A Shock of Life: Making AEDs more accessible

In a cardiac arrest, every moment counts. Promisingly, research shows that using an automated external defibrillator (AED) in conjunction with CPR within minutes of a cardiac arrest can boost an individual’s survival rates by 50 per cent. For this reason, the Government of Ontario is moving forward with an Act that will ensure the presence of these life-saving devices in public premises and some private premises.

The Act, entitled Defibrillator Registration and Public Access Act, 2020, received royal assent on June 18, 2020. It will impose new rules requiring public spaces to install, maintain, and test AEDs on designated premises or public premises. Moreover, it will require premises to register their devices with the registrar within specified time periods, thereby ensuring that anyone phoning 9-1-1 in an emergency can be told where the nearest AED is located.

“The initiatives within this Act are something that myself and many people within the first aid community have been lobbying for, for many years,” says Martin Andrews, President of Vita First Aid. “First aid training is mandatory for many businesses and organizations, and that training includes how to use an AED. Yet, until now, legislation hadn’t caught up to say you need to have these critical devices in your facility to be able to use what you’ve been trained to do.”

Support for the act is driven by a desire to increase survival rates among the nearly 7,000 Ontarians experience cardiac arrests every year. Typically, individuals who experience an event have a ten-minute window in which chances of survival reduce by 10% per minute a defibrillation is delayed. And given the reality that EMS may take longer to arrive, having an AED close by in these situations can literally mean the difference between life and death.

“Using an AED absolutely makes a difference,” adds Andrews. “What happens in a cardiac arrest is that your heart stops due to a problem with its electrical rhythms, and it’s no longer able to pump blood. At that point, the body is essentially dead. So what defibrillators do is shock that system into action again, essentially bringing them back to life.”

“That’s why this Act is so important,” he adds.

Busting AED myths

To believe TV and movies, using an AED is a complicated and dramatic procedure. In reality, AED devices are made to be simple and straightforward to use. Nevertheless, the adoption of AEDs has been hindered by several misconceptions, including:

Myth: AEDs will injure victims
Reality: AEDs administer an electrical shock that “reboots” a heart’s normal rhythm. Given that individuals are likely to die without this reboot, and they are unconscious when it is being administered, there is no risk of worsening the situation.

Myth: AEDs are complex to use
Reality: AED technology has come a long way. Today, AEDs are designed to guide users through the entire process with visual and audio aids. Moreover, says Andrews, “The newer automatic units we’re selling now actually delivers the shock on its own. The user isn’t required to press the button.”

Myth: Using an AED can make individuals liable for damages
Reality: The Good Samaritan Act and the Chase McEachern Act protects AED users from any liability associated with using an AED.

Myth: AEDs are expensive
Reality: AEDs have come down dramatically in price over the years. Many can be purchased for under $2,000, compared to $5 – $10k in the past. What’s more, says Andrews, “There is always going to be a cost to businesses when purchasing an AED, but $2000 is a small price to pay to save a life.”

For AED specialists like Andrews, the Defibrillator Registration and Public Access Act, 2020, has been a long time coming. Now that Ontario is taking action, the hope is that increased access to AEDs will transform the stats around cardiac arrests for the better.

Learn more about AEDs and the latest options from Vita First Aid.

Construction begins on Village Commons in Calgary

Calgary Housing Company (CHC), in partnership with the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) and carya, have begun construction of Village Commons, a community hub located on the second floor of CHC’s East Village Place.

Village Commons will feature a community kitchen designed by Group2 Architecture Interior Design Ltd, in partnership with their kitchen consultant, Burnstad Consulting, an art studio for classes and self-directed creativity, recreation spaces, a family counselling centre, and common areas for neighbours to get to know each other. All Calgarians will be welcome to learn, cook, create, and access the mental health supports they need to thrive.

“carya got its start in East Village in 1910, so we’re thrilled to be coming full circle with Village Commons,” says carya CEO Monique Auffrey. “After months of isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this community gathering space will be more important than ever.”

CHC is also pleased to be partnering with CMLC who will project manage the construction project. CMLC brings significant project management expertise as well as important perspective as the agency responsible for the implementation of the East Village Master Plan.

“East Village has evolved into a vibrant mixed-use community with a diverse mix of residents. carya’s Village Commons enriches the community and brings an important community space where residents of all ages are welcome,” says Kate Thompson, President and CEO, CMLC.

Additional commercial space on the ground floor of the building is being offered for lease with the goal of locating tenants who will further contribute to the rapidly evolving neighbourhood.

CHC purchased East Village Place in 2016 and currently provides 163 affordable homes in the building.

Village Commons will open its doors in early 2021.

Colonnade BridgePort shows confidence in the GTA

Ottawa-based Colonnade BridgePort has announced two new appointments to further guide the full-service real estate company’s expansion in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Chris Coleman has been named director of asset management, and Colin Ross has been named director of GTA leasing. Colonnade BridgePort chief executive officer Hugh Gorman affirms the moves signify confidence in the commercial real estate sector.

“Although 2020 has been a challenging year in our industry, we believe that our industry is resilient, the sector will rebound and will continue to be a key driver for the economy,” he says. “We also believe that private and institutional investors will continue to pursue real estate as a crucial investment vehicle for their investment portfolio.”

Coleman comes to his new role with more than 20 years experience in investment and asset management, property acquisition, development financing and property management. Previous positions as senior vice president, investments and asset management at LaSalle Investment Management, and as vice president, investments, portfolio management at SmartCentres REIT herald his grounding in retail, office, mixed-used and industrial portfolios with both listed real estate and property funds.

Ross brings 25 years of experience in marketing and leasing properties, navigating complex lease negotiations, handling operations and managing high-profile accounts. Previously, he was director of leasing with Brookfield Properties, president of DTZ Canada and owner-operator of the GTA-based boutique real estate brokerage firm, Mohr Partners.

Colonnade BridgePort currently manages more than 8 million square feet of space in 120 properties in Ontario. The company is headquartered in Ottawa with additional offices in Toronto and Mississauga.

“We have seen encouraging results and are looking forward to expanding our presence in the GTA even further,” Gorman says. “Welcoming industry-leading experts Colin Ross and Chris Coleman to our team is a major milestone. Having these two leaders join our team means we can bring the highest quality leasing, investment and management services to our customers throughout the region.”

Ontario extends deadlines for virtual meetings

The Ontario government has extended the deadline for condominium corporations to hold meetings virtually. The previous deadline of November 21, 2020, has now been changed to May 31, 2021.

As cases of coronavirus rise across the province, many condo corporations have been anticipating whether or not the government would make any legislative amendments.

While the changes do not extend the timeframe to hold AGMs, they allow for virtual meetings and electronic voting to continue without a bylaw. Besides AGMs, this includes owners’ meetings and director’s meetings.

As it stands, condo corporations whose AGMs were due between March 17 and July 24 must hold their AGM by October 22, 2020. If their deadline falls between July 24 and August 23, 2020, then the AGM must take place by November 21, 2020.

According to Lash Condo Law, “notices for directors meetings may be sent by electronic communication whether or not the by-laws specify otherwise; directors meetings can be held by teleconference without the consent of all of the directors; and anything required to be given to an owner or mortgagee under the Act with respect to a meeting may be given by electronic means, even if an owner or mortgagee has not entered into an agreement to receive notices electronically.”

Slim prospects for industrial space seekers

Toronto continues to offer slim prospects for industrial space seekers — registering a mere 2 per cent availability rate at the end of September — even though more than 2.7 million square feet of new supply has come onto the market since June 30. CBRE’s newly released third quarter statistics also reveal reduced industrial availability in Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Montreal over the course of summer 2020.

Nationally, CBRE pegs the average availability rate at 3.5 per cent across the 10 major markets it surveys, ranging from Toronto’s Northern American low of 2 per cent to 9.7 per cent in Calgary. Only Halifax and Ottawa recorded increases in availability, as more than 6.7 million square feet of industrial space was absorbed nationally during the third quarter.

Average net rents slipped marginally from $9.17 to $9.16 per square foot, but the average sales price climbed at a steeper angle, from $156.41 to $159.57 per square foot. Booming e-commerce trends underpin the robust numbers and are believed to be fueling new purpose-built construction as tenants foresee fewer releasing opportunities at turnover.

“There remains a lack of readily available top-tier logistics facilities across Canada,” CBRE analysts observe.

“Investors, tenants and developers recognize that e-commerce and logistics demand are here to stay and they’re making big forward-looking industrial commitments,” concurs Paul Morassutti, CBRE’s vice chair.

The 10.4 million square feet of space now under construction in Toronto is expected to make a relatively small dent in demand, and lease out well ahead of completion. Q3 2020 was the 14th consecutive quarter that average net rents increased, edging up this time by $0.05 to reach $9.76 per square foot. Year-over-year, the average net rent has climbed by about $1 per square foot, largely due to more pronounced spikes in the fourth quarter of 2019 and first quarter of 2020.

In addition to Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver also record industrial availability rates of less than 3 per cent. Vancouver added 803,000 square feet of new supply during the third quarter, but still saw a 10 basis point drop in the availability rate, taking it down to 2.8 per cent. Average net rent dipped down $0.07 per square foot to rest at $13.52. Approximately 4.3 million square feet of new space is currently under construction.

Montreal’s industrial availability rate now sits at 2.5 per cent after a further 10 basis point slide during the summer. On the flip side, average market rent has increased by more than 27 per cent since 2018. The most recent quarter saw a $0.05 increase, pushing average net rent up to $7.19 per square foot. More than 792,000 square feet of space was absorbed in the same period. About than 241,000 square feet of newly completed industrial space came onto the market and 1.4 million square feet is currently under construction.

“Given the recent demand for industrial product, developers have become more confident in the city’s warehouse and distribution market, resulting in an uptick in the number of projects currently in the planning stages of development,” CBRE analysts report.

“The Canadian industrial market hasn’t missed a beat,” Morassutti reflects. “In fact, it has unprecedented momentum and is truly the rock star of the commercial real estate world right now.”

Feds to invest $2 billion in energy retrofits

A promised $2 billion investment in large-scale energy retrofits will be central to the Canadian government’s job creation ambitions. The funding was announced today as part of a three-year, $10-billion spending package to be known as the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) Growth Plan. It follows a pledge to spur a green and resilient economic recovery from COVID-19, made in last week’s Speech from the Throne at the launch of new parliamentary session.

The $2 billion for energy retrofits is one of five thrusts in the CIB plan. It also includes: $2.5 billion for renewable energy generation, energy storage and inter-jurisdictional transmission; $2 billion to accelerate the expansion of broadband digital services to rural and other underserved communities; $1.5 billion for agricultural irrigation projects; and $1.5 billion for zero-emission buses and charging infrastructure. An additional $500 million has been allocated for required preparatory work before projects can proceed.

The government calculates activity arising from this investment will create approximately 60,000 jobs and draw further investment to sustain and grow employment. “Every dollar of public investment in these initiatives is intended to attract additional dollars from private and institutional investors,” affirms Michael Sabia, chair of the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

Efficiency Canada, a not-for-profit organization championing the dual environmental and economic benefits of energy and water efficiency, likewise envisages CIB and the Canadian economy will reap a bountiful payback on the $2 billion destined for energy retrofits. Small, independent businesses have long been active players in the energy efficiency sector, which was estimated to employ 436,000 workers in 51,000 companies and organizations prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, retrofit work is intrinsically linked to consumer savings, creating other spinoff economic benefits.

“By adding energy efficiency to its mandate, the Canada Infrastructure Bank is sending a signal that energy-efficient buildings have widespread, long-term impacts,” maintains Corey Diamond, executive director of Efficiency Canada. “This is a critical component in scaling activity across the country, while creating jobs and reducing operating costs for building owners, managers and tenants.”

The investment also supports Canada’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Indeed, the target is only getting more onerous based on the Throne Speech indication that the government will legislate its stated aim to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

“Considering that buildings contribute almost a third of total emissions, investing $2 billion in large-scale building retrofits is great news for our industry,” says Bala Gnanam, vice president, energy, environment and advocacy with the Building Owner and Manager Association (BOMA) of Greater Toronto.

Many commercial landlords and tenants have suffered COVID-19 related business disruptions and revenue loss and, in the landlords’ case now face future uncertainty about operating income and asset value. Large-scale building retrofits could present an opportunity to shore up both. Meanwhile, industry insiders suggest condominium corporations might particularly welcome the funds.

“Condominiums, unlike commercial buildings or even rental apartment buildings, do not have the ability to use the tax system to their advantage. All funds spent by condominium owners are made from their personal after-tax dollars,” notes Rob Detta Colli, manager, energy and sustainability, with Crossbridge Condominium Services. ” I think the $2 billion for large-scale building retrofits is a smart way to use public funds and, in condominiums, would help would help individuals and families directly.”

Energy efficiency champions also have plenty of ideas of how and where the investment could be best leveraged. While the Canada Infrastructure Bank was established as an entity that would work in tandem with provincial/territorial, municipal and Indigenous partners, Scott Rouse, managing partner of the consulting firm, Energy@Work, suggests it could also be something of a trend-setter as the Ontario government gets ready to renew its conservation and demand management (CDM) programs in 2021.

“We, along with others, are hoping to see similar support for customer-centric CDM programs that help customers manage their electricity. Energy efficiency can be equally effective in helping Ontario’s economic recovery, as well as our environmental response to climate change,” Rouse asserts.

“I hope some of the dollars will be invested to make our buildings, communities and infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather events,” Gnanam urges. “We need to improve their capacity to recover and resume normal business following an extreme event. Operational resilience is key for protecting our investments and ensuring strong, vibrant and resilient communities where businesses and families can prosper.”

Michael Lithgow, manager, energy and climate action at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, also includes resiliency on his wish list. “I’d like to see more support for retro-commissioning of existing buildings and integrated design of new buildings, including iterative energy modelling, resiliency aspects and BAS (building automations systems) and metering design,” he tallies.

Barbara Carss is editor-in-chief of Canadian Property Management.

Federal government to spend $10B on infrastructure

The federal government announced the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) will spend $10 billion in new major infrastructure initiatives to create jobs and economic growth.

The Liberals say the investment plan is part of the government’s promise in last week’s throne speech to create one million jobs to rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“By investing in infrastructure, we are strengthening our communities and ensuring good jobs for today and in the future. We will continue to do what it takes to support Canadians through this crisis, safely get our economy back up and running, and get people back to work,” said Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada.

The CIB Growth Plan is expected to create approximately 60,000 jobs across the country over three years.

The Growth Plan will invest in five major initiatives:

$2.5 billion for clean power to support renewable generation and storage and to transmit clean electricity between provinces, territories, and regions, including to northern and Indigenous communities.
$2 billion to connect approximately 750,000 homes and small businesses to broadband in underserved communities, so Canadians can better participate in the digital economy.
$2 billion to invest in large-scale building retrofits to increase energy efficiency and help make communities more sustainable.
$1.5 billion for agriculture irrigation projects to help the agriculture sector enhance production, strengthen Canada’s food security, and expand export opportunities.
$1.5 billion to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission buses and charging infrastructure so Canadians can have cleaner commutes.

To accelerate the delivery of projects in which the CIB intends to invest, it will also allocate $500 million for project development and early construction works.

“One of the defining features of the Canada Infrastructure Bank is attracting private investment to new infrastructure. Every dollar of public investment in these initiatives is intended to attract additional dollars from private and institutional investors. In that way, the CIB can have bigger impacts that benefit Canadians and Canada’s economy. We will be moving forward quickly to implement the $10 billion Growth Plan and deliver results,” said Michael Sabia, chair of the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

Through the Canada Infrastructure Bank, the federal government has committed $35 billion to support infrastructure projects across the country.

Killam turns to AI for HVAC energy savings

Killam’s Quinpool Tower in Halifax recently went live with Ecopilot, an Artificial Intelligence solution for real-time HVAC energy savings.

“We are committed to investing in energy initiatives that reduce our carbon footprint, as well as our ongoing utility costs,” said Brian Jessop, Vice President of Operations at Killam. “Ecopilot is an interesting tool that aligns well with our sustainability goals and we’re very excited to see how it performs.”

According to Killam, Ecopilot will act as a brain for the HVAC system at Quinpool Tower, a 11-storey, 233-unit apartment, by delivering intelligent heating control based on the building’s thermal properties, weather, and internal temperature. The group said it adopted this specific AI solution because it guaranteed HVAC energy savings of a minimum of nine per cent with a payback of just three years.

Killam has committed to integrating sustainable opportunities to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and contribute positively to operating savings. Across the company’s 17,000-unit apartment portfolio, significant investments in new technologies and sustainable initiatives have been made.

In 2019 and 2020, Killam participated in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) program, an initiative that supports sustainability standardization in the real estate sector, validates environmental, social and governance data and aligns with international reporting frameworks.

Student housing without the students

Vacancies are rising in major urban centres across Canada due to several factors, including lower immigration, short-term rental conversions, an increase in multi-residential construction, and COVID-induced caution about moving and buying a home. But the lack of students to fill rental units near universities and colleges is another reason for concern.

In Ottawa, a recent study conducted by Carleton University’s Centre of Urban Research and Education (CURE) predicted that an increase in vacancy rate in the city’s rental market would likely be caused by a decrease in student population and tourism. The survey, which continues through the month of October, anticipates Ottawa’s vacancy rate could push as high as 10 per cent as the pandemic surges on.

In Montreal, Canada’s most active rental market, major negative impacts have yet to be seen. But with fall upon us, and many students opting to stay in their respective cities rather than return to campus, rental units once filled by the academic cohort will need to find an alternate tenant pool.

Maxim Cordeau-Andrews, customer relations and marketing manager for Akelius Montreal Ltd., says there are a “huge number” of mostly younger, undergraduate students who are not returning to classes this fall, leaving many units empty. But on the flipside, he says there is an influx of students pursuing long-term, post-graduate or continuing studies involving research or lab work which could help lessen the blow.

“Luckily for us, the universities in Montreal are in desirable neighbourhoods,” Cordeau-Andrews points out. “The properties that would have once been filled by students are still attractive to young professionals and recent graduates.”

With student housing situated near all the city’s major campuses—including Shaughnessy Village near Concordia, the Golden Square Mile near McGill, in the near UQAM and in Côte-Des-Neiges/Outremont near Université de Montréal and HEC—Akelius could have been in a difficult position. But according to Cordeau-Andrews, the buildings are well designed and equipped to attract young professionals already in the city or who may have recently graduated.

“We are accommodating their requests to have shorter or more flexible leases than what we would usually do [because of] the uncertainty going on in the world,” he says.

Shorter leases provide student housing safety net

The strategy of offering shorter-term leases is a solution Akelius and other student housing providers believe will help them get through the next wave of COVID, or until universities decide it’s safe for undergraduate students to return to class.

All across Montreal, universities have had to greatly adjust their plans for the fall 2020 semester. McGill University, Concordia University, and Université de Montréal have almost entirely moved to online learning for an indefinite period of time.

At McGill, almost all classes have been moved online, encouraging students to continue on their academic journey from home. With the exception of masters and PhD students, who are able to study in person in small class sizes to complete lab sessions, the majority of McGill students will not be stepping foot on campus this fall.

At Université de Montréal, clinics and laboratories will be held in person, with all other courses being offered online.

Concordia has moved its fall 2020 classes online, with a few in person activities being offered in the Faculty of Arts and Science, the Faculty of Fine Arts, and at the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science. While some classes and activities are being offered in-person at Concordia, they will also be available online for those who do not wish to be on campus.

Student residences

At McGill, a number of residences including Douglas Hall, Gardner, Molson and McConnell Hall have been closed. The university has guaranteed all first-year undergraduate students admitted for the 2020/2021 academic year will have a spot in residence, even if travel restrictions or other related issues don’t allow them to be in Montreal in the fall.

To ensure safety protocols are followed, all open residences at McGill will implement both the Quebec government’s and the local health authority’s health and safety guidelines. In terms of current measures, the university has converted all double rooms to single occupancy, removing the option for students to have roommates.

For student Lily Zhang, a residence assistant in New Residence Hall at McGill University, COVID-19 has greatly changed the regular operations of student housing.

“This year, only hotel residences are open, and there are strict guidelines about how many people can be in common spaces,” she says. “There’s also social distancing being enforced in dining halls through limited seating. Students have their own rooms and bathrooms, meaning no one has a roommate this year—however, rent is still the same cost.”

Meanwhile, Concordia has chosen a different course of action by making all of its on-campus student housing temporarily unavailable. Officials have been working to support students in finding off-campus housing by partnering with rental sites.

Many landlords are offering deals to make renting seem more attractive — from free parking, to one month’s rent free, to deferred payments, to discounted rental rates.

On Rentals.ca, the average rent for all Canadian properties listed in August was $1,769 per month, down 7.6 per cent annually, indicating that rent could continue to drop in coming months.

Built Green Canada launches a communities pilot

Built Green Canada has launched its Communities Program pilot—expanding opportunities for developers focused on creating better, healthier homes and communities. As COVID-19 continues, the organization is encouraging developers to participate in trials during this phase. The first project enrolled is by Averton who has decided to develop Midtown in St. Albert as a sustainable community.

Now more than ever, healthy homes have become a priority, and there is growing awareness that a sustainably built home is a healthier home. Many people are spending more time inside their home as they adjust to other ways of doing business, while social connections are encouraged to occur outside, expanding the focus to the outside of the home and to the health of communities. While the Communities Program was already in development, the pandemic prompted Built Green to ready this as a pilot.

The Communities’ program framework takes a holistic approach to development, consistent with Built Green’s other third-party certified programs, and focuses on the optimization of health, resiliency, lifecycle sustainability, new urbanism, greenhouse emissions, green spaces and resource consumption.

“Though we understand the COVID-19 pandemic extends far beyond a health crisis, the trajectory of our communities and economies is difficult to anticipate, recover from and prepare for, should future waves come. What we can expect is a continued emphasis on health and well-being—inside our homes and the communities in which we live”, says Built Green’s CEO Jenifer Christenson. “Meanwhile, economic recovery dominates public discourse.”

To qualify for the Communities program pilot, the project must consist of three or more buildings, and at least 50 per cent of these structures must contain residential units. The program’s checklist of options considers site location, layout and design, energy systems, water management, materials and waste management, health and wellness, and business practices and innovation.

“Consistent with the framework of Built Green’s other programs, the Communities Program was created to provide a simple, well-researched, independent, and impactful approach to sustainable communities,” says Matt Grace, Integral Group principal and chair of Built Green’s Technical Standards Committee. “We hope developers will find it easy to use and instinctive, while providing valuable guidance and direction.”

Alberta’s Westview RV Park crowned Canada’s Best Restroom 2020

RV there yet? Cintas Canada, Ltd. is proud to name the Westview RV Park in Wetaskiwin, AB as the 2020 Canada’s Best Restroom^® winner. The public voted the Westview RV Park the best public washroom in the country, earning it the top prize of a Cintas UltraClean™ restroom cleaning service and $2,500 in Cintas facility services to keep its washrooms Ready for the Workday^®. The washrooms will also be honoured with a place in the Canada’s Best Restroom^®Hall of Fame.

“We’re blown away by the outpouring of votes to help us earn the title of Canada’s Best Restroom,” said Carol Crick, co-owner and operator, Westview RV Park. “We invested a lot of time into creating clean and comfortable washrooms for our customers. Our luxurious facilities are one of the main reasons travelers choose to stay at our campground.”

The washrooms at the Westview RV Park recently underwent a major makeover. Westview wanted to give its customers the five-star treatment and make them feel comfortable while staying at the park. The epoxy floors are textured for less slips and rounded corners were created for ease of cleaning. Meanwhile, concrete countertops and fancy tile make these the most unbelievable campground washrooms anywhere.

“Travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have many Canadians renting or buying an RV for their family getaways,” said Sonia Mendes, Senior Marketing Manager, Cintas Canada. “When travelers visit the Westview campground, they’ll be impressed by the clean and pleasant washroom experience.”

The Westview RV Park’s engagement throughout the contest played a significant role in driving votes for their location. They drove awareness via their social media page as well as participated in several radio, TV and newspaper interviews. Their promotion resulted in thousands of proud employees and caring customers voting for them throughout the contest.

Now in its 11^th year, the Cintas Canada’s Best Restroom contest shines a spotlight on businesses that go the extra mile to create the most memorable restrooms imaginable. The contest is open to any non-residential restroom in Canada that is accessible to the public.

The 2020 finalists were selected based on cleanliness, visual appeal, innovation, functionality and unique design elements. Online voting was open to the public from July 13 through August 14, which produced the following results:

Westview RV Park – Wetaskiwin, AB
Bicycle Thief – Halifax, NS
Hawthorn Dining Room – Calgary, AB
Yorkdale Shopping Centre – Toronto, ON
Leña Restaurante – Toronto, ON

For more information about the Canada’s Best Restroom contest, visit www.bestrestroom.com/canada.

About Cintas Canada, Ltd.

Cintas Canada Ltd, with headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario is a subsidiary of Cintas Corporation. Cintas helps more than 55,000 Canadian businesses of all types and sizes get ready™ to open their doors with confidence every day by providing a wide range of products and services that enhance our customers’ image and help keep their facilities and employees clean, safe and looking their best. With products and services including uniforms, floor care, restroom supplies, first aid and safety products, Cintas helps customers get Ready for the Workday^®. Cintas is a publicly held Fortune 500 company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and Nasdaq 100 index.

SOURCE: CINTAS CANADA

Demand ramps up for virtual AGMs

UPDATE: On October 2, the provincial government made legislative changes to virtual meetings. They have now been extended to end on May 31, 2021. This does not extend the time to hold AGMs, but does allow for virtual meetings and electronic voting to continue without a bylaw.

Virtual meeting service providers in Ontario are in high demand. Deadlines to hold Annual General Meetings (AGMs) are fast approaching, indoor gatherings are now capped at 10 people in certain spaces, and the province has officially declared a second wave of COVID-19.

Service providers are currently juggling existing meetings with finding ways to assist yet-to-be-booked meetings as phones ring off the hook, according to Adam Arcuri, president of CondoVoter, who recently spoke at CAI Canada’s V-CON(DO) 2020 conference held online on September 16.

“We hear your frustrations when you call us, looking for specific dates, and we are doing our very best to accommodate as many meetings as possible, but we also want to make sure we are upholding a certain level of service and quality for those meetings,” he noted. “Self-administered meetings is a solution you’re going to see in the future.”

Ontario’s COVID-19 emergency declaration ended on July 24, causing much uncertainty in regards to extensions and timelines for AGMs. As it stands, condo corporations whose AGMs were due between March 17 and July 24 must hold their AGM by October 22, 2020. If their deadline falls between July 24 and August 23, 2020, then the AGM must take place by November 21, 2020.

Here are just a few takeaways from The In’s and Out’s of AGMs in 2020 panel discussion.

Be proactive. Be prepared. Be flexible. Cross fingers for any extensions.

Potential extensions to any deadlines remain uncertain, said moderator and condo lawyer Graeme Macpherson, associate at Gowling WLG. On that note, he suggested it’s best to assume that legislative guidelines will not change and boards be extra prepared—ensuring everyone is available to attend the meeting on the chosen dates. This could mean allowing for more flexibility like weekend meetings.

Based on feedback GetQuorum Co-Founder Ben Zelikovitz has received from the Ontario ministry, there won’t be any extensions to deadlines. He said what the ministry is starting to look at is extending “the virtual meeting special powers for a larger chunk of time.”

Since the emergency declaration ended, the deadline to hold a virtual meeting without a virtual meeting bylaw is November 21. Some communities will probably be scrambling at the last minute, said Laurent Trembley, vice-president of condominium properties, Kipling Group. Since vendors are booking up quickly, condos should be reaching out to service providers to hold a ‘penciled-in date’ and then making sure all attendees (auditors and lawyers included) can meet that specific day and time.

Some corporations may be waiting to meet in person—to heed the technology curve related to virtual platforms, he added. Either way, many corporations are putting feelers out: engaging with their communities, hosting town halls, sending out information sheets and memorandums, polling within their resident management systems and surveying for feedback to assess whether a potential delay is necessary and could be managed appropriately.

What’s going to happen if condos without a virtual meeting bylaw don’t hold their meeting by November 21?

“I don’t think it would be a good idea, unless there is an update from the provincial government, to try to hold the meeting virtually without the bylaw because that could very well invalidate the meeting having even occurred,” said Macpherson, adding that owners could justifiably challenge the existence of that virtual meeting if they feel it wasn’t allowed.

Technical glitches unlikely to derail meetings

For communities thinking about using a service provider, Acuri noted such companies have structures in place to accommodate for any technology issues like failing internet connections, Moderators, for instance, assist with both technology and meeting agendas, ready to jump in and help if need be.

The consensus across the panel seemed to be that technical glitches haven’t compromised the validity of voting or elections during virtual meetings, and that technology hasn’t derailed any meetings so far.

“If you do run into any technical difficulties during the course of your virtual meeting, it can be a little alarming. . . but you have to remember there can be hiccups in an in-person meeting, too, and it’s not going to invalidate the meeting—especially if you have a professional service provider with you,” noted Macpherson, adding, if technology fails, stay calm and the meeting will recover.

Owners without computers can always dial-in and listen. Although this limits their ability to participate, depending on the service provider, Zelikovitz adds they can always submit a paper-based proxy. “That’s the beautiful thing about the Ontario-prescribed proxy; it’s complicated and seven pages, but the proxy form is a beautiful legal instrument that allows owners not able to attend to provide explicit instructions on how they’d like to participate and vote when they attend the meeting.”

Polling to elect directors has drawbacks

Polling across most webinar platforms gives options to everybody present at a meeting, including guests and panelists, and cannot account for owners who are present who have previously voted and submitted proxies, said Zelikovitz

“There is a very specific reason that polling itself does not work for director elections,” he added. If you are able to “do it in a vacuum and assume that absolutely everyone present is eligible to vote,” and there are no outstanding eligibility issues, and no proxies being submitted beforehand—if that is the case, he said, then polling might be usable, but not recommended for condos over two dozen units.

Hybrid meetings come with varying challenges

Hybrid meetings take many forms that come with certain challenges and logistical concerns, noted Macpherson.

“In an exclusively virtual meeting, everyone can be accounted for during the meeting so attendance is taken care of; whereas, during a hybrid meeting, attendance and registration is a totally different process because you have to run one online and you have to run one in person,” said Zelikovitz.

Another challenge is “balancing the cadence between in-person attendees and virtual attendees,” said Zelikovitz. Consider if the chairperson will naturally take questions and regard the hand raise from a person sitting right in front of him or her. With voting, it’s important to make sure owners using paper ballots haven’t submitted a paper or electronic proxy.

Duplicate voting is a primary concern when hosting a virtual meeting. “That is why the virtual hybrid meeting can get a little more complicated, and yes we’re seeing lots of them and each one seems to be a bit of a learning experience for us.”

“Being able to host a platform—whether it’s in person and combined with a virtual to meet the needs of a community so the most participation can be had—is what I think the goal should be of every community,” added Tremblay. Many communities still struggle with getting the 25 per cent quorum, even with virtual-based platforms.

Virtual platforms have built-in efficiencies

On the topic of how virtual AGMs work alongside service providers, a first step is having a conversation with the board to understand owners’ concerns and how to address them. Unit owners should be aware they will receive third party communications, which typically start with the preliminary notice that highlights what to expect through the whole registration process.

A notice of meeting will include information on how to register and attend and what is expected of a unit owner. Owners’ names and unit numbers used in the registration will later validate attendance when showing up for the meeting. Some virtual meeting efficiencies include sharing screen sessions with owners to offer a visual representation of talking notes minus the extra audio-visual equipment, and built-in hand-raising features for holding a motion and tallying results.

Virtual meetings uphold the democratic process

“When the condominium makes the choice to have a virtual meeting, it does so for the exact purpose of ensuring that as many people as possible are able to be fully involved,” added Acuri. “The entire purpose is to uphold the democracy of the condominium.”

Service providers each have their own method of keeping records for the appropriate amount of time. “If you do want to see the ballots, you would go through a CAO-mandated process of a records request,” noted Macpherson. “Those records will be kept for as long as statutorily required.”

The vote is the most important thing a property manager should be cognizant of, and that due process is being performed in a way that would eliminate any liability being directed back at the corporation, said Tremblay. The process must be clear to the directorship and well-outlined in the preliminary notice and notice of meeting. Ownership should know what to expect. Property managers are out there, organizing one-on-one Zoom calls, testing owners’ technology and smoothing out any anxieties.

FireSmart measures begin with maintenance

Canadians are urged to be mindful of both the advantages and risks of living in a country of such vast natural splendour. Notably, about 11 million people currently reside in what’s known as the wildland-urban interface (WUI), enjoying the benefits of proximity to forests and other natural features, but perhaps overlooking the perils.

“Nearly 30 per cent of the population is potentially exposed to wildfire risk,” observes Natalia Moudrak, director of climate resilience with the University of Waterloo’s Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation. “The average wildfire we’ve seen recently grows to be half the size of Nova Scotia, and that’s twice the size as (the average) in the 1970s.”

The Intact Centre is one of more than 100 Canadian organizations that have joined the FireSmart Canada network to promote principles and best practices to avoid fueling wildfire spread. Similar to the Intact Centre’s promotion of no-cost/low-cost measures to mitigate flood risk, FireSmart measures encompass easily implemented maintenance, low-cost upgrades and recommendations for more complicated improvements that building owners/managers could undertake as part of their longer-term capital plans.

That comes with an app — similar to the Intact Centre’s home flood protection check-up — to help property managers or homeowners assess risks and provide a follow-up checklist of simple safety enhancements. Moudrak emphasizes that some of the most effective strategies should already be incorporated into regular maintenance routines.

That includes: ensuring evergreen needles, leaves and other debris do not collect in eaves troughs, gutters, decks or roof surfaces; pruning trees to create at least a two-metre clearance between the lowest branches and the ground; trimming grass to a height of no more than 10 centimetres; locating firewood stockpiles at least 10 metres from homes and garages; and removing combustible ground cover, such as mulch and plants, in a 1.5-metre perimeter around all buildings.

“If you are very conscious about maintaining that non-combustible zone, that’s the number one thing you have to be aware of,” she advises. “There are so many practical ways that are low-cost and no-cost to meaningfully reduce your exposure.”

Low-cost investments, estimated at $300 to $3,000, to reinforce maintenance measures include: replacing wood fences with a chain link, fibre, cement or stone alternative; installing non-combustible surfaces such as mineral soil, rock, concrete or stone in a 1.5-metre perimeter around houses; installing non-combustible three-millimetre screens on all external vents except dryer vents: and installing 15 centimetres of cement board or metal skirting on the surface of building siding where it meets the ground.

Beyond individual vigilance, FireSmart stresses the importance of community and inter-jurisdictional collaboration, including emergency responders, planners, builders, service and product providers and the drafters of local, provincial and federal regulations. Expanded inter-agency training is considered critical so that multiple fire departments are prepared to work together and respond to wildfire dynamics that differ from typical urban blazes. Perhaps even more importantly, all contributors to the development of the built environment need to understand where and how to build safely.

Big-ticket items to consider in the context of retrofits, renovations or new construction include fire-resistant cement fibre, metal or asphalt shingle roof coverings, and non-combustible stucco, metal, cement fibre or stone siding. Fire-rated components and solid rather than wood-slat surfaces are recommended when it’s time for a deck rebuild.

“In high wildfire risk areas, we can’t afford to continue building new homes without these considerations,” Moudrak asserts.

Recent extreme wildfires in Australia, California and other regions of western United States illustrate her concerns. Lightning ignites about half of all forest fires, while the likelihood of thunderstorms increases by 10 to 12 per cent with each degree of heat — presenting an increasingly risky scenario for future summers.

“This is not an issue that is going to go away,” she says. “Really, the time to act is now. Let’s at least start with the simple steps.”

Supply chain disruptions a ‘mixed bag’

Over the past few months, the pandemic has prompted supply chain disruptions that could affect the planning of capital projects in condominiums.

Some sectors are “suffering more than others” and some companies within those sectors are experiencing greater setbacks, Mina Tesseris, senior forensic engineer at Arbitech Inc., said during a recent CCI Huronia webinar about the current state of condo communities.

Issues in the lumber and pre-cast concrete industries are clogging the flow of equipment and materials onto job sites. He noted the challenge of finding two-by-eight pressure-treated wood, as well as backlogs in the pre-cast concrete industry causing summer projects to be set back due to COVID-19.

“A lot of the facilities producing pre-cast concrete were shut down, or on reduced hours or labour,” he said. “That’s starting to catch up with us now.”

He’s finding some manufacturers within the roofing industry, shingle supply for instance, are very slow to deliver, while others have not been affected at all.

“We’re also seeing delays at the border with products coming from the U.S. and that is affecting projects in terms of delivery times.”

With this in mind, there are a few items condo corporations and contractors should consider when planning and delivering a project.

“From a planning perspective, you’ll definitely want to check on availability of materials before you go to tender; talk to the manufacturers, talk to the vendors, see what the delivery times are for the materials and whether or not they are available. You don’t want to be specifying materials that aren’t going to be available when needed and delay the project.”

During construction, contractors should ensure that they’re proactively ordering materials.

“In the past, we were working on a just-in-time type of system, where materials were delivered to the job site or ordered and expected to be delivered to the job site when needed,” he said. “Now, there are potential for delays. Planning ahead and receiving materials in advance will help minimize some of those risks.”

CCA alliance encourages VR use in construction

The Canadian Construction Association (CCA), in partnership with EllisDon, has formed a new alliance with the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Engineering to encourage construction innovation among STEM students.

The project will see students providing solutions based on real life issues on the use of Virtual Reality (VR) in construction. Students working in teams will be offering multiple solutions on predetermined VR problems as identified by EllisDon. Throughout the project, student teams will be mentored by executives from EllisDon to highlight the issues and to advance the knowledge of students in the use of VR.

“This is a great opportunity for the industry to highlight the exciting innovations and latest technology used in construction,” said CCA president Mary Van Buren. “This project will no doubt spark interest and act as a magnet to attract a tech savvy, next generation workforce to construction. CCA appreciates EllisDon in taking on this mentorship role.”

At the end of the project each student team will produce a final prototype with a user manual and an independent panel will select the most suitable solution. The selected prototype from the successful team will be available to EllisDon for their use.

“EllisDon is excited to participate in this unique opportunity with uOttawa and CCA,” said Patrick Lalonde, director, Virtual Design & Construction (VDC)- Eastern Canada, EllisDon. “Through this partnership, we are delighted to provide an opportunity for our future construction leaders to solve real challenges facing the industry today. Technology is a tool that is critical to the future of construction, but it has its own challenges to implement successfully. It is through the collective effort of industry and education that we can overcome these challenges to navigate the industry towards the digital era.”

This industry initiative is part of CCA’s top priority of initiating innovation and attracting a younger workforce and part of its five-year strategic plan and vision to Build a better Canada.

“The Centre of Entrepreneurship and Engineering Design (CEED) at the Faculty of Engineering at uOttawa is delighted to work with both CCA and EllisDon,” said Hanan Anis, professor and director of CEED at the University of Ottawa. “Client-based projects are key for an authentic learning environment. Our students work collaboratively and iteratively to solve a real need facing the industry. Such a partnership is win-win for both EllisDon and uOttawa.”

VODA winners push boundaries of interior design

Four B.C. design firms were honoured with Value of Design Awards (VODA), presented by the Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) at its first ever virtual Awards Celebration.

Square One Interior Design won an Award of Excellence. Dialog, SSDG Interiors and Kado Design and Daniel Meloche Design earned Awards of Merit. A total of 12 firms were celebrated from coast to coast.

The awards, which launched in 2018, shine a spotlight on Canadian interior designers by providing a forum to showcase the benefits of design thinking: an empathetic, inventive, and iterative process focused on the human experience within interior spaces.

The 2020 VODA Awards were presented to the following winners who continue to push the boundaries of interior design. These designers have shown and implemented an empathetic, inventive, and iterative process, focusing on the human experience into within their projects, creating sustainable and functional designs for the present and future.

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Innovation in Residential Single-Family Design

ShadowBox by Johnson Chou Inc. (Johnson Chou) Toronto, Ont.

Innovation in Workplace Design

COWI North America by Square One Interior Design (Cynthia Ziolkoski, Jennifer Hamilton) North Vancouver, B.C.
BFR Accountants by Folio Design Inc. (Véronique Chayer) Laval, Que.
Flight Centre Flagship Toronto by Figure3 (Suzanne Wilkinson, Anna-Lisa Frank, Tamara Rooks, Katherine Egenberger, Will Gray, Jaime Muszynski) Toronto, Ont.
Hullmark Head Office at 474 Wellington Street West by Quadrangle (Julie Sumairski, Kim Phan) Toronto, Ont.
OPG Workplace Transformation by Figure3 (Suzanne Wilkinson, Michelle Berry, Daniel Norwood, Michela Kochanski) Toronto, Ont.
The Smart City Sandbox by IBI Group Architects (Canada) Inc.(Jane Juranek, Katie McCann) Toronto, Ont.
Workplace Innovation Challenge by IBI Group Architects (Canada) Inc.(Jane Juranek, Shana Davies) Toronto, Ont.

Spear Street Capital – Willingdon Business Park Building 6

AWARD OF MERIT

Innovation in Design Thinking

Imperfect Fresh Eats by Syllable Inc.(Danny Tseng) Toronto, Ont.
OPG Workplace Transformation by Figure3(Suzanne Wilkinson, Michelle Berry, Daniel Norwood, Michela Kochanski) Toronto, Ont.

Innovation in Hospitality Design

Hotel Belmont Food & Beverage Portion by Kado Design and Daniel Meloché Design (Joanna Kado, Daniel Meloché) Vancouver, B.C.

Innovation in Retail Design

Inscape Showroom by Figure3 (Suzanne Wilkinson, Mardi Najafi, Nicole Hoppe, Shannon Kehoe) Toronto, Ont.

Innovation in Workplace Design

Peoples Group Workplace Design by Dialog (Michele Sigurdson) Vancouver, B.C.
Spear Street Capital – Willingdon Business Park Building 6 by SSDG Interiors Inc.(Susan Steeves, Katy Maclean) Burnaby, B.C.
Mitecvsat-Alga Micro Ondes by Folio Design Inc.(Julie Laforêt) Kirkland, Que.
Volaris by Bartlett & Associates (Inger Bartlett) Toronto, Ont.

Kelson Group releases plans for Kamloops development

Kelson Group has released plans for a proposed $140 million multi-residential development coming soon to Kamloops, B.C. The plans include a 22-storey and 18-storey tower, three 4 to 5-storey apartment buildings, and six townhomes.

The land area exceeds 150,000 square feet (about 3.5 acres) and the current design concept has 445,000 square feet of residential space, or roughly 435 units. Currently, the expectation is that up to 60 per cent of the housing will be market condos and the balance rental suites. Interest from the community will determine the final allocation.

“Our team has been working for a while on this project,” said Jason Fawcett, President of Kelson Group. “We recently met with the City’s development services department to share our plans to ensure they align with the City’s goals of livability and walkability, not only for potential new residents, but for those who work, visit, or live in our downtown area. The plans aren’t fully confirmed as we are seeking our community’s feedback to help us make this a signature development in Kamloops’ downtown core.”

Architects and landscape designers have created an overall concept of the development and were able to add in many elements to ensure accessibility while also providing important green spaces for the residents of City Gardens.

“The name City Gardens has always been the foundation of our design because it captures our vision of a vibrant urban environment enhanced with green spaces and beautiful landscaping,” said Ron Fawcett, Founder & Executive Director of Kelson Group and the driving force behind the project. “This design concept brings the best of both worlds into one living space and will be a jewel in the downtown core.”

“We are very pleased with where we are today with the design,” he added. “We are looking forward to hearing back from the public, and depending on the interest, we would then move forward and apply for the development permit.”

To build out the vision of City Gardens, the group is discussing the purchase of a portion of Nicola Street and a laneway between Nicola and Battle Streets, anticipating they would cover the costs to relocate civic infrastructure, like water and sewer.

Plans for the development also include:

Up to 600 underground parking stalls over three levels below surface
Social gathering spaces like outdoor kitchens, lounge seating, and workout stations
A linear park with bench seating and walking paths
Lush plantings with a terrace garden, water features, and Zen garden
Amphitheatre, dog run area, and a natural play park area

“We have thought a lot about every aspect of the development,” said Fawcett. “We are also mindful that some of the buildings in the area we need to remove have some character aspects to them. We will work to ensure some of the unique elements of these buildings can be used in our new builds, similar to what we did with our Peterson Landing apartments on Summit Drive, donating wood and other features from the old building that once occupied that space. We’ll be looking to the community too for some of their creative solutions they would like to offer as a part of our consultation.”

To find out more about the project and to provide feedback, visit: www.kelsondowntownproject.ca