POST-PANDEMIC LIFE: GAZING INTO THE CRYSTAL BALL Do you see the silver lining? Indicators are that our lifestyles will be different, and possibly even more Earth-friendly, in a postpandemic world. Here’s a look into our possible future. By Steve Threndyle
Although 2019 was a year to remember for Greta Thunberg and climate action, 2020 was ironically the year that the pandemic changed everything. Work-at-home rules and travel restrictions (not to mention supplychain interruptions and our newfound appreciation for fresh over circulated air) have led to a greenhouse gas reduction that climate marches and hectoring Hollywood stars couldn’t achieve. While we still mourn the global deaths of millions and look forward to mass vaccination in 2021, many of the habits that we’ve embarked upon will undoubtedly stick around.
Real Estate Our primary residences and recreational properties have blurred: some moved full-time to second homes, or bought a rural property as a temporary residence and long-term investment. Work-from-home professionals realized, “If I
can do this job anywhere, why would I pay for a box in a downtown highrise when I can own an acreage over on the Island?” The flight to smaller communities, but also to the conversion of Airbnb-type shortterm rentals to long-term leases, has created urban vacancies and softened downtown condo markets, enabling first-time buyers (driven by fear of missing out on record-low interest rates) to enter the market. Home renovations boomed, as we plowed money that we might have spent on a summer European or Christmas tropical vacation into remodelling spare bedrooms into offices, adding bathrooms and even winterizing decks into outdoor rooms or year-round oases. Commercial space needs have evolved, too, as the warehousing and transportation of groceries and other retail products have created new demands. The pandemic has also accelerated the repurposing of low- to mid-market shopping malls into more walkable mixed-use
residential-commercial developments with the potential to reduce car trips and greenhouse gas emissions.
“If I can do this job anywhere, why would I pay for a box in a downtown highrise when I can own an acreage over on the Island?” Crystal ball: Post pandemic, look for the work from home trend to continue, and for builders and contractors to push next-level upgrades: replacing dated HVAC systems, adding triple-pane windows or solar panels, installing energy-efficient lighting and more, some encouraged by provincial or federal grant programs. Mini prefab cabins (especially those under 150 square feet, which Spring 2021
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