Tag Archives: future generations
Dream of home ownership alive and well in Ontario
But majority of Ontarians concerned that home ownership will be more difficult in the future
The dream of home ownership is alive and well among Ontario renters, with 70% reporting that they would like to buy at some point in the future, according to a poll released by the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA).
However, the poll also revealed that 81% of Ontarians believe it is more difficult to own a home now than it was for their parents, and 89% of Ontarians in general are concerned that home ownership will become even more difficult in the future.
“We have an obligation to protect the affordability of home ownership for future generations,” said Barb Sukkau, President of OREA. “From its impact on job creation to the healthy and stable environment it provides for raising a family, home ownership matters to people, communities and Ontario.
Over half (54%) of renters cited affordability as a key reason for not owning a home and 70% surveyed indicated they would be more willing to consider owning if the government offered more tax breaks and incentives to offset costs for first time buyers.
“Today’s poll is compelling evidence that a majority of Ontarians are concerned about the affordability of home ownership for themselves and future generations,” said John Wright, Senior Vice President of Ipsos Reid.
Home owners also report higher levels of civic engagement. The overwhelming majority (82%) of Ontario home owners have donated to charity in the last two years; home owners are much more likely to say they voted in the last municipal election than renters; and 35% of owners say they have volunteered in their community.
“Support for home ownership means support for strong communities and a better Ontario,” said Sukkau. “We are urging all political parties in the 2011 provincial election to commit to making home ownership more affordable for Ontarians.”
OREA is proposing three policy initiatives to strengthen home ownership in Ontario:
* An improved Land Transfer Tax (LTT) Rebate for first-time home buyers. OREA estimates that an improved LTT rebate would save a first-time buyer of an average resale home almost $1,500.
* A permanent Ontario Home Renovation Tax Rebate. A renovation tax rebate would create jobs and curb the growth of the underground economy.
* Reintroduce the Ontario Home Energy Efficiency Retrofit Rebate program. Investments in home energy efficiency will help home owners cope with rising energy costs and curb greenhouse gas emissions.
Other survey highlights included:
* 94% of Ontarians think that owning a home provides a healthy and stable environment for raising a family.
* 93% of home owners want taxes on buying a home lowered.
* 95% of home owners think that the government should provide incentives to reduce their energy costs.
* 94% of homeowners believe that the government should encourage home-renovation through tax credits.
* 48% of Ontario homeowners believe that home repairs/maintenance are the hardest parts of home ownership.
The survey was conducted by Ipsos Reid for OREA’s Home Ownership Matters campaign. For more information visit www.homeownershipmatters.ca.
OREA represents 50,000 brokers and salespeople who are members of the 42 real estate boards throughout the province. Members of the association may use the “REALTOR®” trademark, which identifies them as real estate professionals who subscribe to a high standard of ethics and service.
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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information – 416−388−1960
Laurin & Natalie Jeffrey are Toronto Realtors with Century 21 Regal Realty.
They did not write these articles, they just reproduce them here for people
who are interested in Toronto real estate. They do not work for any builders.
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What you can do about climate change
With Earth Hour just around the corner, now is a great time to think about how you can live more “green”.
Driving your car, using plastic bags or leaving on a few lights may seem minor, but even the smallest acts add up to make an impact on our climate. The main cause of climate change is the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) to satisfy our hunger for energy.
Turn on the news and you’ll see that climate change has already contributed to severe droughts, floods and extreme weather around the globe. We must protect and sustain our environment to ensure we leave our children a living planet. Even minor changes have impacts that can be large and long-lasting.
WWF-Canada is creating solutions to the most serious conservation challenges facing our planet, helping people and nature to thrive. This means working with business, government and individuals to help them live lighter on the planet.
“We have the science, the technology, and the public will to solve this problem,” said Gerald Butts, president and CEO of WWF-Canada. “Nowhere else on Earth do so few people steward so many resources. We must preserve our planet for future generations by taking action now.”
From global events to things you can do on a daily basis, here are some ways you can help:
1. Drive Less. Instead of taking the car, why not walk, bike or take transit. Cars and trucks run on fossil fuels, which release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
2. Get involved. Make yourself seen and heard by participating in green initiatives like WWF’s Earth Hour. On Saturday March 27 from 8:30 – 9:30 p.m. (local time), join millions of people around the world and turn off your lights for one hour in support of action on climate change. Let your lights signal to business and government that you are taking action for the planet. You can find out more at www.EarthHourCanada.org.
3. Buy local and sustainable food. The average food product travels about 2,000 kilometres before it reaches your table. Along the way it burns up energy – creating greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change – as it’s packaged, shipped and stored. WWF-Canada has created Sustainable Food Buying Guides for regions across the country to help Canadians shop sustainably. The guides are free and available at http://wwf.ca/foodguide.
4. Recycle, reduce and reuse. Recycling saves a lot of energy needed to extract, process, transport and make new materials and products. Recycle 100% of your glass, aluminium, plastic, and paper and compost your organic waste.
5. Stay grounded. Airplanes are one of the biggest culprits for pumping carbon emissions high into the atmosphere. If you must fly, then purchase carbon offsets to reduce the impact of your flight. WWF recommends gold standard carbon offsets, such as Climate Friendly (http://climatefriendly.com).
You can learn more about how to take action to help fight climate change online at www.wwf.ca.
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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information - 416−388−1960
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Tridel unveils Verve in the heart of downtown Toronto
A New Experience In Condominium Living
Verve Building
Today, environmental conservation is an issue that concerns everyone, and as Canada’s largest condo developer, Tridel is taking the initiative to new levels in the condominium industry. Through it’s “Naturally Better” program, the company is working to reduce harmful greenhouse gases, waste, pollution and increasing energy costs by implementing environmentally sustainable design and construction practices, along with environmentally friendly features and finishes in all its new communities. Verve, Tridel’s newest downtown condo, will be an illustration of the company’s environmental policy, with residents seeing the direct benefits of green building, through higher performance and efficiency, a healthier living environment and reduced maintenance costs.
Verve will be a new experience in condominium living that will feed off the vibrant energy of the surrounding urban environment, and the spirit of its residents. Offering resort-style condominium living, Verve will provide the comforts of home and the style of today’s coolest boutique hotels. Located on Wellesley Street East, just east of Jarvis Street, this condominium community will anchor a new masterplanned community on the former Wellesley Hospital site. Positioned right on the edge of architectural design, this stunning building will also be healthy and energy efficient, taking the lead as one of the first truly “green” condos in the city.
Pushing the boundaries in architectural design, Burka-Varacalli Architects has made Verve a powerful visual statement, in both the local neighbourhood and on the Toronto skyline, with its 39-storey point tower of shimmering glass and concrete elements, and its hip, urban 7-storey loft building linked by a central lobby. Verve’s tower facade has been shaped to take advantage of some of the unique elements of the surrounding landscape, following the curving path of Wellesley Street as it passes by.
Verve – Hip and Healthy Living Spaces
Verve will offer 344 one-bedroom, one-bedroom plus den, two-bedroom and two-bedroom plus den tower suites with nine-foot ceilings. Ranging in size from 861 to 1,085 square feet, each suite is accompanied by either a French balcony, balcony or terrace. Tower suites are priced from $303,000 to $371,000. A series of large Signature Collection suites will also be released at a later date. The loft building will be home to 86 one-bedroom, one-bedroom plus den, two-bedroom and two-bedroom plus den lofts with ceiling heights ranging from nine to fourteen feet. Every design features either a patio, balcony or terrace, and two-storey lofts make up the top floor of the building. Loft suites range in size from 629 to 1404 square feet and are priced from $241,000 to $561,000.
Verve – The Urban Resort
In addition to leading edge living spaces, Verve will offer residents resort-style living with first-rate amenities and outstanding design. Verve’s central lobby and recreation facilities have been designed as fluid spaces that are open, inviting and pulsing with the life of the community. The two-storey lobby, created by Mike Niven Interior Design Inc., has a suspended second floor made of frosted glass, translucent light panels that change colour over the course of the day, and suspended ornamental artwork that also reflect the coloured light.
The design of the party room, with its bar and caterers’ kitchen, is flexible to meet many uses, whether it be an intimate dinner party or a much larger gathering of friends. Residents can also kick back and play a game of pool in the billiards room or watch a movie in the private screening theatre. And, residents will no longer need their gym membership, as Verve’s fitness centre and aerobics studio will offer state-of-the-art fitness equipment, sound systems and televisions.
Roof Top Swimming Pool
As importantly, Verve will provide residents with an urban oasis reminiscent of South Beach amid the bustling city. On top of the loft building, residents can spend their hot summer nights relaxing while overlooking the city. The roof is home to an outdoor swimming pool with a water wall, breezy cabanas, sunning decks and patios with barbecues. With special lighting adding atmosphere in the evening, residents will be able to entertain their guests, day or night.
Verve – Toronto at Your Door
As Verve is part of the overall masterplanned community, residents will also be able to enjoy a stunning urban park designed by internationally acclaimed landscape architect, Cornelia Oberlander. Oberlander has designed public spaces for many projects including the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, the Canadian Embassy in Berlin and the Canadian Chancellery in Washington, DC. A recipient of the Order of Canada, she believes that it is imperative to provide “green living for city dwellers”, and the theme for the park is “healthy cities.”
Verve is also perfectly located to offer its residents the very best that Toronto has to offer. Just a short walk from Yonge Street, residents can take advantage of some of the best restaurants, shopping and entertainment. A stroll north up Yonge Street leads to the shops of Bloor Street, while a walk south takes residents to College Park, which is home to a large Dominion, the Eaton Centre and numerous restaurants and theatres. To travel further afield in an environmentally friendly way, residents also have access to the TTC at the Wellesley or Sherbourne subway stations.
Builder Known for Quality
Tridel is Canada’s leading developer and builder of condominiums residences with more than 70 years of homebuilding experience. To date the Tridel Group of Companies is responsible for producing over 66,500 homes, and continues to lead the industry in innovation, technology and design. Tridel is determined to develop condominium communities that meet the needs of today’s homeowners while safeguarding the wellbeing of future generations. The company is working to meet this goal by focusing on environmentally sustainable building design, performance in construction and corporate stewardship. Tridel is also a member of the Canada Green Building Council. In recognition of Tridel’s outstanding service to its homeowners, Tridel has also been awarded the coveted Customer Service High-Rise Builder of the Year Award by Tarion Warranty Corporation, and High-Rise Home Builder of the Year by the Greater Toronto Home Builders’ Association.
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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information
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