Tips for managing frozen pipes

Many buildings across the Greater Toronto Area experienced frigid weather this month, which caused pipes in commercial buildings to freeze and burst. The cold may have subsided in the Toronto region, but other areas of Canada, Manitoba for instance, are currently under an extreme cold warning, facing wind chill values of -40 C or lower. Frozen pipes are also an issue for warmer locales in Canada where some might not be properly winterized to deflect harsher elements.

For LPI Mechanical Inc. it’s one of the busiest times of the year. Here, the team offers some tips to prevent and manage frozen pipes.

What causes pipes to freeze in winter?

Freezing pipes occur when temperatures drop to -0 C and below, but sometimes they freeze above -0 C in cold winds. Improper winterizing of plumbing systems, unheated areas and piping that is exposed to outside conditions all contribute to the issue. A lot of damage can result from a small split in a pipe or from a major break.

What are some techniques for preventing frozen pipes?

Ensure the area where the pipes are located is properly insulated and protected from wind and cold temperatures. Caulk holes, ensure exposed piping has adequate insulation, make sure the areas have proper heat and winterize pipes that aren’t utilized during winter months, such as hose bibs, by draining the line to ensure stagnant water does not freeze.

The exterior wall of the building, likely exposed to elements first, will transfer the cold to the piping. Cold will penetrate through the wall and cause freezing. Even a minimally cracked exterior should always be taken care of before the winter season.

Are older buildings at greater risk?

It’s important to know the thermal values and heat loss of the building and understand the areas that are exposed to winter elements, such as boiler rooms, loading docks, front vestibules and parking garages, to name a few. In the previous building code, it wasn’t mandatory that exterior walls were insulated, so older buildings are quite likely to have little insulation. The cold is able to infiltrate into older buildings a lot quicker, posing a huge problem for pipe freezing.

How can facilities manage pipes that are already frozen?

Staff need to first understand where valves are located to shut the water off so there won’t be any more pressure or water flowing within the piping if a suspected pipe has frozen. Torches and electric heaters are special tools that will slowly thaw the pipe, but as you’re undertaking this process, you have to be very aware of all areas that need to be addressed before turning the water back on. Be vigilant of leaks, split pipes or any spots where you can see future problems developing. So basically, shut it down, heat it up, get water flowing again and inspect the area to make sure it is safe in order to turn water back on. It always helps to employ the help of a reputable service company with experience in these types of emergencies.

LPI Mechanical Inc. is a full-service company specializing in design/build, HVAC and plumbing solutions for the commercial, industrial and institutional sectors. For more information, please visit LPIgroup.ca

Building operators highly sought and lowly paid

Building operators continue to be among the most highly sought and lowest paid workers in commercial and multifamily real estate. Annual survey results from the recruitment firm, Hays Canada, suggest the property and facilities sector faces a general ongoing skills shortage and that many employers are prepared to increase salaries over the coming year. However, building operations and maintenance positions are at the bottom of the pay scale.

This happens in the context of what the newly released 2018 Hays Salary Guide describes as “a serious knowledge gap between senior and junior operations staff”. Building operators and building automation specialists are two of five of the sector’s identified in-demand roles, along with property managers, lease accountants and property accountants.

The survey’s breakdown of salary ranges in seven major Canadian markets reveals that operations and maintenance staff in Calgary and Edmonton commonly out-earn their counterparts in other parts of the country. Typical salaries for commercial sector positions in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) are often about $10,000 lower. For example, building operators in the GTA earn in the range of $45,000 to $50,000 annually compared to the typical range of $55,000 to $65,000 in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.

Maintenance workers in the GTA, Ottawa and Winnipeg typically secure an annual salary in the range of $35,000 to $39,000, while their peers in Calgary and Edmonton earn $45,000 to $49,000. Maintenance workers in Montreal generally fare better than they would in the GTA, attaining annual wages of $40,000 to $44,000, but many Montreal building operators earn less than their GTA equivalents.

Residential building operators earn less than their counterparts in the commercial sector in every surveyed market, but Calgary and Edmonton, again, offer the best paying jobs. Residential building operators typically earn $50,000 to $55,000 annually in Calgary and $50,000 to $60,000 in Edmonton versus $45,000 to $49,000 in the GTA and Vancouver or $42,000 to $45,000 in Montreal.

A shortage of building operators was also identified in last year’s survey of property and facilities management employers. In the interim, more than a third of the participating firms added new permanent staff and more than one quarter increased their temporary staff complement. The majority of those employers also raised salaries above 2016 levels.

For 2018, just slightly more than 50 per cent of surveyed employers reported they would offer salary increases of up to 3 per cent, while approximately 25 per cent indicated they’d raise wages by an even greater percentage. Hays consultants likewise recommend that competitive salaries will be necessary.

“The retirement rate is expected to pick up in the next few years, further challenging an already shallow talent pool,” the report notes. “In the long term, it seems likely to remain a candidate-driven market as there are more jobs than people in the industry.”

Audain Art Museum wins 2018 AIA Award

Audain Art Museum designed by Patkau Architects has won a 2018 Institute Honor Awards for Architecture. Located in Whistler, B.C., the museum was one of only eight projects to win in the architecture category and the only Canadian winner.

The Audain Art Museum is a private museum built to house and exhibit Michael Audain’s personal art collection, including British Columbia art from the late 18th century to the present. The design navigates three main determinants by connecting local culture with the permanent collection and traveling exhibits of all kinds, by spanning the revegetated floodplain of Fitzsimons Creek, and by strategically shedding the enormous snowfall typical of Whistler. The building’s minimal interiors recede behind the art and its calm exterior foregrounds the natural landscape.

The project was complicated by the beautiful but challenging site — a former municipal works yard endowed with a significant coniferous canopy and in need of environmental reclamation — as well as Whistler’s winter precipitation that brings more than 15 feet of snowfall annually.

The museum responds to these challenges by projecting a volume of public spaces and galleries into a natural void in the forest. The building’s form and its siting work together with the trees to exaggerate the embrace of the reclaimed meadow. Elevated one full story, a bridge at street level draws visitors in and through the trees, ending at a protected sky-lit porch with views onto the meadow. From there, visitors can enter to explore the collection or descend to the forest floor, where they can access a footpath leading to the town’s other cultural institutions and parks.

The first museum in Canada solely dedicated to the art of a single province, the Audain Art Museum fits seamlessly into the cultural and ecological fabric of Whistler.

The AIA Awards are the profession’s highest recognition of works that exemplify excellence in architecture, interior architecture and urban design. Selected from roughly 500 submissions, recipients located throughout the world will be honoured at the AIA Conference on Architecture 2018 in New York City.

Bill 142 ensures contractors get prompt payment

On December 5, Bill 142 passed third reading in the Ontario Legislature. The measure was supported by all three parties with the final vote tally of 87-0. This new legislation completely overhauls the province’s moribund Construction Lien Act which has been in effect since 1983.

One of the key objectives of Ontario’s review of its Construction Lien Act – which took more than a year and involved an extensive consultation process with over 175 construction sector stakeholders – was to address the vexing issues around prompt payment. For many reasons the payment chain has become clogged over the past number of years, causing hardships and worse for increasing numbers of trades and suppliers. Prompt pay has become arguably the largest concern and issue for the construction sector.

Importantly, Bill 142 includes a new Section II.1 which requires that all public work in the province be protected by Performance bonds and Labour & Material Payment bonds. This provision, the first of its kind in Canada, is akin to the Miller Act measures which have been in force in the United States since 1935. The bond requirements help to ensure both the certainty and timeliness of the payment regime for public construction in the province and were an integral part the bill’s overall objective.

But Bill 142 was a good deal more than just bonds. Ontario can now arguably claim to have the most equitable and responsive construction payment protocol in North America. The bill introduces a number of sorely needed updates and upgrades to Ontario’s construction payment and lien provisions that bring about a level of fairness and efficiency never seen before. Among the key improvements found in the new legislation:

A reworking of the payment protocol in recognition of the changes in methods of construction procurement, delivery and payment that have taken place over the last 30 years (e.g. P3 projects).
The creation of new prompt payment rules to give contractors and subcontractors certainty about when to expect payment.
Extension of the timelines to file liens and start court actions, giving contractors and subcontractors time to resolve their disputes outside of court and avoid additional legal fees.
The requirement for holdback funds to be paid as soon as the deadline to file liens has passed, so contractors and subcontractors know when to expect full payment.
The introduction of an adjudication process which will be binding on an interim basis. This will speed up dispute resolution and prevent disputes from delaying work on construction projects.

That said, it should be noted that the work to fully implement Bill 142 in Ontario is not yet done. As in so many other groundbreaking measures, the devil will be found in the details. Over the next few months, the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario will be working on the development of supporting regulations to ensure that the new rules can be followed in an efficient, equitable and workable manner.

For the construction industry, this next step is critical as it is the regulations that will determine the bond language, the penal sum requirements for the performance and payment bonds and the surety’s role in the adjudication process. The Surety Association of Canada (SAC) will continue to work diligently with its industry partners and of course the Ministry and the advisory group to ensure that the surety-related regulations will serve the needs of our industry, construction stakeholders and Ontario taxpayers and looks forward to the work ahead in Ontario.

Given the importance of this issue, we can anticipate that similar initiatives will be undertaken in other provinces; SAC is prepared to work with construction sector partners on the changes as they unfold.

We also know that the prompt pay issue is being pursued by construction associations and others in B.C. and Alberta. To date this has resulted in special provisions being written into Alberta Infrastructure procurement contracts, after a consultation process with the Alberta Construction Association. These provisions mean more transparency in the payment chain and allow trades and suppliers to know better the work that has been paid for as payment milestones are achieved. In B.C., the construction law section of the B.C. Bar Association is conducting a review of B.C.’s Lien Act with a view to the effect it has and could have on payment chain issues.

In short, the prompt payment train has ‘left the station’ and we can expect to see momentum on this front across the west over the months and years ahead.

Bob Sloat is director business development, Western Canada for the Surety Association of Canada.

AIBC calling for Architectural Awards submissions

AIBC is calling for submissions for the 2018 AIBC Architectural Awards Program. An esteemed jury with representation from both within and outside the profession consider candidates in four award categories: the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Awards in Architecture (Medal and Merit Levels); the Innovation Award; the Emerging Firm Award and the Special Jury Award.

Winners will be celebrated at the Architectural Awards Ceremony on April 19, 2018.

This year award submissions are eligible for consideration if they have been completed within the past three years.

For detailed information on awards criteria, submission requirements and how to make your submission, please visit the AIBC Architectural Awards website.

Deadline for Awards Submissions: March 1, 2018 (5 p.m. PST)

Awards Jury – How to Apply

The AIBC invites applications to sit on the AIBC Architectural Awards Jury. The role of an awards juror is to consider candidates for all awards categories. Individuals who have submitted projects for consideration in the Architectural Awards will not be considered as jury members due to a conflict of interest. For detailed information and to apply, please visit the AIBC Architectural Awards website.

Deadline for Jury Applications: March 1, 2018 (5 p.m. PST)

Key Dates

January 11 – Call for submissions and applications opens
March 1 – Call for submissions and applications closes
April 19 – Awards reception and ceremony

The AIBC Architectural Awards Program showcases the best in architecture from the AIBC community. While honours are given out in several distinct award categories, there is one common element: Excellence.

Ben Myers launches residential real estate advisory firm

Veteran real estate analyst Ben Myers has launched Bullpen Research & Consulting Inc., a boutique residential real estate advisory firm. Bullpen will assist land owners, developers and lenders in their understanding of the new housing market, new home buyer preferences and future trends that will impact their business decisions.

“Recognizing a need for new ways of thinking and utilizing data to underwrite development opportunities, Bullpen’s founding principle is to incorporate more analytics into decision-making when builders and developers are planning new projects, from the built form and unit mix, to suite sizes, floorplan design, floor premiums and end-selling prices,” said Myers, in a press release.

Myers has over 15 years of housing industry experience, both in Canada and internationally. He began his career at the largest market research firm servicing the U.S. homebuilding industry at the time, and in this role, oversaw the collection of new home sales and pricing data in Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas. He has headed up the research arm of a Vaughan-based real estate brokerage, where he produced a monthly report on the ground-oriented housing market and assisted builders with fine-tuning their launch prices.

In his role at Clayton Research Associates, Myers studied demand and feasibility studies, forecasts and recommendations for developers, municipalities and the government. He has also led an apartment data tracking firm and launched a comprehensive report on high-rise investor activity, with a specific focus on condominium apartment rental transactions. Most recently, Myers worked with a development company and provided due diligence on over 1,000 residential opportunities from Victoria, B.C. to Halifax, N.S., with a focus on the dynamics of the location, product type and revenue assumptions.

“I look forward to further applying my housing research experience at Bullpen, and will continue to provide thoughtful and well-researched findings and opinions to our clients and the general public,” added Myers.

Home prices expected to climb 2.5 per cent in 2018

In 2017, single-family detached home and condo markets split off into two different paths in Canada’s two highest-priced real estate markets, Greater Vancouver and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), a trend that is expected to continue into 2018, according to RE/MAX’s 2018 Housing Market Outlook report. The report states that this year, a mix of relative affordability for condo units, price appreciation for detached homes and government policy changes for both regions are helping push more potential home buyers towards condos.

In Greater Vancouver, demand for condominiums continues to surpass supply, resulting in the average price of a condo climbing an estimated 16 per cent on an annual basis, from $553,604 in 2016 to $645,778 in 2017. In the GTA, condo prices climbed 22 per cent in 2017, as the average sale price rose from $429,241 in 2016 to $523,437 in 2017. This considerable price appreciation was not matched for single-family detached homes, as prices remained relatively stable year-over-year in Greater Vancouver and up a more modest eight per cent in the GTA in 2017.

According to a survey conducted by Leger on behalf of RE/MAX, the desire for home ownership remains strong for 48 per cent of Canadians that are considering purchasing a home within the next five years. For those respondents, the top three reasons for purchasing a home is to upgrade their current home, to purchase a starter home as a way to enter the housing market and to upsize from their current home to adjust to a larger family. The survey also found that outdoor space was a key factor for many Canadians when considering purchasing a home, as 87 per cent agreed that access to green space was important to them and 82 per cent reporting that having a backyard was important.

In order to find a balance between the home features they’re looking for and affordability, many home buyers are continuing to look at real estate markets outside of the country’s largest urban centres. These buyers leaving more popular housing markets, including the GTA and Greater Vancouver, have contributed to increased demand and considerable annual average price increases in Kelowna (nine per cent), London-St. Thomas (18 per cent), Hamilton-Burlington (15 per cent), Barrie (19 per cent), Durham Region (19 per cent), Niagara (23 per cent), Kingston (eight per cent) and Ottawa (nine per cent).

Much of the activity seen in regional markets across the province was caused by price appreciation in Toronto during the first four months of the year before the Ontario government introduced the Fair Housing Plan. The 16-point plan introduced a 15 per cent tax for foreign buyers, which slowed demand from these buyers in the upper end of the market. In general, the policy changes curtailed activity significantly for single-family detached homes throughout the GTA on a short-term basis.

The new OFSI mortgage qualification rules that came into effect on Jan. 1, 2018, also impacted housing market activity toward the end of 2017 and are expected to slow real estate activity across Canada in the first part of 2018. Towards the end of 2017, a number of regions, including Fraser Valley, Edmonton, Regina, Winnipeg, Mississauga and Oakville experienced increased demand from buyers looking to purchase homes before the new stress test regulations took effect.

“Following increased fall market activity in some regions, we anticipate the new mortgage stress test to slow activity across Canada during the first few months of 2018,” said Elton Ash, regional executive vice president, RE/MAX of Western Canada, in a press release. “We anticipate the greatest impact of decreased buyer purchasing power to be in Victoria, Greater Vancouver, Kelowna, North Bay, London-St. Thomas, Barrie, Hamilton-Burlington, the GTA, Durham Region, Kingston, Ottawa, Halifax and St. John’s.”

As oil prices continue to stabilize, both Calgary and Edmonton have experienced a modest increase in average residential sale prices in 2017. In Calgary, the average residential sale price climbed by approximately two per cent to $487,931, up from $478,100 in 2016. Buyers and sellers remain tentative, but the city’s evolution into a major tech and distribution hub (for one, Amazon plans to open a key distribution centre in the city) is expected to increase confidence in the region’s real estate market. In Edmonton, sales rose by about five per cent year-over-year, from $357,916 to $375,788 in 2017, with a variety of new infrastructure projects rising in the city, including construction on the Valley Line expansion of the LRT system.

The RE/MAX 2018 average residential sale price expectation for Canada is an increase of 2.5 per cent as the desire for home ownership remains strong, especially among millennials.

To read the 2018 RE/MAX Housing Market Outlook report, click here.

The Right Approach to Reserve Fund Studies

If there’s one guarantee in condo property management, it’s that nothing lasts forever. Over time, equipment will fail, assets will wear down, and vital systems will eventually need replacing. While there’s no avoiding the inevitable, there are tools to help condo stakeholders prepare for these big-ticket expenses.

And topping the list, says Philip Sarvinis with RJC Engineers, are reserve fund studies: “In terms of long-term planning and avoiding financial surprises, there are few things more important than taking the right approach to your reserve fund planning.”

Taking that right approach begins with understanding the true function of reserve fund study. By definition, these studies are long-term financial planning tools that take a snapshot of a property in present time, assess what will need repairing or replacing over the next few decades, and inform corporations as to what funds they need to be putting aside on a monthly basis in order to cover those future capital costs.

For example, says Sarvinis, “Elevators have a certain life expectancy, assuming they are well maintained. In a reserve fund study, you take that value of what it will cost to replace your elevators at the end of that life expectancy and program it into that projected year. So, when the time comes time to address the elevators, you’ve already funded for that expenditure and there are no surprises.”

What a reserve fund study is not, however, is a yearly rundown of “to-do” purchases. Just because an item is listed in a particular year for repair or replacement doesn’t mean it needs to be addressed in that year.

“It’s not meant to be a shopping list,” says Sarvinis, explaining, “A lot of owners think that since they have all these repairs listed in year 26 that they have to go out and spend all this money in year 26. That’s not how a reserve fund study should be interpreted. Instead, it’s there to remind condo owners when those repairs might be needed and to make sure money is being carried forward for that time period so that funds are in place when that work is actually needed.” Prior to any given large expenditure, the element should be assessed to determine if repairs / replacement is warranted or if there are additional years of service available.

“It’s very important to do reserve fund studies right because the last thing you want to do is have a reserve fund that’s underfunded and, five years from now, discover that you have to specially assess everyone. That’s typically not a popular choice with the rest of the ownership and having special assessments can make a property hard to sell.”

There are other common misconceptions and mistakes condo stakeholders make when it comes to reserve fund planning. One is failing to identify the proper lifespan of the equipment, while another is underestimating the real cost of fixing or replacing it down the road. Therefore, while the law dictates that reserve fund studies must be done every three years, it is far more advantageous to conduct them on a more consistent basis to ensure anticipated prices and market conditions are as accurate as possible.

“Doing reserve fund studies or at least the capital planning portion more often makes the most sense,” agrees Sarvinis. “When you consider inflation, yearly changes in labour rates, and other economic conditions, your financial commitments are going to change sooner than every three years. You want to be as accurate as possible when it is time to present the study to the rest of the ownership.”

A more coordinated approach to reserve fund planning can also help save time and money. Future work on an exterior component of the building, for example, can be scheduled alongside upgrades to windows or building envelope repairs so as to avoid extra expenses associated with labour and project mobilization.

Reversely, replacing exterior caulking in year 22 to only go back in year 24 later and replace the windows can result in wasted work, extra set-up expenses, and added labour costs.

“If you can think about what things actually work together and what can be done together, there’s a lot of savings to be had,” notes Sarvinis.

Certainly, reserve fund studies require a calculated, knowledgeable, and “big picture” approach. Here’s where partnering with outside professionals to bring the experience, expertise, and foresight necessary to create accurate reserve fund studies and – perhaps more importantly – do what needs to be done.

“A reserve fund study is just one part of what we do; the other part is actually implementing what is in the reserve fund. That’s where having experience from doing 100-plus similar projects a year can bring greater accuracy and detail to the reserve fund study,” says Sarvinis.

There are no crystal balls in condo property management. With the right approach to reserve fund studies, stakeholders can better predict future expenses and plan accordingly.

Philip Sarvinis is Managing Principal of Building Science and Restoration with RJC Engineers. Learn more about RJC’s Building Science practice at rjc.ca.

Junior condo managers subject to supervision

What will supervision requirements under mandatory licensing mean for junior condo managers in Ontario?

The Condominium Management Services Act (CMSA) will significantly change the way condo managers manage. In order to understand how, and what kind of supervision licensing will require for junior managers, it is important to know what type of licensing condo management companies and condo managers are required to apply for by Jan. 29, 2018.

Before the CMSA, just about any person or company could manage condo corporations — even without any prior experience in condo management. The Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario (ACMO) established professional and educational standards through its registered condominium manager (RCM) designation and ACMO 2000 certification for condo management companies. However, they were not a requirement and not everyone in the industry chose to go through the process of meeting these standards.

The CMSA will now require, by law, condo managers and management companies to be licensed, and they will be required to meet the licensing requirements to maintain a license. There is a graduated licensing process with three classes of licenses: The limited license, the transitional general license and the general license, which will impact the working procedures of both condo managers and management companies.

The three types of licensing will fit the qualifications and education of the applicant. First, when managers apply for any one of these licenses, they will be required to file with their application a police criminal record check, which must have been issued to them no later than six months prior to the date of application.

The limited license class is primarily for junior managers who have less than two years of condo management experience. The holder of this class of license will be required to work under the supervision of either a general licensee or a transitional general licensee.

The limited license holder cannot hold his/her license indefinitely. The holder of this license will have five years to complete all the qualifications that are required to get the general license, including attaining at least two years of specific experience managing condos. During this time, the limited license will need to be renewed on a yearly basis.

The limited licensee, in addition to being supervised, will not be allowed to sign a status certificate or manage, control or disburse a client’s reserve fund account. In addition, a limited licensee will not be able to disburse clients’ general funds without the approval of the supervising transitional general licensee or the general licensee. This is a departure from the way condos have been managed.

The transitional general license and the general license holders, who will be the ones to supervise the limited license holders, will need to have the following qualifications.

The transitional general license is for applicants who have more than two years’ experience of managing condo corporations, but have not yet completed the educational requirements. The holder of this license will have three years to complete the educational requirements and apply for a general license.

The general license is for applicants who, in addition to having two or more years of condominium management experience and having provided management services in the 90 days preceding Nov. 1, 2017, have completed the educational requirements. Those requirements are successfully completing ACMO’s courses in condominium law, physical building management, financial planning for condominium managers, and condominium administration and human relations. Alternatively, applicants who have five or more years of experience managing condos can meet these educational requirements by successfully completing ACMO’s four challenge exams.

It is interesting to note what counts towards work experience, as one of the functions of a general license holder is to supervise the limited license holder. The work experience of the general license holder needs to include the following: planning/participating at board meetings and AGMs, preparing budgets, interpreting financial statements, presenting to boards, overseeing the maintenance and repairs of units (when required), common elements and assets.

This requirement will help ensure that condominium corporations receive qualified professional services as general license holders supervise limited license holders.

Shlomo Sharon is the CEO of Taft Management.

Demand for vacation rentals grew in 2017

Canadian ski destinations and big cities elicited the greatest demand for vacation rentals last year. Accommodations in Whistler, B.C. and Blue Mountain, Ontario, were the top draws for the booking platform, CanadaStays, which reported more travellers from the United States in 2017 and an increase in vacation spending via the online service.

Canmore, Alberta; Mont Tremblant, Quebec; Kelowna; and Sun Peaks, B.C. were also among the 15 most frequented destinations of approximately 11,000 possible locations across Canada. Toronto, Niagara Falls, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria were the top urban choices, while Ontario cottage country favourites, Prince Edward County and Gravenhurst in the Muskoka region, filled out the list.

The site’s administrators suggest Canada 150 celebrations, a weaker Canadian dollar and upheaval in the United States helped convince more Canadians to travel at home and more Americans to visit last year. Parties booking vacation properties through the site numbered five guests on average and stayed for an average of five nights.

Interest for the summer of 2018 is also predicted to be vibrant. “With peak season just months away, property owners should be updating their availability calendars, reviewing their rates and adding any new properties now to maximize earnings for the spring/summer travel season,” advises Emily Rayson, StayCanada’s chief operating officer.

Income and housing security top senior concerns

Housing requirements for different stages of aging will be top priorities for Canada’s largest seniors’ advocacy organization in 2018. CARP, a national non-profit organization with more than 300,000 members, lists housing affordability and improved living conditions for residents of long-term care homes among the five key issues it plans to champion this year.

The need is underscored in two dismaying statistics cited in CARP’s newly released 2017-18 Impact Report. Canadian seniors are suffering homelessness, with more than one quarter of single seniors now deemed to live in poverty, or suffering abuse, as was reported in 23,000 incidents in long-term care homes in just one year.

“Providing secure housing is the key to reducing the number of seniors living in poverty,” CARP reiterates. “Those who are housed, but on modest fixed incomes, struggle with affordability.”

Among complementary 2018 advocacy priorities, CARP exhorts governments to better protect pensioners when companies go bankrupt and calls for the elimination of age-triggered mandatory withdrawals from registered retirement savings plans. These actions could result in better income and housing security for still-independent renters and homeowners. Fully 96 per cent of surveyed CARP members agree that Canadian provinces should have guarantee funds for corporate defined benefit pension plans.

“We are living longer than ever before, but facing historically low interest rates and the disappearance of defined benefits pension plans. Our oldest seniors are at risk of running out of savings,” CARP warns.

This, sadly, often occurs at the time they are most vulnerable and likely to be living in, or on the waiting list for, long-term care facilities — thus CARP’s priority status for adequate funding for supportive environments with appropriately trained staff. Notably, 45 per cent of surveyed members classify the current quality of long-term care in their province as poor or very poor. “Every Canadian deserves to live out their life with dignity, respect and peace of mind, no matter their age or health,” the report asserts.

CARP’s fifth priority, promoting fitness, heralds a series of walking events to be held this year. Meanwhile, those running for office in 2018 are advised to take heed

“As Canada’s largest advocacy association for older Canadians, we now represent the largest segment of the voting population,” observes CARP’s president, Moses Znaimer.

GTA condo rents surge nine per cent in Q4

A total of 27,219 condominium apartments were leased through the MLS System in the Greater Toronto Area in 2017, up by one per cent compared to 2016 to reach a record high annual volume, according to Urbanation Inc.’s recently released Q4-2017 rental results. However, the number of units leased in Q4-2017 fell 11 per cent year-over-year as listings dropped 16 per cent.

Lower condo rental supply in 2017 was caused by an increased share of units resold as investors took advantage of quickly rising condo prices, as well as a fall in new project completions to a four-year low of 15,827 units registered in 2017. High rent levels and new rent control regulations are causing tenants to move less often, further reducing available supply. Urbanation found that the average length of time between same unit lease transactions was 22.8 months in the fourth quarter of 2017, climbing from 19.7 months in Q4-2016 and 16.4 in Q4-2015.

The continued tightening market conditions resulted in rents surging by as much as 12.4 per cent in Q4-2017 in downtown Toronto to an average of $2,392 ($3.37 per square foot). This led to a surge in rental activity in the less expensive suburban regions of the GTA, where the number of leases increased by 26 per cent year-over-year in Q4, while rents increased eight per cent to $1,867 ($2.45 per square foot). Overall, the average monthly rent for a condo in the GTA increased by 9.1 per cent year-over-year to $2,166. When calculating price increases by square footage, the average price to rent a condo apartment increased by 5.8 per cent to $2.93 per square foot, marking a slower rate of growth than previous quarters.

Of the 5,094 condo units leased through the MLS System in the fourth quarter, Urbanation found that 10 per cent of landlords were represented by companies instead of personal names. The share was unchanged from Q4-2016. This information is helpful to provide more information on condo ownership in Toronto, following a report from Statistics Canada stating that seven per cent of condominium units are owned by non-residents of Canada. As some non-resident owners may use corporations to purchase units, they may not be included in Statistics Canada’s estimates.

By the end of the year, there were 7,184 rental units under construction, the highest level in over 25 years. A total of 3,644 units began construction last year, including 1,198 units in Q4. After some cancellations and a pause in new application after the implementation of new rent control rules earlier in the year, the inventory of proposed purpose-built projects rose to 33,787 units by the end of the year, with 5,410 units announced during Q4.

“Persistently strong rent growth throughout 2017 was simply the result of demand fundamentals for renting far outweighing supply,” said Shaun Hildebrand, Urbanation’s senior vice president, in a press release. “This has raised the confidence of developers to add more units to the pipeline, a trend that will need to continue in order to meet future housing needs for the GTA.”

GTA new home sales slow in November: BILD

New home sales in the GTA dropped slightly in November, as condominium apartments continued to comprise most of the sales and a record low number of new single-family homes were sold, finds the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD).

There were 3,473 new homes sold in November, according to Altus Group, BILD’s official source for new-home market intelligence. Of these homes sold, 3,161 units, or about 91 per cent, were condominium apartments in low, medium and high-rise buildings, stacked townhouses and loft units. Although condo sales for November 2017 fell eight per cent year-over-year, they were still 28 per cent above the 10-year average of 2,465.

Sales of new single-family homes, including detached, link and semi-detached houses and townhouses (excluding stacked townhouses) accounted for only 312 units, or nine per cent of total new home sales in November, a decline of 82 per cent compared to November 2016. This figure is 76 per cent below the 10-year average of 1,319 for November.

From January to November, there were a total of 7,455 single-family homes sold, which only accounted for 17.3 per cent of the total 42,922 new homes sold in the GTA. The number of single-family new home sales by the end of November 2017 fell 58 per cent compared to November 2016 and is 49 per cent below the 10-year average.

“The November data should not be interpreted as a sign of diminished demand for single-family housing in the GTA, in fact, quite the opposite,” said Bryan Tuckey, BILD president and CEO, in a press release. “Single-family housing is still the first choice for many people, especially for those with families. A big reason single-family homes represent a decreasing proportion of new home sales is that people simply cannot afford them. Our industry wants to build the single-family homes people want at prices they can afford, but we are required to implement provincial policies such as the Places to Grow Act, which mandate intensification.”

In November, the benchmark price for available new single-family homes was $1,223,610, an increase of 25.1 per cent compared to November 2016’s benchmark price of $977,890. Meanwhile, the benchmark price for available new condo apartments was $702,992 in November 2017, up 42.6 per cent compared to the benchmark price from one year before ($493,137).

“The decline in new single-family home sales in the GTA relative to last year in large part reflects low inventories of new homes available to purchase – and in particular, the lack of more affordable product,” added Patricia Arsenault, Altus Group’s executive vice president of research consulting services. “As well, with more resale single-family homes available to purchase compared to last year, many potential new home buyers now feel they can take the time to explore their range of options more carefully.”

The supply of single-family housing increased from 3,192 lots at the end of October to 3,438 lots in November 2017. However, overall supply of new housing fell to 11,788 units in November, which is well below what is considered a healthy level, according to BILD. Supply of new housing is usually measured by the number of new homes available for purchase in builders’ inventories at the end of the month and includes units in pre-construction, under construction and completed projects. A healthy new home market should have nine to 12 months of inventory, but November’s inventory is sitting at about three to four months.

B.C. architects named to the Order of Canada

Three B.C. architects have been honoured with an appointment to the Order of Canada. The Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest civilian honours, recognizing “outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation.”

Renowned landscape architect Cornelia Hahn Oberlander was named a companion of the order, which is the highest rank possible. She was promoted from the rank of Officer, which she attained in 2009, and cited for her “long-standing contributions to the field of architecture as a worldwide leader in promoting socially conscious and environmentally responsible landscape designs.”

Oberlander, 96, was a pioneer in devising green architectural designs, at times in collaboration with celebrated architects such as Arthur Erickson and Moshe Safdie. She won the 2013 Mayor’s Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement and in 2014 she received the Interior Designers of Canada/International Interior Design Association Leadership Award of Excellence

Greg Smallenberg, a founding partner of PFS Studio, was named a member of the Order of Canada as a Member for his contribution “to the urban fabric of Canada as an influential landscape architect”.

Smallenberg is a Fellow of both the Canadian and American Societies of Landscape Architecture – a distinction held by only a handful of professionals in North America. He is one of the most well-known landscape architects in Canada and a recognized leader in the profession. He has extensive experience in large scale, open space planning, detailed design and project implementation. He has been responsible for numerous high profile projects throughout Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.

Richard Henriquez, founding partner of Henriquez Partners Architects, was also named a member of the Order. He was recognized for “his contributions to Canadian architecture, notably in shaping Vancouver’s urban landscape.”

BC Road Builders announce 2018 board of directors

The BC Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association has announced its 2018 board of directors. Todd Strynadka, technical services manager of Terus Construction, is the new chair.

Strynadka has been with Terus Construction since 2004 and has been involved in major projects such as the Edmonton LRT tunnel, Alaska Highway, NWT Highway projects, the Peace River Bridge and more than 30 airport construction projects.

“We have many challenges that lay ahead this year, including working with a new provincial government. I am looking forward to working closely with our knowledgeable and talented board of directors to ensure this government and all stakeholders recognize the importance of investment in transportation infrastructure throughout the province,” said Strynadka. “Building and maintaining our roads, highways and bridges is essential in promoting economic growth, a sustainable environment and maintaining our province’s highly skilled workforce.”

The 2018 board of directors was named at the BC Road Builders’ Annual General Meeting held in Victoria on December 8, 2017. Joining Strynadka on the 2018 board are:

Past Chair – Steve Drummond, Capilano Highway Services
Vice Chair/Maintenance Director – Kevin Higgins, YRB Group of Companies
Secretary/Treasurer – Scott Griffin, Renaissance Group Chartered Accountants
Construction Chair – Ross Gilmour, Peter Kiewit Sons Construction Director – Paul Simpson, Jacob Bros. Construction
Construction Director – Glen Barker, NorLand Group Paving Director – Collin Blonarowitz, Emil Anderson Construction Maintenance Chair – Dan Beaulac, Nechako Group of Companies
Maintenance Director – Sandi Paulson, Argo Group of Companies
Service & Supply Chair – Nikki Keith, Wilson M. Beck Insurance Services
Municipal Relations Rep. – Stan Weismiller, Winvan Paving
Construction Safety Rep. – Joe Wrobel, JPW Road & Bridge

The association represents more than 250 firms involved in grading, asphalt and concrete manufacturing, paving, utility construction, road and bridge building/maintenance, blasting, as well as related goods and services suppliers.

Top contractors earn transportation project awards

Top contractors responsible for B.C.’s transportation and infrastructure projects were recognized with Deputy Minister’s Contractor of the Year Awards.

“Every day, hard-working people are delivering on highway, road and bridge projects, creating robust infrastructure to keep people and goods moving safely and efficiently, throughout B.C.,” said Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Claire Trevena.

“These awards are a great opportunity to appreciate the outstanding projects that have been completed around the province this year, and to recognize our contractors for their diligence and excellence.”

Emil Anderson Construction (EAC) Inc. and Emil Anderson Maintenance Co. Ltd took home two of the five awards handed out at the ceremony held in Victoria. EAC earned the Award of Excellence for outstanding community service. Key projects included the Rotary Trail Extension in Chilliwack and the Kelowna Women’s Shelter. They were also recognized for their Community Give-back Programs in the Fraser and Okanagan Valleys.

The company also earned the Award of Excellence for its work on widening the Trans-Canada Highway to four lanes, from Pritchard to Hoffman’s Bluff, east of Kamloops. Local First Nations were employed as part of the workforce to complete the project and were consulted extensively in the culturally sensitive areas where work was being done.

Other winners in their respective categories were:

Maintenance

Yellowhead Road and Bridge Ltd., based in Fort St. John, won this year’s Award of Excellence for its outstanding maintenance work in Service Area 22 (North Peace). Its proactive approach to maintaining the province’s roads and bridges, combined with a high level of stakeholder and community engagement on projects, led to the company winning the maintenance category this year.

Bridge and Structures

Knappett Industries Ltd., based in Nanaimo, took home the Award of Excellence for its work on the Rees Bridge Replacement and North Courtenay Connector. The project included a new, 58-metre, two-lane bridge across the Tsolum River to improve the Comox Valley’s north connection to the Island Highway, which was completed on time and under budget.

Paving

Selkirk Paving Ltd. won the Award of Excellence for resurfacing approximately 55 kilometres of highways and roads surrounding Slocan, Silverton, New Denver and Nakusp. Selkirk Paving developed excellent relationships within those communities, and despite the large project scope and challenges with flooding in the areas, the work was completed on time and on budget.

Ecommerce fulfillment centres pilot new staff

Maintenance technicians with the online grocery supplier, Ocado, have a new intern at their Ecommerce fulfillment centres. Human staff have begun testing the first prototype of a collaborative robot, called a cobot, which has been designed to learn through observation and then help them with heavy lifting and high-precision equipment repairs in the automated facilities.

Based in the United Kingdom, the company is working with researchers from universities in France, Germany, Italy and the UK on the SecondHands project to develop and demonstrate real-world applications for robotics. The cobot is an advancement from the earlier generation of industrial robots that now commonly perform repetitive tasks in large factories. Its computer vision, cognition and mechatronics provide perception and manipulation skills to enable interaction with humans and to respond knowledgeably and proactively when assistance is required.

The prototype’s pilot internship with Ocado is part of projected 15 per cent worldwide growth in industrial robot installations for 2018. Ocado currently delivers more than 260,000 customer orders weekly through its network of automated warehouse and fulfillment centres.

SecondHands receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program, which will allocate nearly €80 billion (CAD $120 billion) between 2014 and 2020 to support and augment research and innovation aimed at improving Europe’s global competitiveness.

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