Condo March 2021

Canada’s Most Widely Read Condominium Magazine

April 2021 • Vol. 36 #1

BREAKING NEW GROUND PM#40063056

Myths and truths behind the coming geothermal boom

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PA R T O F T H E

SPRING MAINTENANCE New elevator fees, flagging repair emergencies, board orientations and virtual meetings in 2021

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COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE SINCE 1986

Contents SPRING MAINTENANCE 12 Small Maintenance Issues.

Big Emergencies.

By Brian Bosscher

16 Windows: Replace Or Repair?

By Jack Albert

20 Can Outdoor Pests Be Sustainably Managed?

By Alice Sinia

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Multi-Res Tackles Zero Waste

By Sayan Sivanesan

GOVERNANCE

FEATURES

39 Board Orientations: A Missing Governance Best Practice

24 Breaking New Ground

By Rebecca Melnyk

LEGAL

New Fee Model for Ontario Elevator Licenses

41 What’s Ahead For Virtual Meetings In 2021?

By Barbara Carss

By Denise Lash

MANAGEMENT 34 What Comes After Burnout?

Asking For A Friend...

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Editor's Note

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Maximizing Small Spaces

8

Ask the Expert

By Marie Girolamo

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By Alexander Ramirez

30 Going Up

32 Gaps Flagged In New CDM Programs

By Kirsten Dale

The Coming Geoexchange Boom

REGULAR MANAGEMENT REPORTING Accurate and timely financial statements.

DETAILED OPERATIONAL UPDATES Daily maintenance, tender review and contractor management.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Digging into Renewables During the pandemic,

a bunch of residential developers have been plowing ahead with plans for innovative condo communities that incorporate

renewable energy technologies. There’s been lots of talk lately about using ground source energy in condo developments and new business models that push integration along.

Widely referred to as geothermal, geoexchange systems, like those addressed in our cover story, are picking up steam in the highrise residential industry. The Ontario Geothermal Association figures the percentage of new condos using this type of heating has more than doubled to five per cent over the past five years. A slew of people foresees popularity further spiking.

The bottom line is that sustainability and making money are no longer contradictory. In fact, experts point out how geoexchange can economically benefit condo corporations in the long run. Natural gas use for space heating represents the highest energy end use for multi-unit residential buildings in the country, according to the Canada Green Building Council. Given the energy savings, geoexchange systems will pay back over time.

As COVID-19 alters reality as we know it, changing how condos are managed, governed and maintained; reducing carbon emissions will remain a restless issue well off into the future—one that developers have started to care more about.

Also in our spring maintenance issue, we look at a new fee model for Ontario elevator licenses, identifying potential maintenance disasters, opportunities (and gaps) within the new 2021-2024 Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) framework, and much more.

Other pieces delve into the importance of board orientations for new members, as well as virtual meetings in 2021. A condo manager also delivers a personal account of how her colleagues are faring during COVID-19, and why many are looking to retire or leave the profession.

Between operating the condos of today to building the condos of tomorrow, there’s much to reflect on and many innovations to forge ahead with. The industry is doing just that—despite pandemic wave after pandemic wave.

Rebecca Melnyk Editor, CondoBusiness rebeccam@mediaedge.ca

Associate Publisher Bryan Chong Editor Rebecca Melnyk Advertising Sales Bryan Chong Kelly Nicholls Blair Wilson Senior Designer Annette Carlucci Production Manager Rachel Selbie Contributing Writers Jack Albert, Brian Bosscher, Barbara Carss, Kirsten Dale, Marie Girolamo, Nancy Houle, Mohiminol Khandaker, Denise Lash, Alexander Ramirez, Alice Sinia, Sayan Sivanesan.

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Elsewhere: $12 USA: $85 International: $110 *Plus applicable taxes Reprints: Requests for permission to reprint any portion of this magazine should be sent to info@mediaedge.ca.

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President Kevin Brown Director & Group Publisher Sean Foley Accounting Anna Kantor 2001 Sheppard Avenue East Suite 500 | Toronto, Ontario M2J 4Z8 (416) 512-8186 Fax: (416) 512-8344 e-mail: info@mediaedge.ca CONDOBUSINESS welcomes letters but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.

Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40063056 ISSN 0849-6714 All contents copyright MediaEdge Communications Inc. Printed in Canada on recycled paper.

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Smoke and Mirrors

Recent case shakes perceived permanency of grandparented smoking

Living in a condo during a pandemic— hence more people working, learning and relaxing at home at all hours of the day—has exacerbated the nuisances that come with close quarters. One source of contention can arise between non-smokers and owners exempt from following no smoking rules, particularly if smoke travels where it’s not invited. Condo lawyers Nancy Houle and Mohiminol Khandaker of Davidson, Houle, Allen LLP, discuss prohibiting smoking in units by rule and answer the question: Can grandparented rights be revoked?

8 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

ASK THE EXPERT The enactment of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 continued the apparent legislative intent in favour of regulating smoking in common and public areas. Over the past few years, we have seen this intent from a condo governance perspective, mirrored in the regulation of smoking within units.

Prohibiting Smoking in Units by Rule Among other things, the Smoke Free Ontario Act, 2017 prohibits smoking in the interior areas of the common elements of all condominiums, and prohibits smoking on outdoor patios of bars and restaurants (including such outdoor patios on condominium property).

While the Smoke-Free Ontario Act provided some much-needed guidance about smoking on the common elements, condominiums and condo lawyers in Ontario have disagreed and/or struggled with the required procedures for prohibiting smoking in units. Some felt that prohibiting smoking in the units required an amendment to the condominium’s declaration, while others became confident that this could be achieved by way of a rule.

In our view, [and one which has been supported in recent court decisions (seeTSCC No.. 15 v. Ewen)], condominium boards can prohibit smoking in the units by passing a rule to that effect. Section 58 of the Condominium Act, 1998 sets out the conditions for a rule passed by the board of directors to be valid. Under Section 58(1), the board may make, amend or repeal rules respecting the use of the units and the common elements for reasons related to security, safety or welfare, or to prevent unreasonable interference with the use and enjoyment of the property.

Considering the risks associated with smoking and secondDelProperty_Condo_March_2018_torevise.pdf 2018-04-13 hand smoke, a rule prohibiting smoking inside the1 units would,

Can Grandparented Rights Be Revoked?

As a result of the health risks associated with second-hand smoke and the nuisance related to smoke migration, many condos have put in place rules that restrict residents’ ability to smoke on the common elements and inside units.

However, these rules can sometimes make exceptions for certain residents by way of a grandparenting provision—a practice by which condos can shield owners who purchased their units before certain 2:44 PM activity was prohibited. This process allows condos to achieve a

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in our view, fall squarely within the categories of matters that are contemplated by Section 58.

Moreover, prohibiting smoking by way of a rule (rather than by amending the declaration) may be recommended, as a rule provides flexibility – both procedurally (i.e., in adopting the rule) and for potential amendments. Once the board votes in favour of a rule, a copy (and associated documents) must be circulated among the owners who then have 30 days to requisition a meeting to submit the rule to a vote. If at least 15 per cent of the registered owners of the condo do not requisition a meeting within this period, the rule automatically comes into effect. This process is less arduous than having to make an amendment to the declaration.

However, boards should keep in mind that, in addition to the purposes outlined in Section 58, a rule is also required to be reasonable.

By contrast, a provision in the declaration is not required to be reasonable. Therefore, prohibiting smoking by a rule may be the most straightforward and cost-effective way to implement a smoke-free environment, where desired.

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ASK THE EXPERT

“This case is a reminder that a grandparenting

provision, while a useful tool to protect the rights of existing owners, is not permanent and can be taken away.” balance between the flexibility of creating or changing governing documents and residents’ need for predictability. In the context of smoking, a grandparenting provision shields existing smokers from the “no smoking rule” by allowing them to continue smoking for a set period of time after the rule comes into effect.

While grandparenting can protect existing owners’ rights, a recent decision in Ontario has showcased the need to use the exemption reasonably or face the possibility of having the exemption revoked.

Highlights of Recent Case An owner who is a lifelong smoker purchased her unit 10 months before the condominium approved a rule prohibiting smoking anywhere on the property. The corporation allowed

existing smokers to be grandparented, and the owner was among the residents who were exempted from the rule. However, the condo’s rules also stated that the grandparenting exemption could be removed in respect to a unit if the corporation received complaints of smoke odours entering other units. The corporation also put in place a procedure to deal with such complaints.

Shortly after the owner moved into her unit, the corporation began receiving complaints about smoke migrating from the unit into other units and disturbing the neighbours.

The complainant, a neighbouring resident, had a severe allergy to smoke and began facing adverse health consequences as a result.

In accordance with its procedure, the condo sent numerous letters and engaged in communications with the owner about

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the smoke migrating from her unit. The corporation and property management also attended at the unit on several occasions, taking steps to seal and insulate the vents. But it did not solve the problem.

As the issue remained unresolved, the corporation ultimately revoked the owner’s grandparenting exemption. However, the owner continued to smoke inside the unit, requiring the condo to initiate a court application for compliance.

The court held that the owner’s actions were contrary to Section 117 Condominium Act as her smoking was adversely affecting the neighbouring resident’s health and was causing injury to the resident. The court also found the owner to be in breach of the condo’s rules, given that she had continued smoking inside the unit despite her grandparenting exemption having been revoked. The court held that the Condominium Act required the corporation to ensure the protection of the health and safety of all owners and residents and that, if an activity being carried on is likely to cause injury to another individual, the corporation was required to ensure that it ceases. The court also highlighted the corporation’s adherence to its procedure and the efforts it made to resolve the issue before revoking the owner’s grandparenting exemption.

T his c ase is a reminder that a grandparenting provision, while a useful tool to protect the rights of existing owners, is not permanent and can be taken away. Owners who benefit from such an exemption need to use it in a reasonable manner—failing which, courts will intervene to enforce the rules.

Condominiums can prohibit smoking inside the units by way of a rule; and while existing smokers may benefit from a grandparenting exemption, the exemption can be revoked if it impedes on the rights of other residents. 1 Nancy Houle is a partner at Davidson Houle Allen LLP. Mohiminol Khandaker is an associate lawyer with Davidson Houle Allen LLP. dhacondolaw.ca

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Small Maintenance Issues. Big Emergencies.

Condo communities have had to ma ke severa l operationa l adjustments since the beginning of

BY BRIAN BOSSCHER

the pandemic. The majority of corporations have successfully moved communications, payments and even AGMs online. But some things simply can’t be done virtually. Maintenance repairs are one of those things.

12 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

MAINTENANCE

In less extraordinary circumstances, condos usually follow a maintenance schedule and take care of small repairs as they arise to ensure minor issues don’t spiral into big problems. However, to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Ontario has been in a constant cycle of lockdown and easing restrictions.

Temporary orders have created some additional issues for condo corporations that were planning to have important maintenance work completed at the beginning of this year.

How long can maintenance work be put off? And should the corporation move forward with certain repairs if the issue has the potential to become exponentially worse?

The answer will vary depending on the unique circumstances of each situation, but keep in mind that delaying routine maintenance for too long can cost the corporation more in the long run.

Virtually everything from the elevators to windows to machinery will inevitably break down at some point. Proper maintenance can extend their functionality and minimize the amount corporations spend on major repairs or replacements. The five maintenance issues listed below should be taken seriously and completed as soon as it is safe to do so.

Check currently enforced local rules.

get a power quality survey first. Using infrared thermography, this survey looks for temperature changes that could indicate issues that will lead to system failure.

Worn sheaves lead to rope wear, which in turn wears down the sheaves even more.

The best way to avoid this damage is to have sheaves regrooved.

If the first two issues are not addressed, then there is a strong probability that one of your staff members or residents will get stuck in an elevator car. Though this generally won’t

endanger anyone’s health or wellbeing, it can be very scary. The third issue could cause real harm, and in very rare instances, be potentially fatal if several of the ropes are worn out.

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Dirty Windows Residential windows can last anywhere from 35 to 45 years. However, they may require replacement in 20 years depending on the quality of the design, fabrication, installation, and wear and tear the windows have experienced.

CONSULTING ENGINEERS

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Elevator Malfunctions Condo buildings take elevators for granted, until they stop working. The average elevator can last about 20 years, but upgrades are often required after about ten years; maintenance is recommended at least once every year.

Preventative maintenance is not just about ensuring that elevators undergo regularly scheduled inspections. A professional should be called on-site as soon as doors have difficulty opening and closing smoothly, the ride is jumpy or the car won’t align with the floor. Some of the most common elevator issues can be traced back to bearing malfunction, power failure or worn sheaves.

A sign of the first issue is noisy bearings, which can cause motor vibrations. Though variable frequency drives can help decrease energy; they also introduce a common mode current, which significantly increases vibrations. As a result, it’s best to use an inductive absorber. This absorbs currents while protecting against system breakdowns.

The amount of power that elevators use puts pressure on the condo’s utility systems.

But instead of seeking a voltage upgrade,

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MAINTENANCE

Window cleaning may not seem all that relevant when it comes to maintenance, but it plays a more significant role than you may think. Construction dust, water, dirt, pollen, and bugs all end up on condo windows. Dirt accumulates fast, and the debris can build up over time. If windows don’t receive a good cleaning at least twice a year, they may become permanently stained.

A e s t h et i c s a s i d e, e nv iro nm e nt a l contaminants like hard water and oxidation make the glass weaker, making windows more susceptible to chips or cracks. If this happens, the corporation is generally responsible for replacing the window before the crack becomes worse. Furthermore, dust and dirt increase allergens or mold growth that can cause respiratory issues for residents.

There are a number of reasons to replace windows, but the costs involved in this process are steep. Good maintenance can lengthen the life of your building’s windows.

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Cracks in the Roof Even the most stable condo structure can’t compete with a bad roof. Leaks and

water damage can occur because of a few stubborn cracks.

At some point, the roof will become vulnerable due to rain, snow, cold and heat.

Moisture penetrates the roof, which is how issues begin. Similarly, the sun’s heat oxidizes materials in the roof, causing it to break down. Even sloppy snow removal can cause unintended damage.

The most common areas that require attention include the rubber boot around plumbing vents, chimneys, skylights, drains, leak barrier ice and water shields, and kick-out flashings.

A roof s h o u l d b e p ro fe s s i o n a l l y inspected every few years to ensure any potential issues are addressed before the roof's integrity is jeopardized. If a leak gets severe enough, a resident’s ceiling could literally collapse. Having good information about the health of the roof allows corporations to plan properly for when a big repair will be required. As a general rule, boards should start looking at making a full replacement when the cost of repairs reaches 5% to 7% of replacement costs in a calendar year.

Corporations should also perform a visual inspection of the roof at least once a year (twice a year if the roof doubles as a BBQ area or shared outdoor space for residents). With harsh Canadian winters and hot summers, a quarterly inspection would be justified in a province like Ontario. Keep an eye out for warping, and also check the floor below the ceiling to ensure water isn’t seeping in.

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Clogged Kitchen Drain Stacks Plumb i n g i s a n a r e a w h e r e preventative maintenance can make a big difference. The building’s kitchen drain stack is exposed to all of the food, waste and oil that comes down each resident’s kitchen sink. It needs to be cleaned out at least once every two years; otherwise, that disgusting sludge may come back up and seep out into owners’ sinks. Not only is that unhygienic, but fixing this issue creates extra work and costs for the corporation.

While newer condos can add this maintenance task to their list without making many adjustments, older buildings may need to take an extra step and install access doors

Experience Counts Although the name has changed - the company, our services and our dedication to our valued clients stays the same. Take advantage of proven, comprehensive services and a dedicated team that is always ready to make a difference. As the largest condominium property manager in Ontario, we help to create great communities by focusing on the needs of owners and residents with a level of expertise that is second-to-none.

For more information, contact us today Sandro J. Zuliani | szuliani@crossbridgecs.com | 416-354-1926

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MAINTENANCE

to get to the kitchen stack. Condos that were built three or four decades ago are probably concealing the stack in drywall, making it very hard to reach.

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Weakened Moisture Protection Systems in Parking Garages Reinforced concrete parking structures can suffer when their moisture protection systems break down. When the barrier is compromised, water and salt find their way into the structure. Weakened structures may struggle to support the weight of a parking deck. The eventual result is structural integrity problems, and the potential for a collapse becomes greater.

To ensure your parking garage never reaches this point, remove salt from the parking deck and minimize absorption into the concrete by power washing parking decks twice a year. Inspect moisture protection systems annually, and make a note of leaks, excessive wear or signs of standing water. Don’t forget to clean the floor drains and drain pipes at least twice a year.

Re p l a c e the m o isture p rote c tio n system before it has started to erode.

Doing this early could save the corporation thousands of dollars.

Best Condo Maintenance Practices Keep track of inspections To avoid fines or infractions, complete all inspections using guidelines set ou t by your g over nin g d o cument s , municipality or province. Condos might have to move inspections and repairs around a bit this year, which is why it’s even more important to be organized.

D eve l o p in g a n ins p e c ti o n c al e n d a r can help you stay on top of deadlines.

Having an online system allows you to pre -schedule repairs, update ongoing repairs and attach relevant documents to maintenance activities.

Discourage misuse of shared elements Rules and regulations are established to ensure residents and the property are treated correctly. It’s essential that condo owners adhere to those rules. In order to prevent potential problems, communicate

rules and treatment of property (think about garbage rooms, gyms, outdoor areas) with residents regularly.

Lead by example By conducting regular maintenance and keeping equipment in good order, you also encourage residents to take good care of their units.

Regular maintenance keeps the entire condo building running smoothly. In most cases, it results in fewer costly repairs and more happier residents. While the pandemic makes it harder for corporations to perform maintenance repairs according to schedule, make it a priority to have these tasks completed as soon as possible. 1 Brian Bosscher is the president and founder of Condo Control, a leading software company that provides webbased communication, management and security solutions for condos and HOAs of all sizes. He is also a board member, having served more than 12 years as both treasurer and president.

www.REMInetwork.com | April 2021 15

MANAGEMENT

Windows: Replace or Repair?

Imagine you a re driv ing an older car and the engine light comes

BY JACK ALBERT

on. You may wonder how much it will cost to fix

it. You may also wonder if it is worth fixing. Are you throwing good money after bad?

16 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

MAINTENANCE Function A definition of a window is an opening in the wall of a building that is fitted with glass or other transparent material in a frame to admit light or air and allow people to see out. Windows must also be adequate in the following categories: Structural: Must not fall out of the building or break in the wind.

Water penetration: Must not leak water.

Air penetration: Must not leak conditioned air and odours.

Condensation: Must not be so thermally inefficient that condensation occurs on the interior.

Energy conservation: Must not leak too much heating or cooling energy.

Overheating: Should not overheat the space.

Safety: You should not fall out of the building if you lean on the glass.

Comfort: You should be able to sit next to the window on a cold day.

Acoustics: It would be great if it did not sound as if you were outside.

Durability: Must last a long time.

The above performance requirements are generally outlined in the Ontario Building Code, the “A440 NAFS” 2 windows standard,

and the Ontario Supplementary Bulletins SB-10 and SB-123.

Much of the per formance criteria (structural, water penetration, air penetration) of the window system is covered by the NAFS standard which is a testing-based standard. Windows are sent to a laboratory for third party independent verification of their performance levels. This generally involves hooking the windows up to a giant supercharged vacuum cleaner to see how much water or air can be pulled through them, or if the frames deflect too much. It should be noted that the resulting ratings that are used to sell thousands of windows are based on a single test. As such, site testing to confirm the installed performance is often recommended (although not required by building code).

A note on durability and planning for the future: The durability of the window may have a greater impact on the long-term value than the purchase price. Many older windows need replacement because they have become too difficult to operate or because they have become leaky over time.

Surprisingly, there is only one durability test4 for new windows in the NAFS standard and

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ike cars, windows also wear out and become obsolete over time. Although windows do not have a specific expiration date, they do have a finite effective service life. How long windows will last—provide acceptable performance, for instance—will depend on the original design and the skill of the original fabricators and installers. Were the original windows Toyotas or were they Yugos?

For buildings built in the 1980s or 1990s, there is likely a window project coming up in the reserve fund study. Not only is the project a large expense, but the work will be very disruptive to every single owner in the building. As such, it is important to understand whether repairing the existing windows is a potential option, either as a stopgap to get to replacement, or as a feasible medium or longer-term solution.

www.REMInetwork.com | April 2021 17

MAINTENANCE it is only required for the AW Performance Class of operable windows (most windows won’t be tested for durability).

New is Better, Right?

Reasons for replacement may include leaks, condensation, fogged insulated units, overheating, and aesthetics, to name a few.

It is logical that the new windows will be superior to the existing old windows.

There have been many advances in window technologies including new frame materials, new thermal break materials, high performance low emissivity coatings, and high performance glass spacers.

Many of these advances lead to improved energy performance, which is being driven by ongoing building code updates. Window USI values (thermal transmittance W/(m2 K)) have come down from 7.2 (Single glazed) to 2.3 (Double glazed low e) to 1.2 (Double glazed high performance) to 0.85 (Triple glazed passive house).

However, building permits are not required for most window replacement projects and many of the advanced technologies cost more money than standard products available on the market (which may have the same

technology as the existing windows to be replaced). Building Owners will have to make educated choices about how much to invest in windows and when. Because the replacement is so intrusive, service life so long, and so much of the cost related to access and finishes, the best value approach may be to purchase windows on the higher end of the performance scale. It’s as if you could get the Lexus for a bit more than the Toyota; they have the same maintenance costs, and you plan to drive it for 40+ years.

In terms of planning for the future, it is likely that triple glazed windows will likely become the norm in the next decade. As such, it is worth considering going above current code minimum so that the windows (and the building) do not become out of date shortly after the replacement work. In other words, why replace a double glazed window with a double glazed window?

Repairs Window repairs can improve performance, particularly in regards to air and water leakage, but the improvements for operable windows often have a ceiling based on their original construction.

18 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

In regards to the effective service life of windows, it must be noted that aluminum, the primary material in many window frames, generally does not corrode or degrade with time. Rather, it is typically the sealing materials at the aluminum joints and operable windows that can degrade. The seals at the framing joints can be addressed by adding exterior sealant to the window frame, but repairing the operable windows may not be so easy.

Horizontal sliding windows are a very common operable window type and their strength lies in their simplicity. With no gears or hidden hardware, they can be easily repaired by replacing the weather-stripping at the sashes. Replacing the weather seals and weather-stripping has resulted in some retrofit windows achieving water penetration resistances of 200 Pascals or 300 Pascals (B2 or B3 under the old CSA A440), which may meet the current building code requirements depending on the building height. However, some buildings have very large sliding window sashes which have become difficult to operate. In those scenarios, which may be due to the frame bending or the sash not being square, repair may not be possible.

MAINTENANCE

“It is worth considering going above current code minimum so that the windows (and the building) do not become out of date shortly after the replacement work.”

Newer windows are generally more energy efficient (lower thermal transmission). The main improvements are in the new glass (low emissivity coatings and high performance spacers) and the installation detail (insulation at the window perimeter). However, many window replacements are completed w i t h o u t i m p rov i n g t h e i n s t a l l a t i o n perimeter details and with mediocre low-e coatings. In those cases, value is lower as most of the cost has occurred, but not all of the gain. Greater value could have been achieved by investing in repairing the existing windows if the new windows would be only average.

Another repair option involves replacing the glass within the existing window frame. This may be considered where the existing frame is providing adequate

performance— thermally broken, no leaks, for example. Changing from clear glass to a high performance low-e glass would substantially improve interior occupant comfort with much less cost and interior impact than full window replacement.

For all repair options, mock-ups and performance testing are necessary to determine the level of improvement that can reasonably be expected.

Windows are a long term investment that can significantly impact occupant comfort and pride of ownership. When considering replacement, the best long-term value is likely in the highest performing and most durable products.

Repairing windows can be an appropriate strategy to improve performance, extend ser vice life, and maximize return on

investment. Engineering study and testing can identify the potential gains, inform good decision-making and result in greater value and confidence for the ownership.

When that engine light flashes, just know that there are options. 1 Jack Albert is a principal with Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd (RJC). Jack is a licensed professional engineer in Ontario and a member of the Ontario Building Envelope Council, IIBEC, and is a Certified Passive House Designer and LEED Accredited Professional. Over the past 15 years, Jack has completed numerous projects involving window, cladding, and roofing replacements, building envelope testing, and thermal modeling of building envelope assemblies.

www.REMInetwork.com | April 2021 19

Can Outdoor Pests Be Sustainably Managed?

With spring around the corner, condominium properties turn

BY ALICE SINIA, PH.D.

their attention to seasonal landscaping.

By knowing the implications certain landscaping has on attracting or deterring pests and wildlife, you can avoid choices that will apply pest pressures to your property.

20 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

MAINTENANCE

Ways to Naturally Deter Pests Landscaping creates ecosystems where different organisms interact and provides all the necessary resources for pests’ survival: food, water, and shelter. The goal is not to eradicate pest populations but to suppress them to lower levels, so pests don’t cause damage or become a nuisance.

• Avoid planting trees or plants that produce bright coloured fruits such as berries, drupes, aggregates and seeds. When they ripen, the colours and aromas produced attract pests and small wildlife looking for food. When they fall and decay, it provides a breeding ground for flies.

• Densely p a c ke d b u s h e s , g r o u n d coverings and wall trailing vines at the base of your building invite unwanted pests with the promise of thick shelter.

And, if you offer inviting shelter at the base of your building, cracks in the façade or any unsealed doors, windows or vents serve as entry points inside.

• Install a one-metre-thick gravel strip, made up of one-centimetre pebbles, around the entire perimeter of your building to deter

pests from taking shelter at the base of your building and finding a way inside.

This is particularly important against ground-dwelling pests such as ants, centipedes, spiders, ground beetles and rodents that can burrow in building foundations.

• Integrate pencil cedar mulch as much as possible instead of organic mulch, as cedar retains less moisture and naturally repels certain types of ants and subterranean termites.

• Avoid planting brightly coloured and scented plants close to entryways or near pools, or recreation areas. When these plants bloom, they attract stinging insects or arthropods.

• Inspect incoming landscaping materials, especially soils. Pests such as European fire ants, termites and other soil dwelling insects can be brought onto the property through landscaping supplies.

• Select grasses that thrive in the appropriate climate of your building—cold or warm weather. This allows for pest-resistance with no significant pest damage.

• Plant multiple species of grass to help offer diversity for both weather and pest resistances. Properly aerate your landscaping so plants can grow well and help shield against pests naturally.

• A flower bed with dense shrubs or vines will attract rodents, wasps, birds, ants, beetles, aphids and wasps, as it offers shelter and food.

• It’s imperative for all landscaping to be well maintained through proper pruning, lighting and watering so plants thrive, and pests will be deterred naturally.

Ways to Maintain Landscaping and Hardscapes Once you know what to plant and what to avoid, it is just as important to maintain it to continue relieving pest pressures from your building.

• Ensure fountains and pools regularly circulate water to prevent insect breeding – still water is a magnet for insects like mosquitoes, midges, racoons, birds and skinks that need to actively drink water and bathe.

www.REMInetwork.com | April 2021 21

MAINTENANCE

“Using natural pest deterrents and proper

maintenance of your landscaping will keep plants healthy so there will be less of a need to control pests with factors such as pesticides.”

• Change the water in bird baths or other water features at least once a week, and make sure patios and sidewalks have proper drainage to avoid water pooling.

• Trim tree branches and shrubbery at least one metre away from all walls and windows to avoid creating a landscape bridge from trees and bushes to the building; make sure ornamental planters are not overwatered and well pruned.

• Remove any tree branches that touch the roof of your building as carpenter ants, rodents, squirrels and raccoons will use these to climb.

• Ensure grass stays mowed regularly as tall grass offers shelter to unwanted pests.

• Monitor trees for insects. Trees can become damaged from too much pest activity, and

if it is not caught quickly it is too late for the tree so proactive monitoring is crucial.

Using natural pest deterrents and proper maintenance of your landscaping will keep plants healthy so there will be less of a need to control pests with factors such as pesticides.

Pollinators like butterflies and honeybees will thrive in these properly maintained natural ecosystems. If you choose to use pesticides, educate tenants on what is being used and why to help address any concerns they may have on the matter. Post proper signage where applicable depending on the label requirements and local laws.

When managing your condo buildings, ever y detail should be considered.

Landscaping choices can directly impact

pest activity in and around your building, so it is important to always keep landscaping maintained as well as to know from the planning stages what plants may attract pests and which ones may help deter them. 1 Alice Sinia, Ph.D. is quality assurance manager of regulatory/lab Services for Orkin Canada, focusing on government regulations pertaining to the pest control industry. With more than 20 years of experience, she manages the quality assurance laboratory for Orkin Canada and performs analytical entomology as well as provides technical support in pest/ insect identification to branch offices and clients. asinia@orkincanada.com or visit orkincanada.com.

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The view is even better, when it’s coupled with peace of mind.

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MANAGEMENT

BREAKING NEW GROUN

24 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

TECHNOLOGY FEATURE

ND

BY REBECCA MELNYK

The multi-residential industry projects geoexchange technology will become increasingly accepted among developers as Canada shuffles toward higherperforming buildings that champion lower carbon emissions.

www.REMInetwork.com | April 2021 25

FEATURE

A crop of condos in Canada already feature geoexchange systems, a type of electric heating and cooling that uses the earth’s constant temperatures to warm and cool buildings above ground. Often referred to as geothermal, it replaces conventional systems that run on exhaustible resources, from fossil-fuel powered boilers to cooling towers that reject heat into the atmosphere to make summer more bearable.

But while the relevance of this clean technology has been percolating for years, the current buzz is that more multi-residential developers are tuning in. As geothermal collides with carbon-free mandates and new third-party utility models, it’s expected to make strides, bringing along developers that will try to stay competitive.

“Two major hurdles with this technology in the past were the up-front capital cost and the long-term management of the system,” says Roya Khaleeli, director, sustainability and innovation at Minto Communities. “The new business models offered by geoexchange companies over the past five years address both of these challenges.”

North Oak condo, the fourth phase in the master-planned community of Oakvillage, in Oakville, Ontario, marks Minto’s debut into geoexchange technology. The developer is evaluating the system for other projects wherever appropriate—anticipating the stepped trajectory Canada is taking to higher-performing buildings with low carbon emissions.

Governments are ramping up low-carbon efforts over the next decade. As Toronto phases in its Green Standard (currently in Version 3) and requires all new buildings to produce near-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, it will eventually become impossible to design with gas heat, states non-profit Ontario Geothermal Association.

Ottawa is working on a Green Standard, too, while British Columbia introduced its BC Energy Step Code to make all new buildings netzero energy ready by 2032.

Tapping into geothermal could mean changing condo life for the better. As Khaleeli states, owners will be sheltered from expected annual increases in utility costs.

“The condo owner shouldn’t see condo fees that are any higher than the market,” she says. “Condo owners will not operate their heating and cooling any differently from a typical condo, making it easy to live a low-carbon lifestyle. Geoexchange systems also allow for year-round heating and cooling—meaning there is no more system switchover required, much improving resident comfort on those days with unseasonal temperatures.”

Contrary to the belief that geoexchange systems work forever once installed, managing them is crucial.

“Expertise is needed to ensure that the heat extracted and inputted over the course of the year is balanced; otherwise there is a risk that the system no longer works,” advises Khaleeli. “With the business model around geoexchange, the system is professionally managed and maintained, ultimately reducing equipment maintenance and replacement costs.”

A group of experts gathered recently to distill other myths and truths as industry considers the technology more readily. Last month, Wilkinson Construction held a webinar exploring the potential for geothermal in condo buildings.

“We’ve always thought about energy efficiency, and more recently, we’re thinking about operational or even embodied carbon,” said Bram Atlin, principal at Smith + Anderson, a consulting engineering firm. “The truth is that the implementation of certain technologies

26 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

really doesn’t pick up steam until it’s no longer leading edge, and mandated by some kind of legislation or code or standards. And that day has come.”

Early implementors of geothermal did so to get ahead of a “learning curve,” ahead of future mandates, Atlin explained.

“There’ve been successful projects and you look to your peers and see that it’s happening.”

Tim Weber, co-founder and CEO of Diverso Energy, a geothermal utility company, says developers have also recognized that being both environmentally sustainable and profitable are no longer mutually exclusive. In the past couple months, he’s witnessed serious interest.

The conversation is morphing from “why geothermal” to finding the right application and partner. “What that tells us is they are actively pursuing this technology. They are looking at it, doing it, treating it like any other technology.”

Leona Savoie, senior vice-president of development at Hullmark and panel moderator, concurs. She sees this “geothermal attraction” picking up over the next five years. More institutional players with ESG mandates will be looking to elevate buildings from a sustainability standpoint, looping in other developers.

Typically regarded as a static industry, one that has always favoured a go-to proforma, the industry is now recognizing a broken formula, said Weber. “They see changes coming. Larger developers don’t want to be caught flat-footed.”

Among the perceived barriers for implementing geothermal is cost. Besides the capital cost, development charges have more than doubled in the past four years and land is becoming rarer— hence more expensive. However, third-party utility models, such as Diverso’s, were created to remove upfront construction costs of geothermal, turning it from a capital to a long-term operating expense that is off-flowed to occupants. In the case where a developer chooses to own the system, there have been demonstrated paybacks of between five and seven years.

The added benefit of displacing boilers and cooling towers brings annual capital reserve savings, including less water, maintenance and repairs. It also opens up creative solutions. “If we can free up roof space, that’s an additional amenity space that could help with sales and marketing,” said Weber. “Or, [developers] can differentiate themselves from the other projects in the area.”

“T he impact of eliminating the mechanical penthouse is probably greater than anyone would intuitively estimate,” added Jeff Wilkinson, president of Wilkinson Construction. As a builder of mainly mid-rise residential buildings set in quieter neighbourhoods, he points out the various design issues related to less passive solutions— one being noise that spills onto adjacent homes.

“Also the noise from the inside. These cooling towers are at the penthouse levels, so your most expensive suites are beside the noisiest equipment.” Ultimately, all walls and floors must be treated acoustically, and the vibration addressed.

Geothermal is also less complicated these days. Drillers have upped their skills and are faster at what they do, keeping construction on schedule. According to Weber, what used to take several months now takes a few weeks. “They’ve become more sophisticated; they understand the importance of integration and sequencing and, if the site permits, in many cases, they are able to drill at the same time as shoring and excavating.”

FEATURE

55%

BUILDINGS

Toronto's Greenhouse Gas Emissions (2018)

36%

TRANSPORTATION

9%

WASTE

The City of Toronto released it’s 2018 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report in December 2020.

Toronto must halve its 2018 emissions within 10 years to meet the city's 2030 target of a 65% reduction below 1990 levels. All emissions must be eliminated to achieve net zero by 2050.

Statistics courtesy of the City of Toronto.

“Geothermal is incredibly simple,” said Wilkinson. But he cautions anyone considering it not to underestimate the importance of preplanning.

Ushering in geothermal takes time, as Khaleeli echoed in a separate correspondence with CondoBusiness. Her team integrated the technology for North Oak over the past 18 to 20 months.

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“As you can imagine, there are a number of teams that need to be involved, from the architect to the construction team to the financing team,” she says. “My suggestion is to start early and be prepared to spend on the analysis (think of it like R&D). Also, really get to know the companies on the market offering the system and how they will manage it.” 1

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CALL (416) 789-7611 www.REMInetwork.com | April 2021 27

Multi-Res Tackles Zero Waste T h e a mou nt a nd t y p e of household waste in Toronto condos

BY SAYAN SIVANESAN

has changed dramatically over the last year. Due to COVID-19, more deliveries means more cardboard and packaging,

and more meals consumed at home.

While the type of waste has changed, t h i s h a s n’ t n e c e s s a r i l y l e d t o a n increase in garbage. In fact, a growing number of multi-res high rises across Toronto have continued to reduce waste in 2020 by improving waste services.

The Zero Waste High - Rise Project, a n i n i t i a t i v e o f n o n - p r o f i t To r o n to Environmental A lliance ( TE A ), in partnership with University of Toronto researchers, has been working with te a m s of s t af f, b o a rd m e m b e r s

28 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

and residents in high - rise buildings to reduce waste, create stronger communities and save money. Here’s a look at three buildings involved in the project and what was accomplished during 2020.

MAINTENANCE MAKE RECYCLING EASIER Issue In many buildings, it's easier to place waste in the garbage than it is to recycle. In the past year, the amount of recyclable cardboard and delivery packaging has multiplied, bringing this problem into the spotlight. For example, at the downtown building 120 Cornwall, garbage is collected in a waste chute while recycling is collected outside in large bins.

The outdoor bins are difficult to get to, especially in winter, and for residents using mobility devices, such as wheelchairs.

Solution Building management decided to add ‘accessibility recycling carts’ in the building’s lobby and laundry rooms for residents to drop off recycling indoors. Staff then roll the cart outside when it’s full and transfer it into the blue bin. A real time-saver, staff now spend fewer hours removing contamination from the large outdoor bins and dealing with clogged chutes. *TEAs Waste Collection Assessment tool will help review how accessible and convenient waste services are in your building.

KEEP COOKING OIL OUT OF DRAINS Issue Discarded cooking oil poured down a drain is a major maintenance expense in most buildings. Over time, oil and grease buildup can result in clogged drains and even flooding. As a preventative measure, a growing number of buildings are collecting used cooking oil for recycling into biodiesel or animal feed.

Solution Staff at 125 Scadding, a building in the Esplanade neighbourhood, noticed that more residents are now cooking at home and decided to start collecting used cooking oil. A board member worked with management to select a service provider that would provide an oil drum for collection and free pick-up.

They put this oil drum in their recycling room and added a shelf of mason jars that residents can use to collect and transport used oil from their units.

Management distributed flyers and information posters to explain and promote the new service. The building officially launched the service in July 2020 and it has been popular with residents. *See TEA’s How-To Guide to set up cooking oil recycling in your building.

FACILITATE RE-USE Issue In the past year, residents did some “spring cleaning” throughout the seasons to make space for working and learning from home, causing unwanted household goods to pile up in the garbage. This includes contaminated recycling and goods that are still functioning.

Solution The green committee at 5 Kenneth, a condo in North York, was inspired by what they saw in another building and created a ‘reuse-it shelf’ for these items. They worked with their superintendent to ensure it wouldn’t get in the way and outlined a plan for how volunteers would manage the shelf.

Residents leave undamaged items—toys, dishes or housewares—for neighbours to take for free. As a precautionary measure, the building paused the shelf in March 2020, but after reviewing public health advice about the safety of reusables, they relaunched it in September with additional safety reminders and guidelines. The shelf has been popular with residents who are thrilled to have the option to reuse.

*See TEA’s Guide on special waste and reusable goods collection for tips. Free resources for reducing waste These are just a few waste examples from over 50 buildings across Toronto where building management and residents have worked together to reduce waste during COVID -19. The Toronto Environmental Alliance’s free online program is open to staff and residents of any multi-unit building, and provides guides, tools and learning events to help condos move towards zero waste. 1 Sayan Sivanesan is the project coordinator for TEA’s Zero Waste High-Rise Project.

He works with multi-residential buildings to develop and implement waste reduction plans. TEA is a non-profit that campaigns locally to find solutions to Toronto’s urban environmental problems.

The Zero Waste High-Rise project is a project of TEA in partnership with U of T researchers, with funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Check out the resources and sign up for information at: www.torontoenvironment. org/highrise_join

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1-877-521-9014 416-521-9014 www.REMInetwork.com | April 2021 29

MANAGEMENT

Going Up A new billing model for annual elevator licenses could be startling for

BY BARBARA CARSS

some Ontario property owners and managers.

Beginning May 1, the provincial Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA)

will introduce fee increases for its oversight services in tandem with bundling some costs that were previously invoiced separately into new upfront flat rates.

For example, it may appear that the license fee for elevators that serve four or five floors has tripled from $110 to $330.

However, the rate will now include the cost of the periodic inspection and one follow-up inspection to a maximum of one hour. Beyond that allowable hour, there will be a significant upward spike in charges for necessar y additional inspection time.

“Theoretically, the cost should be moreor-less similar to what owners were paying

before, depending on the complexity of their elevators. The risk is that it initially may be confusing when it’s all billed as one package,” notes Rob Isabelle, chief operating officer with the elevator specialty firm, KJA Consultants, and a member of the TSSA’s elevating devices advisory council.

The TSSA promotes the flat rates as “fair, predictable and efficient” since licensees will receive just one invoice and will have a known fixed fee for their budgeting process.

The new billing formula is part of the TSSA’s

30 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

evolution to what it terms an “outcomebased regulator”, which directs more resources and staff time to elevating devices that are shown to pose a higher degree of risk for the public. Accordingly, it aims to derive a greater share of its self-sustaining revenue from the owners/operators of those devices, and also to create an assured pot of funds from prepaid fixed fees to underwrite non -income - producing risk reduction programs.

“The fee-for-service model currently in

MAINTENANCE

use by TSSA dates back to 1997 and is best suited to a prescriptive model with cost recovery focused largely on inspection,” an accompanying explanatory document states.

“As TSSA supplements its safety services with improved risk analytics, compliance support, an emphasis on reducing high risks and a focus on pursuing unlicensed devices and illegal workers, its current business model must change as well.”

Flat rates based on five-year historical averages Ironically, the flat license rate will penalize most owners with extra costs if an elevator passes the periodic inspection and does not require a follow-up. Factoring in a follow-up inspection, there will be savings of varying amounts in low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise buildings.

In place of the previous basic split of elevators serving fewer than six or 6+ floors, the billing formula now has three categories of license costs: • Elevators serving up to three floor at $250; • Elevators serving four to 20 floors at $330; and • Elevators serving 21+ floors at $400.

Based on license fees and an hourly inspection rate of $137 in place until April 30, 2021, annual license costs for elevators that pass first inspection would currently be $247 for an elevator serving up to 6 floors or $263 for an elevator serving 6+ floors.

As of May 1, the hourly rate for periodic inspections will rise to $140 — completing a phased three-year 7.7 per cent increase that bumped the rate up from $130/hour prior to August 2019 — while the minimum charge for a follow-up inspection that lasts no more than an hour jumps nearly 130 per cent to $315, with additional time billed at $210/hour.

Thus, the flat license rate will be a bargain if just one follow-up inspection lasting no more than one hour is required.

“The new flat fees are based on a five-year historical average of inspection hours for each categor y of device, business or facility type,” the TSSA advises. “Additional fees will apply when customers require repeated follow-up inspections due to non-compliance.”

Building owners/managers with elevator license renewals due in early May should have already received invoices for the new flat rates since the TSSA has pledged to

Telus Sky home to fastest elevators in the West Three of the residential elevators at the Telus Sky building in Calgary are the fastest in Western Canada, moving at 1,600 feet per minute (fpm). TK Elevator Canada completed the installation of a total of 17 elevators in December 2020.

At 729 feet tall, Telus Sky is the third tallest building in Calgary and is one the 20 tallest buildings in Canada. “While many people associate tall buildings in Canada with Toronto, there has been a significant increase in high-rise buildings throughout Western Canada as urbanization demands are inspiring developers to create the vertical cities of tomorrow in places like Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary,” said Blaine Coupal, president and CEO, TK Elevator Canada.

The fastest elevators in the Western Hemisphere are located at One World Trade Center in New York City. TK Elevator designed and supplied those elevators, which can travel at speeds up to 2,000 fpm.

send them at least 60 days in advance.

Information pertaining to the new rate structure is posted on the TSSA’s website, which also reports that customers have received two previous notices of the new billing model — via email on Nov. 20, 2020 and in a letter mailed out on Jan. 29, 2021.

“I don’t have an issue with this in principle, as long as we are getting value for the rate alignment that will be implemented,” reflects Randy Daiter, vice president, residential properties, with M&R Property Management. “It may prove beneficial for customers if there is less incentive for the TSSA to inspect sites on a fee-for-service basis, or if rates are scaled to apportion fees more equitability to smaller landlords, businesses and/or operators. However, we won’t really know the true impact of the new rate schedule until we look in our rear view mirror and are able to compare actual yearover-year costs.”

Reviewing and approving designs and commissioning Flat rates will also be introduced for the various oversight services required when elevating devices are newly installed, extensively retrofitted or altered in more minor ways. As with license fees, these flat rates will bundle in the cost of an initial inspection and one subsequent inspection with the engineering services related to reviewing and approving plans and commissioning. In addition, the hourly rate for engineering services will rise from $143/ hour to $146/hour on May 1, completing

a three-year, phased 6.8 per cent increase from $136/hour prior to August 2019.

Of note, the new fee schedule simplifies engineering service rates to just two categories of elevators — elevators serving up to three floors, and elevators serving 4+ floors — in place of the current five different rates for initial inspections based on the elevator’s propulsion system. As with license inspection fees, the minimum cost of required subsequent inspections will jump from the current $137 to $315 for the first hour, with additional time billed at $210 per hour.

The TSSA estimates the new flat rate of $1,400 for elevators serving two to three floors will typically be higher than the total costs now charged for hydraulic or roped hydraulic elevators, but lower than total charges for traction elevators serving up to 15 floors. The new flat rate of $1,850 for elevators serving 4+ floors is estimated to be about 7 per cent higher than current total costs for traction elevators serving 16 to 30 floors and about 1.7 per cent lower than current total costs for traction elevators serving 31+ floors.

Meanwhile, engineering service costs for installing a lift for barrier-free access are projected to drop 29 per cent when the new flat rate goes into effect. Currently, the average total cost for engineering services and an initial inspection is pegged at about $990, while the new flat rate is $700. 1 Barbara Carss is editor-in-chief of Canadian Property Management.

www.REMInetwork.com | April 2021 31

MANAGEMENT

Gaps flagged in new CDM programs Condo corporations in Ontario have more oppor t un it ies to manage their energy costs amidst

BY REBECCA MELNYK

the challenges of COVID-19 and potentially keep maintenance fees in check. As directed by the provincial government, the Independent Electricity System

Operator (IESO) rolled out a list of new electricity conservation and demand management (CDM) programs on January 1, 2021.

This 2021-2024 CDM framework was devised to reduce peak demand and bring guidance and new incentives to electricitysaving projects. Over the four-year period, the CDM framework is aiming for more than 2,509 gigawatt-hours in energy savings and almost 410 megawatts of peak demand reduction from the industrial, commercial, institutional (ICI) sectors.

The budget currently allocates a total $692 million (up to $457 million for ICI consumers and other yet-to-be-announced “consumer solutions”) and includes key updates to condo-related areas: a prescriptive retrofit program and new whole-building saving incentives through the energy performance program. Previous funding which directly supported 150 energy

32 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

managers will veer to other uses. After 2022, companies must use their own funds to reimburse embedded energy managers, but will be of fered “an enhanced level of technical support and resources.” It’s a move some see as more short-sighted.

“People will point to this as creating savings for the rate payer,” says Rob Detta

MANAGEMENT

“The pay-for-performance energy performance program

could fill the gap left behind by the elimination from the custom track.

But I see that requiring quite a bit of work to make this successful in the condominium segment where the cycle time on projects is very long.”

Colli, manager of energy and sustainability with Crossbridge Condominium Services.

“However, it effectively ends a program that has been proven to be one of the cheapest ways to reduce energy usage for the province. Peak consumption in Ontario is still an issue, and the generating stations are not getting any younger.”

Speaking from personal experience, he says that being able to attack energy consumption and peak demand from within his company’s portfolio has not only generated millions of dollars in savings directly to condo owners and benefited the province, but also increased the capability of the entire company. “Having one energy manager supporting all of the property managers means we’ve got 250 “mini” energy managers out there.”

Incentive Pathways Looking at prescriptive retrofits, to which the majority of CDM funding is geared, there are now more energy efficiency measures to choose from across three streams: lighting, HVAC and other equipment such as motors and variable frequency drives. The

program is also expected to have quicker pre-approvals and payments. Incentive levels are predefined and based on the amount of energy or demand savings of the new equipment. As such, the program eliminates the previous custom track, which could leave behind some gaps.

“The custom track allowed the dollar value of the incentive to be proportionate to the savings— if you showed more savings, you got a larger incentive,” says Detta Colli. “The only choice now is a prescriptive system that should make the application and approval process simpler. But prescriptive incentives tend to provide significantly less funds. It looks like the incentives for lighting will be reduced by 20 per cent.

“The pay -for- per formance energy performance program could fill the gap left behind by the elimination from the custom track. But I see that requiring quite a bit of work to make this successful in the condominium segment where the cycle time on projects is very long.”

Incentives through the energy performance program are now offered for three years compared to a previous prorated iteration.

As long as an application is approved by December 2024, the IESO will offer a threeyear agreement until the end of 2027.

The incentive is $0.04 cents per kilowatthour (kWh) annually for metered energy savings relative to the baseline energy use determined at the beginning of the contract.

It will also pay $50/kWh for peak demand reduction and provide upfront payments for capital improvements and energy

management practices. Condos would first need to create a baseline energy model then take a deep dive into savings, which could look at operational, capital and behavioural.

“What I like to stress is a kilowatt hour is a kilowatt hour, and we’re going to pay you every year based on what you save,” said Robert Edwards of the IESO, who spoke at a recent CAI Canada seminar: “The Importance of Energy Audits and Available Government Incentives for Condo Corporations.”

Condos are asked to commit to saving at least five per cent energy by the end of year two, with “data normalized for weather and significant building operations.” If this feat is achieved in year one, condos that maintain this mark would reap the $0.04 kWh incentive for the following two years. “That is money you can invest for tenant engagement or programs or maintenance, capital projects and best practices, all of which can lead to savings,” said Edwards. “If you’re going to go down this path, it’s beneficial to do as much saving as you can upfront in year one so you get to account that year over year.”

Deciphering Sound Investments Often, the first step in understanding how to make a condo less of an energy hog is an energy audit. It’s also hard to know which investments might make the most sense.

Some retrofits bring a two-year payback or less; others incur savings that are difficult to quantify or could involve “out-inleft-field” technologies that have yet to be proven, advised Fan Fong, director of energy management at Complete Energy Solutions

www.REMInetwork.com | April 2021 33

MANAGEMENT

“You need a firm number to present to

your board, and you can’t exactly present something that will not guarantee some sort of return or have numbers rooted in reality.” and another panelist at the CAI Canada event. “You need a firm number to present to your board, and you can’t exactly present something that will not guarantee some sort of return or have numbers rooted in reality.”

Similar to a yearly doctor’s physical, a good energy audit, he adds, should answer two main questions: how efficient is the building and what are the small changes with the shortest payback period.

In an ever-changing digital marketplace, an audit should occur every five years to account for shifts.

Efficiency metrics include analyzing a corporation’s historical energy usage and tools like the Energy Usage Intensity score generated through the Energy Water and Reporting Benchmarking (EWRB) initiative.

Corporations can see where their building sits on the energy efficiency spectrum, for instance, higher consumption during winter compared to others in its peer group.

How conservation funds best suit a condo can be tricky to determine. Not all measures are created equal. As Fong noted, some have a payback of one to five years; others, like solar panels, might have a payback of eight years, and some, like windows, have a payback of 20 years. “Depending on how much energy your building actually uses, some might not make sense whatsoever,” he added. Take heat recovery systems, for example, which could have a payback of more than 30 years. “If the payback exceeds the useful life of the equipment, it’s not a worthwhile investment; you’ll lose money.”

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34 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

If they haven’t already done so, condos should consider implementing high payback items like variable frequency drives and building automation systems.

For LED retrofits, next generation fixtures are worth considering, especially in the case of botched colour temperatures from a previous job.

“There have been some condominiums that have saved an additional 30 to 40 per cent off their hydro consumption usage with new type of fixtures available in the marketplace,” said Emmanuel Eframidis, CEO of Complete Group of Companies.

“So, just because a condo has done a lighting retrofit 10 years ago, doesn’t mean it’s not worthwhile or beneficial economically to do another one.”

The prescriptive incentive for lighting also pays more for areas overlooked under the custom track, such as mechanical and communication rooms and some outdoor stairwells, which often operate 24/7. Fong pointed out these spaces could benefit under the new track because corporations will be paid a fixed amount, not through savings.

Looking at how energy upgrades impact a building long-term, he showcased one condo where the operating fund was $1 million annually. Post-retrofit, the budget decreased to $850,000. “This building is banking $150,000 a year,” he said. “Adding that up and factoring in inflation over the next 20 years, you’re looking at more than $3.8 million of savings.” That’s including incentives and minus the project cost.

Amidst the aging stock of condos, even fancier new builds aren’t immune to wasteful equipment. Having conducted hundreds of energy audits and served as a condo board president for 11 years, Eframidis said newer condos can be highly inefficient.“Buildings that have been constructed over the last six or seven years that you may think are efficient in nature, it’s the exact opposite,” he says, adding, there are always at least one to three problem areas that result in a payback of less than two years. 1

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What Comes After Burnout?

Asking for a friend...

The pandemic has left few people untouched. Many workers performing essential duties, such as property managers, are toiling longer hours without increased pay. The following is one manager’s personal account on the job and the coping mechanisms she’s using to pull through.

- Editor

It’s nearing 10 p.m. and I have f inally logged-off my email.

Since COVID-19 began, this is considered

an early end to my workday. Three things that

BY KIRSTEN DALE

are true about me in this

moment: I am a licensed condominium property manager, I am in my early 30’s, and I am completely burned out.

36 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

MANAGEMENT

a trend after the virus first forced us into our homes last March.

Residents who used to reach out, maybe two or three times a year, began reaching out two or three times a month—or in some cases, two or three times a week.

In the beginning, one resident called me every other day for three weeks. While on his daily quarantine walk through the neighbourhood that surrounded his condo, he would pass by a downed tree on a neighbouring property—a good two kilometres away. He felt this was unsightly, that I should be doing more to ensure the neighbouring residents kept their detached homes in a state of cohesion more befitting his luxury condo.

Many Canadians are now reporting heightened levels of stress, and I’m finding a good share of residents are irritable, lonely and bored. Even the kindest of hearts are likely to have moments of pandemic fatigue. Less sympathetic individuals from pre-pandemic days have, in some cases, been downright mean to their managers.

Additionally, there seems to be this belief that the manager is, in some way, the building’s “COVID police.” While chatting with colleagues at a recent virtual conference, almost everyone had a similar story to share— an emergency call or a weekend email they received from a resident because a neighbour welcomed a visitor during lockdown.

Earning a pay raise in the midst of shouldering all this work seems impossible. In recent years, insurance premiums for repairs and maintenance have been on the upswing. Due to the pandemic,

Before the pandemic began, my life as a condo manager was invigorating—every day brings endless change. Yet it was also challenging. The compensation is relatively low compared to the other licensed professions, the hours are unforgivably long, and there are always complex issues (and personalities) to manage, which can be enough to make any well-educated, young professional say “thankyou, next” to this in-transition, newly-licensed industry altogether.

Enter COVID-19. From my chats with industry colleagues, a number of managers are now looking for glowing exit signs to greener pastures. The CMRAO’s June 30 study-or-else licensing deadline looms heavily for senior managers, some of whom have not written an exam for decades and must now find the time to fit that into the chaos of a pandemic—with new precedents set around them and their valued clients. Many have told me they are seriously considering retiring from the industry, rather than completing the requirements.

This virus and the restrictions that accompany it bring mounting challenges. To start, everyone is home. During the day, condo towers which may see 75 per cent or more of their residents head off to work elsewhere are now brimming with residents who work remotely. All this time at home means more accidents on the premises, more irate neighbour disputes, more requests for non-essential maintenance and, generally, more of everything that a manager handles.

Now, there just never seems to be enough time in the day. A life-work balance escapes the diligent, despite best efforts and awareness of how essential that focus is. Managers started noticing

www.REMInetwork.com | April 2021 37

MANAGEMENT

“Many have told me they are seriously considering retiring from the industry, rather than completing the requirements.”

condos now need extra common area cleaning and wall-mounted hand sanitizer stations. Material costs for basic repairs and large projects have increased. Trades are harder to secure, so their labour and material-related costs are higher; they are charging more in order to stay afloat. Naturally, these costs must be passed on to the unit owners. But what about the management company that signed a contract two years ago with set annual raises?

Should their cost-of-living increase not be levied because a few owners are struggling financially? Yes, according to some.

Adding to the pressure is that aforementioned deadline for Ontario-based managers with transitional general licenses, who have until June 30, 2021 to complete the educational requirements and obtain a general license. I have spoken with several managers who were working towards completing their necessary courses to stay fully licensed and maintain current salary levels or even their careers. But now, the idea of taking courses in one’s downtime— when there is no real downtime—is laughable.

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If condo managers are going to survive the rest of this pandemic, they must firmly hone their basic coping skills. Something I’ve found helpful is looking to the work of Abraham Maslow, a 20th-century American psychologist who identified a hierarchy of five needs that all humans innately require to feel fulfilled. His theory has since been re-hashed, but remains groundbreaking, and researchers continue to reference his assertions in their own work. These needs, from bottom to top, are: physiological, safety, belonging and love, self-esteem and self-actualization.

Seemingly basic principles like eating, drinking water, sleeping and breathing are key, including exercise. Even just a quick five-minute walk is one of the most powerful ways to accomplish a sense of wellbeing.

Feeling safe and secure might be as simple as ensuring you have a steady supply of personal protective equipment that you and your team require to work safely throughout the day. It’s always a good idea to have supply on hand for periods of unavailability. During the first phase of the pandemic, one of our staff members drove after work hours to a brewery, two hours away, to pick up a truck load of World Health Organization hand-sanitizer solution for our sites. Supply shortages can cause unnecessary stress that managers definitely do not need right now.

Also important are family and friends. Take a minute (hopefully more) to prioritize these relationships. Have a break and check in with your partner or kids. Get up and take the dogs for a walk instead of digging right into that board report.

Recognize achievements. There will be moments when simply getting through the day (and all of the emails) is an achievement. Shift your thinking and celebrate your successes, no matter how small. If you work as part of a team, try being more intentional in your praise for one another. A little bit of acknowledgement goes a long way, especially now.

Self-actualization refers to the idea that we can become the best versions of ourselves and reach our full potential. During COVID-19 we are all doing our best, so this may be a good time to make sure that your ‘ideal you’ is realistic. Perhaps this year we just need to try to sleep better, breathe easier and laugh louder than we did in 2020.

We have the experience and we made it through to the other side of 2021. Let 2022 be the year that we reach the moon and let us just be thankful for the lessons learned and the endurance techniques mastered. We can do this. 1 Kirsten Dale is an Ontario licensed condominium manager (CMRAO) and a registered condominium manager (ACMO) with MCRS Property Management, based in Huntsville, Ontario providing condominium management services in Simcoe, Muskoka, Parry Sound and Haliburton.

38 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network Goldview_Condo_July_2017.indd 1

2017-08-02 3:38 PM

Board Orientations: A Missing Governance Best Practice W hat is the f irst thing that comes to mind when we think about a

condominium?

BY ALEXANDER RAMIREZ

The response can vary significantly

depending on whom you ask. The same level of diversity in potential responses is a mirror reflection of the nuances that compose the institution of condominium governance. Where there are people, there is conflict. Where there is conflict, there is politics.

Condos are filled with people. The ability to navigate the political processes of a condo can be very challenging. The magnitude of diverse (and competing) interests, egos and money that are involved in the industry replicates that of a government, a microcosm of the macrocosm. Yet, it is a very unique and distinct political animal, especially when trying to navigate it.

A condominium is a nonprofit corporation, quasi-administered through government regulatory bodies, with elected officers who

are also shareholders of the corporation.

These dynamics are what give rise to the designated term “condoland,” and also why governing such a unique institution necessitates governance best practices.

One of the unique elements of condo governance is the fact that there are elections held every year at the AGM. This presents both challenges and opportunities, depending on whom you ask. Most governments require much longer than 12 months to accomplish planning and

administering their agendas. T hese processes often require years. With condo boards dealing with changes in directors on an annual or sometimes bi-annual basis (depending on term durations), this presents a significant challenge, especially when newly elected directors join with competing interests or agendas they want to introduce. In addition, you have the AGM input from unit owners that the board is expected to act upon as quickly as possible.

www.REMInetwork.com | April 2021 39

GOVERNANCE

“The practice of board

orientations, particularly after AGMs, is not implemented as a standard governance best practice across condoland, but it should be.”

The stakeholder who traditionally becomes overwhelmed by this process ends up being the property manager, tasked with having to navigate these political dynamics, in addition to the maintenance and operations of the facility, not to mention community engagement.

When looking at options for ensuring a successful onboarding and transition of newly elected directors, it’s best to look at what other institutions with similar processes implement as best practice.

Looking at non-profit, corporate and government institutions, there is a best practice that is utilized when onboarding

newly elected officials to an executive governing body, and is coincidentally not practiced in the condominium sector. That practice is board orientations.

The Practice of Board Orientations Non-profit corporations dedicate full days to exclusively focus on orientation workshops with a new board, often done so annually to coincide with a new term. These workshops allow directors to understand one another’s individual interests and goals for their term, and also review what the organization’s overall goals are for the term ahead, so that everyone is on the same

page and has a clear understanding. In the corporate sector, the same concepts are implemented. Executive boards go off on weekend retreats dedicated for the same purpose. Informal meetings, with the help of external facilitators at times, ensure each director understands the macro goals for the year of the term ahead. These retreats are in essence a board orientation.

Governments do the same. At the federal and provincial levels, when cabinet ministers are appointed, the entire cabinet—acting as the executive authority of the government— meet as a group, at times for extended periods. This is to ensure they concur with the agenda of the governing party and how they are going to move forward with their executive road map. It is another form of a board orientation, an executive governing body ensuring its representatives have a clear understanding of what the goals and priorities will be for the term ahead and their designated responsibilities in achieving those goals. The practice of board orientations, particularly after AGMs, is not implemented as a standard governance best practice across condoland, but it should be.

This is where there is tremendous opportunity to help navigate the unique political dynamics of condo governance.

Conducting board orientation meetings immediately after AGMs (within one to two weeks) provides the opportunity for board members to share their individual priorities and gain a better understanding of one another. All it takes is one new d ire c to r to g et el e c te d to h ave a completely new board composition.

Board orientations also help prioritize the feedback of unit owners from the AGM and organize them as part of the agenda for the term ahead in an efficient manner. Implementing this subtle best practice in the form of an informal orient ation meeting c an go a ver y long way in alleviating the burdens of navigating the unique political animal that is condoland. 1 Alexander Ramirez is a principal at CondoHarmony Inc. He holds a combined honours BA in political science and labour studies from McMaster University and a graduate certificate in dispute resolution from York University. His specialized practice focuses on proactive dispute resolution with administrative board governance. Solutions@CondoHarmony.ca

40 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network Atrens_Condo_March_2018.indd 1

2018-03-14 1:51 PM

What's Ahead For Virtual Meetings in 2021?

The pandemic has forced all

of us

BY DENISE LASH to make dramatic changes in our personal and professional lives and condominium corporations are no exception. Board members, managers and unit owners have been forced to fundamentally change how they go about conducting business in their communities—holding meetings in person is no longer feasible, nor is expecting owners to cast their votes in person. Both activities are simply too risky in our current pandemic state.

One of the major changes that occurred last year was the move from in - person owners’ meetings to on-line virtual meetings. The transition to virtual meetings has, for the most part, been successful, with increased attendance, participation and smoothly run meetings.

Lessons Learned New meeting and voting procedures For board members, many have handed over the role of chair for their first virtual owners meeting to either legal counsel or management who may be more familiar with the process. Chairing a virtual meeting and using electronic voting takes a bit of familiarity

with the meeting and voting platforms.

Taking the time to develop the on-screen presentation or agenda and working with the service provider ahead of the meeting to determine how motions will be handled and the respective roles of the panel members vs. the service provider will go a long way in having a very successful meeting.

www.REMInetwork.com | April 2021 41

LEGAL For managers, the tasks to be performed have slightly changed. Managers will often be the point person with the thirdparty voting provider and will need to put together various unit owner lists including owner occupant and arrears information well before the meeting date. Notice packages will also require modification to the standard in-person format so that owners will understand how registration, attendance and electronic voting will occur.

For owners, the process for registration and voting is simplified and electronic voting can occur without attending the meeting. This means that proxies are no longer required. A welcomed change.

Advance electronic voting Advance electronic voting occurs when voting is open ahead of the meeting. This is different from real-time electronic voting, which occurs during the meeting. Both forms of voting can be used together at a virtual meeting. If an owner votes in advance of the meeting, his or her vote can be changed at any time, even during the meeting in real time.

Advance voting is an alternative to completing proxies. Since advance voting counts towards quorum and an owner does not have to attend the meeting for their advance vote to count towards quorum, there is no need to gather proxies ahead of time.

Quorum Quorum is not just determined by those who attend/log-on to the virtual meeting or those who provide proxies. Advance electronic voting also counts towards quorum, even if the owner does not attend the meeting.

Proxies The Condominium Act does not deal with the use of proxies for virtual meetings, leaving condominium corporations to develop their own rules about whether proxies should be used for virtual meetings and if they are, how proxies will be handled. Corporations can establish their own proxy rules by including proxy use and registration provisions in a virtual meeting and electronic voting bylaw.

Practically, there is no need for proxies to be used for virtual meetings. If an owner cannot access the internet, does not have an email address or just wants someone

Information for Third-Party Service Providers Since personal information must often be shared with third-party service providers—for example, owners’ names and email addresses for electronic voting processes—this disclosure brings concerns over any potential breach of rights and privacy or legislation like the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPDEA).

“While we know that the PIPDEA likely doesn't apply to condos that doesn't mean you can just go around and disclose all sorts of information,” said condo lawyer Rod Escayola, speaking at a recent Condo Advisor webinar. “You've got to provide the information that's required for the purpose of the task that you're delegating. You're basically delegating a task to a service provider in order to gain some efficiencies and by doing that you transfer this information for the purpose of processing it only.”

When transferring information, corporations must do whatever they can to ensure the information is being sent to trustworthy people who have safeguards in place to preserve it.

“You want to make sure that they're not going to disclose this information to a third party or to somebody else,” he said. So, as long as you're transferring only the information that's required for the purpose that it is required, and you're doing so in the context where there's a clear agreement with a service provider as to how they will treat that information, then you're good.”

else to attend/vote on his or her behalf, the owner can provide management with another person’s email address and that person can vote electronically or attend the virtual meeting without the need for a proxy form to be completed.

Careful consideration should be given to the use of proxies with electronic voting, as this may result in double counting and inaccurate voting results if not handled correctly.

In addition, if paper proxies are used with electronic voting, managers are usually given the responsibility of collecting and assessing paper proxies ahead of the meeting so that they can determine what information to give to the electronic voting providers—something that the CMRAO would likely not intend that managers be involved with and would discourage this type of activity, given a manager’s role as a "neutral administrator."

Nominations from the floor With electronic voting, nominations can still be done from the virtual floor and the electronic ballot can be modified in real time by the voting provider to add additional candidates from the floor. Any owners voting in advance can change their vote right up to the close of vote at the meeting. Depending on which voting service provider you use, all unit owners,

42 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

whether they are in attendance or not, can vote for a candidate nominated from the floor. Virtual meeting and electronic voting bylaws may set out the procedure for nominations and voting protocol.

Adjourned meetings Advance votes can be used for adjourned meetings. Depending on when the reconvened meeting is to be held, electronic voting can remain open until the vote is closed at the reconvened meeting.

This gives owners more time to vote and will often result in the successful approval of votes such as bylaws.

Virtual meeting and electronic voting bylaw Up until December 31, 2021, condominium corporations can hold virtual meetings and use electronic voting, without a bylaw.

However, after December 31, 2021, unless this date is further extended or the legislation is changed to remove the requirement for a bylaw, those corporations that do not have this bylaw will only be permitted to hold in-person meetings with paper ballots and proxies. Many corporations are adding this bylaw to the agenda for their AGMs or holding special meetings prior to December 31, 2021, so that at least there is the option of holding owners’ meetings virtually in whole or in part,

LEGAL

o r u sin g e l e c t ro ni c vot in g w i t h a n in-person meeting.

The bylaw itself should contain provisions dealing with the process of nominations, advance voting, adjournments and proxy use.

What's In Store For 2021?

There is no doubt that those who have conducted their virtual meetings and/or used electronic voting are seeing the benefits with little downside. Of course, whether condominium corporations continue to hold meetings virtually and/or use electronic voting will be up to each corporation.

Telephone Voting As of January 2021, there are now even more ways for owners to have access to voting without attending the meeting.

For those owners who do not have email addresses in order to receive electronic ballots and do not have access to a smartphone, tablet or a computer, voting can now be done through telephone voting.

This means that those owners who had previously completed proxy forms in advance of the meeting because they did

not have an email address can vote directly in advance of the meeting or in real time.

Similar to advance voting, they will also be able to change their vote at any time, prior to the close of the vote, simply by voting on their phone.

This gives all owners access to voting directly for themselves, whether they attend a meeting or not.

What we have seen during the pandemic is that electronic voting addresses voter apathy, by making the voting process more accessible and user friendly. By doing so, there is no longer difficulty in obtaining the quorum needed to conduct owners’ meetings. In addition, owners voting directly for themselves will address the issues that we have had in the past, such as those contentious proxy battles stemming from proxy irregularities, including fraud, as well as errors by owners in completing proxy forms and errors by the corporation in determining the validity of proxies.

Hybrid meetings There is no clear description as to what exactly a hybrid meeting is. Presumably

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it is a combination of an in-person and virtual meeting where both electronic and in - person paper ballot voting is permitted. Combining these two forms of meeting will require a well-organized process ahead of the meeting and may be quite costly.

What is clear is that condominium corporations will continue to hold their meetings virtually and/or use electronic voting and the new telephone voting process in 2021.

In the meantime, for those condominium corporations that do not have a virtual meeting and electronic voting bylaw now is the time to start thinking about adding this item to your agenda of your next meeting prior to December 31, 2021. 1 D e n i s e La s h i s a p ri n c i p a l o f th e condo law firm of Lash Condo Law a n d fou n d e r of C o n d oVote r (w w w. c o nd ovoter.c o m), a vir tu al meeting and electronic voting provider. Denise writes a weekly blog on condo issues facing our condo communities. For info visit www.lashcondolaw.com

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DESIGN

Maximizing Small Spaces In the blink of an eye, our coffee tables were full of Pad Thai delivery,

BY MARIE GIROLAMO

and we stared at our glowing laptops well into the night. Work abruptly moved in, kicked back, and made itself at home. What was supposed to be two weeks quickly turned into two months and two months into a year. Now working from home is decidedly here to stay.

55C Bloor Yorkville Residences

44 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

DESIGN

“Managing a small floor plan poses its own unique set of challenges.”

It ’s no secret that the line bet ween our personal and professional lives has blurred. As we continue to become accustomed to working from home and accepting this as a permanent fixture of our routines, the integrit y of our physical space has taken a toll. Many of our peers, friends, and colleagues have left the city centre, favouring more green space and interior space.

But what about those who have chosen to stay? Cit y dwellers often bypass the cost of vehicle ownership, high property taxes, and other costly bills in favour of a smaller, centrally located place to live. Managing a small floor plan poses its own unique set of challenges, but it also allows us to use our resources to be more considerate of our furnishings to create a perfectly tailored space.

Here are the top five tips for reclaiming and maximizing your condo Height Matters Even in a small space, you can have lofty aspirations. Create the impression of high ceilings by incorporating vertical lines where you can. Vertical lines draw the eye upwards, taking advantage of your space’s total volume and not just square footage. For example, hanging your window treatments from floor to ceiling is both easy and impactful, instantly creating a sense of grandeur. A wall treatment that extends up the walls and onto the ceiling can create great visual interest. If your window treatments are hung too low, the ceiling will actually feel lower. Lastly, a taller storage solution such as a wardrobe can be made to be both practical and beautiful.

Be Cohesive Combining too many finishes between rooms in a condo can forge a chaotic and choppy environment. To create the sense of a large, continuous space, opt for a single colour palette and incorporate it throughout your home. A light palette in a small room will naturally lend itself to an airy atmosphere. Using area rugs helps to delineate spaces without changing flooring materials and an overall neutral palette allows you to layer textures and colours in your space that can be easily switched out when you need a refresh.

Create Dimension To keep your space from feeling flat, you can create a sense of depth by floating cer tain furniture pieces away from the walls, even just by a few inches. People tend to push furniture against walls and corners with the good intention of maximizing space, but this can often create a negative visual

impact in the room by making your furniture look cramped.

Creating dimension through air and shadows will make your room feel larger and more elegant. Sofas and armchairs are a great place to start and can even allow for an extra end table or console table, which is excellent for layering artwork and decor.

Layer Lighting Create a deeper dimension in your space by layering various light sources. Installing multiple light sources around your room will allow you to adapt your space to suit your mood or reflect the time, day and season. Wall sconces, pendants, c ove lig htin g an d l am p lig htin g , in a d d itio n to t y p ic al overhead lighting, can create multiple points of interest and illuminate areas that may not always see an ideal amount of light. Utilizing lighting to highlight the corners of the room will draw your attention to the perimeter of the space instead of the centre of the ceiling, making your room feel both larger and cozier.

Optimize Storage Numerous places can ser ve as practical storage that you probably haven’t thought of before. M ake the most of your kitchen by using the back of the cabinet doors by adding shelving or bins easily found at a home organization store. W hen sp ace is reall y of the essence, intend to purchase practical furniture. Beds, benches, and ottomans can all serve as storage for items that need to be rotated seasonally, like clothes, pillows, and linens. Don’t be afraid to get creative.

During this past year, many people have been given a chance to both reconnect with their home and redefine what it means. In the rapidly changing landscape where we find a new work-life balance, it’s worth it to create a space that you want to be in. There is no better time than the present to consider these top tips for maximizing space in your condo. 1 Marie Girolamo is the director of design for MOD Developments.

She has spent the last sixteen years designing condo suites, prioritizing both liveability and aesthetics in her designs. As a graduate from the International Academy of Design and a finalist on HGTV’s Design Interns in 2006, Marie began her career at Cecconi Simone and has since worked on projects around the world. She is a registered interior designer and an active member of ARIDO (Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario) and IDC (Interior Designers of Canada).

www.REMInetwork.com | April 2021 45

NEW AND NOTABLE The future Canary House condo development.

Heritage Repurposed An 1850s-era school-turned-hotel-turned-restaurant will come to life again as the Canary District springs up around it.

Designed by architect and former Toronto mayor Joseph Sheard, the heritage building in Toronto last welcomed patrons as the Canary Restaurant—the namesake for Canary District—back in 2007.

Dream Unlimited and Kilmer Group have now teamed up with designers Elastic Interiors and BDP Quadrangle to restore and transform the landmark into Canary House. At 13-storeys of mixed-use residential space, the building will form a gateway into the community from its western edge. It will include 206 condo suites, beginning in the high $500,000s. Additional retail commercial space at grade will be introduced to boost the amenity offering to 25,000 square feet.

The 35-acre Canary District has been taking shape ever since the Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletes’ Village evolved from its brief 2015 Games-related uses. Future prospects include a new transit hub that Metrolinx is planning at East Bayfront, and the neighbourhood’s first grocery store (Marcheleo’s Gourmet Marketplace), which will become a 17,000-square-foot “anchor tenant” of up-and-coming Canary Commons.

Iconic Sites Convey Spinoff Real Estate Value Niagara Falls, Ontario and Jasper, Alberta make a list of select global locales where property owners enjoy spinoff real estate value for proximity to celebrated attractions. The consumer credit broker, money.co.uk, includes the two Canadian entrants in a largely European and American field of rare real estate markets that border on iconic buildings/sites, renowned national parks and popular theme parks.

The resulting Lucrative Landmarks report ranks real estate markets in each of these scenarios, with Niagara Falls and Jasper slotted toward the back of the pack in their respective categories of 32 iconic buildings/sites and 20 most visited national parks. No Canadian markets are represented among the 11 surveyed theme parks.

“Our report has found that, globally, landmarks can be a fantastic selling point, but there are so many other things to consider,” says Salman Haqqi, the author and a personal finance expert with money.co.uk, which offers online mortgage rate comparisons among its services. “It does depend on the landmark. Some homeowners will love being next to an iconic tourist attraction; however, others might find the pollution, traffic and footfall overwhelming.”

Rankings are based on: average house prices in the surrounding postal code zone; average house prices within a 10- to 20-mile radius or, in the case of national parks, the next closest city/town; the gap between those two averages; property demand based on the regional population; and traffic and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission levels in the area.

Niagara Falls is slotted in 21st position, sandwiched between Scotland’s Edinburgh Castle and New York’s Statue of Liberty.

Average house prices near the falls are pegged at about CAD $1.38 million or a 101 per cent premium over the CAD $688,000 average elsewhere in the city.

Looking at proximity to popular national parks, Jasper is 16th in ranking, with nearby housing prices averaging CAD $812,000 compared to CAD $169,000 in the closest city/town. This 381 per cent premium is one of the widest gaps recorded on the list.

46 CONDOBUSINESS | Part of the REMI Network

BUILDING RE-PIPING

of Domestic Water Systems and Heating & Cooling Systems

Jermark is one of Toronto’s largest re-piping companies.

We Beat Any Written Quote!

Complete Building Replacement Recirculation Mains Replacement Distribution Mains Valve Replacement Balancing Valve Installation 10 year warranty

24 HOURS 416-789-7611 www.jermark.ca

It’s what’s on the inside that counts.

Trust Rikos to handle the important things behind your walls.

Retrofit vertical fan coil units Kitec plumbing replacement Plumbing riser replacement

416.410.3815 rikos.com

Local solution > global problems.

Since 1999.