Standard for cleaning HVAC systems updated

The Standards Committee of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) — also known as the HVAC Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Association — has released its 2021 edition of ACR, the international standard for the assessment, cleaning, and restoration of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.

The 2021 standard, which reflects necessary updates after new testing was conducted by EMSL Laboratories, defines the minimum performance and procedural requirements for air duct cleaning. It includes practical, industry-backed information for assessing new and existing HVAC systems, evaluating and verifying the cleanliness of HVAC system components, preventing job-related hazards such as exposure to workers and occupants and cross-contamination of the indoor environment, and guiding the cleaning and restoration of HVAC systems to a specific level of cleanliness.

The new edition of the ACR has evolved from procedural-based guidelines, standards of care, and research originating from NADCA and associated organizations. It is based on reliable principles, a review of applicable industry literature and information, and practical experience.

This document aims to educate and guide anyone involved in the HVAC cleaning and restoration industry including specifiers, consultants, and contractors. NADCA notes that users of the document should stay updated and informed about changes in the industry and implement changes in technology and procedures, as appropriate, while following applicable federal, state, provincial, and local laws and regulations.

“The ACR is considered the global standard of care for the HVAC cleaning and restoration industry, and it’s available as a free download on our website,” said NADCA Chief Executive Officer, Jodi Araujo, CEM. “The NADCA Standards Committee has worked diligently to make sure the 2021 edition covers every angle to assist individuals and entities in establishing and maintaining their professional competence while working in the duct cleaning industry. The 2021 edition will be continually reviewed, evaluated, and validated through practical application in the field, and revised as necessary.”

What toxic chemicals are lurking in our buildings?

Our interior spaces have an enormous impact on our health and productivity. From designing for an active lifestyle to proper lighting, insulation, and acoustics, how we build our buildings matters. One often overlooked aspect of how buildings influence people’s health are the chemicals found in building materials.

Globally, there are limited regulations of chemicals used within building products, and unfortunately there are toxic chemicals found in some everyday building products that have the potential to harm human and environmental health.

Evidence increasingly shows that toxic chemical exposures in general are costing countries billions of dollars and millions of IQ points. Although these toxic chemicals affect all of us, they are disproportionately impacting the health of children, communities of colour, and low-income families.

Building and construction materials contribute to these potential exposures. Because we spend an estimated 90 per cent of our time indoors, we are constantly interacting with the materials that surround us, creating countless opportunities for exposure.

Toxic chemicals can have huge and complex impacts on the health and wellbeing of people and the environment not just when installed in indoor spaces, but also throughout a product’s entire life cycle. For example, communities near factories can be exposed to air pollution and industrial waste during the manufacturing of products, workers can be exposed on the job during the manufacturing and installation processes, and building occupants can be exposed while the product is in use. Some individuals suffer multiple exposures because they are affected in all of those instances.

In addition, toxic chemicals can be released when materials are disposed of or recycled. When manufacturers use recycled materials in new products, sometimes toxic chemicals come along for the ride, inhibiting a circular economy and exposing more individuals to hazardous chemicals—even those that have been phased out as intentional content in products. For recycling to work and subsequently reduce waste, toxic chemicals must first be eliminated from products.

The rise in construction taking place means more materials and greater potential impacts. It is estimated that over the next 35 years, 2.5 trillion square feet of buildings will be renovated or constructed globally, an area equal to the entire current global building stock.

There are many examples of hazardous chemicals in building products, in homes, and ultimately in people. Your choice of drywall could release mercury into the environment. Your paint could have chemicals that interfere with how hormones work in the body. Your insulation could include an asthmagen. Your carpet could introduce toxic “forever” chemicals into your home. Chemicals can migrate from products into the air in buildings or can deposit on surfaces or dust, where people can be exposed by inhaling or ingesting it or through direct absorption through our skin.

Young children often see greater exposures because of their smaller, developing bodies. They frequently place their hands in their mouths, ingesting dust and the chemicals that lodge on dust particles, and breathe up to three times more air pound-for-pound than adults. Some of these chemicals can also pass from mothers to babies through the placenta or breast milk. In fact, a study showed that babies may be born with over 200 chemical pollutants already in their blood.

In the age of COVID, it’s also important to consider how chemical exposures influence our ability to fight disease. In addition to contributing to underlying conditions that make individuals more susceptible to adverse impacts from COVID-19, such as cancer, some chemicals can also impact our immune systems’ ability to fight infectious disease and the effectiveness of vaccines.

The COVID crisis has also led to an increase in marketing messages containing questionable health claims around antimicrobials added to myriad products, including building materials. While some products need antimicrobial preservatives to protect the product itself from mould, mildew, or spoilage, antimicrobial technologies added to products have not been shown to have any human health benefits. There is no evidence that the addition of antimicrobials to building products lowers the rate of infection; in fact, some antimicrobial substances can cause direct physical harm to human health.

So, what can you do?

One important step toward safer materials is an understanding of what products are made of and whether or not they are hazardous. We believe you have a right to know what’s in the materials in your buildings, and an increasing number of building product manufacturers are disclosing this information through programs like the Health Product Declaration (HPD) and Declare. Transparency is the first step to understanding and avoiding hazardous impacts on building occupants and throughout the lifecycle of a product.

Awareness about these issues is growing, and demand for safer materials is driving innovation. For example, many manufacturers have already phased out the “forever” chemicals once pervasive in carpet, and some large retailers have introduced policies to remove them from the products they sell. Despite the lack of regulatory pressure on chemicals in products, change is still possible. When product specifiers and purchasers know what to ask for and exert their collective power, markets can move for the better.

Try starting with interior finishes, for example:

Prefer products that have disclosed content through Health Product Declarations.
Choose drywall made from natural gypsum and avoid synthetic or FGD gypsum.
Choose paint that is low in VOC content and emissions, and free of alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs).
Choose a safer flooring product type such as linoleum or ceramic tiles rather than vinyl.
Choose a safer insulation product type such as fiberglass insulation or formaldehyde-free mineral wool insulation.
Avoid building products marketed as “antimicrobial” or “containing antimicrobials” and making health claims.

Each decision you make about the materials you use, each step toward using healthier products, can have big impacts within a housing unit, a building, and in the broader environment. Collectively, these individual decisions also influence manufacturers to provide better, more transparent products for us all. Ultimately, this can reduce the hazardous chemicals not just in our buildings, but also in our bodies.

Not sure where to begin? Resources to help you understand toxic chemicals in building products and make safer material selections are available from Healthy Building Network. Check out these product guidance resources for information on safer paints, floors, insulation, and more.

Rebecca Stamm, senior researcher, works with the team at HBN to conduct vital building materials research. She has a B.S. from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and M.S. from Purdue University, where she studied Chemical Engineering with a focus on materials. Rebecca has worked extensively in materials research, including more than three years in building materials manufacturing and six years of building product and chemical hazard research and analysis at HBN.

Since 2000, HBN has defined the leading edge of healthy building practices that increase transparency in the building products industry, reduce human exposures to hazardous chemicals, and create market incentives for healthier innovations in manufacturing. A team of researchers, engineers, scientists, building experts, and educators work to reduce toxic chemical use, minimize hazards, and eliminate exposure, especially to those chemicals of concern that are deemed unnecessary or fail to improve product performance. HBN promotes the development of affordable green chemistry solutions that support a healthy, successful, circular economy.

Condo managers face pandemic burnout

It’s nearing 10 p.m. and I have finally logged-off my email. Since COVID-19 began, this is considered an early end to my workday. Three things that are true about me in this moment: I am a licensed condominium property manager, I am in my early 30s, and I am completely burned out.

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

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

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

Now, there just never seems to be enough time in the day. A life-work balance escapes the diligent, despite best efforts and awareness of how essential that focus is. Managers started noticing a trend after the virus first forced us into our homes last March. Residents who used to reach out, maybe two or three times a year, began reaching out two or three times a month—or in some cases, two or three times a week.

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

Many Canadians are now reporting heightened levels of stress, and I’m finding a good share of residents are irritable, lonely and bored. Even the kindest of hearts are likely to have moments of pandemic fatigue. Less sympathetic individuals from pre-pandemic days have, in some cases, been downright mean to their managers. Additionally, there seems to be this belief that the manager is, in some way, the building’s “COVID police.” While chatting with colleagues at a recent virtual conference, almost everyone had a similar story to share— an emergency call or a weekend email they received from a resident because a neighbour welcomed a visitor during lockdown.

Earning a pay raise in the midst of shouldering all this work seems impossible. In recent years, insurance premiums for repairs and maintenance have been on the upswing. Due to the pandemic, condos now need extra common area cleaning and wall-mounted hand sanitizer stations. Material costs for basic repairs and large projects have increased. Trades are harder to secure, so their labour and material-related costs are higher; they are charging more in order to stay afloat. Naturally, these costs must be passed on to the unit owners. But what about the management company that signed a contract two years ago with set annual raises? Should their cost-of-living increase not be levied because a few owners are struggling financially? Yes, according to some.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We have the experience and we made it through to the other side of 2021. Let 2022 be the year that we reach the moon and let us just be thankful for the lessons learned and the endurance techniques mastered. We can do this.

Kirsten Dale is an Ontario licensed condominium manager (CMRAO) and a registered condominium manager (ACMO) with MCRS Property Management, based in Huntsville, Ontario providing condominium management services in Simcoe, Muskoka, Parry Sound and Haliburton.

New condo in Toronto bets on market rebound

People swapping zip codes for spacious single-family homes outside Toronto. Bidding wars occurring in the unlikeliest of places. All this might shine a negative light on the city’s condo market, but high-rise developers are betting on urbanization as a long-term trend.

PRIME Condos is one example. Launching April 15, the 45-storey tower on Jarvis Street will bring 595 residences to the downtown area near Yonge and Dundas Square, between College and Dundas subway stations.

Developer CentreCourt is working alongside architect IBI Group, with Figure3 overseeing the interior design. The developer currently has six projects nearby that are either completed or under development— one being 8 Wellesley, a pre-build, which sold out in under two weeks when it came to market this past February. Such pre-construction sales, not seen since pre-pandemic times, were ‘unexpected’ during Ontario’s stay-at-home order. Factored into this quick sell was location and proximity to transit.

The condo market is already rebounding as the supply of single-family homes in the GTA remains small and expensive and vaccine rollout is a light at the end of the COVID tunnel.

“We have full confidence Toronto will emerge stronger than ever,” says Bader Elkhatib, vice-president of CentreCourt. Looking ahead, he sees the Toronto attraction combined with impending, record immigration levels likely driving up demand and prices for housing in the core.

“The fundamentals are clear—Toronto is the economic engine of the country, the employment and educational opportunities here are truly second to none,” he says. “This has led to a massive shift back to the downtown in recent months.”

“Not only is this recognized first hand through sales at our projects, but also through the high-rise resale market, which is now seeing record price growth and very limited months of supply, as well as in the velocity of leases being signed and the positive price growth in rents recently reported.”

Suites at PRIME are priced for first-time homebuyers and condo investors. Starting in the high $400,000s, units range from 300- to 800-square-feet, one to three-bedrooms, and will be close to Ryerson University and the new Google office, which was also designed by IBI Group.

In tech-giant style, PRIME will offer 4,000 square feet of Facebook-inspired outdoor and indoor co-working space and a 6,500 square-foot 24-hour fitness facility. A functional and high-quality work space is among the amenities potential residents most covet, according to an in-depth market analysis the developer conducted on its downtown projects.

“We want to provide a space in our buildings that is functional for entrepreneurs, professionals and students studying at nearby universities and colleges, with a variety of co-working spaces available to meet different needs and requirements,” says Elkhatib.

Setting the stage for multi-use, residents will be able to work in open communal space, study in one of the private study pods or take a meeting in one of the break-out rooms.

“Most importantly, residents can enjoy this space across four seasons with the ability to work outside in the warmer months with outdoor workstations and seating allowing for communal meetings or independent work,” he adds.

Occupancy is anticipated for 2024

PRIME’s fitness facility

Prime Condos is currently in pre-construction at 319 Jarvis Street.

By Rebecca Melnyk

Public washrooms still popular as public looks for touchless options

Public washrooms have remained popularly used despite the COVID-19 pandemic, but a notable trend has been more people looking for touchless facilities.

That’s according to the Bradley Corp.’s latest Healthy Handwashing Survey, which queried 1,050 American adults on their public washroom usage, handwashing habits, and concerns about infectious disease.

Of the survey’s respondents, half said they continued to use public washrooms throughout the pandemic just like they always had. Just 13 per cent said they completely avoided using those facilities, while 37 per cent said they were uncomfortable but had, at times, utilized public washrooms when necessary.

The most common locations for public washroom use were stores, restaurants, and workplaces.

The majority of washroom visitors took extra precautions to reduce their likelihood of coming in contact with germs. 63 per cent used paper towels as a protective barrier when operating the flusher, faucet handles, or door handles, while others used parts of their body other than their hands to flush or open and close doors.

Strong preference for touchless

A huge majority of 84 per cent said it’s important to have touchless fixtures in public washrooms, and nearly 70 per cent say they’re more likely to return to a business that has these touchless options. Over half (56 per cent) have a negative impression of a business that doesn’t have touchless fixtures. Primary desires for touchless fixtures are flushers, faucets, and entrance doors.

“Touchless restroom fixtures add a significant level of comfort for Americans when they’re out and about and need to use a public restroom,” says Jon Dommisse, director of strategy and corporate development for Bradley Corp. “We’ve all become more cognizant of potentially germy touch points so eliminating an area of concern is another way we can help resume our normal lives again.”

Germ concerns are significant

The Healthy Handwashing Survey, conducted in January 2021, found that 86 per cent of Americans are more conscious about coming in contact with germs as a result of the coronavirus.

This has led to a spike in handwashing and drying: nearly 90 per cent are washing their hands more frequently or more thoroughly as a result of COVID-19. 57 per cent are washing their hands six to 15 times or more per day, and 73 per cent are drying their hands more frequently or more thoroughly.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that germs can be transferred more easily to and from wet hands; therefore, hands should be dried after washing.”

Overall, Americans correctly believe handwashing is a better germ-fighter than hand sanitizer. 61 per cent understand the CDC directive that hands are less germy after washing with soap and water than after using hand sanitizer, although sanitizer remains the best second option.

“Handwashing remains one of the easiest and most effective ways to stay healthy and reduce the likelihood of spreading germs or viruses to others,” says Dommisse. “When you pair soap and water with vigorous and thorough scrubbing, you’re literally removing and sending bacteria and germs down the drain.”

Pomerleau creates innovation lab for construction

Construction company Pomerleau, is partnering with Factry, a Canadian training centre specializing in developing creative skills, to form the Pomerleau aXLab, an innovation lab dedicated to integrating innovative technology to the construction industry.

This one-of-a-kind lab in Montréal is the result of the cooperation between two organizations that share the same values: collaboration, vision, and the desire to generate concrete change in an evolving world to build tomorrow’s living environments.

This is why Pomerleau decided to set up its lab on the campus of Factry, an organization recognized for its ability to generate innovative projects, which put people at the centre of any transformation.

“With this project, we want to develop new skills to usher the construction industry into the future,” said Ian Kirouac, executive vice-president, Canadian building operations and corporate transformation. “Creativity means allowing yourself to imagine solutions to the most complex problems, and this partnership with Factry is the perfect way to accomplish that.”

Located in the heart of the Quartier de l’innovation, the Factry campus will be the ideal place for Pomerleau innovation teams to come together, the construction company said. There they will develop technologies in robotics, offsite construction, the Internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and digital twins.

The aXLab will allow younger generations to learn from Pomerleau experts by taking part in workshops and other educational initiatives. These discussions will provide inspiration for innovation teams and enhance technology research projects. Future programming at Factry, featuring a range of training sessions, workshops, and events, will showcase the ideas, knowledge, questions, and surprises emerging from the aXLab.

Pomerleau will begin the buildout of the aXLab in the coming weeks. The lab will be headed up by Carolyne Filion, Eng. M.Eng., innovation manager, research and development (R&D), and special projects at Pomerleau.

“By trying out technologies in a custom laboratory, we will be able to accurately determine their efficacy and added value for our projects and the entire industry,” said Eric Lessard, vice-president, innovation and technology at Pomerleau. “We believe in the strong potential for emulation with the creative ecosystem at Factry.”

MGA wins RAIC 2021 Architectural Firm Award

Michael Green Architecture (MGA) is the recipient of the RAIC 2021 Architectural Firm Award.

The RAIC Architectural Firm Award recognizes the achievements of a firm for its quality of architecture, service to clients, and innovations in practice. It also takes into account the firm’s contribution to architectural education and professional organizations, as well as public recognition.

Based in Vancouver, MGA is one of the most internationally recognized architecture firms in Canada. Beyond the four Governor General’s Medals for Architecture and the two RAIC Awards for Architectural Innovation, they are recognized for their innovation in sustainable architecture and developing carbon-neutral buildings with advanced wood construction.

“This firm shows its passion for innovation and sustainability through its many finely crafted wood buildings— and displays its commitment to education through the design-built studio held every year to expose young architects to the design and construction of actual structures,” said the jury. “They have distinguished themselves for their ability to translate focused material research and technical pursuits into a notable and innovative body of work that embodies a deep commitment to sustainability.”

Notable projects from MGA include: North Vancouver Passive House Plus, North Vancouver; Wood Innovation and Design Centre, Prince George: The Dock Building, Vancouver and Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon, Vancouver.

The firm was founded in 2012 by Michael Green, who is known for his research, leadership, and expertise in the tall wood movement and building with timber products. Green’s work in mass timber construction is evident in both the firm’s practice and in academic theory, with Green authoring ‘The Case for Tall Wood Buildings’ and popularizing the phrase ‘mass timber.’ Michael continued to share his passion for the environment and the case for building with wood through his 2013 TED Talk, Why We Should Build Wooden Skyscrapers.

In 2018, Natalie Telewiak became a principal at MGA. With an education in architecture and engineering, she brings an approach rooted in material logic.

Alberta proposes update to skilled trades training

The Alberta government is proposing to update apprenticeship education and skilled trades training, creating a more flexible system that can deal with challenges today and into the future.

If passed, the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education Act will replace the Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) Act, which was introduced in 1991 and no longer meets the needs of industry, employers, apprentices or post-secondary institutions.

“This new act serves as a fresh start for skilled trades and apprenticeship education in our province. It lays the foundation for a flexible system, allowing us to respond to needs and trends among our workforce, and will promote the equal value of apprenticeship education with other forms of post-secondary education,” said Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Advanced Education

According to the province, the changes in the new legislation will enable Alberta to expand apprenticeship education to other professions and high-demand occupations and modernize how skilled trades professions are governed. The changes will also serve as a foundation to ensure effective investment in education and training programs.

The new act implements recommendations from the Skills for Jobs Task Force and will update the legal framework for apprenticeship education and regulated trade professions. The act also aligns with the goals of Alberta 2030 – Building Skills for Jobs strategy, which will build a common vision and direction for post-secondary education in the province.

According to BuildForce Canada projections, Alberta’s construction and maintenance industry will need to hire almost 65,000 workers over the coming decade to meet growth expectations and replace an estimated 41,500 workers expected to retire.

Alberta has seen its registered apprentice numbers drop from more than 70,000 to about 45,000 over six years, a decrease of more than 35 per cent, mostly in relation to Alberta’s prolonged economic downturn.

Stakeholder engagement regarding new regulations for the act will begin once legislation has passed.

New merger provides one-stop shop for waste management

Metro Compactor Service and Wilkinson Chutes Canada announced they recently merged to create a one-stop shop for residential property managers seeking comprehensive waste management services.

“We wanted to make the customers’ experience seamless – whatever the need,” said Danny Mauti, CEO of Metro Compactor Service and Wilkinson Chutes Canada. “Our unified team will allow us to deliver on our Super Service promise. Facility managers can call one place to get it all taken care of and have one simple maintenance contract and point of contact. We’re making the experience much cleaner and giving customers peace of mind.”

Metro has been servicing waste equipment for the high-rise and residential markets since 1978. Meanwhile, Wilkinson Chutes Canada has led the manufacturing and service of high-rise chutes for nearly a century. Both companies provided service and repairs independently prior to the merger.

Since the pandemic began, there has been a significant increase in household waste due to a surge in home renovations, online shopping, and the re-emergence of disposable, single-use goods. In Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Halifax, household waste has increased by as much as 35 per cent since 2019. Private and municipal hauling costs in Canada continue to grow, with facility managers and multi-residential property owners feeling the strain of increasing waste management costs.

“It’s more important than ever to have a single provider with coast-to-coast capabilities to help consolidate the residential waste systems from chute to bin,” said Mauti. “Our goal is a reduction in the overall carbon footprint of managing residential waste – including fewer trucks, fewer bins, less downtime, and longer equipment life. The bottom line is, less of a property manager’s time and resources are devoted to dealing with garbage.”

Unified and streamlined waste management service is just the beginning for the company, which says it intends to “continue to innovate with iSMART technology,” enabling the remote troubleshooting and full diagnostics on its customers’ waste equipment. The benefits of the technology include reductions in unexpected breakdowns and downtime, all of which are costly and disruptive to property managers.

“Wilkinson and Metro have many dedicated customers across Canada that will benefit from the combined knowledge and expertise of the two companies working together,” said Adam Kent, Director of Service. “We want to improve their experience and service level, and most of all, make interactions easier for property managers. This is the best way to achieve that.”

Extreme sellers’ market expected to let up in 2021

A housing boom most likely to sustain into 2022—vaccine roll out and low interest rates will help—is also predicted to coincide with a less ‘extreme’ sellers’ market that has hit untouchable levels for many potential homebuyers.

Referring to new statistics from Royal Lepage’s House Price Survey and Market Forecast, Phil Soper, president and CEO of Royal LePage, called this past winter one of the most imbalanced real estate markets in Canada’s history.

“We expect this extreme sellers’ market to moderate as the year progresses,” he said. “Some buyers will step away from the market in the face of sharply higher prices, and the supply of new listings should improve as people feel more confident that the health crisis is under control.”

Yet as potential homebuyers might face less competition as the year goes on, a housing supply crisis looms in the background as prices go up and the population grows. Widespread housing shortages could drive prices higher, pushing home ownership out of reach for many.

“Fewer young Canadians will own their home in the future, and rental rates will climb rapidly, if we drag our heels in adopting public policy aimed at improving the speed of housing development and underlying regulatory costs of bringing on new projects,” added Soper.

By the end of this year, the average home price in Canada is forecasted to rise 13.5 per cent higher than the end of 2020 to $805,000. The highest average is expected to peak in Montreal at a 16 per cent year-over-year, followed by Ottawa and the Greater Vancouver Area.

Condo Prices

Compared to last year at this time, the average price of a condo rose 2.0 per cent to $509,364, although this varies across the country. For instance, in the Greater Toronto Area, the price increased slightly by 1.2 per cent and dipped 0.6 per cent ($637,551) in the city centre; whereas the Greater Montreal Area saw the price rise 14.7 per cent and 7.8 per cent in the Montreal core.

In the City of Vancouver, the price increased 5.2 per cent ($782,979) compared to 2.3 per cent in the greater region. Other regions include: Ottawa (5.2 per cent to $385,040); Halifax (13.2 per cent to $335,484); Winnipeg (7.9 per cent to $235,908); and Regina (12.0 per cent to $227,774).

Prices didn’t appreciate in all regions. Besides Toronto, a lower average condo price was recorded in Calgary (1.6 per cent to $243,902) and Edmonton (3.4 per cent to $196,641).

“A sweeping transfer of ownership occurred when renters left the major cities,” noted Soper. “Investors sold their condo units, making way for first-time buyers poised to take advantage of low mortgage rates. The timing of it all resulted in a significant boost in sales without having a huge impact on prices.”

The Moderne to be one of Hamilton’s tallest condos

The latest phase in converting the century-old Royal Connaught Hotel in Hamilton, Ont., into condominiums includes The Moderne—a 36-storey residential building that will stand as one of the tallest condo towers in the downtown area once complete.

Adjacent to the historic residences at the Royal Connaught, it will rise along King Street and Catharine Street with one bedroom, one-bedroom plus den and two-bedroom suites. The Moderne follows the first two phases of Royal Connaught Square at 112 King Street E. and 118 King Street E, which are steps away from Gore Park.

Hamilton has experienced a great resurgence over the years, from a steel-dominated industrial hub to a city fueled by creative industries. Homebuyers cut out of the pricey Toronto housing market are moving there and a crop of tech firms and other companies are restoring historic buildings, attracting new people and bringing new business to the area.

Spallacci Group and Valery Homes have been restoring the Edwardian-styled Royal Connaught after the building sat vacant for over a decade. Opened in 1916 and named after the Duke of Connaught, a former Governor General of Canada, it has hosted prime ministers, royalty and Hollywood stars.

As Ted Valeri, president of Valery Homes, said, Hamilton is now a major hub in the Golden Horseshoe. With the Niagara-Hamilton Trade Corridor on the way, its at “the epicentre of exponential growth.”

“We know that this has been a tough year for the city, but the changes that have occurred in our downtown over the last five years have been dramatic and are here to stay,” added Rudi Spallacci, president of Spallacci Group. We’re thrilled to have played a role in that resurgence. Now is the right time to bring The Moderne to market and continue to support the city with new investment.”

Burlington-based architect KNYMH is crafting the high-rise condo into a contemporary urban look with glass and metals. The podium emulates the streetscape, with brick cladding, stones and keystones on the exterior.

“The Moderne’s design provides multiple focal points for Royal Connaught Square,” said Shem Myszkowski, president, KNYMH. “We are enthusiastic to continue this vision from the project’s birth. Introducing a new modern architectural style creates a gateway into the past history and nostalgia, while respecting the vision of the city with a new addition to Hamilton’s skyline.”

Amenities

The entire 8th floor, named ‘The Social Club’, will feature a fireside lounge, co-working spaces, meeting room, games room, billiards, movie theatre, wine and scotch tasting bar, and rooftop patio with a dining terrace, grills and fire pits.

Interiors

Toronto-based interior design company envisions a fusion between historical and modern, and mid-century modern and contemporary elements, from design features to the lighting, finishes, textures and furnishings.

The Moderne’s lobby and amenities feature marble textures intertwined with brass accents, black and gold light fixtures, tinted mirror and polished surfaces with rich, velvet upholstery. Each suite will offer private foyer spaces, nine-foot ceilings, designer flooring and open concept living and kitchen spaces coated in contemporary finishes.

How to smarten up your carpet care program

Choosing the best carpet care program can be a demanding task. But with some careful planning, you will discover several solutions to the various carpet care challenges you face.

One challenge is choosing the best carpet cleaning method for the carpet you are cleaning. Consider the soil load which is impacted by regular maintenance, such as vacuuming, combined with the amount of foot traffic and types of soil brought into the building. Also control the amount of moisture you use, which will impact the dry time.

While most use hot water extraction as their main cleaning method, there are other options. Shampoo has evolved into encapsulation, which is very popular and effective in commercial carpet care and cleaning. Some utilize absorbent pad cleaning; others use very low moisture systems, such as dry foam or dry compound cleaning.

Each has its place and is effective, depending on the soil load on the carpet. But even more important is the skill of the cleaning technician tasked with the job of getting the carpet clean and dry.

Most methods use basic principles of cleaning: Chemistry, heat, agitation, and time. A balance of these four principles produces better cleaning.

The types of carpet fibres used in carpet manufacturing have evolved over the years, mainly for residential dwellings. In years past, nylon dominated the fibre market in homes, apartments, and other residential dwellings. Next came polypropylene (olefin), then polyester. Wool, of course, has always had a very small market share due to cost, although it is a superior product considering its resiliency.

But now polyester and triexta—a product similar to polyester but derived from corn glucose—dominate the residential market, pushing aside nylon. And because of this, instead of dealing with a fibre (nylon) that is more absorbent and can stain from water-soluble substances, cleaners are faced with an oleophilic fibre, with the challenge of removing oily soils that penetrate the fibre. The use of solvent additives has evolved to handle the oily soil issue. When using preconditioning agents on polyester or triexta, discuss with your supplier the use of solvent additives, usually d-Limonene-based products, to better break down the oily soils.

Virtually all commercial carpet, on the other hand, is nylon, which is a smart choice considering its resiliency and the amount of foot traffic in commercial buildings.

The challenge with this fibre differs from polyester and triexta in that it is more affected by water-based spills, such as coffee, which is a constant issue in commercial buildings. Acid-based spills, such as from fruit-flavoured beverages, can easily stain nylon as well.

Carpet Cleaning Chemistry Choices

Knowing your fibres and their characteristics, along with analyzing the soils that create spots and stains, means you can better choose the cleaning chemistry that works.

For preconditioning, most products work great on typical soiling. However, d-Limonene boosters will help with heavier oily soils, and oxygen boosters, percarbonate-based for example, will increase the alkalinity combined with the colour-safe bleaching effect on soils.

Enzyme preconditioners are excellent choices for extremely soiled carpeting, such as in restaurants and heavily soiled carpet in both commercial and residential settings. Most enzyme preconditioners require a specific solution temperature. Follow the directions carefully.

Heat and agitation are very important with carpet care. Applying the solution at a high temperature means better cleaning. Agitation, or carefully scrubbing the carpet, aids in the cleaning solution penetrating the carpet pile and loosening soils.

The rinse or extraction process, using an acid rinse agent, should thoroughly flush and remove the soil and detergent solutions, whether using a portable or a truck mount machine. Follow this with air-movers for faster drying.

If using a method of cleaning that doesn’t utilize rinsing or flushing of soils, you can still use heat (except for absorbent compound), agitation, chemistry, and approximately 10 minutes of contact/dwell time in the process. The longer your cleaning solutions have contact time on the fibres, the better the cleaning. Don’t allow your preconditioning solutions to dry out while working.

For commercial cleaning, encapsulation products are superior choices for interim/appearance cleaning, with the actual removal of soil occurring in the post-vacuuming process, usually the next day after the carpet has dried.

Encapsulation cleaning helps limit wicking of soils that remain, especially those in the backing of the carpet that you can’t remove during a
typical cleaning.

Finally, considering cleaning techniques, you can combine methods for superior cleaning, such as following hot water extraction with an absorbent pad cleaning.

Spotting Kits

Your supplier should have several options for a spotting kit. You need just three classifications of spot and stain removers, and there are many brands and types to fit those categories. Those kits should include products such as:

Water-based spotters (acid/alkaline/enzyme)
Dry solvent spotters (liquid solvents, gel solvents)
Bleaches (colour-safe oxygen and reducing products).

When inspecting a soiled carpet and determining the type of spot or stain, it can be very difficult to pinpoint the type of substance to be cleaned. That being said, most spots will come out in the normal cleaning process, because spots are on the outside of the fibre.

But stains are different. They are inside the fibre. They require special cleaning skills and the three classifications of solutions listed previously.

For remaining stubborn stains after cleaning, it’s time to classify them. Coffee could look like red wine on some carpet fibres. What might look like cough syrup could actually be Kool-Aid. It’s not always possible to know the exact makeup of the stain you are trying to clean. What really matters is the class of stain or substance.

Simply classify the stain or substance into one of three categories:

Organic-based (red wine, coffee, tea, condiments)
Synthetic-based (beverages, medications, artificial food/drink colourings)
Oil-based (ink, tar, grease, oils).

Then the process is simple:

If the substance is oily, use a dry solvent spotting solution, working it into the carpet pile and rinsing with a hot detergent solution.
If the substance is not oily, use a water-based spotter, usually an alkaline or protein spotting solution, and a tannin/acid spotting solution on what might be coffee, tea, or red wine.
If that doesn’t work, classify the substance into either organic or synthetic. Organic substances will be more earth-toned and won’t be as reflective or shiny as you might see with a synthetic, man-made stain. Use an oxygen product on organic substances, and a reducing agent on synthetic substances. This is easy to remember: Oxidize organics, reduce synthetics.

Always follow directions from the manufacturer, and completely rinse/neutralize when switching from one cleaning solution to another.

Carpet care and cleaning is always evolving with better tools, equipment, and chemistry. Stay up on industry trends and take any opportunity to hone your skills. It will be valuable to you and your organization.

Jeff Cross is the editorial director of ISSA Media and the previous owner of a successful cleaning and restoration firm. He also works as a trainer and consultant for business owners, managers, and front-line technicians. He can be reached at [email protected].

Application for PST rebate on equipment opens

Online applications are open in B.C. for up to half-billion dollars in expected PST rebates available for purchases or leases of select machinery and equipment, including tools, furniture, computers, software and zero-emission vehicles.

“This measure is a direct response to what we heard when we consulted with the business community. By providing a rebate on tools and equipment that help businesses grow, we are encouraging investments and helping to reduce the cost of growth for businesses in every sector,” said Selina Robinson, Minister of Finance. “This provincial sales tax (PST) rebate will make it easier for businesses to make the investments that will allow them to grow or adapt and seize the opportunities of a post COVID-19 economy.”

The rebate, announced in September 2020 as part of StrongerBC: BC’s Economic Recovery Plan, allows incorporated businesses to recover 100 per cent of the PST on most machinery and equipment purchased between Sept. 17, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2021.

“Having a 100 per cent PST rebate is a good incentive to make the kind of capital investments that will not just support our members, but help the economy respond, recover and prosper,” said Andrew Wynn-Williams, vice-president, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. “These rebates will support both the short-term need for relief and the long-term goal of economic growth.”

The first application window is open until Sept. 20, 2021, followed by a second window after the eligible rebate period (Oct. 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022). Rebate eligibility is based on the Canada Revenue Agency’s Capital Cost Allowance classes.

The rebate is one of the government-provided investments helping businesses recover and respond to the unprecedented economic impact of the pandemic. Other supports include the Small-to-Medium-Sized Business Recovery Grant, an incentive for businesses that hired more employees, grants to launch or upgrade online stores and other tax relief provided in 2020.

B.C.’s largest Indigenous wind project completed

The Sukunka Wind Energy Project is now completed, making it the largest majority-owned Indigenous green energy project in B.C.

The 15MW wind project located south of Chetwynd was developed by Saulteau First Nations (SFN) and its partner Natural Forces. Prime Contractor was Natural Forces Construction.

“This was a complex project undertaken during very difficult times,” said Chief Justin Napoleon. “I am very proud of our whole team. Our partners, contractors and suppliers had to be smart, flexible and adaptable to overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic. We all stayed on course to complete this major project, and together we delivered it on time and on budget.”

The partners developed innovative tactic to project design, environmental protection, construction management, and investment and financing. This unique approach enabled the team to successfully complete the project on schedule, though the critical phases had to be implemented during the pandemic.

“Taking part in this project has been very meaningful for me,” said John Brereton, president of Natural Forces. “Saulteau deserves a lot of credit for the leadership they provided, and the spirit of collaboration they fostered among our team members. We strongly believe that as we continue to electrify our economy using green energy there is a bright future for low-cost, low-carbon, Indigenous-led projects.”

The project team noted that Indigenous-led clean energy projects can create employment and business development opportunities for local contractors, as well as long-term, stable revenues for communities like Saulteau.

“We are excited to see the completion of the Sukunka Wind Project, which will add to our clean, renewable electricity supply,” said BC Hydro president and CEO Chris O’Riley. “This project demonstrates the importance of reconciliation and reflects our commitment to a meaningful relationship with the Saulteau First Nation.”

Top tips for maximizing condo spaces

In the blink of an eye, our coffee tables were full of Pad Thai delivery, and we stared at our glowing laptops well into the night. Work abruptly moved in, kicked back, and made itself at home. What was supposed to be two weeks quickly turned into two months and two months into a year. Now working from home is decidedly here to stay.

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

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

Here are the top five tips for reclaiming and maximizing your condo.

Height Matters

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

Be Cohesive

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

Create Dimension

To keep your condo space from feeling flat, you can create a sense of depth by floating certain furniture pieces away from the walls, even just by a few inches. People tend to push furniture against walls and corners with the good intention of maximizing space, but this can often create a negative visual impact in the room by making your furniture look cramped. Creating dimension through air and shadows will make your room feel larger and more elegant. Sofas and armchairs are a great place to start and can even allow for an extra end table or console table, which is excellent for layering artwork and decor.

Layer Lighting

Create a deeper dimension in your space by layering various light sources. Installing multiple light sources around your room will allow you to adapt your space to suit your mood or reflect the time, day and season. Wall sconces, pendants, cove lighting and lamp lighting, in addition to typical overhead lighting, can create multiple points of interest and illuminate areas that may not always see an ideal amount of light. Utilizing lighting to highlight the corners of the room will draw your attention to the perimeter of the space instead of the centre of the ceiling, making your room feel both larger and cozier.

Optimize Storage

Numerous places can serve as practical storage that you probably haven’t thought of before. Make the most of your kitchen by using the back of the cabinet doors by adding shelving or bins easily found at a home organization store. When space is really of the essence, intend to purchase practical furniture. Beds, benches, and ottomans can all serve as storage for items that need to be rotated seasonally, like clothes, pillows, and linens. Don’t be afraid to get creative.

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

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

Photo of 55C Bloor Yorkville Residences

Pandemic propels healthy building momentum

Healthy buildings are moving up the wish lists of institutional investors and office tenants alike. A recent global survey of commercial real estate asset managers finds that COVID-19 has intensified pressure to support physical, social and emotional well-being within the built environment, but that many investors, owners and managers were already embracing healthy building principles ahead of pandemic-triggered challenges.

Survey participants collectively held CAD $7.3 trillion (USD $5.75 trillion) in assets under management (AUM) as of December 2020, with a majority confirming that a multiplicity of drivers — COVID-19; general health; tenant satisfaction; market differentiation; reputational benefits — underpin plans to focus on health and wellness within their portfolios over the coming year. The accompanying joint report from the United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI), the Centre for Active Design (CfAD) and BentallGreenOak (BGO) concludes the growing weight of ESG (environmental, social, governance) criteria in investment decision-making is both the impetus to act and the vehicle to implement and verify health-promoting standards and practices.

“Our fiduciary responsibilities are increasingly taking us into new territory that requires attention to the multitude of social factors that impact asset value,” observes Amy Price, president of BentallGreenOak. “Our collective experience with the first modern pandemic in our lifetimes is teaching us how closely tied investment performance is to operational excellence, tenant engagement and community relationships.”

The report defines healthy buildings as those that are designed, operated and managed in a manner that considers occupants’ health, safety and well-being, offering amenities/services to support active lifestyles and connections to nature. These considerations are linked to the S in ESG — the initial that, to date, has been more intangible and with fewer performance indicators than the environmental or governance pillars.

However, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers’ pioneering attempt to quantify the value of healthy building certifications, in a study released just last year, suggests there is good reason for investors’ growing interest. The researchers found that, between 2016 and 2020, buildings with healthy building certification commanded rental premiums of 4.4 to 7 per cent, while 46 per cent of owners/managers reported certified spaces leased up more quickly than non-certified premises.

“Healthier workplaces improve employee productivity and retention, and active buildings and communities deliver societal gains that far exceed their costs,” maintains Eric Usher, UNEP FI head. “Certifications that have more recently been developed to measure and quantify the benefits of health and wellness are delivering the key strategic guidance and setting the standards to shift the market toward better and best practices.”

Drawing on healthy building momentum prior to the pandemic, the UNEP FI/CfAD/BGO study explores how the past 14 months may have heightened investors’ and building users’ expectations and accelerated industry adoption. In addition to the survey, the report’s authors gleaned insight from 11 prominent real estate industry executives and/or ESG practitioners including Canadians, Jon Love, chief executive officer of KingSett Capital, and Jamie Gray-Donald, senior vice president, sustainability and environment, health and safety with QuadReal Property Group.

“The pandemic has highlighted the importance of health in real estate and the perils of being unprepared for future events. Both the risks and opportunities provide compelling reasons to develop and implement solutions that uplift our industry,” urges Anna Murray, managing director and global head of ESG at BentallGreenOak.

Demand highest in office sector and from building occupants

As of late 2020, when the survey was conducted, respondents perceive the highest level of demand for healthy buildings within the office sector and emanating from tenants. Overall, 39 per cent of survey participants report strong demand and 50 per cent report moderate demand across all asset types.

Drilling down further, 61 per cent encounter strong demand from office properties, while just 10 per cent do in retail holdings. In fact, nearly three times as many respondents — 29 per cent — encounter no demand from retail properties.

Turning to asset managers’ client groups, 37 per cent of survey respondents report strong demand from tenants versus 24 per cent from investors and 21 per cent from asset owners. One in 10 respondents suggest there is no demand from asset owners, while just three per cent say tenants are uninterested.

The largest share of survey respondents — 58 per cent — are based in North America, from where 45 per cent encounter strong demand and 45 per cent encounter moderate demand for healthy buildings. European-based asset managers report lower levels of enthusiasm, with just 14 per cent seeing strong demand and 71 per cent finding moderate demand. A smaller portion of Asian-based respondents unanimously report interest in healthy buildings, split 50/50 between strong and moderate demand.

The vast majority of respondents — 92 per cent — expect demand will pick up over the next three years. That follows a 12- to 24-month period where 87 per cent had already experienced growing demand.

In response and preparation, 61 per cent of respondents are using some form of building certification system to identify needs, implement measures and track outcomes. However, just 53 per cent have incorporated health and wellness into their ESG frameworks and reporting.

“We expected the findings to demonstrate strong demand for healthy buildings, especially given the pandemic, but it also points out the lack of consistency around measuring and reporting the impacts of these initiatives,” says Joanna Frank, president and chief executive officer of CfAD, which is also the developer of the Fitwel certification system. “There’s a clear case for standardizing benchmarks to track performance.”

At least 50 per cent of survey respondents track a dozen different metrics deemed to be related to health and well-being. Tenant satisfaction surveys are the most commonly accepted evidence of effort — tracked in 79 per cent of cases. Emergency preparedness planning and indoor air quality testing are the next most prevalent indicators, sought by 74 per cent and 68 per cent of respondents respectively.

Other indicators include: proactive planning exercises for pandemics and natural disasters; metrics to gauge supports in the surrounding locale such as Walk Score, Transit Score and access to high-quality outdoor spaces; and measures such as water quality testing and availability of health programming. Fewer than 40 per cent of respondents monitored Bike Score, cleaning audits or access to nutritious food.

Nearly three quarters of survey respondents are GRESB participants, marking it as the most widely adopted ESG assessment program, followed by LEED, which 68 per cent of respondents employ, and Energy Star with 61 per cent uptake. Fitwel emerges as the most common certification scoped specifically to healthy buildings, with 47 per cent of survey respondents on board. Meanwhile, 39 per cent have adopted the WELL Building Standard.

Indicative of Canadian survey participation, BOMA BEST makes a proportionally strong showing with 37 per cent of respondents adhering — notably surpassing the 29 per cent of survey respondents that have adopted the United Kingdom’s BREEAM assessment method. Nevertheless, Usher notes the complementary synergies of all such programs, and reiterates that a bolstered S also has positive ramifications for the E and the G.

“This investor/manager focus on health and wellness nests within a range of other UNEP FI activities such as assessing and communicating the holistic impacts of finance decisions, and steering insurer risk management and underwriting practices in support of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals,” he says.

Canadians see dismal future for homeownership

Beyond the steaming hot housing market, 36 per cent of the under-40 crowd are abandoning their dreams of homeownership.

Findings come from a new Ipsos poll that was conducted between January 21 and 28, 2021 on behalf of RBC, where 2,000 Canadians aged 18+ were interviewed online.

The RBC Spring Housing Poll also found that 62 per cent of Canadians, mainly in B.C. and Ontario, believe people will be priced out of the housing market in the next decade.

For others, the pandemic has provided an opportunity to increase their overall savings, with 44 per cent of all respondents saying they have saved more over the last year. For those likely to buy a home in the next two years, the poll also found that 60 per cent are saving monthly, putting away $789 on average each month for a home.

Homeownership intention

Despite 54 per cent of Canadians saying it is a sellers’ market (up from 41 per cent last year, highest since 2009), there is a large increase in Canadians who are considering buying a home in the next two years (30 per cent, up 8 per cent from 2020). This rises to 49 per cent for those respondents under 40 years of age and 66 per cent for new Canadians who have been in the country less than five years.

Many factors are on the minds of Canadians when thinking about whether to buy now or buy later. Interest rates and concerns that homes will become less affordable are key reasons why many Canadians are considering buying sooner. In fact, 41 per cent of Canadians surveyed are thinking about buying a home sooner because of low interest rates and 61 per cent believe home values will only go up in the immediate future.

Four-in-five Canadians also continue to see homeownership as a good investment and the majority say it is better to buy than rent. The key drivers among those waiting to buy a home include uncertainty about the economy, a belief that prices may come down, affordability issues and job anxiety.

“In addition to evaluating what you can afford now, potential home buyers should put their finances through a stress test to see if they can continue to carry the cost of owning a home if interest rates increase or if they had an unexpected expense or income loss,” said Amit Sahasrabudhe, vice-president, home equity financing, products and acquisitions, RBC.

Saving, budgeting and down payments for

While 60 per cent of Canadians surveyed say they would not put themselves in a situation where they spend an unusually large proportion of their total income, RBC says it might be easier said then done in the priciest markets across Canada.

Forty-eight per cent of survey respondents planning to purchase a home in the next two years say their budget is less than $500,000. Meanwhile, according to CREA, the average house price in Canada was $678,091 as of February 2021. This rises to $864,159 and $887,695 in Ontario and British Columbia and decreases to $290,789 and $224,785 in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick respectively.

When considering a down payment, almost nine-in-10 respondents who are likely to buy in the next two years have some money saved (86 per cent), with $42,000 in savings on average. Forty per cent have less than $25,000 earmarked for homeownership.

“Building up a down payment can often be the biggest barrier to buying a home, especially as prices continue to climb in the pandemic environment,” says Sahasrabudhe. “While everyone’s financial situation is different, many Canadians have been taking advantage of reduced spending over the year to build up their savings and get closer to making their dream of owning a home a reality.”