Monthly Archives: April 2010

Toronto Landmarks: Royal Ontario Museum

Posted on April 30, 2010 | Leave a comment

The Royal Ontario Museum is the largest world culture and natural history museum in the country, and is the fifth largest in all of North America receiving over a million visitors annually and containing over six million items. The ROM is located in Queen’s Park and also has three restaurants along with two gift shops.

Originally established as the Museum of Natural History and Fine Arts in 1857, the ROM was operated by the University of Toronto until 1968. The museum now operates independently and has undergone several expansions, the most recent being 2009 with the opening of the Schad Gallery of Biodiversity.

The original museum contained five large galleries, one each for archaeology, geology, mineralology, paleontology and zoology. Different galleries have been added in subsequent years, such as the Gallery of Birds and the Bat Cave, a live bat display that is a mock-up of the St. Clair cave in Jamaica which houses several other species of spiders and snakes that are found naturally in the caves. The Gallery of Reptiles represents a collection of snakes, turtles and crocodiles. The museum also houses the Keenan Family Gallery of Hands-On Biodiversity, which lets visitors experience a fully-functioning and glassed-in beehive, snake skins and other specimens.

The ROM is home to Gordo, the largest dinosaur on display in all of Canada. Gordo is a Barosaurus, a species that was recently rediscovered. The ROM also has the largest collection of fossils from the Burgess Shale, which is a very fruitful fossil field in British Columbia.

Also featured at the ROM as of late 2009 is the Life in Crisis exhibit, which is part of the Schad Gallery of Biodiversity. It displays endangered and extinct species, including a complete skeleton of the Dodo bird.

Various world culture galleries are also available to see, including the Gallery of the Bronze Age, the Gallery of Africa: Egypt, and the Gallery of Canada: First Peoples.

The Royal Ontario Museum will see even more growth in 2010 with the completion of the Gallery of Earth and Early Life, the Gallery of Africa: Nubia and the Gallery of 20th Century Design.

Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queen’s Park, Toronto, Ontario
416.586.8000

Monday to Thursday, Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday: 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
www.rom.on.ca

Adults: $22 Seniors and Students: $19 14 years and under: $15 3 years and under: Free

→ Leave a comment

Posted in General Information

Tagged , , ,

Ever wondered about the investment potential of other canadian cities?

Posted on April 29, 2010 | 1 Comment

By Val Logaridis

As Torontonians, we are all very well aware of the rollercoaster ride that Toronto Real Estate has undergone since the Downturn in the Fall of 2008 to the Giddy Heights of Spring 2010.  But, do you have any idea how our real estate market compared to other Canadian cities over the same period of time?

Under each graph is a list of the other Canadian cities that performed in the same manner as the cities sited in the graphs.  Many Canadians have already reaped the benefits of diversifying their real estate investments. This might be something that you would like to consider.

Val Logaridis is a Sales Representative with Royal LePage R.E.S. Ltd, Johnston & Daniel Division. Val is a regular blogger with Muddy York.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Market Information

Tagged ,

The push for more kids in Toronto condominiums

Posted on April 28, 2010 | Leave a comment

It’s recorder season again. Grade two or three is the perfect time to let budding little minds hone their musical talents, and each class is learning how to play the high-pitched clarinet-like instrument. These younger children are excitedly returning home from school eager to practice Mary Had a Little Lamb on their recorders for the entire afternoon in an effort to impress their teachers and classmates the next day. Like any sane person, parents will usually banish the children to the backyard to practice, and the entire block is then filled with the shrill squeaking of children blowing as hard as they can on their recorders for the maximum amount of noise production. Unfortunately, not even the most prodigious little Mozart could make a recorder sound enjoyable.

This is when one might wonder about living in a neighbourhood that is essentially child-free and for some, condominiums might be the answer. However, the City of Toronto is really starting to push for more families with children in condo buildings when a lot more families are looking to settle in the suburbs.

Other cities, like Vancouver have seen a lot more children move into the downtown area and Toronto wants the same thing. Vancouver is also focusing on building schools for younger students in the downtown area.

Councillors want to socially engineer a lot of downtown Toronto’s condos to create a much more family friendly environment. Before that happens, they’ll need to establish more family-tolerant condo units, which are usually three bedrooms in size and need to be more affordable on average.

Last November it was proposed by the city’s planning and growth community that larger downtown condominium developments ensure that at least 10 per cent of their units are three bedrooms, but developers thought this would be unrealistic. To this day, both sides are still trying to find a resolution that suits them both.

Councillor Adam Vaughan told the Globe and Mail in March that, “what we build is market-driven. And if there were a market for three-bedroom units, we could deliver.”

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Condominum Information, General Information

Tagged , , ,

TD Green Home Poll numbers are in

Posted on April 27, 2010 | Leave a comment

Earth Day turned 20 in Canada and 40 years old in the United States this year.   And, with the recent Earth Day celebrations taking place all over North America, it seems fitting that the TD Canada Trust Green Home Poll that was recently released shows that “green” means a lot to Canadians – either that means the green stuff in their wallets or going green for the planet.

According to the poll, for the third time in a row the amount of Canadians who think spending money on green home features boosts its value has increased, and this year it’s almost three-quarters of the total respondents. Seventy-seven per cent of the poll’s respondents cited saving money as the primary motivation for lowering their energy bills rather than being more environmentally friendly, up 12 per cent from the year prior.

The poll also found that over half of Canadians want to make use of the government energy-efficiency rebate programs, such as the provincial Ontario Home Energy Savings Program.

Other highlights from the poll include:

  • One-third of Canadians are switching out their older appliances for newer, energy-efficient appliances.
  • Almost half of Canadian homeowners appreciate the health benefits of going green.
  • One-third of Canadians are increasing the amount of weather stripping and sealant around windows or doors to increase heating efficiency.
  • Over half of Canadians have stopped using pesticides, and over half of Canadians are switching over to energy-efficient light bulbs.
  • Twenty-nine per cent of Canadians are interested in participating in an energy efficiency renovation program, but they don’t know how to start.

For those who don’t know how to start in Ontario, visit the Ontario Home Energy Savings Program site here: www.mei.gov.on.ca/en/energy/conservation/ohesp/

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Green Energy

Tagged , ,

The Benefits of Planting Trees

Posted on April 26, 2010 | Leave a comment

The weather outside might make one think it’s less than ideal to think about the garden you’ll want to enjoy later this year, but there’s few better ways to beat the winter blahs than by sitting down and putting what you kind of landscaping you want to do this year on paper.

Trees can do a lot for you and your home. According to Parks, Forestry and Recreation Toronto, trees can boost the value of your property and lower air conditioning bills by providing cooling shade to windows and walls, and they can act as nature’s windbreakers when planted on the north side of a home, cutting heating costs by up to 10 per cent. Trees also generate oxygen, recycle water and remove air pollutants.

Before deciding where in your yard you’d like to plant trees, it’s a good idea to dial the “call before you dig” number in your area. In Ontario, it’s 1-800-400-2255 to reach Ontario One Call, a free service for both homeowners and excavators. This will give you a heads up as to any utility lines that are buried on your property, and making this your first task before you start planning your tree arrangements will prevent you from having to go back and alter your design because of unforeseen problems.

Once you’re in the clear, there’s a few things to keep in mind when you’re choosing the trees for your property as well as regarding how you should care for them:

Planting too deep can lead to the death of the tree. Most people believe a deep, wide hole that’s large enough for the entire root ball to be buried is the best way, but around a quarter of the root ball should actually be above the ground for optimal tree health. The hole can then be filled with a mixture of native soil and compost that’s firmly packed. The bark of the tree and the top of the roots (called the root collar) need air, and planting them deep within the ground will leave them with no air and too much moisture, leading to rot.

Fertilizing trees can be done in autumn by spreading a dry fertilizer over the ground where the roots are. Keeping the soil reasonably moist will also allow the trees to absorb the nutrients through their roots when fertilizing.

Trees need to be watered like any plant, but they don’t need to be kept constantly moist. If the soil is dry, water the tree. Even drought-resistant trees like paperbark maples need watering once in a while, usually during the first few years.

Trees that are newly planted rarely need stakes or guy wire to stand up straight and tall, as the root ball should make them bottom-heavy enough to take care of themselves. If stakes or guy wire is necessary, they can become problematic if they’re not removed before the end of the tree’s first year.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in gardening

Tagged , , , , ,

Toronto waterfront development looks towards higher quality of living

Posted on April 25, 2010 | 1 Comment

The Pan American Games will be taking place in Toronto in the year 2015, and the city is jumping on the opportunity to turn the Toronto waterfront into a more bustling living area.

Soon, the piles of dirt and large mud puddles that currently dot the West Don Lands will be transformed into a neighbourhood fit for 12,000 people that will house the athletes for the Pan Am Games. Later, they’ll be transformed into luxury condominium residences and affordable social housing developments that are complete with an urban park and meadow.

Woonerfs are also planned for the West Don Lands and Queen’s Quay. Woonerfs, never seen before in Toronto, are common in the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom. They’re narrow roads with no sidewalks or curbs that are shared by both pedestrians and motorists and use interlocking brick instead of asphalt. They provide an emphasis on safety with lower speed limits (seven km/h in Germany, for example) and children are usually permitted to play in woonerfs while pedestrians can take up the whole street if they choose.

An urban park is also proposed for under the highway off-ramps near the waterfront with the development of Underpass Park, which will turn the dark and derelict areas into a 2.5 acre space with athletic courts, green areas, community gathering space with plenty of safe and inviting lighting. There are also plans to remediate the soil, which is toxic after years of industrial use.

A public consultation period also ends on April 26th with regards to redeveloping Queen’s Quay with expanded public space including a public promenade and a bike and running path. Further redevelopment also includes a dedicate, faster streetcar line from Bay Street to Union Station and Parliament Street that will only have to stop at intersections as well as condensed traffic lanes.

Regent Park, the Etobicoke motel strip and the railway lands will also be facing proposed redevelopments.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in General Information, harbourfront

Tagged , , ,

Toronto Landmarks: Rogers Centre

Posted on April 24, 2010 | Leave a comment

Home of the Toronto Blue Jays, the Toronto Argonauts and formerly the Toronto Raptors along with many shows, fairs, monster truck rallies and concerts, the Rogers Centre’s iconic dome shape has been a primary component of the Toronto skyline since 1989.

Originally, it was dubbed the SkyDome after a province-wide contest called for suggestions on what it should be named. In 2005, Rogers Communications bought the SkyDome at only four per cent of what it cost to build and renamed it the Rogers Centre.

For your average baseball game, the capacity of the Rogers Centre is around 50,000 but when events like pro wrestling comes to town it can hold almost 70,000 spectators.

The Rogers Centre boasts a prime all-weather event venue rain or shine thanks to its moveable roof that can be kept open or left fully closed, an idea that developed during the 1982 Grey Cup that was held outdoors and was met with serious weather issues and embarrassingly unhappy fans.

The building saw a few changes at the beginning of this season, including the field surface now being covered in a new synthetic grass called Astroturf GameDay Grass 3D, which is one of the most realistic fake grasses available. And this summer, Bon Jovi, the Eagles and U2 will be making stops on their world tours in Toronto and will be performing at the Rogers Centre.

The Rogers Centre will also be a prime sporting arena during the Pan American Games when they come to Toronto in 2015.

One Blue Jays Way Toronto Ontario M5V 1J3 www.rogerscentre.com

→ Leave a comment

Posted in General Information

Tagged , , , , ,

Low-flow toilet proposal might squash even more Ontario home renovation rebates

Posted on April 23, 2010 | 1 Comment

Toronto is just one of the handful of Ontario municipalities offering a rebate for homeowners who’ll install a water-conserving toilet this year, but a new proposal from the Premier’s office is planning on making them mandatory. If this proposal is accepted, it’s a measure that would likely cancel the rebates. Other provincial municipalities, such as Innisville, have determined that rebate and incentive water conservation programs would be far too costly, and in Innisville alone it’s estimated that it would cost them at least $1.6 million to implement one. Meanwhile, Barrie’s toilet replacement rebate program is barely staying afloat and city councillors recently approved a $50,000 boost because of unexpected costs.

Currently, the Toronto rebate program promises up to $75 if you replace a water-wasting toilet with a water conserving one, but the legislation put forth would make it mandatory for all retailers across the province to sell only low-water toilets (six-litres as opposed to 13-litres) by January of next year. Toilets generally use up 30 per cent of a home’s water and annually, a low-flush toilet cuts this water consumption by half.

Coincidentally, on the same day the new measures were proposed the country’s largest retailer of hardware and home renovation products, RONA, announced that it would no longer sell any toilets with volumes that are more than six-litres.

This proposal comes soon after the federal government cancelled the Canadian ecoENERGY retrofit rebate program, which offered homeowners up to $5,000 in grants and rebates when they made energy-saving renovations before March 31, 2011. For now the provincial programs are still in effect, including the Ontario Home Energy Savings Program, which similar to the federal program offers homeowners up to $5,000 in grants and rebates for energy-efficient renovations.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Home Inspection Information

Tagged , ,

RBC: Bank of Canada upgrades forecasts; opens door to June rate hike by removing conditional commitment

Posted on April 22, 2010 | Leave a comment

The Bank of Canada left the overnight rate at 0.25% Tuesday morning and opened the door to rate increase at the June meeting by removing its conditional commitment to keep the policy rate at its current level, “until the end of the second quarter of 2010.” The Bank stated that with, “recent improvements in the economic outlook, the need for such extraordinary policy is now passing, and it is appropriate to begin to lessen the degree of monetary stimulus. The extent and timing will depend on the outlook for economic activity and inflation, and will be consistent with achieving the 2% inflation target.”

The change in the Bank’s statement reflected a sharp upgrade to the Bank’s economic forecast with growth in 2010 forecasted at 3.7%, up from 2.9% in its January projection. The 2011 growth forecast was revised lower to 3.1% from the 3.5% growth rate in their January outlook. The Bank added its 2012 forecast for the economy to expand by 1.9%, which we assume is its estimate of the economy’s potential. As a result of the faster pace of growth in the near term, the Bank expects that the economy will reach its productive capacity and inflation to the 2% target in the middle of 2011, sooner than was thought in January. The Bank failed to provide an overall assessment of the risks to the outlook based on macro considerations, which is unusual, but it clearly acknowledged that some reduction in the amount of policy stimulus will be required over time. The pace of which will depend on the flow of data. To our mind, the Bank will be cuing the timing of its first rate hike off of upcoming inflation reports looking at m
ovements in the core inflation data which are forecasted to “ease slightly in the second quarter of 2010.”

The upgrades to the 2010 economic forecast were based on recently strong housing market activity and global growth as well as the Bank’s assessment that policy stimulus supported, “more expenditures being brought forward in late 2009 and early 2010.”  The statement also sited uncertainty about the pace of the global recovery combined with the potentially restraining effect of the strengthening in the Canadian dollar and low productivity as downside risks for the economy going forward.

Today’s statement sets up interest rates to start to rise, with the first increase likely to be dictated by movements in the core inflation rate, assuming that the economy continues to show strong growth momentum as we (and the Bank) expect. We forecast that the core inflation (to be released on Friday) will show an easing in the Bank’s core rate to 1.8% as the jump in travel accommodation prices proves transitory and remains below 2% in April, which will ease the pressure for a June rate hike. Today’s statement, however, leaves the door open to the Bank moving rates in June. Today’s rate decision and statement reinforce our view that economic conditions are strong enough that the Bank will increase the overnight rate and there is risk that the first hike comes in June rather than July. Our forecast is that the Bank will raise the policy rate to 1.25% in 2010, and the pace of tightening will accelerate in 2011 as the economy continues to build momentum with the overnight rate finishing the year at 3.5%.

Dawn Desjardins, Assistant Chief Economist, RBC Economics

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Market Information

Tagged , ,