VOL. 7 NO. 5 APRIL 2009 GREATER TORONTO ......APRIL 2009 VOL.7 NO.5 BUILDING BLOCKS 5Corporate Head Office 460 Brant Street, Suite 212 Burlington, Ontario L7R 4B6 Phone: 905-333-4242

VOL. 7 NO. 5 APRIL 2009 GREATER TORONTO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION

BB_Vol.7#5_April09.qxd:BB_Vol.7#1_August08 4/9/09 1:04 PM Page 1

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A P R I L 2 0 0 9 V O L .7 N O. 5 B U I L D I N G B L O C K S 5

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BUILDING BLOCKSVOL. 7 NO. 5 APRIL 2009

PUBLISHERRICHARD SORENDesign Print MediaT. [email protected]

EDITORBRAD BUTTPresident, GTAAT. 416.385.3435 [email protected]

• Building Blocks is published six times per annum (February, April, June, August,October and December) by Design Print Media on behalf of the GreaterToronto Apartment Association (GTAA) and is distributed through controlledcirculation to the GTAA membership.

• Please contact the Publisher for advertising dates and rates. • Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect

the views and opinions of the GTAA Board or management. • GTAA accepts no liability for information contained herein.

ON THE COVER - Upper Broadview Suites, 829 Broadview Avenue

C O N T E N T S

www.gtaaonline.com

FEDERAL9 ENERGY SUBSIDIES FOR LANDLORDS11 FEDS ADDRESS ENERGY RETROFIT NEEDS12 INVITATION TO THE CFAA CONFERENCE

PROVINCIAL13 IMPLICATIONS OF BILL 106 SCAN ACT17 ONTARIO BUDGET WILL LEAD TO RENT HIKES17 OEB ISSUES COMPLIANCE BULLETIN ON SUB-METERING18 MPPS QUESTION RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES ACT19 OTHER ONTARIO BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS FOR LANDLORDS

MUNICIPAL21 CITY MOVES QUICKER ON MULTI-RES

TAX RATE REDUCTIONS21 TORONTO WASTE MANAGEMENT NEWS

GTAA8 PRESIDENT’S REPORT10 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR20 UPCOMING EVENTS22 CHAIRS LUNCH RAISES OVER $5K FOR FOUNDATION23 20-MINUTE MAKEOVER APRIL 24TH24 HOW DO HOUSING PROVIDERS MAKE DECISIONS?26 FIVE WAYS TO KEEP YOUR BUSINESS AFLOAT27 IT’S TIME FOR AN ONTARIO HOUSING BENEFIT28 APARTMENTS EMBRACE EARTH HOUR28 RECYCLING PARTY AT LAWRCUL APTS29 INDUSTRY NEWS37 GIVE BIRDS AN EVICTION NOTICE38 WHY TENANT’S INSURANCE IS IMPORTANT39 GTAA CHEQUE PRESENTATION40 GREAT WEBSITES CONNECT!41 VOLUNTEERING AT SCOTT MISSION42 SPRING HOPE FOOD DRIVE READY TO ROLL42 ASBESTOS REGS STILL NEED TO BE FOLLOWED43 NEW BUILDING MEASURING SYSTEM44 WASTE DIVERSION IMPROVEMENT FORUM45 HEATING PLANT RENEWAL – A CASE STUDY47 CUSTOMER SERVICE IS DEAD48 WINTER SOCIAL ATTRACTS 15049 CENTRELINE CAPITAL SELECTS YARDI50 WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BED BUGS?50 BED BUG SEMINAR PROVIDES GREAT INFO

www.gtaaonline.com

CORPORATE PROFILEFounded in 1998, the Greater Toronto Apartment Association(GTAA) represents the interests of Toronto’s most activeand concerned firms working in the multi family rentalhousing industry today.

In a climate of rapidly changing issues such as realty taxes,municipal fees, property and fire standards, inspectionsand bylaws, the GTAA was established as a municipalassociation to advocate for the rental housing industry andto provide a source of vital information, representation andleadership in the rental housing industry.

The GTAA now boasts more than 240 property managementcompanies that own and operate more than 160,000apartment units. As well, there are over 150 suppliermembers in all trade categories.

GTAA’s regular meetings with municipalities throughoutthe GTA, including politicians and officials, provides avoice the industry needs for early warning about newpolicies, regulations and research reports. The GTAA alsoengages in effective action campaigns in the media andlocal communities.

MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS BENEFITSGTAA is an active participant in the formation of municipalpolicy and helping to shape legislation and regulationsthat affect the industry. GTAA is “front and centre” on theentire spectrum of housing-related issues.

GTAA will inform member firms how actions by therespective municipal governments and other agencies concerning the building code, affect the multifamily industry’s costs and operations. GTAA will alert members to important proposals to change the model codes, informmembers of code improvements favored by the industry,and interpret the practical impact of major code decisions.


8 B U I L D I N G B L O C K S V O L .7 N O. 5 A P R I L 2 0 0 9

www.gtaaonline.com

BRAD BUTT

P R E S I D E N T ’ S R E P O R T

Just when you thought it was already bad, it gets worse.The economic recession has hit everyone – even rental

housing – when many people think apartment ownersactually do well in a recession.

I get that question a lot. “Aren’t your members making akilling during this recession?” More like we’re getting killedlike most other people.

You see, from my vantage point having been through the1990s recession in the property management business,apartment building owners don’t do better but maybedon’t get hit as bad as manufacturing or retail. Still, there is an impact. Arrears of rent, cost of litigation andapartment turnover, stagnating rental income as costscontinue to rise, continued full payroll requirements(buildings still have to be managed – cutbacks next toimpossible) and other ongoing pressures.

So, at a time when governments are supposedly doingtheir best to support businesses in this difficult time,they yet again “whack” rental housing. Or worse, forgetabout it entirely. Here’s some examples.

• the City of Toronto waste levy will cost rental housingproviders millions or extra dollars in 2009

• the City of Toronto building audit program for buildingsdone will cost millions of extra dollars on frivolous workand “engineer’s reports” on existing building componentsand systems

• the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) just issued a compliancebulletin on apartment sub-metering potentially costingmillions of dollars and even worse totally flying in theface of energy conservation efforts that have even wonprovincial awards

• the Ontario Budget which just hit every apartmentbuilding with an 8% sales tax effective July 1, 2010 andgives homeowners sales tax exemptions but notapartment owners/managers

• the Federal Budget which gives renovation tax creditsfor homeowners but shuts out renters

So where is government in helping this important businesssector? Where are our tax credits, government assistanceor changes to regulations or red tape to make it moreattractive to invest in our properties? No where – that’swhere. Could it get worse? Too late.

COULD IT GETWORSE?

M I L L E N N I U M M E M B E R S

www.gtaaonline.com


Regardless of their size, virtually all residential rentalbuildings are eligible for subsidies for energy conservation

from the Government of Canada. The two main federalprograms are the ecoENERGY Retrofit Incentive for HOMES,which includes low rise rental buildings, and ecoENERGYRetrofit Incentive for BUILDINGS, which covers rentalbuildings of four stories or more.

LOW-RISE RENTAL PROPERTIESThe ecoENERGY Retrofit Incentive for HOMES applies tohouses and multi-unit residential buildings with fewer thanfour storeys and a footprint of less than 600 square metres(6458 square feet), as well as mobile homes on a permanentfoundation. Because of the program's name some landlordshave not realized that the program applies to them.

Depending on the nature of the work a landlord performs,the “HOMES” program can result in a subsidy of up to about8% or 10% of the cost of energy upgrades. The Province of Ontario matches the federal incentive, so that the totalincentive can be up to about 16% or 20% of the cost of thework. (The website for the Ontario program makes for moreconfusion because it refers to the program as only applyingto single family homes, and then it defines a single familyhome as any residential building with fewer than four floorsand a footprint of less than 600 square meters ! )

For more details about the grants and the application process,see National Outlook, CFAA’s newsletter, for February 2009,available on our website at cfaa-fcapi.org .

Among homeowners the program has been very popular.The federal government allocated an additional $300M to theprogram in the 2009 Budget. As a result, the officials in NaturalResources Canada (NRCan) are in the process of revising theprogram. CFAA has met several officials and political staff topromote reforms that will make the program more usefulfor landlords.

CFAA’s Energy and Environment Task Force made valuablesuggestions for CFAA’s submissions to the government,which include the following:

making the maximum grant higher for multi-unit rentalbuildings than it is for single family homes

increasing the multipliers which factor up the grant moneyfor multi-unit rental buildings

extending the multiplier table so that 15 and 20 unitbuildings have a higher multiplier than 10 unit buildings

adding multiplier tables based on building footprint andgross floor area

expanding the work covered to include direct digital controls(DDCs) and duct work

higher grants for hydronic (hot water heating) boilers thanfor furnaces

The government has said that it will make an announcementabout changes to the ecoENERGY Retrofit Incentive for HOMESProgram in early or mid-April.

RENTAL BUILDINGS OF FOUR STORIES OR MOREThe ecoENERGY Retrofit Incentive for BUILDINGS coversrental buildings of four floors or more. It does not have aprovincial matching program. However, by itself it willsometimes generate incentives of about 10% to 15% of thecost of energy retrofit work.

Under the BUILDINGS program the grant amount isdetermined by the energy savings which can reasonably beexpected from the retrofit work. A landlord puts in an expert’sreport with a savings estimate, and then the governmentverifies the expected savings. It used to be that the grant wasreduced if the savings were not realized, but the uncertaintyintroduced by adjusting the grant discouraged energy retrofitwork. CFAA told the government the effect of that programrule, and argued against any downward adjustment of thegrant, and the government changed the program in thatrespect. A landlord already bears the risk that the paybackperiod for the work will be longer than expected. At leastthe payback period is not made still longer by a reduction inthe grant.

For more details about the grants and the application process,see National Outlook, CFAA’s newsletter, for February 2009,available on our website at cfaa-fcapi.org .


Energy subsidies for landlords

JOHN DICKIE , PRESIDENT, CANADIAN FEDERATION OF APARTMENT ASSOCIATIONS (CFAA)

continued on page 10

F E D E R A L


F E D E R A L

1 0 B U I L D I N G B L O C K S V O L .7 N O. 5 A P R I L 2 0 0 9

www.gtaaonline.com

GLORIA SALOMON

Like the calm before the storm, there are significantissues brewing in our industry that can result in major

rising expenses in running a rental high-rise property.Prudent operators have already embarked on energy-saving retrofits, upgrades of vacant suites to presentsuperior suites to prospective residents, and increasedamenities such as security and landscaping. However, weare now being presented with two new costly areas thatneed our attention, courtesy of our City of Toronto.

In the spirit of enforcing improved recycling rates inapartment buildings, the city has embarked on a wastelevy that significantly penalizes any property that cannotreduce the total garbage put out for removal weekly. Asmany of us have now begun receiving invoices for wasteremoval in excess of city ‘standards’, we see that this hasbecome a very costly tax we incur on behalf of ourresidents’ lack of recycling.

Additionally, the current brigade of property inspectorswho will, sooner or later, focus on your property will forceowners to spend significant funds in improvements thatmay or may not be necessary. As an owner, you wouldthink these decisions are yours to make, but thanks to ourfriends at the city, they want to tell you that you must docertain things within weeks of inspection. Even the bestrun buildings have not been able to escape the prospect ofsorting through a long list of items on an Order issued bythe inspectors, encompassing various matters, such aslighting levels, painting in garages, replacement ofbalcony and handrails, etc.

Your Board of Directors wants you to know that we areworking on these important items and determining thebest course of action to combat these forced costs. Weare currently investigating various challenges to therequirements and our Executive is meeting to decide onappropriate responses that we will present to the Cityof Toronto.

In the meantime, take the opportunity to put thesedreary thoughts on the back burner and join your peersfor an enjoyable evening on Wednesday, May 13, 2009,as we invite you to spend a Night at the Races and giveour Charitable Foundation a shot in the arm.

CFAA’S 2009 ENERGY CONFERENCECFAA looks forward to our 2009 Energy Conference,which is being held in London Ontario on May 8. At theConference we will hear from Natural Resources Canadaabout the ecoENERGY Retrofit Incentive for HOMESProgram, including reforms to it. We will also be able togive our feedback to the NRCan Program Director.

We will also hear from a prominent Vancouver landlordabout the energy savings he achieved through buildingscontrols and new boilers, as well as what incentives areavailable for that work through ecoENERGY RetrofitIncentive for BUILDINGS.

In addition, we expect to hear about the savings availablethrough heat reflectors and solar hot water heating, aswell as the subsidies available from London Hydro, whichcan be used a model for other utility companies.

For more information about CFAA ApartmentConference see the article on page 12,

or see CFAA’s website www.cfaa-fcapoi.org .

GTAA IS ONE OF 17 MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN

FEDERATION OF APARTMENT ASSOCIATIONS, THE

SOLE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING THE

INTERESTS OF CANADA’S $40 BILLION PRIVATE

RENTAL HOUSING INDUSTRY, WHICH HOUSES MORE

THAN THREE MILLION CANADIAN HOUSEHOLDS.

M E S S A G E F R O M T H E C H A I R

www.gtaaonline.com

continued from page 9


A P R I L 2 0 0 9 V O L .7 N O. 5 B U I L D I N G B L O C K S 1 1

NEWS RELEASE | MARCH 31, 2009

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ADDRESSESTENANTS ENERGY RETROFIT NEEDS

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT | JOHN DICKIE, CFAA PRESIDENT, AT (613) 235-0101,BRAD BUTT, CFAA ENERGY TASK FORCE CHAIR, AT 416 565-2270

VINCE BRESCIA, CFAA GOVERNMENT RELATIONS CHAIR, AT 416 385-1100 X20

The Canadian Federation of Apartment Associations (CFAA)applauds the federal government and Natural Resources

Minister Raitt for addressing the energy retrofit needs oflandlords and tenants through changes to the ecoEnergyRetrofit Incentive Program for HOMES, announced yesterday.

Minister Raitt and the Conservative government haverecognized tenants as equal partners in energy saving (withhomeowners) by raising the maximum grant from $5,000 perbuilding to $5,000 per dwelling unit. Formerly, the maximumgrant for rental units was $833 per unit for a six unit building,$417 per unit for a 12 unit building and only $200 per unitfor a 25 unit building. For a single family home the maximumgrant is unchanged, but for rental apartments and rentalhomes the maximum grant has gone up substantially, thusenabling landlords to improve the energy usage of tenants’homes on an equal footing with single family homeowners.

In addition, and as well as raising the grants available foritems of work performed by all program participants by 25%overall, Minister Raitt and Natural Resources Canada officialsalso addressed other important disparities betweenhomeowners and renters.

Furnaces costing $4,000 had been eligible for a grant of$500, while boilers costing $15,000 had been eligible for agrant of $600. Now such furnaces will get $750 while suchboilers can be eligible for $1,625.

For insulation or air sealing the program had allowed amultiplier of 2.5 for any building of over 10 units. Nowbuildings with over 16 units are entitled to a multiplier of 4.0,while buildings with 13 to 16 units have a multiplier of 3.0.

Buildings with retail space have now been included in theprogram. That change will benefit the owners and thetenants of many buildings on the main streets of Canada’stowns, and on the commercial arteries of Canadian cities.

CFAA looks forward to working with the government andNatural Resources Canada to continue to improve the energyincentive programs, and to make meaningful energy savingsa reality for the multi-family housing sector. Said CFAAPresident John Dickie, “Tenants and landlords should be verypleased with the changes to the energy retrofit program.”

F E D E R A L

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INVITATION TO THE 2009 CFAAAPARTMENT CONFERENCE!As a GTAA member, you are invited to the 2009 CFAA

Conference being held in London, Ontario, from May 6 - 8.

Find out how other cities and provinces are addressinglandlord issues and how those measures may affect yourbottom line

Hear the latest projections on the economy and how rentalhousing will fare

Attend the CFAA/LPMA Trade Show, with 45+ supplierswhose main clients are rental housing providers

Learn about solar heating for domestic hot water

Hear the latest ideas about handling garbage & recycling

Learn about funding for electricity savings

Find out about energy saving techniques from landlordswho have implemented them

Learn about energy saving subsidies many landlords don’tknow about

The Trade Show, Conference and meals are free to landlordmembers of GTAA, but you MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE.For more information, or for the registration form, please seethe Conference section of the CFAA website at www.cfaa-fcapi.org.

GTAA is one of 17 members of the CanadianFederation of Apartment Associations, the solenational organization representing the interests ofCanada’s $40 billion private rental housing industry,which houses more than seven million Canadians.

F E D E R A L


www.gtaaonline.com



IMPLICATIONS OF BILL 106, THE SAFERCOMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBOURHOODS ACT (SCAN)

R . G. DOUMANI AND JEREMY D. BURKE | AIRD & BERLIS LLP | BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS

WHAT IS BILL 106?

Bill 106, called the Safer Communities and NeighbourhoodsAct (the “Bill”) was introduced as a Private Member’s Bill

in June of 2008 by Yasir Naqvi, the MPP from Ottawa Centre.The Bill is in many ways similar to legislation enacted in fiveprovinces (Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotiaand Newfoundland & Labrador) and one territory (Yukon),where it is known as the “SCAN” (safer communities andneighbourhoods) legislation. If the Bill becomes law, it will give Ontario municipalities the option to pass a by-law appointing a Director of Safer Communities andNeighbourhoods (the “Director”), who would overseeenforcement of the Act. This municipal opting option is oneof the few differences between the proposed Ontario legislationand the legislation in other Canadian jurisdictions, whereSCAN legislation has been implemented on a province orterritory-wide basis, with no municipal opting option.

The Bill explicitly overrides the Residential Tenancies Act,2006 (“RTA”) where there is a conflict between the twostatutes. The implications of this may be significant, thoughit is likely that the full impact will not be known untilambiguities and unexpected circumstances are litigated.One implication is that the ability of a property owner toseek to terminate a tenancy for cause under section 61 of theRTA, and to have an eviction order expedited under section84 may be affected where there is a Community Safety Order(“CSO”) issued pursuant to the SCAN legislation. Theproposed legislation would, in certain cases, result inlandlords and tenants being forced into the more complex,more costly, and more time-consuming court system formatters which could potentially have been effectivelyhandled through a more efficient Landlord Tenant Board(“LTB”) proceeding. On the other hand, an application to theLTB under section 61 of the RTA is subject to all of the tenantdefenses in the RTA, including a prohibition against evictionif the landlord is in serious breach of its obligations underthe RTA (such as repair and maintenance).

As currently written, the Bill requires the Director to investigateevery complaint made by anyone claiming that a property intheir neighbourhood is being habitually used for one or

more purposes as specified in the legislation, and that theneighbourhood is being adversely affected by the activities.The complaint-worthy activities specified in the proposedlegislation are activities that are all covered by eithercriminal law or tort law (nuisance, negligence, etc.), whichraises questions regarding potential conflicts with Charterrights and other human rights legislation. However, injudicial decisions that have considered the question, thecourts have held that while the legislation refers to criminalactivities (which are within the exclusive jurisdiction of thefederal government to legislate), no person is at risk of beingconvicted of a criminal offence under the SCAN legislationand no person is at risk of being deprived of his or her liberty(a reference to Charter rights). Rather, the courts said, aninference (of criminal behaviour) under the legislation leadsonly to a disposition relating to the property, which is rightlywithin the powers of the province to legislate.

Following the complaint investigation, the Director hasdiscretion whether or not to take enforcement action. If theDirector decides to take action, then he or she is obliged tofirst attempt to resolve the complaint “by agreement or informalaction”. Information gathered from other SCAN jurisdictionsindicates that this could include: (i) communication with theproblem tenant and/or the property owner that results in thecessation of the complained of activities whether by voluntarychange of behaviour, voluntary vacating of the premises or bythe initiation of eviction proceedings by the landlord, and (ii)reference of the matter to other agencies, including the police,by-law officers, fire inspectors or child and family services.

The requirement that any initial enforcement action beinformal is a second difference between the proposed Ontariolegislation and the SCAN statutes in other jurisdictions, whereattempts at informal resolution are not mandated. Statisticsprovided by other SCAN jurisdictions indicate that informalresolution is typically the preferred solution and accounts fora significant majority of resolutions (excluding cases wherethe investigation is dropped for lack of evidence or otherreasons).


P R O V I N C I A L


P R O V I N C I A L


www.gtaaonline.com

If the attempt at informal resolution of the complaint is notsuccessful, the Director may either: (i) send a formal letter tothe owner and/or tenant threatening to apply for a CSO if thespecified activities don’t cease by a certain date, or (ii) applyto court for a CSO.

WHAT IS A COMMUNITY SAFETY ORDER?A CSO is a court order that either the Director or thecomplainant can seek. If a court decides to make the order, itis issued against the owner of the property, and enforceableagainst the property, the owner and the tenants. The CSOcan be limited to a particular part of the property and/or toparticular persons, however, there remains a risk that guiltlessindividuals (which might include a resident property owner)could be caught in the order’s net.

CSOs are registered against title to the property until theorder is no longer in effect. This could have a negative impacton, for example, a property owner’s ability to have a mortgageon the property renewed.

The CSO itself will state, among other things, that the owneris required do “everything reasonably possible” to prevent theactivities from continuing or recurring. This requirementmay necessitate, for example, modifications to tenantapplication forms to inquire about prior evictions, andapplications under the RTA for an eviction order if a tenant is undertaking activities described in the SCAN legislation.

In a CSO, the court may make any order it considers necessary,including orders that: (i) vacate the property, (ii) terminatetenancy agreements, and (iii) close the property for up to90 days.

There is no guidance in the Bill with respect to when a courtshould order a property closed. However, anecdotal evidencefrom other jurisdictions indicates that property closure isused where owners do not take action to evict tenants duringearlier stages of the enforcement action. The Bill does specifythat where a closure is ordered, the decision regarding thelength of the closure shall be based on (i) the extent to whichthe owner’s failure to exercise due diligence in supervisingand controlling the use of the property contributed to theactivities taking place, and (ii) the impact of the activities onthe neighbourhood. Again, these provisions indicate thatowners ought to make proactive applications under the RTAto control or stop SCAN-prescribed behaviour.

The possibility of prolonged property closure greatly increasesthe importance to the property owner of ensuring that he orshe exercises due diligence in the supervision and control ofuse of the property. Actions that would indicate that the ownerhas made reasonable attempts to supervise and control the useof the property would include, for example, applications toterminate tenancy under the RTA, or complaints made to thepolice regarding the tenant’s activities at or near the property.

CONCLUSIONSSCAN legislation could provide the foundation for a powerfultool for cleaning up problem properties. Several questionsremain, however, with respect to the impact and efficiency ofsuch a tool. For example, it is uncertain whether a SCANeviction helps clean up one property in one neighbourhoodonly at the expense of a different property in a differentneighbourhood. Another question concerns the risk ofofficious intermeddlers. At least one third of SCAN cases inother jurisdictions are dropped due to a lack of evidence.Some significant numbers of these cases are initiated byantagonistic neighbours. SCAN investigations can last fromseveral days to many months. Unlike a malicious or frivolouscomplaint to the police, such a complaint to a SCAN unitcomes with no consequences (except for taxpayers). Further,the legislation would result in an added bureaucracy; one thatis subject to political and community interference.

From a legal perspective, the proposed legislation wouldestablish a new and higher standard for landlords who riskproperty closure if their behaviour does not accord with thecourt’s idea of diligence. Despite the fact that data fromother jurisdictions indicates that resort to the courts has beenrelatively limited, the legislation has the potential to forceboth landlords and tenants into a very costly and complicatedforum to resolve issues that could otherwise be addressedusing existing mechanisms; whether it be the police,municipal institutions or the LTB. By way of example, theParkdale–High Park communities have created a ProblemProperties Task Force. The Task Force cleans up neglected orcriminalized properties by relying on existing tools such as,for example, municipal building inspectors, public healthinspectors and the police.

Instead of creating another bureaucracy that is forced intoaction by anyone who decides to make an anonymouscomplaint, perhaps consideration should be given toreforming the tools and institutions that already exist toprotect the interests of the province’s residents.



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Ontario Budget WillLead to Rent HikesThe Ontario budget delivered by Finance Minister Dwight

Duncan on March 26, 2009 announced that the PST andGST will be harmonized in Ontario as of July 1, 2010. It isestimated that this new action will increase residential rentsin Ontario by 2.5 to 3.0 percent. “We estimate that this willincrease rents for the average Ontario tenant by $270 to $320 peryear” said Vince Brescia, President & CEO of the Federationof Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO).

Tenants with higher rents will see increases of up to $1,000per year. “These rent increases will have a significant impact onmany tenants in Ontario, particularly those who are alreadystruggling to afford their rents” said Brescia. “The governmentshould provide the same effective exemption for renters that it plansto make available to higher income home buyers,” said Brescia.

Rental housing is one of the few types of businesses in Canadathat is “GST-exempt” (others include health and dental services,financial services, and day-care for example). There is noGST on rents. But rental housing providers must pay GSTon their input costs – they do not get an input tax credit.

The impact of harmonization is to extend the PST to avariety of new input costs that previously were exempt. Inapartments this includes such costs as gas heat, electricity,maintenance contracts, property management services,maintenance contracts, renovation contracts, and so on.

When these costs are incurred, they will be passed on totenants. Ontario has a “cost pass-through” system where costsincurred by landlords are passed through to existing tenants,and new tenants will immediately bear the new taxes.

Tenants on average have half the incomes of homeowners.The government has announced plans to completely exemptnew homes valued at less than $400,000 and to providerebates for those purchasing homes valued between $400,000and $500,000. These purchasers will all have much higherincomes than tenants, for which no plan has been announced.Apartment industry associations are calling on the provinceto exempt rental housing providers in the same way it plansto exempt new homes, since the impact will be borne bymuch lower income households in the rental market.

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ONTARIO ENERGY BOARD ISSUES COMPLIANCEBULLETIN ON SUB-METERINGThe Ontario Energy Board (OEB) issued a compliance

bulletin on March 24, 2009 on apartment sub-metering.Although the bulletin is not legal binding, it has causedconsiderable concern in the apartment industry both bybuildings that already have a sub-metering program andthose on the verge of implementing one.

A copy of the bulletin is included herein in order to fullyunderstand that the Compliance Officer has ruled. TheGreater Toronto Apartment Association has been briefed insome detail about the future steps that will be taken by boththe Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO)and the companies that provide sub-metering services.

Those sub-metering firms have been meeting regularly withthe OEB and despite the references in the bulletin were fullyaware that sub-metering was taking place in apartmentsthroughout Ontario. Further, the industry informs theassociation that meetings are planned in the next very shortwhile to fully review the bulletin with the OEB and theMinistry of Energy & Infrastructure.

The Greater Toronto Apartment Association willendeavour to keep members abreast of further activity on this matter as greater detail is learned.


MPP QuestionsResidential TenanciesAct in Legislature

Mr. Yasir Naqvi: My question is for the Minister of MunicipalAffairs and Housing. In my riding of Ottawa Centre, rentersare concerned about the cost of living. With high gas pricesand a challenging economic outlook, they want to know thatthey will be protected. In communities like Ottawa-myconstituents are working hard and playing by the rules. Theywant their government to be working hard for them.

Minister, under the previous government, the Ontario RentalHousing Tribunal was known as an eviction machine thathad no concern for tenants. I know this government passedthe Residential Tenancies Act in 2006, but rents are still goingup. How has the RTA helped tenants?

Hon. Jim Watson: Let me begin by thanking the honourablemember, one of the strongest advocates for tenants in hiscommunity of Ottawa. He’s not afraid to speak up for thetenants of Ottawa Centre and throughout the province ofOntario.

We’re very proud, the McGuinty government, of theResidential Tenancies Act that came into effect in 2006,because it brings a balance back to the relationship betweenlandlords and tenants. I’m also very pleased to report thatafter inheriting massive backlogs in the process, there are nobacklogs. Every tenant now facing an eviction is afforded thebenefit of a hearing. Landlords can evict problem tenants withmore ease, and tenants in buildings with serious maintenanceproblems may apply for a freeze on rent increases.Municipalities now have the power to license landlords.

We’re very proud of the Residential Tenancies Act, and I lookforward to monitoring its progress in the years ahead.

Mr. Yasir Naqvi: These changes will no doubt be of benefitfor renters in my riding, but the reality is that most tenantsand landlords never have to go to the Landlord and TenantBoard. Most tenants pay the rent and most landlords takecare of their properties. My concern is that rent continues togo up. I talk to young families and students who live on tightbudgets. They rely on predictable expenses from year to yearso they can maintain their standard of living. With the priceof gas and home heating fuels on the rise, my constituentsare paying more attention than ever to their bottom line.

The NDP wants to cap rent for two years to ensure that rentremains affordable. Minister, I want to know what the RTAdoes to ensure rent remains affordable. Is a rent cap the bestway to ensure rents are affordable?

Hon. Jim Watson: A rent cap, in fact, would have a negativeimpact on the supply of rental properties throughout theprovince of Ontario, and the NDP plan would move landlordand tenant relations back to a more ideological, divisive erathat really, quite frankly, did not work. We have brought amore balanced approach, which is the way to keep rentincreases low and vacancy rates healthy. The annual rentincrease guideline under the Residential Tenancies Act isnow based on the consumer price index in the province ofOntario. The 2009 guideline was established at 1.8%, and itprotects tenants from rent increases above the rate ofinflation while allowing landlords to recover costs.

Let’s take a quick look at the record. Rent increases under theLiberals have averaged 2.05%; under the Conservatives, 2.9%;under the NDP, 4.8%.

On March 25, 2009, Yasir Naqvi, Liberal MPP for Ottawa Centre asked the following questions in theOntario Legislature to Municipal Affairs & Housing Minister Jim Watson. It has been once of the first

questions asked about the RTA since the new Parliament convened after the last provincial election.

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Here are some other items from the Ontario Budgetdelivered on March 26, 2009 most relevant to the rental

apartment industry.

CUTTING CORPORATE INCOME TAX (CIT) RATES Ontario’s current general Corporate Income Tax (CIT) rate is14 per cent of taxable income. The small business CIT ratecurrently is 5.5 per cent. The government is proposing to cutCIT rates, beginning July 1, 2010, as follows:

the general CIT rate would be cut from 14 per cent to 12 per cent and further reduced to 10 per cent over threeyears;

the CIT rate on M&P and resource sectors would be cutfrom 12 per cent to 10 per cent;

the small business CIT rate would be cut from 5.5 per centto 4.5 per cent; and

the small business deduction surtax of 4.25 per cent wouldbe eliminated.

ONTARIO’S PROPOSED CORPORATE INCOME TAX RATE CUT PLAN

REDUCING THE CORPORATE MINIMUM TAX (CMT)As a result of the CIT reform proposals in the Budget, acorresponding reduction in the CMT rate is necessary toensure that corporations subject to the CMT are able tofully benefit from the proposed CIT rate reductions. Inaddition, the government is proposing to exempt moresmall and medium-sized businesses from calculating andpaying the CMT.

It is proposed that effective for taxation years ending afterJune 30, 2010:

the CMT rate be reduced to 2.7 per cent; and

a corporation or an associated group with under $50million in total assets or under $100 million in annualgross revenues would not pay CMT.

The 20-year CMT credit carry-forward mechanism wouldcontinue to apply.

The proposed rate reduction would be pro-rated fortaxation years straddling the effective date.

PERSONAL INCOME TAX RELIEF The government is proposing to provide more than $1.1billion annually in broadly based personal income tax reliefby cutting the first tax rate by one percentage point, from6.05 per cent to 5.05 per cent, effective January 1, 2010.

ONTARIO PROPERTY TAX CREDITProperty tax relief, currently provided through the OntarioProperty and Sales Tax Credits, would be replaced by a newrefundable Ontario Property Tax Credit for low- to middle-income homeowners and tenants that would provide anadditional $270 million in property tax relief on an annualbasis. The new credit would maintain existing benefit amountswhile extending property tax relief to more Ontarians. Fewadditional tenant households will benefit from this measure.

The credit would be based on occupancy cost — that is,property tax paid or 20 per cent of rent paid. A credit wouldbe provided for occupancy cost of up to $250 for non-seniorsor $625 for seniors, plus 10 per cent of occupancy cost. Thecredit would not exceed occupancy cost and would be subjectto a maximum of $900 for non-seniors and $1,025 for seniors.It would then be reduced by two per cent of adjusted family


OTHER ONTARIO BUDGETHIGHLIGHTS FOR LANDLORDS


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RATES (PER CENT)

DATE GENERAL SMALL SMALL BUSINESS BUSINESS DEDUCTION SURTAX

CURRENT 14 5.5 4.25

JULY 1, 2010 12 4.5 0

JULY 1, 2011 11.5 4.5 0

JULY 1, 2012 11 4.5 0

JULY 1, 2013 10 4.5 0

ONTARIO PERSONAL INCOME TAX RATES (%)

TAXABLE INCOME CURRENT (2009) PROPOSED (2010)

$0 – $36,848 6.05 5.05

$36,848 – $73,698 9.15 9.15

> $73,698 11.16 11.16


net income in excess of $20,000 for single individuals and$25,000 for families.

For example, for the 2010 taxation year, a single individualwith income of $20,000 or less and $500 in monthly rentwould receive $370 in Ontario Property Tax Credit; a couplewith $1,500 in property tax and $25,000 or less of familyincome would receive $400; and a senior couple with $4,000in property tax and $25,000 or less in family income wouldreceive $1,025.

The amounts and thresholds would be indexed for inflation.About 2.3 million families and individuals would be affectedfrom this measure. Eligible senior homeowners will continueto receive additional assistance with their property taxesthrough the Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant.

ONTARIO SALES TAX CREDIT This Budget proposes a new ongoing sales tax credit. Underthe current tax system, Ontario families have to wait untiltheir income tax returns are processed to receive sales taxrelief for sales tax paid in the previous year. The new sales

tax credit would replace the current sales tax relief, providedthrough the Ontario Property and Sales Tax Credits, withadvance payments. The sales tax credit would be refundableand paid quarterly starting in July 2010, when the new salestax would come into effect.

The new sales tax credit would provide annual relief of up to$260 for each adult and each child. It would be reduced byfour per cent of adjusted family net income over $20,000 forsingle people and over $25,000 for families.

For example, for the period from July 2010 to June 2011, asingle individual with income of $20,000 or less wouldreceive $260; a single parent with one child or a couple with$25,000 or less of income would receive $520; and a couplewith two children and family income of $25,000 or lesswould receive $1,040.

Unlike the current sales and property tax credits, themaximum benefit and thresholds would be indexed forinflation.

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UPCOMING EVENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!*

THE “APARTMENT GUY” - CHRISTOPHER HIGGINSApril 14, 2009

BUILDING AUDIT MEMBERS’ FORUMApril 22, 2009

“NIGHT AT THE RACES”May 13, 2009

ENERGY CONSERVATION/ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY FORUM

June 16, 2009

ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENTJuly 6, 2009

SECOND ANNUAL “FUN RUN”September 16, 2009

ANNUAL MEETING & DINNER AT LIBERTY GRANDOctober 22, 2009



TORONTO MOVES QUICKER ON MULTI-RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE REDUCTIONSEntering the third year of a 15 year phase-down of the multi-

residential tax rate to eventually be 2.5 times theresidential rate (rather than the 3.8 times at the start of theprogram), Toronto has announced it can move slightly quickeras a result of the 2008 property tax reassessment program.

Taking advantage of changes to property assessments betweenclasses is enabling the City to adjust tax rates (which whenapplied to the assessed value of a property determine theactual taxes paid) downward in a more aggressive way thanearly planned. The program will result in a property taxreduction due to reassessment of 2.21%.

The average property assessment increase for multi-residentialproperties in Toronto was 9.3% and with adjustments willresult in a phased-in CVA change top be used in taxation of 1.7%.

“Any quicker adjustment is welcome,” commented Brad Butt,President, Greater Toronto Apartment Association. “However,it is going to still be a long time and the City will never treat rentersequally to homeowners even when the 15 year phase-down iscomplete.” It should be noted that the Province of Ontariocharges the same tax rate for education purposes to boththe residential and multi-residential tax classes.

“The high tax rate on rental apartments has been a blight on theCity of Toronto’s calls for affordable housing and even worse, astenants do not get a property tax bill directly, charge this outrageousrate with impunity.”

The multi-residential property tax class consists of 4,462properties.

TORONTO WASTE MANAGEMENT NEWSTHE MULTI-FAMILY WASTE DIVERSION ADVISORYCOMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF TORONTO MET ONMARCH 30, 2009. HERE ARE SOME UPDATES FROMTHAT MEETING.

IN-UNIT BLUE BIN DISTRIBUTIONStaff advised that the in-unit blue bins have started to bedistributed building by building and it will take the rest of theyear for all buildings to receive them. The program startedMarch 10, 2009 with about 20,000 being distributed by the endof March. Apartments that have not sent in the City’s ordercard for the bins will not receive them. A copy of the ordercard can be downloaded from www.toronto.ca/garbage.

PILE CONVERSIONSProperties that always had `pile collection` where bags werepiled up for collections have almost all been converted overto front end loader collection. 1,600 addresses have beenconverted with about 58 properties remaining. If you have a property that has not yet been converted, contact staffdirectly at 416-392-2467.

GREEN BIN PROGRAM ROLL OUTThe green bin program has started in Toronto with about 40buildings now on line. Buildings will be contacted by Citystaff before any program begins. Apartments are required topurchase the 3 cubic yard pick up bin for the site and theCity provides in-unit kitchen containers for each residentialunit. The City will not deliver the in-suite containers untilthe 3 cubic yard bins have been delivered to the site. Moreinformation is available from www.toronto.ca/garbage.

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE & ELECTRONICS PILOT PROJECTEighteen locations throughout the City have been selected to participate in the program including apartments,condominiums, co-operatives and community housingbuildings of various sizes. The pilots will include a number of options for residents to dispose of HHW and electronicsthrough special pick –up days, regular drop off locations andother methods. The first pilot will begin in April and resultsexpected by the end of the year. Residents can always go to SolidWaste Drop-off Depots but it is hoped the diversion rate willimprove significantly by going to the communities directly.


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On February 25, 2009 over 25 people made donations to the GreaterToronto Apartment Association Charitable Foundation in order to

attend the Annual Chair’s Lunch hosted by Gloria Salomon at theDonalda Club.

Attendees while enjoying a wonderful lunch in beautiful surroundingsalso heard a very inspirational message from representatives of StreetHaven at the Crossroads – one of the groups supported with an annual$20,000 grant from the Foundation.

Over the past four years since inception, the Chair’s Lunch has raisedover $20,000 toward the work of the Foundation. If you missed it thisyear plan to attend in 2010!

Annual Chair’s LunchRaises Over $5,000 forFoundation



G T A A

PARTICIPATE IN THE 20 MINUTEMAKEOVER – APRIL 24THMembers of the Greater Toronto Apartment Association are encouraged

to once again participate in the 20 Minute Makeover on Friday, April24, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. Building managers and residents are invited to gatherand assist in picking up litter from the surrounding areas to make the City“clean and beautiful.”

Last year, companies like Greenwin Property Management (shown in attachedphoto) got heavily into the spirit of the day!

Simply gather some garbage bags and gloves and get a team together that willtake 20 minutes and make a difference.

MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO GET INVOLVED IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.TORONTO.CA/LITTER


ACCEPT OR REJECT: HOW DO HOUSING PROVIDERS MAKE DECISIONS?...The days of deciding whether to accept or reject a tenancy applicant on gut feeling are gone. The rational andinformed reasoning is becoming the norm, especially with all the variables that need to be considered the leastof which is legislation; such as, Human Rights. ––– By John Dobrowolski

The need to establish privacy compliant, identity securedatabases is a reality as is the importance of protecting

these tools to keep tenant information from falling into thehands of identity thieves and hackers.

So how do housing providers decide to accommodate onetenancy applicant over the other? Housing providers areinundated with legislation and on the whole do a great job ofstriking a balance between the law and practical issues ofaccommodating the public. Development and use of privacycompliant, balanced information databases that reflect thenature of the population of renters is an essential tool of doingbusiness. That said, credit grantors have established a systemto reduce risk with tenancy applicants. Housing providersare in the business of providing accommodation and havedeveloped information databases to suit this business. Whena housing provider’s system delivers proper privacy consentlanguage and the tenancy applicant endorses it, moves in, andall is well, the renter has a home and enjoys it and respects thebusiness relationship. What matters is ongoing security andtrust that resident information is locked down.

DATA SECURITYThe unsecured access to personal information is of greatconcern; the public should expect that all information ahousing provider collects is private, not to be disclosedpublicly by electronic means. Tenant databases should bepassword protected and should not be publicly accessible,and any tenant should be permitted to see anything aboutthem in the database and be able to challenge inaccuracies.Although there may be a cost for accessing your owninformation online, a no cost policy should exist for in-person, fax or by regular mail information requests understrict identity authentication.

Moreover, information protection involves database securitymeasures that the industry has in place, such as scanning allconnections and imposing intrusion software that monitorsall information transactions and prevents malicious softwarefrom accessing the database. Identity theft is common andany piece of personal information can be used to build a fileon someone. Security measures must exist under a security

policy that instills trust in your tenancy informationprovider to protect tenant information. This is necessary tostop identity thieves from downloading a database full ofpersonal information.

With security and the proper checks and balances, aninformation system that arms housing providers with thetools they need, drawing on databases that contain incomeinformation, credit checks, credit references, rental history,guarantees or other similar business practices , reduces riskand helps them to make the best decision.

Housing providers are sensitive to the plight of renters. Toadapt a fair decision making process, one that addresseshuman rights and privacy, requires a rational manner ofdeliberation, rather than go-with-gut feelings. The housingindustry in Canada is working to rise above this and strivesto make moral decisions that require taking other peopleinto account, such as the rental community at large and notonly themselves.

Doing the right thing means you consider everybody, and allthe variables to arrive at a suitable outcome. Therefore, theright of a tenancy applicant to accommodation comes alsowith responsibility: this the housing provider must take intoaccount during the decision making process, which involvesnot only information databases but also experience, legalrights and the community.

PERSONAL INFORMATION PROTECTION AND ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS ACT (PIPEDA)On January 1, 2004 housing providers across Canada andother businesses that collect an individual’s personalinformation were subjected to new privacy laws and bestpractices that if not implemented are, at the very least, justbad business. A tenancy grantor’s ability to use informationsuch as rental history, credit history, and other means isprobably one of the smartest business moves a housingprovider will ever make. These days people can never be toocareful about who they let onto their property. Not only canapplicants damage your property, they can also physicallyinjure you, your residents or your employees, if it turns outthat they have a history of violent behaviour.

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G T A A

RENTAL HISTORYThe best indicator of a tenancy applicant to pay rent ontime is their rental history.

Housing providers have a legitimate interest in knowing if theapplicant pays his rent on time and whether he has a goodhistory of tenant behaviour. However, tenant advocates pointout that newcomers, refugees, young first-time renters, womenentering the rental market after relationship breakdowns andhomeless people may not have landlord references. Similarly,aboriginal people moving from a reserve to an urban area maynot be in a position to provide a reference from a private-sectorlandlord because of the ways that housing can be owned andallocated on a reserve. The absence of any rental history shouldnot be treated as equivalent to a poor rental history. In suchcases co-signors or guarantors may not be the answer but anemployer’s letter stating income amount would help plus otherincome sources and stability. Recording how rent is paid canbuild a history and benefit those without credit.

There is no disputing the importance of conductingbackground reports in today’s society. More and more housingproviders are beginning to view bureau reports as a pro-activerisk management strategy. The question many are asking is,“Can I report all this bad stuff that’s happening to my property?”With proper consent, yes. For debts owed, yes. When youconsider the amount of information on a credit file could be aperson’s whole financial life history, what information does alandlord need that directly relates to a person’s life as a tenantor his tenancy history? Like other commercial businesses inCanada, housing providers are entitled to the best informationsystems possible and nothing less.

SOCIAL INSURANCE NUMBERS (SIN)The argument that it is impossible to collect an unpaid debtwithout a social insurance number was lost many years agowhen credit bureaus switched off the SIN as a key forsearching credit files. It is no longer required to accesssomeone’s credit file. When a housing provider or collectionagency attempts to track the delinquent tenant down, thefirst step is to conduct a credit search. This is accomplishedwithout a SIN. A social insurance number is of no use whentrying to locate the debtor. A SIN does not help in collecting

the debt by garnishment. Personal information like a SIN isnot needed to complete garnishment forms and effectgarnishments or liens.

A SIN does not help to locate a debtor

A SIN is not needed to complete forms and effectgarnishment of wages or a bank account.

A SIN is not an identifier and cannot be required as acondition of service.

Respecting a tenant’s SIN privacy can only help yourrelationship and when there is no reason to obtain it(except for tax purposes), make it optional and save theembarrassment of a call from the privacy commissioner.

LAST MONTH’S RENT (LMR) DEPOSIT INTEREST INCOMEIf you report last month’s rent interest income on a T5 forinterest income paid to a resident, then it is permissible torequire the SIN on your application. However, this reasonmust be clearly stated on the application and be the onlyreason for which the SIN is used. The SIN can be obtained at the time interest income is paid (which is once a year orwhen someone is leaving); it does not necessarily need to begiven during candidate selection. To comply means to payinterest annually and issue the T5 each year as well.

USING A RENT BUREAUIn providing third parties with personal information to accesscredit files on tenancy applicants, it is important to ask yourservice provider if and how tenant information is protected.There is nothing wrong with housing providers being able tounderstand who they are giving access to enter their premises.They are effectively granting tenants credit and being asked totrust the tenant not to damage the property, not to carry onillegal activities, to keep the peace and to keep their financialobligations. Better insight into a person's previous behaviorsand business experiences can only help the landlord protecthis investment and the resident community so we can all livein peace. The price of access to information must include itsprotection and privacy.

...AND HOW CAN THEY MAKE BETTER ONES?

John Dobrowolski is the President of Rent Check Credit Bureau, a Rent Bureau that specializes in tenancy applicant selectionservices through Rent Check Rental History information, and Equifax and TransUnion Credit information for housing providersacross North America. For more information please contact John Dobrowolski at [email protected] or at 416-365-7060 ext 222.


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Real estate owners and property managers must learn to bemore creative in adapting to the changing times as they

grapple with fewer buyers, tighter credit and reduced accessto capital. While there are no easy answers to handling thebumpy road ahead, there are five basic strategies that canhelp smooth the ride.

1. Strengthen your cash flow – Property owners are constantlyhearing that “cash is king” in these economic times. Thereare a number of things you can do to maintain or improveyour cash flow in the coming months such as: acceleratingyour cash flow forecasts; staying on top of your receivablesand tenant credit issues; reducing expenses; negotiatingcredit terms with suppliers; and documenting yourprocesses to improve your credibility with lenders.

2. Invest for recovery – While everyone is focused on cashflow, this might be an opportune market to considerdiversifying a real estate portfolio in preparation for betterdays. With the favorable interest rates and attractivepricing, businesses that have access to capital should takeadvantage of investment opportunities if and when theypresent themselves. For others, it might be the ideal timeto look at capital improvements to existing properties.

3. Keep your lender in the know - There is no question thatcapital is getting harder to come by, which is whyrelationships with your lender are more important thanever. It only makes sense that when times get tougherlenders tend to allocate capital to those that have aproven track record. Anyone that has had a good long-term relationship with their lenders will still have accessto capital despite the economic downturn. Even if you arerunning into trouble, being open and honest with lenders

and giving them ample warning can do a lot to maintaintheir faith. Those that have shown an inconsistent trackrecord in the past however, may have cause to worry asfinancial institutions are focusing on reducing their levelof risk.

4. Watch interest rates and consumer mood swings – Whilenear record low interest rates are currently encouragingrenters to enter the housing market, there is no guaranteethis will continue. If interest and unemployment ratesrise, people will lose confidence in their ability to afford a home and shift back to rental units. So it is important to keep a close eye on interest, mortgage default andunemployment rates to make sure you can stay ahead ofthe curve in your business decisions.

5. Talk to your property managers and suppliers – For anyoneworking with third party property managers, now is thetime to work with them to develop plans to retain existingtenants and keep vacancy rates low. If you self-manage aproperty, talk to employees and suppliers to work out waysto cut costs and identify areas of improvement.

This is not going to be an easy year for property owners.Proper planning is key to survival and building a foundationfor growth when the markets recover.

MICHAEL STOYAN, CA IS A PARTNER WITH FULLERLANDAU LLP, CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS ANDBUSINESS ADVISORS, AND LEADS THE FIRMS REALESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION SPECIALTY GROUP.TO REACH MICHAEL, CALL 416-645-6545 OR [email protected].

Five ways tokeep your businessinterestsafloatMICHAEL STOYAN, FULLER LANDAU LLP



G T A A

IT’S TIME FOR AN ONTARIO HOUSING BENEFITThe Housing Benefit Coalition (of which the Greater Toronto

Apartment Association is a part) has been advocating aHousing Benefit for low-income Ontarians to assist them to paytheir rent in their privately-owned rental apartment units.The Benefit would be universal ensuring that any low incometenant – regardless of source of income – could qualify.

The Coalition has been in existence for almost a year and hasbeen actively seeking endorsements for the program andlobbying the Ontario government to include it in its soon tocome Affordable Housing Strategy expected to be released inJune of this year.

Unlike large, expensive capital housing projects, a HousingBenefit is an immediate way to help people rather thanwaiting years for social housing to be built. It betterrecognizes regional diversities and rent levels as well aseconomic and income issues that are vastly different acrossOntario. Further it is a more inexpensive way of delivering

help to thousands of renters. It is anticipated that once fullyimplemented it would cost around $240 million annually.

In the Coalition’s advocacy efforts, excellent examples ofhow this program would work have been detailed by thehousing economists retained by the group. Here are a coupleof examples of the impact of this modest program.

In these two examples, the costs average from $113 to $136per month and would make a huge impact in the people’slives. It encourages people to work as housing benefitswould not be lost or clawed back as a result of the recipientmoving from government benefits to employment.

The Coalition will continue to aggressively promote thisvery timely program to both the municipal and provincialorders of government as a viable, cost effective and muchneeded program for Ontario’s renters.



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CENTERLINE CAPITAL GROUP SELECTS YARDI VOYAGERFOR COMPREHENSIVE ASSET MANAGEMENT TOOL

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., March 18, 2009 – Yardi Systems, aleading developer of real estate investment and property

management software, announced today that CenterlineCapital Group, a provider of real estate financial and assetmanagement services, has selected Yardi Voyager™ tofacilitate complete transparency and corporate-leveloversight of its multifamily assets.

Centerline employs multiple management companies tooversee its more than 60 multifamily assets, and each uses adifferent property management system (Yardi or MRI). Beforeimplementing Voyager, Centerline received multiple sets of paper reports each month. Now, using Yardi’s Extract,Transform and Load (ETL) technology, all of this data ispulled into one central database—daily. Seconds later,Centerline can produce consolidated reports; the companyhas complete oversight of its portfolio at the click of a mouse.

Kevin Day, a vice president at Centerline, sees tremendouspractical value in the new system. “We realized we needed ourmonthly financial data in one format. Previously, reports deliveredby our property managers had to be manually compiled into onespreadsheet report, a cumbersome process,” said Day. “YardiVoyager enforces a consistent reporting standard across ourproperties and consolidates everything into one format, vastlyimproving our ability to track and report on property performance.”

The ETL toolset provided by Yardi automates the extractionof financial and property lease data from all operating partnersto Centerline’s new Voyager system in a consistent format.This eliminates the need to rekey data, which can be labor-intensive, error-prone, and painstakingly slow.

To achieve optimal oversight, Centerline also implementedYardi Executive Dashboard™. Dashboard displays portfolio-wide analytics and key performance indicators (such asvacancy and traffic) in a single, customizable, Web-basedscreen. This gives executives instant, meaningful insight fromany Internet-capable workstation, without having to rely onconsultants or IT. With Voyager’s underlying, centralizeddatabase, they can easily drill down, all the way to thetransaction level, on any of Centerline’s 60-plus properties.

Centerline also elected to take advantage of Yardi’sApplication Service Provider hosting. Yardi hosts theapplication and database, provides technical support and

networking resources, and assumes responsibility for systemsecurity, so Centerline can focus resources on its core business.

Yardi partnered with REdirect Consulting, leveraging itsproven rapid implementation process to ensure that Centerlineis up and running on Yardi Voyager within 45 days, and withminimal impact or disruption to its operating partners.

“We are pleased that Yardi’s ability to integrate disparate data,automate key reports, and deliver comprehensive oversight andtransparency has provided Centerline the end-to-end assetmanagement solution it sought to dramatically improve operationalefficiency,” said Richard Malpica, Yardi vice president andgeneral manager, Eastern Region.

ABOUT CENTERLINE CAPITAL GROUP Centerline Capital Group, a New York-based subsidiary ofCenterline Holding Company, provides real estate financialand asset management services, including institutional debtand equity fund management, mortgage banking, andprimary and special loan servicing. Centerline Capital Grouphas more than $14 billion of assets under management. Formore information, visit www.centerline.com.

ABOUT REDIRECT CONSULTINGREdirect Consulting, based in New York, is a leading providerof real estate technology solutions. REdirect takes anadvocate's approach to consulting, partnering with its clientsto craft and implement solutions that carefully match theirbusiness and budget requirements and reach their technologygoals with a full understanding of their business challenges.For more information, visit www.redirectinc.com.

ABOUT YARDIFor more than 25 years, Yardi Systems has been solelycommitted to the design, development, and support of realestate investment management and property managementsoftware. Recognized as an industry leader, Yardi continuesto develop and deliver software and services with the highestdedication to responsiveness, quality, innovation, andcustomer focus. Yardi Systems has offices throughout Asia,Australia, Europe and North America. More informationabout Yardi products and services may be found by visitingwww.yardi.com.

G T A A - I N D U S T R Y N E W S




PHELPS APARTMENTLAUNDRIES

Phelps Apartment Laundries Ltd. isplease to announce that Chris Hamiltonhas been added to the sales team in ournew Milton facility as of January 2009.Chris brings with him many years ofsales expertise and is excited aboutmeeting existing and new clients

throughout the GTAA . Chris will be involved in many of the upcoming events in the organization and Phelpswould encourage the members to contact any of ourrepresentatives, including Chris, to discuss some of thenew and exciting, cost saving products being launched this spring.

CONCERT ACQUIRES SIGNIFICANTRENTAL DEVELOPMENT SITE INDOWNTOWN TORONTO, ONTARIO

Vancouver, BC, Canada – Concert is pleased to announce thatit has acquired a significant development site in the heart ofToronto’s downtown core.

Located on the southwest corner of Bay Street and DundasStreet West, the 0.8 acre land parcel, currently a commercialparking lot, is exceptionally suited for a highrise multi-family rental development.

Approved for a 26-storey tower, the proposed developmentwill accommodate approximately 330,000 square feet with448 rental units and premiere retail at grade.

“Toronto continues to be one of the fastest growing cities inthe country, and as a result, is experiencing a growingdemand for rental housing,” said Brian McCauley, ExecutiveVice President, Concert Properties. “With 20 years as amarket leader in rental development, Concert sees this site asan exceptional and rarely available opportunity to build anew rental project in the heart of the City of Toronto.”

Concert has completed three highrise rental housing projectsin the Toronto marketplace including Jazz in downtownToronto, Prelude in North York and Serrano at Village GateWest in Etobicoke. The company also recently completedTapestry at Village Gate West, a 168-suite rental seniorsliving community. This acquisition at Bay and Dundas StreetWest represents the ninth residential development site inConcert’s growing Ontario portfolio and further strengthensthe company’s reputation as a leader in the development ofassured multi-family rental housing.

ABOUT CONCERT PROPERTIESConcert is an award-winning diversified real estateenterprise involved in developing and acquiring commercialand industrial properties, rental housing, multi-familycondominium housing, seniors living communities, andresort developments in British Columbia, Alberta andOntario. www.ConcertProperties.com

HARCO CO. LTD RECEIVES MAYTAG®COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY RED CARPETSERVICE® EXCELLENCE AWARD

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (March 9, 2009) - Maytag®

Commercial Laundry awarded Harco Co. Ltd. with this year’sRed Carpet Service®Excellence Award during the Maytag®

Commercial Laundry 51st Annual Meeting in Bonita Springs,Fla., in late February. A longstanding tradition, the award ispresented to a company that best exemplifies the excellentservice and dependability characterized by Maytag®

Commercial Laundry.

“Harco goes above and beyond the customer service call of duty,”said Craig Kirchner, director of global commercial laundry atWhirlpool Corporation. “Its motto ‘Exceptional Service forExceptional Customers’ is evident by its daily commitment to theMaytag brand and developing long-lasting, loyal customers.”

Fred Maytag, who wanted customers to feel as if a red carpet ofroyalty had been rolled out in their honor, developed the awardin the 1950s. Award criterion is based on service response time,customer comments, customer loyalty, customer serviceetiquette and a commitment by the company to continuallyengaging in Red Carpet Service® training courses. Other factorsinclude having a full parts inventory on hand at all times andconducting ongoing product and service training.

“It’s an honor to be recognized a third time by Maytag® CommercialLaundry for outstanding customer service,” said Robert Jackson,owner of Harco Co. Ltd.

Founded in 1961, and with present ownership in place since1981, Harco was appointed as a Maytag® CommercialLaundry distributor in 1984. This is the company’s third timewinning the award. Additionally, Harco is a three-time FredMaytag Award winner.

Jackson and fellow owner Robert Stevens were on handduring the meeting to receive the award.

Should you be in the process of replacing your laundryequipment or renewing a laundry room lease, contact Ugo Amendola at 1-800-387-9503 ext 257 or visit Harco’swebsite at www.harcoco.com





www.gtaaonline.com

FIRST ANNUAL HSI SOLUTIONS ICEHOCKEY CHALLENGE RAISES $4,200FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

On February 26, hsi solutions hosted its First Annual IceHockey Challenge at Scarborough’s Canlan Ice Sports arena.Six teams laced up their skates and put on their hockey gearto raise money for Habitat for Humanity.

The idea of the hockey challenge can be credited to ReaudSingh, Business Development Manager at hsi solutions. Hisidea was to bring together companies within the propertymanagement industry for a fun event. With the help andenthusiasm of all the teams, the tournament came togetherin only six weeks.

The tournament featured teams from hsi solutions, GreenwinProperty Management, Great West Life (GWLRA), the ZegasGroup, Toronto Community Housing, and Ameresco Canada.

With each team playing a minimum of two games and someteams playing as many as four games, there was plenty ofhockey for one day. The round robin tournament ended withan exciting final game between GWLRA and the ZegasGroup, with GWLRA winning by one goal.

With the generous donations of the teams and sponsors,raffles and a 50/50 draw, $4,200 was raised for Habitat forHumanity.

Plans are already underway for a bigger tournament next year!

hsi solutions would like to thank the teams that participated,and the following sponsors for their generosity:

ADAM’S PAINTING

AMERESCO CANADA

ASCA OFFICE SOLUTIONS

BUTTS PUMPS & MOTORS LIMITED

CANLAN ICE SPORTS SCARBOROUGH

CERTIFIED AIR

CHAMP ENGINEERING

CITY OF TORONTO TRANSPORTATION

CYPRUS CONTRACTING INC.

G&K TEXTILES

GREATER TORONTO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION

GOODMANS LLP

GWLRA

HVAC DIMENSIONS

LAURA SECORD HOUSE

MIDSTEEL MECHANICAL

OCEAN MECHANICAL

ONTARIO ROOFING

PEGASUS ELECTRIC

PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS PICKERING

R.F. PORTER GENERAL CONTRACTING

RESPONSE RESTORATION

SOURCE FOR SPORTS

TREMCO

WHITBY CIVIC RECREATION COMPLEX

XOR ELECTRIC

YOURGO INC.

ZEGAS GROUP LTD.

hsi solutions is a construction and maintenance companyproviding services to the multi-residential, institutionaland government sectors. www.hsisolutions.ca

COINAMATIC CANADA INC.ANNOUNCES NEW PRODUCT LINE

Coinamatic Canada Inc. is pleased to announce theintroduction of its Revolution® Signature Series laundryproducts. The new product line consists of privatelybranded, SmartCity® smart card-activated, front load, frontcontrol washers and matching dryers produced exclusivelyfor Coinamatic by Alliance Laundry Systems. Thesemachines truly excel in creating a high end amenity to helpBuilding Owners and Property Managers attract and retainresidents to their buildings.

The Revolution® Signature Series by Coinamatic premiumwashers and dryers are Energy Star® qualified with a CEETier 3 rating, providing unparalleled ability to reduce waterconsumption and energy costs.

Equipped with a variety of features and premium settings,Revolution® washers enable residents to tailor laundry cyclesto their specific needs allowing them to independently selectcycle type, water temperature and soil levels. The matchingRevolution® dryers offer 5 different drying cycles.

The features of the Revolution® Signature Series parallel thefeatures available on commercial laundry equipment foundin retail laundromats, leaving building residents no reason toleave the building to visit off-premise laundry facilities.

If you would like to learn more about the Revolution®

Signature Series and how they can help enhance yourproperty, please contact Virginia Tolfo, Director, MajorClient Services at 905-755-1946.



The following Incentive Guidelines apply to all Commercial projects:

* m3 refers to cubic metre of natural gas.1. Per facility, building or project.2. Before taxes. The “cost of the audit” is the lesser of

the estimated cost of the audit set out in the application form or the actual cost on the audit invoice.

3. Operational improvement projects exempted.Based upon applicable manufacturer’s combustion rating.

To be eligible for Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc.’s Energy Efficiency Incentive Programs you must be an Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. customer and approved measures must be implemented in Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc.’s franchise area between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2008. This advertisement is a summary only and certain terms, conditions and restrictions apply. Programs are subject to cancellation without notice at any time. Please ask your Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. representative and read our program literature for additional details. Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. makes no representation, warranty or guarantee regarding the projected savings of any energy efficiency measure undertaken by any customer.




Trow

Your choice of coin operated or smart card equipment

Front load, high energy efficient Maytag machines

Revenue share, rental plans and sales

All machines come with full audit capabilities

WWW.HARCOCO.COM

SINCE 1961 OUR NAME HAS BEENSYNONYMOUS WITH SERVICE EXCELLENCE

AND DEPENDABILITY

A P A R T M E N T L A U N D R Y S Y S T E M S

P R E S E N T E D T O T H E

TOP MAYTAG DISTRIBUTOR IN THE WORLD

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MULTIPLEWINNERS OF THE FREDMAYTAGTRAVELLINGTROPHY

TORONTO BRANCH

5915 Coopers Avenue, Mississauga, OntarioPhone: 905-890-1220 OR 1-800-387-9503

Fax: 905-890-7039ONTARIO - QUEBEC - NOVA SCOTIA




UofT, OCAD, George Brown, ESL, co-op, and exchange studentsmedical interns and researchersUofT staff and faculty

Customize your ad online - just $38 for a six-week ad, $22 to renew “The students we found through the Housing Service were ideal. They’re serious and they pay their rent on time.”

-J. Hayes, Landlord

www.housing.utoronto.ca

Reach thousands of renters in the GTA





ORKIN PCO SERVICES ARTICLE SUBMISSION | BY BILL MELVILLE - QUALITY ASSURANCE DIRECTOR, ORKIN PCO SERVICES

GIVE BIRDS AN EVICTION NOTICE PREVENTING BIRDS AROUND APARTMENTS

G T A A

Just as you don’t tolerate residents who don’t pay their rent,evict birds treating your apartment building as a free place

to hang out. Though they may appear harmless, birds canactually threaten your residents’ health and your building’sstructural integrity. Birds can carry ectoparasites and alsotransmit Histoplasmosis – a disease affecting the humanrespiratory system. In addition, the acidity of bird droppingscan weaken building materials, including steel.

Though many bird species are protected by law, there are threeprimary species of birds recognized as pests, and thereforesubject to control measures:

Pigeons – Found in virtually every city in North America,pigeons are associated with more than 50 diseases. Varying incolor from white to black, adult pigeons are stocky, with short,rounded fan-like tails. They prefer to feed on seeds, grain andfruit, but they will readily consume human food, garbage andanimal matter. Pigeons tend to congregate in flocks that canreach large numbers, leaving behind significant amounts ofdroppings.

Sparrows – These small birds are known to displace nativesongbirds, replacing the desirable songs with noisy,monotonous chirping. What’s more, sparrows are known tocarry more than 30 diseases and their droppings can defacebuildings. They range in color from black to brown, dependingon their gender, and they prefer to nest in protected areas in,on, or near buildings. Sparrows are the most prolific breedersamong all bird species.

Starlings – Gathering in large flocks, starlings are nuisancepests in both urban and rural settings. They carry morethan 25 diseases and love to take up residence in buildingnooks and crannies. Starlings will eat almost anything andadjust quickly to city sounds and lights.

Pest birds like pigeons, sparrows and starlings target apartmentbuildings for four reasons:

Socializing/Loafing – Birds are social creatures and congregateto loaf in one spot. Act quickly to relocate or repel them beforethey take up permanent residence.

Feeding – Apartment buildings appeal to birds looking for easyaccess to food and water. Make sure that all trash and standingwater is promptly removed from the area surrounding yourbuilding. Pay extra attention to HVAC units on the roof, whichcan leak or perspire, and leave additional standing water. Also,discourage tenants from feeding wild birds.

Sleeping/Roosting – Birds tend to roost on flat surfaces,which is why they are often found on roof ledges. Unlikeloafing birds, roosting birds aren’t easily discouraged withminor repellants and relocation techniques.

Breeding/Nesting – Finally, birds build nests on yourproperty to raise their young. It’s difficult to removebreeding birds as their nests must be removed or destroyed.

To be most effective, bird control methods must be tailored tothe specific bird species and situation. The three mostcommon techniques are repellants, relocation methods andexclusion.

Repellants – Repellants discourage birds from perching onledges and can be effective in deterring socializing orbreeding birds. Physical repellants include bird spikes or tacky gels, but you also can use scare devices such aselectronic noisemakers to frighten birds away. A licensedprofessional should be consulted on the use of repellants.

Relocation – Relocation methods are necessary for riddingyour property of nesting birds. Again, this should only bedone by a licensed professional with the proper protectiveequipment and training to physically remove birds and theirnests. Your pest management professional should be wellversed in the laws governing the ethical treatment of birds.

Exclusion – Most effective for controlling breeding birds,exclusion keeps birds out of areas where they don’t belong.Many birds will make nests under HVAC units, where theyreceive shelter from the elements. In this case, netting canbe used to block off the entire area around the HVAC unit.Depending on the structure and the severity of the infestation,an even larger area may need to be netted off. Anotherexclusion method is to seal all openings in exterior walls to deter birds like starlings, which can squeeze through anopening as small as two and a half centimeters in diameter.

Whether or not you’re currently experiencing a bird infestation,it’s always a smart idea to make the building less appealing andaccessible to birds. Work with a licensed pest managementprofessional to identify areas where birds may take up residence.Together you can work proactively to discourage birds – beforethey become a bigger, and costlier, problem.

BILL MELVILLE IS QUALITY ASSURANCE DIRECTOR FOR ORKIN PCOSERVICES. MR. MELVILLE HAS 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE INDUSTRYAND IS AN ACKNOWLEDGED LEADER IN THE FIELD OF PEST MANAGEMENT.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, EMAIL MR. MELVILLE AT [email protected] OR VISIT WWW.ORKINCANADA.COM.


Why Tenants’ Insuranceis So Important

KEVIN MIDGHALL IS A BROKER WITH SINCLAIR-COCKBURN FINANCIAL GROUP. HE CAN BE REACHED AT [email protected] OR BY PHONE 416-494-7700 EXT. 366

Tenant’s have a responsibility to their fellow tenant’s andbuilding owners much like we all do in interacting within

society. Just because they do not own the unit they live indoesn’t mean that they aren’t liable for their actions. A fire orflood caused by a tenant that impacts the lives and materialpossessions of other tenant’s is not the building owner’sresponsibility. The building owner would immediately cleanup the common areas, but their insurer would want to findsomeone to pay. As always in life, follow the money. It is theperson or persons whose action caused the situation to occurwho will be deemed ultimately responsible. Without liabilitycoverage- something all tenant’s policies include- a simplemistake could cost an unsuspecting tenant thousands ofdollars.

Even if a tenant does not have a strong financial footing,they can still be found legally liable. They will incurexpenses, sometimes prohibitively expensive ones, in

defending themselves. These costs can run into the tens ofthousands and could ruin a life. $30 dollars a month wouldseem awfully inexpensive in life’s rear-view mirror.

The building owners and manager’s who make an effort tobring the concept of tenant’s insurance to their tenant’s areexercising responsibility and forward thinking strategies.While a building cannot force a tenant to take out tenantinsurance, they can make it available through informationmailings, e-mail communications and posted notices. Theycan offer to host information sessions and invite a broker tospeak. The benefit of this strategy lies in proactively raisingthe issue and providing an opportunity for tenant’s to easilypurchase this coverage. The other benefit is one of addressingtenant’s responsibilities without seeming high-handed ordidactic. The final and most obvious benefit is that thetenant’s will have coverage both from their actions andthose of others should a named peril unfortunately occur.

G T A A


www.gtaaonline.com

TOP 10 VEHICLES STOLEN IN CANADA IN 2008

1. 2000 HONDA CIVIC SIR 2-DOOR

2. 1999 HONDA CIVIC SIR 2-DOOR

3. 2004 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX/WRX STI 4-DOOR AWD

4. 1995 DODGE/PLYMOUTH GRAND CARAVAN/VOYAGER

5. 1995 DODGE/PLYMOUTH CARAVAN/VOYAGER

6. 2002 ACURA RSX TYPE S 2-DOOR

7. 2001 AUDI TT QUATTRO ROADSTER

8. 1995 ACURA INTEGRA 2-DOOR

9. 1996 DODGE/PLYMOUTH NEON 2-DOOR

10. 1996 DODGE/PLYMOUTH NEON 4-DOOR

TOP 10 LEAST STOLEN VEHICLES IN CANADA IN 2008

1. (TIE 1ST) 2003 CADILLAC DEVILLE 4-DOOR

2. (TIE 1ST) 2002 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 4-DOOR

3. (TIE 1ST) 2001 LINCOLN TOWN CAR 4-DOOR

4. 2007 CHEVROLET IMPALA 4-DOOR

5. (TIE 3RD) 2001 TOYOTA AVALON 4-DOOR

6. (TIE 3RD) 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA 2WD

7. (TIE 4TH) 2005 BUICK TERRAZA EXT

8. (TIE 4TH) 2003 BUICK REGAL 4-DOOR

9. (TIE 4TH) 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4-DOOR 2WD

10. (TIE 4TH) 2000 FORD/MERCURY TAURUS/SABLE WAGON

Source – Insurance Bureau of Canada



THE GREATER TORONTO APARTMENTASSOCIATION CHARITABLE FOUNDATION –CHEQUE PRESENTATION

G T A A

St. Stephen's Community House (SSCH) was thrilled to receive agenerous donation for their Corner Drop-in Program from the

Greater Toronto Apartment Association (GTAA) CharitableFoundation on March 6, 2009. Brad Butt, President, GTAApresented Liane Regendanz, Executive Director, SSCH and RobinGriller, Manager, Housing and Homelessness Services, SSCH, witha cheque for $5,000 outside of St. Stephen’s Corner Drop-in onAugusta Avenue.

The Corner Drop-in provides vital services for socially isolatedindividuals and people living on the streets of downtownToronto. The goals of the Drop-in are to help homeless men andwomen meet their basic needs, get into shelter and ultimatelyinto permanent housing. On a daily basis, more than 200members visit the Drop-in to receive daytime shelter, nutritioushot meals, information and help in finding affordable housing,counselling on addictions, as well as access to financial andprimary health care services. The Corner has proven successfulin helping members maintain housing and improve theirhealth. Last year, St. Stephen’s Corner Drop-in placed almost400 clients in affordable homes.

St. Stephen’s is a multi-service social agency that workswith individuals and communities in downtown westToronto to identify, prevent and alleviate social andeconomic problems by creating and providing a range ofeffective and innovative programs.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.STSTEPHENSHOUSE.COM.


Great WebsitesConnect!

Spring and summer are the most popular seasons for thosesearching for a new place to call home. New household

formations are constant, immigration is still strong and insome cases tough economic times make relocating necessaryfor many people looking for new and different career paths.

The search for a rental unit has evolved over the years.Newspapers were at one time the only media source forperspective renters when conducting their search. But freerental publications featuring building photos, maps, filledwith a myriad of choice plus corporate branding quicklybecame a popular one-stop apartment rental source in the ’90s.

In early 2000, the Internet first surfaced as another sourceand a perfect complement to print media. Studies show atypical renter first begins by searching their local rentalpublication. The renter builds up their wish list after viewingads that fit their criteria. Further research of their wish list isthen conducted online at which point they edit their choicesdown to a select few.

Today’s web technology should offer both its users and itscustomers both functionality and flexibility. Landlords andproperty management companies need real-time solutions toget their properties occupied quickly and efficiently andusers need photos, property information and easy access tothe property management companies in order to pinpointprospective properties quickly and easily.

So what is the difference between a good website and agreat website?

Good rental websites offer accurate location informationthrough simple keyword searches or interactive map searches.Many households may be new Canadians or out-of-townprospects, so the more detailed the location information is thebetter the chance they will meet their match when searchingfor a property to call home.

A great website virtually eliminates the need to visit aproperty except to reaffirm what they have learned in theirresearch plus sign the lease! Through the Internet experience,prospects feel confident about making an informed decision

when they visit your building. Today’s savvy renter has mostquestions already answered either through the onlineexperience itself, or through simple email communication orphone contact with your site staff.

A great rental website should also offer:

• MAPPING WITH ROAD, AERIAL AND BIRD’S-EYE VIEWS

• MULTIPLE PHOTOS AND PHOTO OPTIONS

• SOCIAL NETWORKING AND SAVED SEARCHES FOR SHARING INFO

• PROPERTY DETAIL PAGES

• INFORMATION REGARDING AMENITIES IN THE AREA

In the case of Trader Corporation’s new site, homeTRADER.ca,each rental property can be found quickly using mappingtechnology from Microsoft Virtual Maps. The search engine

G T A A


www.gtaaonline.com



VOLUNTEERING AT SCOTT MISSIONREWARDING EXPERIENCE

G T A A

provides the option to view a property’s nearby amenitiesusing Yellow Pages plug-in technology that pinpointsschools, childcare, restaurants, banks, shopping, hospitalsand other essential services that exist nearby. The site alsooffers tips and expert advice on décor, signing a lease andmoving tips for users.

While the user experience is important, the back-endtools and support for advertisers is essential to a website’ssuccess.

Support and detailed reporting should be made readilyavailable to all advertisers. Real-time management andmeasurement of property listings is also essential, as isdedicated online support to help build, manage andmaximize advertising campaigns.

Web technology is continuously growing in the realestate and property management marketplace and willoffer more and more in the way of exciting multi-mediatechnology. The U.S. rental website, ForRent.com, offershigh-quality streaming video of rental communities andvirtual tours that enhance the user experience. It’s anexciting example of the limitless possibilities the Internetoffers, and a great way to for renters to find new places tocall home.

The Greater Toronto Apartment Association has run avolunteer program at The Scott Mission for over six

years now and encouraged member companies to takepart. Recently, Stratacon employees volunteered and hereis their story.

Stratacon Inc. employees Sue Fautsch, Peter Anderson,Ed Lewis and Doris Ainsworth volunteered a morningout of their weekday to help out at the Scott Mission onMonday March 16th. After a tour of the Mission’sfacilities, we were put to work setting the tables andpreparing for the first wave of clients to come in for a hotlunch. Sue and Doris were given the task of plating thelunch which consisted of meatballs, rice and vegetableswhile Ed and Peter delivered trays of 6 plates to each ofthe tables. 150 people were served in the first 45 minuteswith the assistance of another 7 volunteers. Our nexttask was to clean and reset the tables for the next servingat 11:30. We plated and served another 150 clients in thenext half hour and between noon and 12:45 we cleanedall the tables and help set up for our own lunch.

The experience was rewarding for all four of us. We foundthe Mission to be very organized and efficient. Theservices they provide to the people of Toronto is invaluableand we look forward to another day of volunteering sometime this summer.

IF YOUR FIRM WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED, CONTACT BRAD BUTT AT [email protected]

TO ARRANGE YOUR DAY!


The Spring Housing Operators and People Everywhere (HOPE)Food Drive taking place the night of April 21, 2009 with food

pick up and delivery to various food banks throughout thegreater-Toronto area April 22-24, 2009 is ready to roll withclose to 800 apartment buildings committed to participate.

The food bank operators state that this food drive is the onlyway they would be able to provide food year round to theirclients. In fact did you know…

• the 2008 food drive collected 163,866 pounds of food as wellas donations which purchased over 100,000 pounds of rice

• this amount represented close to 65% of all food itemsdonated to Daily Bread Food Bank in 2008

• the share of the food thenallocated to regional foodbanks included 11.6%going to the MississaugaFood Bank; 22.8% goingto the North YorkHarvest Food Bank and 0.9% going toFoodshare Oakville

• in 2006, the drivedonated 60,000 poundsof food and in 2007donated 59,249pounds of food

“We are really excitedabout this year’sparticipation especially given the increaseddemand at the various food banks,” said Brad Butt, President,Greater Toronto Apartment Association. “Although we are notreally going for the Guinness Record this year, there is no reason whywe can’t make another huge contribution in 2009.”

G T A A


www.gtaaonline.com

SPRING HOPE FOODDRIVE READY TO ROLL

AsbestosRegulationsStill Need tobe FollowedOn March 23, 2009, the Greater Toronto Apartment

Association hosted a lunch ‘n’ learn event withMaritime-Ontario Environmental Inc. to refresh memberson the requirements for compliance with the Ontarioregulations on asbestos regulations and audit procedures.

Kim Strong (seen in the picture attached) gave a verythorough overview of the regulations and the specific areasof concern for owners and operators of rental housing.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO ARRANGE FOR A REVIEW OF BUILDINGS,

CONTACT MONICA DUTKIEWICZ [email protected] OR CALL 905-602-4376


THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS: NEW BUILDINGMEASURING SYSTEM SOLVES PROBLEMS ANDENHANCES MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES

If the current global economic crisis has taught us anything,it is that without adequate systems and tools to accurately

measure assets – especially in the real estate industry – risk iselevated and financial decisions are reduced to speculativeguesswork.

Engineer Mike Laurie of PLANiT Measuring® has witnessedfirsthand the shortcomings of inaccurate measurementwithin the apartment building industry. Precisemeasurements and valuations on the other hand, offergreater potential for profitability because information ispower – especially when it can be quickly processed, flexiblyintegrated, and strategically applied. So after years ofmeasuring buildings with tape measures and pencils, itbecame apparent to Laurie and his colleagues that handsketches and digital line drawings created on laptops wereboth woefully inadequate.

“They still had to be processed off-site to make them usable asCAD drawings, and that was an inefficient, error prone process,”explains Laurie. “So we took the unique step of starting withpowerful CAD programming and we designed a measuringsystem around it that combined best-of-breed technologies into oneseamless software.” The patent-pending MeasuringBoard®

technology was born, and won an Innovation Award fromthe National Research Council of Canada in 2005.

Using this kind of flexible program, field technicians are ableto capture both building floor plans and the constructionmaterials used to construct the buildings. Then, the wealthof information can be tabulated into industry standardformats and can be used in calculating building replacementcost for appraisal purposes or to create Building InformationModels (BIM).

Inspectors, space planners, architects, appraisers, buildingmanagers, and others now use it in a variety of ways. “We usethese measurements to identify unique suites with the potential forhigher rents and to recognize space that is not well utilized andwhich can be modified to yield additional revenue,” explains LeeWarren of Sun Life Financial. “We can also provide prospectivetenants with an accurate visual floor plan when they tour theproperty, something to take away with them and assist them inmaking a leasing decision.”

Once building measurements are digitized in this way theycan be summarized in spreadsheet format; they can confirmas-built floor plans that may differ substantially from original architectural drawings, and they can be used to docomprehensive space analysis for due diligence projects. Thefiles can even be used for Web presentations and to hot-linkto marketing photos and panoramic video tours.

Those who specialize in this kind of measuring are muchlike property surveyors, except that they measure the insideof buildings. Just as a conventional land survey can showassets such as easements, roadways, utilities, or valuabletrees and structures, the internal measurements of a buildingcan reveal everything from premium suites to underutilizedspaces that can be more profitably used if converted intouseful and marketable amenities.

Location may be everything in the real estate business, butdependable measurements are how values are computed, sothey form the underlying premise of every plan, choice, andtransaction.


G T A A


WASTE DIVERSION IMPROVEMENTFORUM HELPS MEMBERS IMMENSELY

THE GREATER TORONTO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION IS GRATEFUL TO THE SPEAKERS AND THEIR VERY THOROUGH PRESENTATIONS. COPIES OF THE PRESENTATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON CD FOR A COST OF $50.00 + GST FOR THOSE WHOCOULD NOT ATTEND BY CONTACTING SAMANTHA WILKINSON AT [email protected] OR CALL 416-385-3435 X 37.

Based on the feedback received, the March 4, 2009 forumthat hosted more than 160 members, provided excellent

and implementable ideas to significantly improve wastediversion at Toronto’s apartment properties. Speakers veryspecifically detailed programs, services and materials availableto building owners, managers and their site staff to minimizethe impact of the waste diversion levy on apartment buildings.

“This forum was a one of a kind session that was practical anddoable. People said right away after leaving – hey, I can do that atmy building right away. That was a tremendous response,” saidBrad Butt, President, Greater Toronto Apartment Association.

FOR THOSE WHO MISSED IT, THE FOLLOWING PRESENTERS WERE IN ATTENDANCE.

O P E N I N G R E M A R K S :- Geoff Rathbone, General Manager,

Solid Waste Management Services, City of Toronto

R E S I D E N T P O L L P R E S E N TAT I O N :- Natasha Estey, Senior Research Manager,

Ipsos Reid Public Affairs

C I T Y O F TO RO N TO P R E S E N TAT I O N S :- Gerry Martell, Manager, Multi-family Collections,

New Infrastructure Development & Contracted Services,Solid Waste Management Services

- Katie Herbert, Senior Communications Coordinator,Policy, Planning, Finance & Administration Division

- Michelle Carruthers, Policy Analyst, Policy & Planning,Solid Waste Management Services on the 3 “Rs”Ambassador Program, with Elaine LePage committeemember, 3Rs Working Group.

P RO P E RT Y M A N AG E M E N T P R E S E N TAT I O N S :- Chris Hawley, Vice-President, Rental Operations,

Greenwin Property Management Inc.

- Randy Daiter, General Manager, O’Shanter Development Company Ltd.

G T A A


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Heating Plant Renewalin Mid-Sized Buildings– A Case Study

G T A A

Fuel-fired central heating plants are the biggest singlepoint of energy use in most Ontario apartment buildings.

However, the many 30 to 40 year old heating plants thatremain in service are in a truly sorry state, since they are nowwell beyond their life expectancy. There is an opportunityhere to renew obsolete heating plant assets, reduce operatingrisk, and cut energy costs all at the same time.

Owners of larger buildings of 150+ suites have recognized thisfor some years, finding that heating plant projects deliver abetter ROI than new building acquisitions. But owners ofsmaller buildings have been slower to the party. There aregenerally three reasons for this:

1. Renewal projects in smaller buildings are somewhat lesscost-effective. The economies of scale are less.

2. Smaller owners may have less access to capital.

3. Smaller owners are less likely to have staff with expertiseto deal with a noisy and highly technical marketplace.

The usual response in smaller buildings is a cheap and simplejob, in which the existing boilers are replaced at the lowestpossible cost. There is rarely any though given to higher-quality equipment, modern controls, or repiping for highestefficiency throughout the year. In the end, these replacementplants save very little energy and don’t last as long as theyshould…a poor investment when all factors are considered.

Recently Mercedes Homes, an owner/operator of upscaleapartments in prime Toronto neighbourhoods, proved thatpremium grade mechanical renewal in mid-sized buildingscan be great investments, using the same business practicesand resources as the bigger market players.

In 2007, Mercedes Homes replaced hot water heating plantsin three mid-sized buildings (34 suites, 79 suites, 71 suites).Prior to the installations, the ownership group took the timeto educate themselves in modern heating systems and themarket choices available. They retained a design engineerand discussed options as a group, and planned ahead howtheir plants would be operated. Once the key decisionswere made, they used a formal tender process to get thebest possible market pricing.

The plants were monitored for gas use through 2008,demonstrating weather-adjusted savings of 26.4% (Figure 1),well ahead of the 20% target. A capital investment of k$260has increased property values by about k$685, while replacingsystems that were beyond the end of their useful lives. Theresults, summarized in Figure 2, are exceeding the financialtargets.

Mercedes Homes couldhave done a very basicjob for about half thecost. But there wouldhave been little or noenergy savings and thelife expectancy wouldhave been half as long.As implemented, theprojects includedEuropean cast ironsectional boilers withmodulating burners,full direct digitalcontrols with webinterface, and repiping

and venting for highest efficiency. The new plants arecomplete replacements, using components that are more


Fig.1 – Mercedes Homes Natural Gas Savings Trend

Fig.2 – Financial Results



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efficient and much more durable than the original equipment.

A number of important practices contributed to the positiveresults:

• The new heating systems were computer-simulated undera range of operating conditions and then specified carefullyto ensure efficient year-round operation.

• The Owners and Engineer used a formal, detailed qualitycontrol process to make sure the Contractors finished thejob and that everything was working properly.

• Building Operations staff continue to play an important rolein monitoring and adjusting systems for ongoing efficiency.Web-enabled digital control systems can be powerful toolsfor this purpose. Effective energy management is a process,and savings will erode if someone is not staying on top ofplant operations.

By educating themselves in the science of building heating,and by choosing to invest a bit more in a higher-qualityprocess, Mercedes Homes is achieving tremendous results

from a no-compromises solution. The same approach couldbe applied to thousands of apartment buildings across theGTA. Utility incentive grants are available for these projects,and private lenders are now stepping up with off-balance-sheet financing arrangements.

MIKE THOMAS, A PARTNER WITH EFFICIENCY ENGINEERING INC. IN CAMBRIDGE, HAS BEEN DESIGNING AND MANAGING HEAT RETROFIT PROJECTS FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

HE CAN BE REACHED AT 516-624-9965 X 214 OR [email protected].

The Greater Toronto Apartment Association CharitableFoundation, their staff and Board of Director’s over the

years’ have been a strong supporter of Na-Me-Res (NativeMen’s Residence) existing programs and services.

The Greater Toronto Apartment Association CharitableFoundation have again provided Na-Me-Res with a verygenerous contribution towards our programs and services,namely our 2009 Annual Traditional Pow Wow—“Honouring Our Life Givers”.

It is through generous private donations that Na-Me-Res isable to provide the community with our yearly communityevent….Na-Me-Res Annual Traditional Pow Wow/CommunityFestival in the month of June (usually around June 20-21st)in honour of the Summer Solstice. Our yearly event bringsVIP’s First Nations drummers and dancers, non-Aboriginalparticipants to Well’s Hill Park (across from St. Clair Westsubway station) to celebrate the coming of summer throughtraditional song and dance. Everyone is welcome incelebration of the coming of summer through traditionalsong and dance, authentic First Nation’s cuisine, display ofauthentic traditional arts & crafts. All participants areencouraged to celebrate and give thanks at our freetraditional feast and giveaway.

On behalf of our Board of Director’s, and staff, we are sendinga heartfelt CHI-MIIGWETCH (thank you in Ojibway) to theGreater Toronto Apartment Association Charitable Foundationfor your generous contribution towards our yearly TraditionalPow Wow and we extend our open invitation the GreaterToronto Apartment Association/Charitable Foundation clients,staff and their families to come and enjoy the day with us!!

Fig.3 – Boiler Installation

PHOTO L-R: PAUL SMITH, CHAIR - GREATER TORONTO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, HARVEY MANNING,EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – NA-ME-RES, BLANCH WHITE, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER/FUNDRAISER – NA-ME-RES, GLORIA SALOMON,CHAIR – GREATER TORONTO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION CHARITABLE FOUNDATION


G T A A - C H A R I T A B L E F O U N D A T I O N



Customer Serviceis Dead!

G T A A

In the last month I’ve called rental offices repeatedly, leftmessages and waited as long as five days for a return phone

call. In the last month I went to rent an apartment on behalfof one of my children and waited forty-five minutes withmoney, bank forms, and confirmation of income on hand tonot even have an agent show up. In the last month, I’ve beenkept waiting over half an hour to see an apartment because astaff member was on lunch or on the phone. And many of uswonder why we have vacancy?

In the good old days customer service was KING. It was atime when cell phones and blackberries and computers andvoicemail didn’t even exist. Today, we have informationoverload, and everything virtually at our fingertips or thepush of a button and we can’t get someone to even answerthe phone. Maybe it’s time that we take a serious look at theway we do things.

I’m starting to realize that many in our industry spend theirtime in hiding, contemplating strategies on how not to haveto deal with the aggravated customer. How do we get out ofanswering the phone? Who can we pass this angry customeron to? Who can we blame for the poor service so I don’t lookbad? Yet we tout our companies as being customer friendlythrough our voicemails, tag lines, and company vision.Leave your offices and walk your buildings, talk to yourtenants, and try to find your staff. Don’t let people know youare coming and arrive unexpectedly. Visit at five on a Fridayor a Sunday morning or first thing in the morning – whicheveris most appropriate for your particular situation. Vacancyrates have been relatively good for the last year. With lowervacancies often comes complacency. As an industry, I musttell you that a changing economy will affect rentals. It’salready starting to affect Brampton, North York andMississauga. The companies that are not in their buildingsinteracting with their customers will be the losers.

What do residents want from a customer service perspective?In a recent survey, here’s what they identified:

1. A place they can feel comfortable to call home.

2. A real person to talk to when there is a problem.

3. A real solution to their problem(s).

4. Compassion when they are going through a bad time (eg.unemployment or illness)

5. Someone answering the phone who can actually make adecision.

It’s that simple. If you’re able to ensure that these five pointsare part of your customer service program then you’ll be awinner in the battle to find residents and to keep them.

ARTICLE PREPARED BY BONNIE HOY OF BONNIE HOY & ASSOCIATES

Specializing in:

Residential High RiseCondominiumCommercialIndustrial

Servicing:

Backflow PreventionCertified-Cross ConnectionWater Mains & MetersIn-Suite RepairsRiser ReplacementHydronic Heating - RadiatorsPump Repairs/ReplacementDrain Cleaning - Kitchen & BathRough-in

40 KODIAK CRESCENT, UNIT 5, TORONTO ONTARIO M3J 2G5

T 416.398.1615 F 416.398.0394 PAGER 416.377.4555

EMAIL: [email protected]

Established

1979

PLEASE SEE OTHER AD IN THIS ISSUE


On February 12, 2009, members of the Greater TorontoApartment Association gathered for the annual Winter

Social held at The Miller Tavern. The annual event encouragednetworking among the members and a great opportunity forbusiness card exchange and development of new business.

Also at the event, Stratcon presented a cheque for $5,000 toascend to the Silver level of sponsorship for the CharitableFoundation. Thank you for your support!

Events like these are not possible without the tremendousfinancial support of our sponsors. The association wouldlike to express its thanks to those firms for making acontribution to the evening’s success.

SAMUEL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

ROGERS

STRATACON

DESIGN PRINT MEDIA

MAGICAL PEST CONTROL

METRO GROUP OF COMPANIES

J-G CORDONE

CONTERRA RESTORATION

G T A A

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Winter Social at MillerTavern Attracts 150



APARTMENTS EMBRACEEARTH HOUROn Saturday, March 28, 2009 thousands of

apartment buildings and their residents tookpart ion Earth Hour shutting off unnecessarylighting for one hour from 8:30 – 9:30 p.m.Potentially thousands of kilowatts were saved forjust that one hour in the greater-Toronto area alonedue to this participation.

“We’d like to express our thanks to not only thebuilding owners and managers that participated butmore importantly the residents who fully embraced this event,” reacted Brad Butt, President, GreaterToronto Apartment Association. “We are veryproud to be sponsors of this and encourage all buildingsto take part.”

Recycling Party atLawrcul ApartmentsLawrcul Apartments Inc. located at 1570 Lawrence

Avenue West held a recycling party hosted by thesuperintendent.

Over 33% of the tenants were in attendance at thisparty, the superintendents had a TV showing videoson recycling and many other educational props suchas recycling bins, posters, phamlets and informationon how tenants are to use these recycling bins aswell as other information how to reducing theirtotal garbage waste. Prizes were awarded to tenantswho brought to most recyclable items to fill the binsat the party. A great time was had by all whoattended the recycling party.

The tenants found the visual displays andexplanation by the superintendents extremelyhelpful, and pledged their support for the recyclingeffort. Since the event of the recycling party, wehave seeing a 40% increase in recycling at 1570Lawrence Ave. West.


G T A A



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WANT TO LEARNMORE ABOUT BEDBUGS?

You are invited to attend the bed bug informationalsessions entitled “What Everyone Needs To Know AboutBed Bugs” to be held in the following locations:

Date: May 13, June 10 & June 29

Time: 10:00am to 12:00 noon

Room: Committee Room 1, North York Civic Centre

5100 Yonge Street

Date: May 15 & June 12


Room: 303, Metro Hall – 55 John Street

Date: April 17, May 7 & June 4


Room: Committee Room #1 (April 17)

Committee Room #2 (May 7 & June 4)

Scarborough Civic Centre – 150 Borough Dr.



Room: Meeting Room #2 (April 16)

Main Boardroom (May 5 & June 1)

Etobicoke Civic Centre – 399 The West Mall

Date: April 7, 2009

Time: 2:00pm

Location: Woodgreen Community Services

WANT TOLEARNMOREABOUTBEDBUGS?

You are invited to attend the bed bug informationalsessions entitled “What Everyone Needs To Know

About Bed Bugs” to be held in the following locations:

DATE: MAY 13, JUNE 10 & JUNE 29TIME: 10:00AM TO 12:00 NOONROOM: COMMITTEE ROOM 1,

NORTH YORK CIVIC CENTRE - 5100 YONGE STREET

DATE: MAY 15 & JUNE 12TIME: 10:00AM TO 12:00 NOONROOM: 303, METRO HALL - 55 JOHN STREET

DATE: APRIL 17, MAY 7 & JUNE 4TIME: 10:00AM TO 12:00 NOONROOM: COMMITTEE ROOM #1 (APRIL 17)

COMMITTEE ROOM #2 (MAY 7 & JUNE 4)SCARBOROUGH CIVIC CENTRE - 150 BOROUGH DR.

DATE: APRIL 16, MAY 5 & JUNE 1TIME: 10:00AM TO 12:00 NOONROOM: MEETING ROOM #2 (APRIL 16)

MAIN BOARDROOM (MAY 5 & JUNE 1)ETOBICOKE CIVIC CENTRE - 399 THE WEST MALL

DATE: APRIL 7, 2009TIME: 2:00PMSITE: WOODGREEN COMMUNITY SERVICES -

835 QUEEN STREET EAST

The topics to be covered in the presentation are asfollows: Identification, Life Cycle, Health Effects,Integrated Pest Management, Preparation forProfessional Treatment, and Prevention.

FOR REGISTRATION, PLEASE SEND AN E-MAIL TO ANDREA KNOWLES AT [email protected] OR CALL HER AT 416-338-7973.

Thanks and see you there!

You are invited to attend the bed bug informationalsessions entitled “What Everyone Needs To Know AboutBed Bugs” to be held in the following locations:

Date: May 13, June 10 & June 29


Room: Committee Room 1, North York Civic Centre

5100 Yonge Street

Date: May 15 & June 12


Room: 303, Metro Hall – 55 John Street



Room: Committee Room #1 (April 17)

Committee Room #2 (May 7 & June 4)

Scarborough Civic Centre – 150 Borough Dr.



Room: Meeting Room #2 (April 16)

Main Boardroom (May 5 & June 1)

Etobicoke Civic Centre – 399 The West Mall

Date: April 7, 2009

Time: 2:00pm

Location: Woodgreen Community Services

WANT TO LEARNMORE ABOUT BEDBUGS?

Bed BugSeminarProvidesGreatInformationThe Greater Toronto Apartment Association and Magical

Pest Control co-hosted a seminar at PM Springfest onApril 1, 2009 on the bed bug issue and what propertymanagers need to know.

Dr. Dale Blaine was the keynote speaker providing anoverview on the bed bug, the severity of an infestationproblem and the epidemiology of the species. Bed bugsare a very complicated and difficult problem to resolve.

The association would like to express its thanks toMark Joseph and Dan McCabe of Magical Pest Controlfor arranging for the speaker and greatly assisting therental housing industry to have a better understandingof the issue.

G T A APh

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Documents

VOL. 7 NO. 5 APRIL 2009 GREATER TORONTO ......APRIL 2009 VOL.7 NO.5 BUILDING BLOCKS 5Corporate Head Office 460 Brant Street, Suite 212 Burlington, Ontario L7R 4B6 Phone: 905-333-4242