. Maximize your living space or your rental income potential. Call us at 416 633-2894 or browse www.penguincondoreno.com to arrange a free personalized estimate. ©2021 Penguin Condo-Reno Ltd. ©2021. ™®Trademark of AM Royalties Limited Partnership used under license by LoyaltyOne, Co. and Penguin Condo-Reno Ltd. Financing

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SPRING HOME DESIGN GUIDE IS YOUR BASEMENT WET? There are many potential health risks that lurk in a wet basement. The goals of Royal Waterproofing are to stop the water-flow into your home, eliminate mold, mildew and possible allergy triggers and repair and prevent further damage to your home's foundation, resulting in a dry basement. Whether the water seepage is due to deterioration of existing materials, blockage of foundation drains, breakage, clogging or lack of weeping tiles or cracking caused by thermal contraction and natural shrinkage, we tackle the problem where it begins - outside your home. Lifetime guarantee!

ROYAL WATERPROOFING 416-922-9661 www.royalwaterproofing.com COMPANY SPECIALTY: BASEMENT WATERPROOFING AND BASEMENT LOWERING YEARS IN BUSINESS: 35 FREE ESTIMATES: YES REFERENCES AVAILABLE: YES

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APRIL 2021

IS YOUR BASEMENT WET?

NORTHERN STONE DESIGN

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Northern Stone Design Inc., a family run landscaping company, gears itself every season to making landscape dreams a reality for hundreds of GTA customers. The staff at Northern Stone Design Inc. have a combined trade experience of over 50 years, specializing in stone work and softscape for any residential or commercial property. If quality of workmanship and customer satisfaction are your top priorities, look no further than Northern Stone Design Inc. Northern Stone Design Inc. gives at home estimates and consultation for free and looks forward to a great 2021 season with its GTA customers.

Call for a free estimate. Now booking for 2021!

416-509-9471 • northernstone.ca LIC# T93-4303913

SPRING HOME DESIGN GUIDE WHAT KIND OF ASPHALT SHOULD I BE USING?

ACCESS PAVING & INTERLOCK

There are 3 main types of asphalt: HL8, HL3 and HL3A. HL8 is mostly used for commercial work. However, there are many homeowners who choose this as a base when installing a two layer driveway. It is a very coarse mix, but it provides a great foundation for a long lasting driveway. HL3 is a top layer asphalt mix and is often used on city roads and long country driveways. The mix is coarse and gravel stones are predominant. HL3A is a much smoother mix and that’s why most homeowners will choose it over HL3. It is more aesthetically appealing.

416-777-1211 • accesspaving.ca info@accesspaving.ca LENGTH OF WARRANTY: 1 YEAR

COMPANY SPECIALTY: AVING, INTERLOCKING, CONCRETE FREE ESTIMATES: YES YEARS IN BUSINESS: 30

NOW IS THE TIME FOR ROOF INSPECTION Now is the time to inspect your roof and get any needed repairs done. If your roof is over 20 years old, you should have an inspection as the manufacturer’s warranty in most cases has ended. If the roof is 15 to 21 years old and you see cracked, curled, raised or cupped shingles, have it inspected. These are signs of wear and aging and sometimes lack of ventilation. If you have too much heat in the attic, then ask your roofing contractor how to improve ventilation. E.W. Smith Roofing has been awarded the Consumer’s Choice Award in roofing for the last four years, in the Toronto Central area. Call E.W. Smith Roofing at 416-467-7663.

E.W. SMITH ROOFING 416-467-7663 YEARS IN BUSINESS: 40 COMPANY SPECIALTY: ROOFING

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Driveways

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E THE TAX!

2021

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1 YEAR WRITTEN GUARANTEE | COMMERCIAL | BONDED | INSURED DESIGNS THAT WILL SUIT YOUR HOME AND BUDGET | QUALITY WORKMANSHIP

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ROYAL WATERPROOFING 416-922-9661 www.royalwaterproofing.com COMPANY SPECIALTY: BASEMENT WATERPROOFING AND BASEMENT LOWERING YEARS IN BUSINESS: 35 FREE ESTIMATES: YES REFERENCES AVAILABLE: YES

STONE WORK AND SOFTSCAPE

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COMPANY SPECIALTY: STONEWORK & LANDSCAPING FREE ESTIMATES: YES REFERENCES AVAILABLE: YES

LET US HELP YOU WITH ALL YOUR LANDSCAPING NEEDS in 2021 SERVING YOUR AREA FOR OVER 25 YEARS!

APRIL 2021

IS YOUR BASEMENT WET?

NORTHERN STONE DESIGN

| POST |

Call for a free estimate. Now booking for 2021!

416-509-9471 • northernstone.ca LIC# T93-4303913

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD’S TRIED AND TRUSTED

CLASSIFIEDS To book an ad call 416-250-7979 x270 or email classifieds@postcity.com

Grandma’s Garden, beautifying area gardens since 2010

Reliable Carpet, providing exemplary service for over 15 years

The English Painter, painting homes for over 30 years

Teachers on Call, personalized tutoring since 1990

Tom Day Plumbing, advertising since 1999

Spring Featured Classifieds

TOWNLEY MASONRY Restoration LTD. PROFESSIONAL DUCT CLEANING Toronto's most respected cleaning service!

• CARPETS • DRAPERY • AREA RUGS • FURNITURE

Professional Duct Cleaning since 1966

416 - 461-4006

• NADCA Certified Air Systems Cleaning Specialists on staff • Indoor Air Quality Testing by Professional Engineer • Certified Mold Remediators and Ventilation Inspectors • State of the art Air Filtration Systems

info@reliablecarpet.ca www.reliablecarpet.ca

WWW. POWERVAC . CA

Junk Removal and disposal, big or small! We get rid of all your junk and unwanted clutter!

POWER VAC OFFERS A VARIETY OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY SERVICES

Household items. Yard waste. Renovations debris. Office furniture removal. Electronic waste, etc.

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416-882-6673 RESIDENTAL / / COMMERCIAL BLOCK WORK / / BRICK WORK TUCK POINTING / / PARGING CHIMNEYS / / STONE WORK BASEMENT MASONRY

PAVING

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TERRAFORM

CONTRACTING

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Design

Build

Renovate

Stone Work & Landscaping

Renovations Renovations Additions Additions Project Project Management Masonry Masonry W Work ork New New Home Construction Construction Design Design & Permit Services Bonded Bonded & Insured WSIB WSIB Registered All All Work Work Guaranteed

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HOME IMPROVEMENTS 1 RENOVATIONS 35 Years of Experience, Bathroom & Kitchen Renovations, Hardwood Floors, Carpentry, Tiling, Wall Repair & Painting. Free Written Estimates. Please Call Geoffrey Boucher at 647-342-6804 or email scgfacl@gmail.com.

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Of course we also do General Home Renovations

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irathehandyman@gmail.com

LICENSED Eletrical Contractor t PBOFM 4ervice 6QgrBEFT t PPPMT BOE )PU UVCT t Troubleshooting t AppliancFT )PPL 6Q

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PROFESSIONAL

ROOF REPAIRS • Roof Repairs • Roof Maintenance • Missing Shingles • Major/Minor Leaks • Eaves and Downspout Repair • Raccoon Problems • Squirrel and Bird Problems

Raccoons Birds sProfessionally Repaired sRoof Repairs Free Estimates s Licensed Seniors Discount

416-248-0211 PAINTING 2

IRA’S HANDYMAN SERVICES

Quality Workmanship Guaranteed 5 Seamless Evestrough

• Picture Hanging

Soffit / Fascia & Siding

• Interlock Repair

Free Estimates Seniors Discount Licensed

416-820-3852

• Fixture Installations • Plumbing & Electrical • Deck & Fence Repair • Painting • Furniture Assembly • Shingle & Flat Roof Repair

“Small Job Specialist” irathehandyman@hotmail.com

416-274-6942

The Most Professional Paint Job At The Most Affordable Price!

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416-303-3276 JOHN BELL PAINTING

“Thank you for what most painters promise but few deliver.” R.L.

20 Years Experience Varnishes

s 0AINTING s 0APERING s $RYWALL s 3TUCCO s &AUX

416-248-0211

416 821 0448

Clean & efficient work done on time.

416-491-1010

ROOF REPAIR EXPERTS

ELECTRICAL 3

ROOF REPAIR MISSING SHINGLES

FINLAY TOPP CONTRACTING

416-274-6942

CBMM %aWJE

416-830-6492

MILE S PAINTING Over 20 Years Experience

Squirrels

ROOF MAINTENANCE

showerrestorationtoronto.com info@showerrestorationtoronto.com

• Residential • Condos • Office • Retail Stores

WILDLIFE EXPERTS

t LO8 RA5&4 t 4enior’T EJTcount

High quality home renovations & improvements

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MINOR/MAJOR LEAKS EAVES & DOWNSPOUT REPAIR

RACCOON PROBLEMS

HomeStars best of

2018-2021 Reader s Choice 2020

SQUIRREL & BIRD PROBLEMS

APPLIANCE REPAIRS Professional repairs of all brands of refrigerators, stoves, microwaves, dishwashers, dryers, washers, heating and air conditioning. Warranty. Credit cards accepted. Seniors’ discount. Please call Fred 416-

FREE ESTIMATES NO JOB TOO SMALL SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT LICENSED

416 820 3852

PAINTING RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL INTERIOR & EXTERIOR FULLY ENSURED ALL WORK GUARANTEED 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Call Warren

416-322-7692 www.wgpainting.ca

FREE ESTIMATES   Service

Upgrades

Troubleshooting Ceiling

Fans Lights Lighting Designs LED Retrofits Nest Thermostats Pools / Hot Tubs Generators Pot

  

APRIL 2021

1. Home Improvements 2. Painting 3. Electrical 4. Plumbing 5. Landscaping 6. Interiors & Upholstery

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Lucomm Electric Inc. is a fully licensed and insured electrical company. As an Electrical Safety Authority Licensed Master Electrician, Przemek Podruczny is ready and able to take care of all your Commercial and Residential electrical needs.

647-894-1673 PLUMBING 4 Toronto s Trusted Plumbers Since 1979 2000+ Reviews 9.7/10

WaterWorks

INTERIORS & UPHOLSTERY 6                  



Tom Day

Michael Yu a Master Plumber

Save

$50.00

Faucets, toilets, sinks, etc. installed. Blocked toilets, backed up drains, basement back ups. External & internal drain excavating. Complete washroom renovations.

647.490.9710  WaterWorksCanada.com 24 hr. service

Repair & Replacement Faucet Sink Toilet Shower Laundry Main Valve Leaking Pipe Backup Drain FULLY LICENSED & INSURED 24HR. SERVICE MET. LIC. # PH23521



TONY O DONNELL & SONS

PLUMBING, HEATING GAS & HVAC Over 35 Years Experience

Master Plumber

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        



  



Adam (416) 889-6449 avsold@aol.com 20 years experience Licence # B10111

Quick Turnaround

SHASTA

GARDEN DESIGN Design & Installation Planting & Pruning Garden Maintenance Complete Garden Makeovers

416-522-7288 Free Consultations shastagardens@hotmail.com

No Job Too Small For a FREE Estimate Please Call Tony:

647-379-0661

thehouseplumber.ca

       

  

LANDSCAPING 5

Welcome Spring! What does your garden need this year?

Hendrik Tree Service

STUMP REMOVAL

647-238-2661

CITY TROPICALS INC.

Living Plants for Public and Private Spaces Tropical Tropical Plant Maintenance/Sales Consultation, Design & Installation Pruning & Synthetic Plants

FREE ESTIMA ESTIMATES AT TES Bus: 416-422-4707 Fax: 416-422-4701 cti@citytropicals.com 593 Mortimer Ave. Ave. Toronto Toronto M4C 2J6

A Wo Woman’s man’s TTouch ouch La Landscaping ndscaping Ov ergrown...out ooff co ntrol ga rden? Overgrown...out control garden? IItt mmay ay be mo re co st eeffective ffective more cost to rredesign edesign yyour our la ndscape. landscape.

Grandma s Garden Blueprint Design Decorative Planters Landscape Lighting Seasonal Clean-Ups Garden Makeovers & Maintenance

Vision. Design. Build.

647-274-2048

grandmasgarden.ca

HEALTH & FITNESS 9

7. Cleaning 8. Computer Services 9. Health & Fitness 10. Appliances 11. Senior Services 12. Art & Design

CLEANING 7 CLEANING LADY AVAILABLE Experienced, insured, honest and hard-working. Attention to detail. maidforyoutorontoltd.com. Call Tanya at 416-897-6782.

Yoga oga Classes LIVE on ZOOM A $20 membership gives es you y oga classes access to 7 LIVE yoga weekly, y,, plus taped classes weekly, Yo it on YouTube. Be partt of it. FOR MORE INFORMATION

SHINY CLEAN HOUSE An Experienced European cleaning lady will keep your house clean. Our company is fully Insured & Bonded. Call Inna or Inga, 416-929-5777. www.shinycleanhouse.ca.

e. Wee provide W provide full servic service. P lease see see our website. website. Please

416-427-3367 • www.awtl.ca

Hendrik Tree Service

Residential & Commercial

35 years’ experience

COMPUTER AND IT SUPPORT Set-up, Tutoring, virus removal, troubleshooting, networks. House calls or remote support. Patient, references available. Your questions? My answers! David Block: 416-830-6160; Email: dblock@sympatico.ca.

SERVICES

www.kellytree.com

Fences & Decks

Restoration of antique & modern furniture. In-home touch-ups of dining room sets, bedroom sets & kitchen cupboards. Gluing & general repairs.

416-654-0518

416-462-0007

License No: PH25858

416-876-6679 

Specialist in Hazardous Tree Removal & Ornamental Pruning

- Pruning - Removals - Planting - Arborist Reports -

Perfect

    

On First Job

Restoration & Repair

Plumbing & Drains

Drains Fixtures 40+ years experience Upfront

We are a full service tree care company that promotes tree preservation with an ethical approach to caring for trees.

MARCANTONIO FURNITURE

COMPUTER SERVICES 8

STUMP REMOVAL

647-238-2661 Customizing in Small Landscape P Projects: rojects: Perennial P erennial Gar Gardens dens Fences F ences & Deck Deckss Lawn Care Care & Garden Gar den R Rejuventation ejuventation

Please Please C Call all Dar Daron on

mollymaid.ca

Dependable Cleaning from the Professionals you can Trust!

647.899.5805

Health Programs for Tranformational Breakthroughs

855.223.5851

DRY TECHNOLOGY

Adam thehealthguy22@aol.com

DRY EXTRACTION CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING SINCE 1997

(416) 889-6449

GREEN, CLEAN & DRY without the use of water FOR AN ESTIMATE CALL HENRY CUESTA

416-882-2942

Area Rugs C l e a n e d i n Yo u r Home/Condo R e p a i r s Av a i l a b l e

Featured Featured On: Servicing g North North Toronto To T oronto Years for 20 Ye Y ears

www.Divinebeing.biz www.Sightofmindhypnosis.com

w w w. d r y t e c h n o l o g y. c a

APPLIANCES 10

APPLIANCE REPAIRS Professional repairs of all brands of refrigerators, stoves, microwaves, dishwashers, dryers, washers, heating & air conditioning. Warranty. Credit cards accepted. Seniors’ discount. Call Fred 416-266-6122.

Old Tube Hi Fi Components and Speakers. 40 Years or Older.

t .BDJOUPTI t .BSBOU[ t 'JTIFS t Tanoy t )BNNPOE 0rgans t 3FDPrE $PMMFDUJPOT

Join our lively and congenial daytime conversational French classes for adults. All Levels.

Tibor: 647-866-5040

Call: 519-853-2157 1-800-947-0393

416-488-4908

WANTED

LEARNING

Quality antiques Sterling, Silver Plate Chinese, Japanese,

& Asian wares Bronze Paintings Old jewellery, watches, coins & medals Military items Teak Furniture Fancy cups & saucers Professional & Courteous 30 Years Experience Call David

15. Tutoring 16. Music Lessons

Companions/Homemakers Personal Support Workers Caregivers Full Time Long Term Your Employee Highly Personalized Service

TUTORING 15 MATHEMATICAL TUTORIALS Private tutoring in mathematical subjects from refresher courses to advanced levels for all ages. Call George Giordano, B.Sc., M.A. bbgeorgebb@gmail.com or 416-545-1937.

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MARKETPLACE 13. Real Estate 14. For Sale/Wanted

REAL ESTATE 13

M A R C D AV I S & ASSOCIATES

www.marcdavis.ca

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS FOR 44 YEARS

Select Your Your Caregiver Careeggiiver

ww www.seniorhomecarebyangels.com/toronto1 w.seniorhomecarebyangels.com/toronto1

ART & DESIGN 12

                

NOW AVAILABLE FOR RENT Three bedroom house & Bachelor apartments Mt Pleasant Rd, South of Eglinton. Contact Alex (416) 228-0000

www .skypminc.com

THE SKY S THE LIMIT FOR SALE/WANTED 14

WANTED! FINE ART & ANTIQUES

Chinese Japanese Asian Porcelain Jade Bronze etc. Canadian art & fine paintings Inuit sculpture Sterling & jewellery China & porcelain Moorcroft Doulton Art glass

call Andrew Plum

416-669-1716

English Gentleman Buyer

plumsfineart.com

EVE MARIE, M.Ed., B.A., OCT Professional Academic Tutor & Certified Coach

YRDSB/TDSB Teacher - 20 years experience

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416-518-6242

Fine Art - Antiques Estate Sales - Appraisals Family Division

416 781 8800

416-398-4663

 

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Up to 24 hour care care Meal Preparation Preparation Errands/Shopping Hygiene Assistance Light Housekeeping Respite Care Care for Families Palliative & Chronic Chronic Care Care Joyful Companionship Alzheimer/Dementia/Parkinson/Diabetes and Cancer Care Care Provider Provider for Veteran Veteran Independent Program Program Weekends/Holidays Weekends/Holidays TTemporary/Long-term eemporary/Long-term Live-in, Live-out Ca re Day/Night, Live-in, Care FREE in-Home Consultation

Qualified Experienced Teacher

For more information, please call

Private Clarinet Lessons All Levels Welcome Qualified, Professional & Experienced Teacher

Contact Omar (U of T Bmus)

647-809-5055

omar.ho@gmail.com

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416-231-9948

Professional Care For Seniors

IMPROVE YOUR FRENCH!

evemarietutoring@gmail.com

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MUSIC LESSONS 16

30 years + teaching/performing experience including solo work with the major Canadian Symphonies, Opera Companies & TV Networks (Canadian Opera Company, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, CBC TV/Radio...) IN /PERA /RATORIO -USICAL 0RODUCTIONS

STUDENT PERFORMANCE CREDITS: s 3TRATFORD 3HAW #HARLOTTETOWN &ESTIVAL 3OLOISTS s "ROADWAY .9 -USICAL 4HEATER 3OLOISTS s 7EST %ND ,/.$/. -USICAL 4HEATRE 3OLOISTS s )NTERNATIONAL 2ECORDING !RTISTS #APITOL 2ECORDS %-) s 4ORONTO #HILDREN S #HORUS 3OLOISTS s #ANADIAN #HILDREN S /PERA #HORUS 3OLOISTS s 2#- +IWANIS -USIC &ESTIVAL -EDALISTS

PREPARATION FOR: Auditions, RCM Exams, Competitions, 0ERFORMING !RT 3CHOOLS 5NIVERSITY %NTRANCE ALL AGES/LEVELS WELCOME!

CALL: 416-761-7520

www.brendabergestudios.com

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416-519-8335 905-881-1931

NEW HORIZONS MUSIC NORTH YORK Group Group Lessons for Adults Ukulele and Concert Band

R Reawaken eawaken yourrr passion p y for music

416 - 721 - 2748

nhmnorthyork@gmail.com newhorizonsmusicnorthyork.ca

POST CITY MAGAZINES NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE

April 21 416-250-7979 x270 classifieds@postcity.com

APRIL 2021

COLLECTOR LOOKING FOR

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TOP CASH PAID

SENIOR SERVICES 11

APRIL’S FOOLS LOOKING FOR A MUCH-NEEDED LAUGH THIS MONTH? WHY NOT REVISIT THE CITY’S TOP COMEDY ICONS

Kids in the Hall began their meteoric rise in 1985 when Scott Thompson (right) was added to the Toronto sketch comedy troupe’s lineup of L–R: Mark McKinney, Bruce McCulloch, Dave Foley and Kevin McDonald.

Catherine O’Hara, has done it all. She cemented her legacy as a comedy legend with her Emmy Award–winning turn as Moira Rose in acclaimed TV series ‘Schitt’s Creek.’

Standup comic Russell Peters began performing in 1989. He now fills arenas and has become one of the highest-paid acts on the planet.

Scarborough’s Mike Myers has created some of comedy’s most memorable characters such as Wayne from ‘Wayne’s World’ and ‘Austin Powers.’

| POST | A P R I L 2 0 2 1

APRIL 2021 EDITION

‘SCTV’ and Second City turned out their generation’s best comedians including (L-R) Eugene Levy, Dan Ackroyd and Gilda Radner.

NT-APR-2021-IBC_IBC 2021-03-15 3:04 PM Page 1

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NT-APR-2021-OBC_OBC 2021-03-15 6:46 PM Page 1

ROYAL LEPAGE Real Estate Services Heaps Estrin Team, Brokerage 1391 Bayview Avenue, Toronto 416-424-4910

• Expert Staging • Extensive Network • Experienced Negotiators Belinda Lelli Suzanne Stephens Meghan Kennedy Julie Kelk

• TOP RESULTS

Proudly Announcing the Merger of The Belinda Lelli Team and The Kennedy Team! SE

L OR

R FO

15 Denison Rd W

3 Bedroom Coop Under $600!

Meghan Kennedy 416.451.2729 meghankennedy@royallepage.ca

RIC

P RD

19 Braeside Rd | SOLD

120 Rosedale Valley Rd | SOLD

20 Minowan Miikan Lane Penthouse | For Sale

481 Rosewell Ave | For Lease

E 2B

2000 Islington Ave | SOLD

Belinda Lelli

Sales Representative

416-457-4407 info@BelindaLelliTeam.ca 161 Roehampton Ave 1008 For Lease

49 Woodlawn Ave E | For Lease

ROYAL LEPAGE Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage 4025 Yonge Street, Suite 103 Toronto 416-487-4311

720-720b Wellington St W Aurora Heights | SOLD

2019, 2018, 2017

BelindaLelliTeam.ca