A CO M M U N I T Y P U B L I C AT I O N B Y T H E H U M B E R B AY S H O R E S CO N D O M I N I U M A S S O C I AT I O N

SPRING 2016

WELCOME
BACK

SPRING!
IN THIS ISSUE:
COMMUNITY ACTION
NEWS & UPDATES
FINANCIAL PLANNING
HEALTH & WELLNESS
AND MORE

LOOK FOR MORE UPDATES AND INFORMATION ON OUR NEW WEBSITE HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG

IN THIS ISSUE

12

A Community Publication by the Humber Bay Shores Condominium Association

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

6

MINUTES FROM THE TRANSIT

TOWN HALL MEETING
MPP Peter Milczyn

AN UPDATE ON TRAFFIC
AND TRANSPORTATION
By Jim Reekie

12 FAUNA IN OUR PARK

By Irene Jardine

16 THE NEED FOR A NEW

COMMUNITY CENTRE
By Don Henderson

26 PAVILLION CANCELLATION
By Councillor Mark Grimes

HEALTH & WELLNESS

14 MOVEMENT MOTIVATION
By Shayne Henderson

14

MONEY MINDED

LIFESTYLE

22 FINANCIAL PLANNING

10 GO FASTER AND GO FURTHER

By Darren Clark

WITH AMEGO ELECTRIC BIKES

By Virginia Block

PROFESSIONAL INSIGHTS
18 COURTS CAN EVICT CONDO OWNERS
FOR BAD CONDUCT
By Martin Rumack

10

20 HBSCA Bike Trail

By Don Henderson

24 THE GEM OF RETIREMENT LIVING:

28 ELECTRICITY BILL CHANGES

HEARTHSTONE BY-THE-BAY

By Murray Johnson

30 CONDO CONSIDERATIONS:
TRANSITIONING PETS TO CONDO LIVING
By Dr. Farzad Ghazi

BUSINESS INSIGHTS
27 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SPEAKER &
MANAGEMENT COACH LOVES
RETURNING TO HUMBER BAY SHORES
By HBSCA

24

COVER PHOTO:
Tree Swallow in Humber Bay Park.
Copyright 2016, Art Lupinacci.

HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016 3

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

A BETTER PLACE
TO BE?
BY DON HENDERSON

umber Bay Shores is becoming an enviable lifestyle community for

home-owners and visitors alike with its large clean parks, waterfront, multi-use trails and event-based attractions. This is a large
part of the reason condo owners who may outgrow their current lodgings
often decide to re-buy in the very same community. Added to this allure are
the expanding retail offerings making it easy to stay/shop local (markets,
grocers, restaurants, health services, etc.). As Harry Chapin once crooned:
where we love to hang out really becomes a better place to be.
As a cherished community, we
rely on quality infrastructure and
maintenance services that are, in
large part, provided by our own
condominium corporations and
the municipality. However, keeping
our local public park property clean
and tidy is an everyday custom that
we should all be part of. A great
community depends on volunteers. I often see people picking up Humber Bay Shores resident Verena Unger
routinely picks up Park litter on her daily walks.
refuse (wrappers, bags, cigarette
butts, coffee cups and even dog droppings). Our good neighbour, Verena
Unger is an inspirational example picking up garbage on our collective behalf
(see photo). Verena is a member of the Friends of Humber Bay Park group
and loves her daily walk along Marine Parade Drive armed with garbage bags
and a pick-up tool. She affirms, its against her aesthetic values to leave the
garbage people toss away uncaringly. She often fills as many as three large
bags during her walk. She wishes others would come and help and appeals
to HBS residents and visitors to pick up after themselves and toss refuse in
the 100 or so adjacent and well-spaced receptacles. To quote Verena, We are
proud of our parkland and lake front and I feel privileged to call this area my
home. Lets take care of it!
Another wonderful anonymous
resident also posted a sign along the
trail (requesting dog owners to pickup)! The Friends of Humber Bay Park
and HBSCA have asked the City for
more signage along the trail to remind
us all to keep our parks clean. For
condo owners, the amazing green
space is an extension of their living
space; a backyard they get to enjoy
A HBS resident, frustrated by dog litter, makes
and share with neighbours. Lets take
a novel plea to un-cooperative dog-owners.
care of it.
On May 28th, HBSCA will host its 20th Annual Parkland Clean-up and as
with prior years about 200 volunteers will help clean-up our waterfront parkland. This one day is merely symbolic of our united need to pick up garbage
daily, or better still, avoid littering our parks with cigarette butts, refuse,
water bottles and dog droppings in the first place! This annual cleanup day
is also about paying homage to our volunteers over many years that understand and value the beauty of our parks and waterfront. To all of our
volunteers, you are a beacon of respectful pride and altruism in our community. Thank you! HH

Don Henderson has lived and volunteered in the HBS for nearly 20 years. He currently
serves as President of HBSCA.

4 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

SPRING 2016

VOLUME 20, ISSUE 2

ABOUT HBSCA: The Humber Bay Shores Condominium Association

(HBSCA) was established and incorporated in 1997. HBSCA is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit corporation representing the interests
of the residents in the Humber Bay Shores community.
WHAT WE DO: We supply representation of the community to all
levels of government for the enactment, amendment, or repeal
of legislation dealing with, but not limited to, all aspects of condominium ownership, real estate development, and usage of real
property in the area. In addition to the above we conduct
research and provide awareness and education to our community
on issues related to ownership, development, management,
financing, and promotion of real estate property in the area.
MISSION STATEMENT: Provide strong leadership for the development, preservation and beautification of the vibrant, valued,
sustainable condominium community in which we live, work, and play.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT: Don Henderson, Bal Harbour
VICE-PRESIDENT: Jim Reekie, Palace Place
TREASURER: Tom Arkay, Palace Pier
SECRETARY: Laura Nash, Marina del Rey, Phase III
PAST-PRESIDENT: Jim Reekie, Palace Place
DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE:
Jim Faichnie, Waterford
Kathryn Winter, Grand Harbour, Bldg A & B
Tim Owen, Grand Harbour, Bldg C
DIRECTORS:
Toni Lisi, Marina del Rey, Phase I
Horst Richter, Marina del Rey, Phase II | Nico Rogers, Waterford
Linda Dakin, Explorer at Waterview | Beth MacNab, Voyager 1 & 2
Beth MacNab, Voyager 2 | Mike Adamovich, Nautilus
Marion Crewe, Hearthstone by the Bay
Wayne Lakey, Grenadier Landing | Lida Preyma, Newport Beach
Mario DeSantis, South Beach, Green Tower
Irene Nordlander, South Beach, Blue Tower
David White, Beyond the Sea, Star Tower
Joyce Luesink, Beyond the Sea, Phase I
Sherali Najak, Waterscapes | Mike Kavanagh, Palace Place
Dina Godinko, Lakeside Place

CONTRIBUTORS
Don Henderson | Peter Milczyn | Jim Reekie | Martin Rumack
Darren Clark | Shayne Henderson | Irene Jardine
Friends of Humber Bay Park | Mark Grimes | Murray Johnson
Norma Jean Sittler | Dr. Farzad Ghazi

PRODUCTION
DESIGN: Markintosh Design | Mark Tzerelshtein
PUBLISHING CONSULTANT: Fred Sanders
MANAGING EDITOR: Monique Charbonneau
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Laura Keeler-Lavin

ADVERTISING
For advertising inquires please contact HBSCA:
hbsca@rogers.com or call 416.792.4964
Humber Happenings Magazine is published 4 times a year by MJ
Rochester Publishing Inc. 2 St. Clair Ave East Suite 202, Toronto, ON.
All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in
any form without the consent of the HBSCA. The HBSCA, MJ
Rochester Publishing Inc. or any member of the production team is
not responsible for any errors, omissions, facts or representation in
editorials or advertisements in this publication.
OFFICE: 2240 Lake Shore Blvd West, Unit M-227,

Toronto, ON M8V 0G1 Ph: 416-792-4964

CONTACT INFORMATION: email: hbsca@rogers.com
WEBSITE: www.humberbayshores.org

Have ideas to share, feedback or wish to volunteer?

Reach us at hbsca@rogers.com or 416-792-4964

HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG

This Park
etiquette litter
poster to be installed
along the HBS
Board walk
and park.

HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016 5

COMMUNITY ACTION

TOWN HALL

MEETING MINUTES
inister of Transportation
Steven Del Duca (right)
attended the Town Hall
meeting to discuss Etobicoke transit
priorities. The meeting was hosted by Etobicoke-Lakeshore MPP Peter Milczyn (left)
and Etobicoke Centre MPP Yvan Bake.
Leslie Woo, Chief Planning Officer of
Metrolinx, was also present.

simultaneously trying to catch up and

keep up, because for too long... governments at all levels and of all stripes didnt
make the difficult decisions to make sure
that we continue to build the road,
highway and bridge infrastructure, and
continue to expand our public transit to
give people options with respect to
leaving their cars at home.

ON FEBRUARY 3, 2016 Minister Del Duca

related that We find ourselves in an era

TO THIS DON HENDERSON, President of

HBSCA remarked that one of the results

of that indecision, is the terrible

gridlock around the Humber Bay Shores
community a 2.5-km strip of crunching roadway that will likely house up
to 35 condominiums and 30,000 people
before its development boom is over.
Knowing the tax base of 2.5 km of vertical living, I just wonder if we really have
a GO stop in mind as a priority for this
area (Park Lawn)? Henderson asked Del
Duca. Were terribly under-serviced
there, and we really sorely need a better
transit system in the area to get people
out of their cars. I know every jurisdiction
has their own wish list, but Im expecting
that a serious look is given to Humber Bay
Shores area.
THAT SENTIMENT was echoed by both
Michael Olivier, head of the transit subcommittee with Our Place Initiative, and
Craig White, managing editor of urbantoronto.ca; I know there cannot be
enough speakers lined up here tonight to
underline how important a Humber Bay
station is for GO, White said. There is no
potential site along the Lake Shore West
GO line that has more density already
added to it, with more still coming, than
this one spot.
IN RESPONSE, Del Duca said hes well
aware of the dramatic changes that have
taken place in that pocket of Etobicoke in
recent years, and noted that Park Lawn is
on an immediate shortlist of 50 sites
Metrolinx is currently analysing as potential new GO stations. MPP Milczyn has
assured HBSCA that he will be working on
securing a Park Lawn Station. HH

6 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG

TO METROLINX

AND THE MINISTRY

OF TRANSPORTATION
FROM THE HUMBER BAY SHORES CONDOMINIUM BOARD
SAMPLE OF MEETING NOTICE
WHEREAS, the Humber Bay Shores
(HBS) area surrounding Park Lawn Road
and Lake Shore Boulevard has experienced rapid residential development in
the last decade.
WHEREAS, the area has approximately
28,000 residents currently living in
the densely-populated HBS and surrounding area.
WHEREAS, the estimated potential
population from current development
applications will increase the areas
population to approximately 40,000
new residents.
WHEREAS, in 2013 the Toronto Board of
Trade estimated that traffic congestion
costs Torontos economy $6 billion a year.
WHEREAS, low occupancy vehicular
traffic congestion becomes an alternative
to unreliable public transit resulting in
elevated air and noise pollution.
WHEREAS, there is critical demand for
public transit for this part of Etobicoke.
Currently, public transit services are consistently congested, inefficient, and at
times unreliable.
WHEREAS, a new GO Train station
at Park Lawn Road would assist with
relieving congestion and pressures on
overburdened transportation infrastructure by providing easily accessible

rapid transit for thousands of area residents from Humber Bay Shores,
Mimico, and the south Etobicoke communities.
WHEREAS, there is an opportunity to
purchase land along the rail corridor
at Mondelez/Christies site; currently
vacated and for sale.
WHEREAS, an additional new GO Train
Station at Park Lawn would also be
aligned with the provinces stated poli-

cies to improve quality through the

reduction of traffic on provincial highways by the provision of mass transit.
Be It Resolved, for the aforementioned
reasons Humber Bay Shores Condominium
Association representing Condominium
Corporations in the Humber Bay Shores
area petitions Metrolinx and the Ministry
of Transportation to approve an additional new GO Train Stop/Station in the
vicinity of Park Lawn Road and Lake
Shore Boulevard. HH

HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016 7

COMMUNITY ACTION

THE HBSCA

IS WORKING HARD
TO KEEP YOU MOVING
An Update on Traffic and Transportation in Humber Bay Shores
BY JIM REEKIE
e have been working with
our City Councillor and
Traffic and Planning Department to resolve ongoing traffic issues in
the area. Resolving congestion and
restricting outside traffic are on the ticket
for this round of updates.

PARK LAWN AND LAKE SHORE

RESOLVING CONGESTION
We know there have been particularly
frustrating times with drivers running
red lights and blocking lanes as well as
congestion in the intersection. We have
asked that there be no right hand turns
onto Park Lawn south Monday to Friday
mornings from 7am-9am.
Transportation Services would like to
try Bluetooth technology to post real
travel times on the Gardiner Expressway
to downtown (Yonge Street) via Park Lawn
Road to Lake Shore compared to staying
on the Gardiner Expressway, however,

this has been tested with less than satisfactory results. We propose Park Lawn
South Bound should be closed Monday to
Friday 7am to 9am.

MARINE PARADE DRIVE

LOCAL TRAFFIC ONLY
As you may have noticed we have tried
implementing local traffic only signs
and this has not been effective. Traffic is
getting worse on Marine Parade Drive. A
simple solution would be pay duty police
on Marine Parade Drive Monday to Friday
from 7am to 9am. Only local traffic would
be let through, while the rest would be
turned around and sent back to Lake
Shore. If this is not effective, we propose
closing Marine Parade Drive Monday to
Friday 7am to 9am.
City Council approved restricting right
hand turns onto Marine Parade Drive
from eastbound Lake Shore Monday to
Friday from 7am to 9am. Signage will be

installed within a few weeks, however

what remains to be seen is whether or not
the city will provide police to ticket those
who make the turn regardless.
We continue to experience frustrations
with regard to the relentless traffic flow on
Park Lawn that impedes residents ability
to enter and exit their building. Transportation Staff are looking into replacing
the current Yield sign on the Park Lawn
off ramp with a Stop sign, which should
create breaks in the flow of traffic. HH

Jim Reekie
Vice President, Humber Bay Shores
Condominium Association Board of Directors

HUMBER BAY SHORES

CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION

HBSCA CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

We are seeking community volunteers to assist
with the magazine and other committees.
Email: hbsca@rogers.com Message: 416-792-4964

8 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG

LIFESTYLE

GO FURTHER AND
GO FASTER FOR LESS

GO ELECTRIC!

Breeze past traffic and say goodbye to crowded public transit.

Amego bicycles make going from A to B smart, stylish and fun!
BY VIRGINIA BLOCK

AMEGO BOLD

iding an electric bicycle is like

swimming with flippers; you
can go faster, go further, and get
as much of a workout as you want. You are
in control and can arrive at your destination looking fresh and feeling good!
Absorb that vitamin D, help our planet,
and get into the electric mindset. All
while saving your time and your money!
Offering stylish and high performing
e-bikes, Amego offers a variety of bicycles
with something for everyone. Retro or
sleek modern styles are finished with
white wall tires, matte black paint, and
silver accents.

AMEGO FOLD
250W 36V10AH
32KM/H | 75KMS

10 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

500W 48V13AH
40KM/H | 110KMS

Amegos electric bikes also include all

of the latest and greatest e-bike features
on the market today including: removable lithium-ion batteries, hydraulic
front and rear disc brakes, and non-resistant highly efficient Japanese motors.
Equipped with pedals all Amego bikes
are classified as power assisted bicycles
that require no insurance, no licence and
no registration! Amego is the easiest and
most affordable Electric Bike on the
market. Amego gives you the freedom to
park and drive where a bicycle can, costs
cents to charge, and you will never get a
parking ticket!

Visit Amego Electric Vehicles,

Canadas electric bike experts, for a
free e-bike test ride and for advice on
the best electric bike for you. Amego
carries its own line of electric bicycles
and electric scooters, as well as top
electric bike brands such as Stromer,
Bionx, Evo, A2B, Shimano Steps, and
Haibike.
Lets get more gas driven cars off our
roads! Join the electric movement today! HH

For more information visit amegoev.com

or its dealership located at 533 Richmond
St. W., Toronto.

HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG

COMMUNITY ACTION

PHOTO: FAITH MCASKILL

FAUNA

IN OUR PARK
PHOTO: DAVID CREELMAN

BY IRENE JARDINE
In addition, wild animals who become
accustomed to being fed lose their fear of
people, which may become a nuisance
and larger animals, such as coyotes, may
threaten the safety of pets and even
humans as they encroach further into
residential communities.
The Toronto Wildlife Centre points out
that whereas feeding wild animals can be
rewarding for the person doing the
feeding, it can be very dangerous for these
creatures when they start to associate
humans with food. Since many people will
be irritated or frightened by the aggressive
behaviour of wild animals (when they
come to expect food from people) they may
act in ways that can harm the animal.
Allowing wild animals to find their own
natural food will benefit us all.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT FOR FANS

OF THE HUMBER BAY BUTTERFLY
HABITAT (HBBH)

riends of Humber Bay Park

(FOHBP) are concerned with many
aspects of the park, among them
the co-existence of humans and wild animals. It is such a privilege to live in the
Humber Bay Shores community, which
offers us the joys of what nature has to
offer right outside our homes.
Those of us who walk in the park may
have seen signs cautioning not to feed
the animals. Feeding animals human
food (e.g., bread, crackers, popcorn, etc.)
can seriously harm ducks, geese and
other natural wildlife. One side effect of
this results in the development of angel
wing, an incurable condition leaving the
birds flightless, the result of being fed
high amounts of carbohydrates.

12 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

I recently came across an interesting

website which talked about predators of
butterflies. In particular the following
statement struck a nerve, Throughout
the world, adult butterflies are killed in
vast numbers by birds, including sparrows, tits, thrushes, robins, orioles and
jays. Others fall victim when basking on
the ground or visiting flowers, although
many are lucky to escape with nothing
more than a peck taken out of a wing.
I was reminded of last summer when
many people who were looking for butterflies in the Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat
(HBBH) area voiced their disappointment
that they could not find many butterflies.
Within the HBBH are several bird
feeders being maintained by kind-

hearted residents year-round. The bird

feeders attract great numbers of sparrows, starlings and pigeons. Despite
these kind efforts, it might be advisable
to remove the bird feeders during the
warm season to provide the butterflies
with a healthier environment.

TREE SWALLOWS
Tree Swallows arrive in Toronto in April,
after a winter in Central America and the
southern US. They come with the return
of their food source, flying insects. The
swallows need an enclosed nest to raise a
family. Since appropriate tree cavities are
not common enough in the big city,
people often put out boxes for them.
FOHBP wants to help the birds, and of
course provide an opportunity for residents to enjoy their acrobatic flying and
interesting behaviour, which is why David
Creelman is working with the Toronto
and Region Conservation Authority to
bring back Tree Swallow nest boxes.
David requires volunteers to help with
the installation and maintenance of the
nest boxes. Please contact David at
FriendsofHumberBayPark@gmail.com if
you are interested in participating. HH

For more information or to become a

member visit us on twitter @FOHBP or
Facebook (Friends of Humber Bay Park)
E-mail: friendsofhumberbaypark@gmail.com

HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG

HEALTH & WELLNESS

MOVEMENT
MOTIVATION

The Importance of building health, muscle and bone as you age

BY SHAYNE HENDERSON, R.KIN, RMT

hat does being healthy mean

to you? Is it an hour a day at
the gym? Eating salad with
your dinner? Being a week-end warrior
golfer? Is it simply not being sick? Health
and being healthy can and does mean different things to different people based on
many factors: age, family history, activity
level, education, financial stability and
environment (work and home) can all
contribute to a healthy lifestyle and your
ability to live life to the fullest.
It can be overwhelming to know where
to start on your health journey. While its
good to set goals, the key to getting your
health to where you want it to be is to
simply start moving. Today.
Focus on your habits and how you
move. Ask yourself: Do you sit for
extended periods? Do you slouch/have

14 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

poor alignment? Are you stressed from

work or commitments? Do you drive
instead of walk to the Rabba/Valumart/
Metro? Are you unable to reach up over
your head to get something? Is it difficult to bend or squat to put on your
shoes? If you answered yes to any or all
of these, then you might want to consider changing your movement and
lifestyle habits.
Losing your ability to move unrestricted has a great impact on the health of
your muscles, bones and joints. This in
turn can affect your heart and lung function, circulation and overall health. Lack
of movement in an area of the body leads
to lack of circulation to feed important
nutrients to the cells, organs and tissues;
and in the body, if something isnt
building or growing, it is deteriorating.

Take osteoporosis as an example. It is a

process where the bone-destroying cells
override the bone-building cells due to
lack of physical load. To create strong
healthy bone this process needs to work
in harmony and be balanced. Nutrition
plays a part, but if you are not providing
the bones with load-bearing activity then
there is no stimulation for growth. This is
a huge issue as we age, especially for
women. People often go on medication to
help with their osteoporosis, but this
medication simply stops the bone
destroying process, it does not stimulate
the bone building process. The result is a
system out of balance. You need good
alignment, activity and proper nutrition
to make this system work.
At Kingsway Health by the Lake our goal
is to optimize your physical function so
you enjoy everyday life unrestricted. If you
want to put your body back into balance,
and rejuvenate your cells for a long and
healthy life, we can help you do that. We
have been helping patients in Etobicoke
for over 40 years and we are continually
committed to furthering peoples health
on the whole. We want to see you walking,
running and enjoying the beautiful Waterfront Trail as this amazing community
continues to grow. HH
Shayne Henderson is a
Registered Kinesiologist,
Massage Therapist and Movement Specialist at Kingsway
Health by the Lake. She can
be contacted at 416-231-9502
or info@kingswayhealth.ca

HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG

COMMUNITY ACTION

THE NEED FOR

A COMMUNITY CENTRE
FOR THE HUMBER BAY SHORES COMMUNITY
BY DON HENDERSON | POSITION APPROVED BY HBSCA

BACKGROUND
In the Winter 2014 issue of Humber
Happenings, residents may recall that
the Humber Bay Shores Condominium
Association announced that Empire Communities Development had donated their
6,000 square foot Presentation Centre to
HBSCA. Once decommissioned as a sales
centre, the building would be re-designed
to function as a community centre. Councillor Mark Grimes and then President Jim
Reekie made this announcement in
Humber Happenings though further meetings were necessary to work out structural
and functional details in order to make this
conversion happen. It was hoped that as a
non-profit organization, the buildings
operational and maintenance costs could
be negotiated in the same manner as other
non-profit, city-owned properties are subsidized (e.g. leasing for $1 per annum for an
X-term lease).
Subsequent to these discussions with
Empire Communities and Councillor
Grimes, city staff raised a number of concerns that would create obstacles to
permanent use of the building by the
community; notwithstanding the builder
agreeing to a number of structural re-fit
modifications (lowering the building
onto a new foundation and other
interior alterations). City engineering staff
appeared to be adamant that future use of
Empires Presentation Centre as a Humber
Bay Community Centre would not be possible without renovation expenditures
amounting to over $4.4 million.
Discussions culminated at the Ward 6
Announcement of a Public Information
Meeting held on February 16, 2016 at the

16 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

Presentation Centre Announcement,

Humber Happenings, Winter 2014

Mimico Centennial Library. This public

consultation meeting was called to discuss the Humber Bay Parks Project as part
of a construction master plan of a parks
pavilion or Community facility near the
ponds at Humber Bay Park East targeted
to open in 2018. Projected cost of this
project would be about $7 million.
HBSCA in meetings with Councillor
Grimes and Empire Communities had
hoped to direct funds to the re-purposed
Presentation Centre renovations given
that a building opportunity was already
available in a central location, albeit with
the need for recommended alterations/repositioning. Funding for the renovations
could be, in part from the benefactor, and
the City (Section 37 funds).

REQUISITES FOR CONSIDERATION

The HBSCA has maintained that an accessible and local community centre for its

current and future residents was sorely

needed. It is expected by 2017 once current condo construction is completed,
there will be in excess of 28,000 residents
living in 30 plus hi-rise condominiums
within a small community footprint designated as Humber Bay Shores. In
looking at principles that would support
the need for a community centre, a 2005
study concluded that the following
essential elements should exist; population base and resources support, a
community image or identity, area attractions or events and location availability
as a central hub of residential, business
and recreational activity.
What is lacking is a structural facility or
gathering place for community stakeholders (public meetings, police stop,
indoor events, and special-interest functions, etc.); in essence a formal community
management centre. With many public
centres, the municipality provides essential funding assistance in the way of
operational subsidies. Additionally other
local non-profit organizations pay the City
$1/year for facility use with lease assurance
of long-term proprietorship.

PURPOSE OF A COMMUNITY CENTRE

A community Centre is a public location
where members of a community gather
for group activities, social support, public
information or other socio-recreational
events. Not unlike a public park,
a community centre serves the local populations need for an educational,
recreational and social resource.
The Community Centre could be community-owned in partnership with the

HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG

to be ceremoniously returned to the community. A subsidized HBS Community

Centre would be an appreciated start.

HH SURVEY QUESTIONS
TO BE PROCESSED
ON HBSCA WEBSITE
(SEE HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG):

Public Information Meeting Notice

on Proposed Pavilion

municipality and operated by a designated community group (volunteer

ratepayers, resident-business association). Funding for centres often come
from donations or benefactors (builders),
Development Charges for infrastructure
and Section 37 funds for community benefit, event-rental and City funding (or
waiving of rent and maintenance costs.).
In other jurisdictions re-purposed
schools, churches or other large facilities
are often acquired by the City to subsidize a community centre.
In the planning rationale over many
years that crafted Humber Bay Shores,
there can be no dispute that the City,
builders and Ontario Municipal Board are
the architects of our urban intensification; the good or bad effects of this
planning thrust upon our residents and
businesses. Consistent with the 2005
Places to Grow Act of Ontario customary
tax-based services provided in urban
sprawl are withdrawn in areas of intense
condominium growth, leaving this
unique populous to double-down on
municipal service fees. This municipal
tax gain, as well as taking into account
Development Charges and Section 37/45
contributions passed on to buyers, ought

Previously Proposed Location of

The Citys Pavilion in Humber Bay Park
East (HBPE):
The HBSCA is not in favour of the naturalized HBPE site and would prefer the
current Empire Presentation Centre location for use as a Community Centre. The
Presentation Centre structure had been
gifted to the community Association in
2014. This building is central and within
walking distance to the Condominiums.
This site is of modest size, has a small
parking lot and is close to larger public
parking lots within the Humber Park. If
this site is deemed to be unsuitable as a
Community Centre, there are other locations that could be considered as
alternatives to the City-proposed
HBPE site; including Humber Bay Park
West and the employment-designated
Christies parcel (negotiated with future
purchaser by City).
In consideration of the foregoing,
Be It Resolved that:
In conclusion, with the Empire Communities gifting of a multi-million dollar
(presentation) centre to the non-profit
Humber Bay Shores Condominium Association and the availability of a small park
to house such a facility, it is the HBSCAs
position that the City commit to funding
the renovation/re-positioning and maintenance of the presentation centre as
publicly announced in the winter of
2014. Alternatively, if both the Humber
Bay Shores community and municipality
find that this is not a viable option, that
the needs of the Humber Bay Shores community be identified and accommodated
within a HBS Pavilion, through an open
process coordinated in collaboration
with the municipality and representatives of the Humber Bay Shores
community.

Given the prior announcement by

HBSCA and Councillor Grimes in the
2014 Winter Issue of Humber Happenings and further discussed in the
2016 Spring issue, and assuming renovation funding by the developer
and the City, are you in favour of
re-purposing the Empire Presentation Centre located behind the Lake
Shore/Marine Parade Esso Station to
become a HBS Community Centre?
Are you in favour of the HBS community operating the Centre to allow for
various public functions as described
in the Spring 2016 Humber Happenings issue, including HBSCA offices?
Do you feel it reasonable that operation of a Community Centre be
subsidized by the City with negligible cost to the HBS Community?
Do you feel that building a Pavilion/
Community Centre in Humber Bay
Park East next to the ponds/parking
lot is unreasonable?

Both options would result in the

establishment of a community centre
similar to other community-based centres in Toronto and consistent with the
City of Toronto Parks and Facilities
Master Plan. HH

Don Henderson is
HBSCA President,
having formerly
served as the boards
Vice President. He has
been actively involved
in the community for
almost two decades.

HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016 17

PROFESSIONAL INSIGHTS

COURTS CAN BOOT OUT

CONDO OWNERS
FOR BAD CONDUCT
BY MARTIN RUMACK, B.A., L.L.B.
f you are the owner of a condominium unit you may feel secure in
the knowledge that you own title to
your little piece of the building and can
do as you wish, subject of course to certain reasonable rules and general
constraints on both use and behavior
that apply to all owners, found in the
Condo Corporations governing documentation (namely the Declaration,
By-laws, and Rules).
It may surprise you that in more than
a few cases, condo unit owners have
been forced against their will to vacate
and sell their units, under powers
granted to courts under the Ontario
Condominium Act, 1998. While the circumstances are admittedly unusual, the
common thread among them is that
courts were forced to take drastic measures against one misbehaving owner in
order to effectively keep peace and harmony amongst the others.

COURT REVIEW AND REMEDY

In these kinds of cases which typically
involve egregious, dangerous and disruptive owner behavior over a period of time
the courts intervention will be
prompted by an application by the condominium corporation itself, almost
always after it has given the offending
owner ample warning to stop.
Courts must evaluate the behavior
against the provisions of the Condominium
Act, 1998, to see whether it is oppressive
and unfairly prejudicial towards either the
corporation itself or the other owners. They
will also scrutinize the provisions of the
particular corporations Declaration, Bylaws, and Rules, and will also consider
whether the offending owners conduct
poses a health risk.
Once it has concluded that a particular
unit owner is disruptive, unruly or
unmanageable, the court has a spectrum

18 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

of remedies at its disposal. While not the

most common, the most drastic is for the
court to force the intractable owner to
vacate and sell their unit, almost always
after several prior requests and warnings
by the Condominium Corporation have
gone unheeded.
Even where the court-ordered remedy
falls short of forcing the owner to sell
their unit, courts will frequently force the
owner to pay for any remediation or
clean-up costs arising from their misconduct and may even require payment of
the legal costs incurred by the condo corporation to bring the matter before the
courts in the first place.

A PARADE OF TROUBLEMAKERS
So what kinds of situations will attract
the courts intervention? On the serious
end of the spectrum there have been
cases involving physical and verbal
assault, intimidation and vandalism.
This may not surprise you, since the
owners misconduct clearly put the safety
and right to peaceful enjoyment of other
owners in jeopardy; it seems only fair
that the collective rights of all owners
should outweigh those of the individual.
However, courts will readily step in even
where the conduct is not so egregiously
harmful to others.
For example, in a case called York Condominium Corporation No. 41 v. Schneider,
2015 ONSC 3919 (CanLII), the problem
entailed an infestation of cockroaches
and a pair of unit-owners who refused to
comply with a prior court order requiring
them to facilitate access to their unit to
allow for clean-up.
Specifically, the court had previously
ordered the owners to allow condo corporation representatives and extermination
crews to enter and clean the unit, and to
carry out pest extermination measures.
They were also ordered to keep the unit

clean to avoid future infestation and

foul odours (which they refused to
acknowledge, and indeed blamed on the
neighbours cooking). Despite these measures the owners refused to cooperate. Faced
with this impasse, and since the owners had
received numerous warnings in the past,
the court had no choice but to order them
to vacate and sell for the overall good of the
owners and the corporation.

WHATS THE BOTTOM LINE?

What these cases illustrate is that Ontario
courts are more than willing to take
drastic steps in the face of unreasonable,
dangerous, and intransigent misconduct
by owners, particularly where it impinges
on safety, or on the enjoyment by others
of their individual units or the condo
development as a whole.
More to the point, the decisions
implicitly acknowledge that while condo
unit owners have defined legal ownership rights, they still remain subject to a
certain level of restriction on their conduct. These two competing rights and
interests must sometimes be re-balanced; the Condominium Act, 1998 allows
courts to step in and do so, when the
greater good is at stake. HH

For more information contact Martin Rumack

at martin@martinrumack.com

HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG

LIFESTYLE

HUMBER BAY SHORES

MULTI-USE TRAIL

WHAT IS YOUR VIEW?

s most people in the Humber Bay

Shores area are aware, there are
growing conflicts between the
various users of our local park-side trail
between the Humber River and Grand
Harbour. This is exacerbated by the multiple types of users. A major source of
conflict is that some people want to use
the park to get through our community as
quickly as possible (transit corridor),
while others want to slow down and
enjoy the view. As our community grows,
users of both the trail and the surrounding park will increase significantly,
as will the potential for user conflict.
Our Humber Bay Shores trail users
include: recreational cyclists, high speed
transients, pedestrians, rollerbladers,
runners, dog-walkers and moms with
strollers. We all have a view on how our
trail should be shared, which varies with
the opinions of others. Perhaps we can
agree on the need for safety?
Conflict is compounded by the growth
of the Toronto bike network that will
funnel increasing volumes of traffic
through our community. TorontoTransportation Services and Toronto Parks,
Forestry andRecreation recently published
a document entitled Toronto Multi-Use
Trail Design Guidelines. Based on this document, it appears that the City of Toronto
views the multi-use trail passing through
our community as a high-capacity trail.
According to the document:
High-capacity trails provide a special
function in the network. In the simplest
sense, they accommodate the highest
number of users, and can be compared to
the expressways in the road network or to

20 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

Humber Bay Shores signage.

large City Parks in the park network.

High-capacity trails address a broader
concept of capacity than simply greater
size or volume, however, and they do not
imply greater speed. They connect to significant destinations within the city and
can be utilized to accommodate a wider
range or unusual distribution of usertypes, to perform special functions, or to
address particular site conditions. Notably,
high-capacity trails may be destinations or
attractions themselves.
To deal with some of the conflicts,
there are plans by City staff to have a separated pedestrian and multi-use trail.
However, this will not resolve all of the
conflicts: there would still be a need to
cross the multi-use trail to get to the
pedestrian trail and the park, there would
still be conflicts between slower recre-

ational bike riders and thosewho choose

to travel at speeds far in excess of 20
km/h, and there is a question as to
whether the space allocated to either trail
would be adequate to meet the future
demands on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
Our local park by-the-lake is a public
park it is not for the exclusive use of
our community. However, it must be recognized that the park is located in what
is becoming one of the most densely
populated residential neighbourhoods in
the City. Between Park Lawn and the
Humber River, there will soon be 12,000
to 14,000 people within 200 metres of
the park, plus another 10,000 in the rest
of the community (not to mention the
population outcome of the Christies
property). With the growing demands on
the park from both our HBS neighbourhood and surrounding communities, the
focus should be on having people enjoy
the park, not getting through it as quickly
as possible.
City staff conducted a study of the College Street bicycle lanes to develop a
speed profile for cyclists. Speed data for
1,058 cyclists was collected using radar

Cyclist-pedestrian accident on July 27, 2015 on HBS

multi-use trail. Photo: Robin Clay

HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG

detectors with the assistance of the

Toronto Police Service. The results of the
study indicated that about 80% of cyclists
were going over 20 km/h. It might be
argued that speeds in the Humber Bay
Shores Park would exceed those on College Street i.e., flat straight path without
any cross streets, stops or traffic lights.
In dealing with the interests of the various users, the City should find
reasonable accommodations that allow
for the safe enjoyment of the park
accommodations that recognize the legitimate interests of all the various users. It
should also be remembered that many in
our community are bike riders and their
interests should not be ignored. Reasonable accommodations may include
measures to slow the speed of the bike
traffic, especially at major crossings/narrowing of the trail; and finding
alternative paths for those who merely
wish to quickly transit though our community rather than enjoy the park.

San Diego multi-use trail signage.

Photo: Don Henderson

HBSCA has continued to recommend

Lake Shore for this latter purpose (highspeed cyclists).
To help ensure that the interests of our
community are recognized, the Humber
Bay Shores Condominium Association is
forming a committee. The focus of the
committee will be to address issues
related to the safe enjoyment of the
Humber Bay Shores Multi-use Trail and
surrounding park by our community, and
to help the Association in working with

the City to resolve these issues. It is

expected that the committee will consider all the various uses of the multi-use
trail and park by all members of our community, as well as the legitimate use of
the trail and surrounding parkby those
outside our community. For purposes of
the committee, the Humber Bay Shores
Multi-use Trail will be defined as the
multi-use trail from Grand Harbourin the
west to the Humber River in the east. HH

A CALL FOR
VOLUNTEERS
We are seeking volunteers to join the
committee; time and effort are needed
to resolve these issues. A specific email
account has been set up for this purpose. If you are willing to help out,
email HBStrail@gmail.com. Thanks to
John Browne for his contribution and
willingness to work on this committee.

HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016 21

MONEY MINDED

FINANCIAL PLANNING
FOR YOUR FAMILYS FUTURE
BY DARREN CLARK
ost Canadians dont consider
themselves wealthy even
when they have a relatively
high net worth and own million-dollar
investment portfolios. Surveys of Canadian millionaires reveal a modest attitude
towards wealth, with most respondents
viewing themselves as financially secure,
rather than wealthy. Regardless of how
you view your financial status, there are
some unique financial planning strategies to consider when you have $1 million
or more in investment assets.
If you are in this category, your financial situation is more complex than the
average Canadian. You pay higher taxes
and have a higher standard of living.
Maybe you are an executive with a complicated compensation package or a
business owner with an interest in a private corporation. Perhaps you own or
plan to own more than one real estate
property and likely have larger goals for
estate transfer and charitable giving. Furthermore, with long work days and a
busy family life you may not have the
time to determine if you are on track to
achieve important financial goals such
as retirement, minimizing taxes or planning for the eventual transfer of your
estate. If this sounds like your situation,
a formal financial plan can help ensure
you are positioned to achieve your
familys goals.

CREATING YOUR FINANCIAL PLAN

One of the best ways to start mapping out
your financial planning strategy is to step
back and look at your overall financial
situation by having a comprehensive
written financial plan prepared for you
and your family. This type of financial
plan addresses all aspects of your financial affairs, including cash and debt
management, tax and investment planning, risk management and retirement
and estate planning. It can help ensure
22 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

that you leave no stone unturned related

to your financial situation and potential
strategies to enhance your wealth. A comprehensive financial plan can address the
following questions:
Can I retire when I want to and maintain my desired retirement lifestyle?
How can I ensure that I dont outlive
my money?
How can I minimize the taxes I pay
each year?
Is my investment mix appropriate?
If I were to die unexpectedly, would
my family be taken care of?
How can I protect the value of my estate?

A HIGHER LEVEL OF CUSTOMIZATION

In many cases, the key to a comprehensive financial plan is the level of
customization it offers. A customized,
comprehensive financial plan should
involve the following:
In-depth discovery discussion to ensure
that your goals, aspirations and objectives are clearly identified.
Projection of your financial situation
(investments, retirement income and
estate value) based on your current
strategies and savings rate.
Recommendations of key investment,
tax, estate planning and retirement
planning strategies that are aligned
with your goals.
Projection of your financial situation
if the recommended strategies are
implemented.
An action plan that summarizes the
key recommendations and a clear
guideline for you and your advisor to
help monitor their implementation.
Speak to us if you require more
information about having a comprehensive financial plan prepared for you.
Depending on your situation, you may
only require a simple retirement plan or
projection to determine if you are on track
for meeting your retirement goals.

FAMILY WEALTH MANAGEMENT TIP

A comprehensive financial plan is essential if you are a business owner as you
have more complex financial issues,
including business succession, withdrawing money from the corporation
tax-effectively, the taxation of the corporation at death and more. Like many
business owners, you may not have a
retirement savings strategy since you are
relying on the equity in your business to
fund your retirement. A financial plan
can help integrate your business and personal needs into a plan to ensure you are
able to meet your goals. Confidence in
your familys financial future is only a
few short steps away. HH
Financial planning services are available
through RBC Dominion Securities Inc. RBC
Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank
of Canada are separate corporate entities
which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian
Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion
Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC
Wealth Management, a business segment
of Royal Bank of Canada. Registered
trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used
under license. 2015 Royal Bank of
Canada. All rights reserved.

Darren Clark is an investment advisor at RBC

Dominion Securities, and holds over 24 years
of financial experience. For more information,
or to inquire about offered financial planning
services, call 416-231-6920, or contact
darren.clark@rbc.com. www.darrentclark.ca.
HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG

Harmony Management proudly manages

condominiums in the Humber Bay Area.
Thank you to the board members, owners,
residents and contractors that have helped
harmonize our managed communities!

Nevis
Lakeside Place
Nautilus
Bal Harbour
Hearthstone
The Dalesford

w w w. h a r m o n y m g m t . c a

HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016 23

LIFESTYLE

HEARTHSTONE
BY
THE
BAY
A GEM OF CONDO RETIREMENT LIVING!
BY NORMA JEAN SITTLER

ucked away on the shores of Lake

Ontario, is the unique, luxury retirement residence: Hearthstone
by the Bay. Although part of the expansive
Humber Shore community, it really is a
world unto its own. At Hearthstone by the
Bay, we understand the key to retirement
is maintaining ones independence.
Suites with one or two bedrooms plus
den with two bath suites, in suite washer
and dryer, and full kitchen are highlights
of the property.
At ones fingertips are all the services
one could ever need. A quick phone call to
the 24 hour wellness desk gives you access
to the hair salon, massage, on site physiotherapy, optometrist and more. Plus a
team of professionals waiting on your
every need from making you breakfast,
changing your linens, bathing assistance,

24 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

wound care management, as well as post

operation tender loving care.
For those who require a little more help
with their health, a seasoned team of
Personal Support Workers, coupled with a
registered practical nurse, are on duty 24/7
to provide the hands on care required by
residents on a daily, weekly or monthly
basis. On-site care is provided in the privacy
of ones suite, for as little as 15 minutes daily
or up to 24 hours a day for those requiring
close supervision and companionship.
Also unique to this retirement community
is the availability of palliative care with a
fully trained team including access to the
community palliative care doctor.
Boredom is not a word used at Hearthstone. Residents sometimes joke that they
need a personal assistant to help them
keep their schedule straight. One can join
the book club, a knitting group, tai chi,
yoga, bridge, fitness classes, monthly
church services or enjoy monthly entertainment by a variety of lively and fun
entertainers, Wii bowling or weekly movie
matinee in Hearthstones beautiful 32 seat
movie theatre. If you feel like getting out,
afternoon trips often include a shuttle trip
to the Shaw festival in Niagara on-theLake, a downtown trip to the symphony or
Ripleys Aquarium, or perhaps a country

drive to the St. Jacobs Market.

With such a packed social schedule
you can really work up an appetite, and
with that comes the choices to eat in the
beautiful appointed Lakeview Dining
Room, cook your own meals in your suite,
or even have your meal delivered by our
friendly dining staff. The culinary services
are led by a talented Red Seal Chef, with
assistance from their very own in house
pastry chef who bakes everything from
traditional apple pies, chocolate crme
brulee to custom birthday cakes.
Community and quality of life are
top of mind at Hearthstone. With endless
amenities and health care options
Hearthstone by the Bay is a wonderful
place to call home.
Hearthstone by the Bay is proudly
managed by Harmony Management Ltd; a
boutique condominium management firm
that provides specialty service to over 50
Condominium Corporations with over
10,000 residents. True to their name, Harmonys focus is to create a harmonious
environment among all stakeholders
(residents, boards, trades, staff, and management). Harmony also manages the
following Condominium buildings in the
Humber Bay area; Nevis, Lakeside Place,
Nautilus, Bal Harbour, and Dalesford. HH

HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG

HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016 25

COMMUNITY ACTION

CANCELLATION
OF THE HUMBER BAY
PARK EAST PAVILION
BY MARK GRIMES
want to thank everyone who has
taken the time to provide feedback
and suggestions on the Humber Bay
Park East and West Master Plan and
Pavilion project. I have read each of your
emails and as many comments as I can
on social media.
Im here to work with and on behalf of
the community. If the community does
not want a new facility built in Humber Bay
Park East, I will cancel the project.
I cant speak to each and every one of you
individually, so I meet with the Humber Bay
Shores Condo Association regularly as they
are a stronglink to this community. I have
been hearing for years that Humber Bay
Shores needs a new facility and meeting
space to serve the community.
In 2013, I moved a motion at City
Council requesting that the City develop
a comprehensive plan detailing the
necessary capital and operating changes
needed for Humber Bay Shores Park,
Humber Bay East and Humber Bay West
Park to meet evolving community
needs resulting from local intensification and growth.
My original plan had been to repurpose the Eau Du Soleil sales centre
building as a new community facility, but
the City Parks staffs assessment was that
the building does not meet the Citys
standards. While this could have been the
end of the project, I worked with the City
and developed a different proposal,
replacing the old buildings in Humber

26 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

Bay Park East with a brand new, purposebuilt facility to serve the community.
Humber Bay Park East is a man-made
park that was always intended to be a
vibrant destination on the waterfront.
However, the ponds and amenities surrounding them are currently in a state of
disrepair. Where there was once scenic
ponds with lights and music for people to
enjoy while ice-skating in the winter, there
are now rotting boardwalks, cracked and
broken lights, and desolate abandoned
buildings. The goal was to have this new
pavilion replace the current run-down
buildings and help bring vibrancy and
community back to the ponds.
When I was elected in 2003, I quickly
realized we had fantastic community
spaces and buildings, but absolutely no
capital funding allocated to maintain
them. For years I have been fighting for
everypossibledevelopment dollarto fund
these projects. The Mimico community
also desperately wants and needs a new
community centre. The proposed location
of the pavilion on the Waterfront Trail,
would serve both Humber Bay Shores and
Mimico while we work towards a new
facility for that community.
Both locations, the current sales centre
and Humber Bay Park East, are Toronto and
Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)
land, and the TRCA has actively supported
the pavilion in its proposed location in the
park. The proposed site would complement increased use of the ponds, is

accessible via the Waterfront Trail, and has

ample access to existing parking.
While the city was clear that the sales
centre was an unsuitable building, I
moved a motion at Etobicoke York Community Council requesting City staff
from all departments assess the viability
of the sales centre, in its current location,
as a City-owned community facility.
It is clear that a vocal segment of residents do not want anything built in
Humber Bay Park East. I am here to tell
you that if it is the will of this community
to cancel the pavilion project I will
cancel the pavilion project. The Humber
Bay Parks East and West Masterplan can
continue without the pavilion.
Please visit www.markgrimes.ca to
sign the petition letting Metrolinx know
we need a GO Stop at Park Lawn. HH

Mark Grimes is the Councillor for Ward 6

Etobicoke-Lakeshore. He is a life-long resident,
activist and businessperson in south Etobicoke. He can be reached by email at
councillor_grimes@toronto.ca, or by phone
at 416-397-9273

HUMBERBAYSHORES.ORG

BUSINESS INSIGHTS

HOME IS

WHERE THE
HEART IS

Donald Cooper: International Business Speaker and

Management Coach loves coming home to Humber Bay Shores
BY HBSCA
s a business speaker and man-

people around the world to sell more,

agement coach, Donald Cooper,

growing family business, Cooper Canada

manage smarter, grow their bottom

line...and have a life!

Ontario and Bridgetown, Barbados. As a

travels the world working with

bought competitors, went public, became

business owners and managers in over

unionized, imported and exported to

40 different industries. He has spoken

over 20 countries.

Every industry and every market is overserved and under-differentiated. One of

and coached at Management Conferences

Following the decision to sell the family

the biggest problems in most businesses

on every continent, except Antarctica but

business in 1987, Donald reinvented him-

today is a lack of clarity, commitment and

it is his time at home in Humber Bay

self as a visionary fashion retailer. In just a

accountability. Businesses talk about goals,

Shores that is most precious to him.

few years his 13,000 sq. foot Alive & Well

targets, aims and objectives. Says Donald.

Donald who, with his wife Wanda,

Warehouse Boutique in Markham, Ontario

They should be talking about clear commit-

lived for several years at Grand Harbour,

fundamentally redefined the customer

ments to the value and experience that

then moved along the shoreline to Palace

experience, for which he received seven

theyll deliver. Value and commitments that

Place, says One of the perks of my job is that

Awards of Excellence for marketing,

will grab their target customers, clearly dif-

Conferences are never held at Motel 6. I get

service and business innovation.

ferentiate them from their competitors,

to work and stay in some of the worlds nicest

Thousands of women drove up to three

places. But its always wonderful to come

hours for a unique and totally human

home to our place on the lake.Humber Bay

shopping experience.

Shores really is a special part of this world-

became known for honest everyday sav-

class and wonderfully diverse city.

ings on a huge selection of casual and

Earning an undergraduate business

career fashions, kids clothing and gifts.

But it was the service and amenities that

of Western Ontario, followed by 18 years

blew people away. Alive & Well offered

at Cooper Canada, the family business,

unlimited free drinks, electric reclining

Donald fostered the business to become

massage

one of the worlds leading makers of

boyfriends, a huge pirate ship play area for

sports equipment and a Canadian brand

kids, customer washrooms with change

icon. The company had 70% market

tables and free diapers, wipes and cream

share globally in hockey equipment, 30%

for mothers in need. A big sign at the front

market

for

husbands

and

league

door that read, Our staff are not on commis-

baseball...and never paid an athlete a

sion. They treat you this well because they

penny to use their equipment.

love what they do! No other store in the

share

in

major

The main factory was near Jane and

Eglinton in Torontos west end, with
additional

facilities

in

Cambridge,

line. Mediocrity is no longer an option!

HH

Alive & Well

degree and an MBA from the University

chairs

make them famous...and grow their bottom

world offered this kind of experience.

Now, based on that real-life business
experience, Donald helps business

TWO GIFTS
FROM DONALD
As a special gift to all business people
living in the Humber Bay Shores area,
Donald is sharing his set of 36 copyrighted Business assessment and
management implementation tools
that he uses when coaching his clients
around the world. To access these Biz
Tools, simply contact Sharen Skene at
sharen@donaldcooper.com.
To receive Donalds free, monthly
straight talk Management E-Newsletter,
go to donaldcooper.com to sign up.
Thousands of clients around the world
are kind enough to say that its a
thought-provoking, helpful and semientertaining 8 minute read.

HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016 27

PROFESSIONAL INSIGHTS

UPDATE ON UPCOMING

ELECTRICITY
BILL CHANGES
Debt Retirement Credit and Ontario Clean Energy Benefit
BY MURRAY JOHNSON, RCM
BROOKFIELD CONDOMINIUM SERVICES LTD.

here are two regulatory changes that came into

effect January 1, 2016 that will have a significant
impact on your condominiums electricity bill.
Firstly, the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit (OCEB) ended at the
close of 2015. Secondly, regulatory changes to the Debt
Retirement Charge (DRC) came into effect at year-end. This
is a relatively new change and I will try to illustrate how the
regulations will impact condominiums.
With the dual support of Brookfield and the Canadian
Condominium Institute, a team has worked directly with
the Ministries of Energy and Finance since the 2014 Ontario
Budget announced the governments intent to remove the
Debt Retirement Charge (DRC) from all residential users
electricity bills. While the recently adopted regulations do
not reflect everything the group argued for, they were able
to achieve changes to the draft regulations that will result
in annual savings of more than $24 million for the entire
condominium and residential sector!

PHOTO: KELLY VERDECK/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR

28 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

WHAT HAS CHANGED WITH

THE ONTARIO CLEAN ENERGY BENEFIT (OCEB)?
The OCEB that provided condominiums with an up to 10%
rebate was instituted on January 1st, 2011. This benefit
ended as scheduled December 31st, 2015. That said, we
expect that many of our members will likely still be taken
aback by this change as it causes an instantaneous 10%
increase to their electricity budget expense line (for those
that were receiving the OCEB).

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WHAT HAS CHANGED WITH

THE DEBT RETIREMENT CHARGE (DRC)?
To reduce the impact of the OCEBs conclusion, the 2014
Ontario Budget announced the governments intent to
remove the Debt Retirement Charge (DRC) from all residential users electricity bills after December 31, 2015. The
removal of the DRC for most condominiums reduces their
budget lines by roughly 5%.

HOW DO THE REGULATIONS IMPACT CONDOMINIUMS?

Similar to the OCEB, the impact of the DRC regulations is
dependent upon how electricity is metered at your site:
Bulk-Metered Condominiums:
These sites receive one bill from their local utility to
account for consumption in the suites and common
areas. These sites will pay the DRC only on consumption
above 1,500 kWh per suite per month. Approximately
95% of the bulk metered condominiums will avoid
paying DRC entirely the exceptions are some electrically heated sites.
Condominiums Individually Metered
by a Sub-Metering Provider:
These sites have individual bills sent by a sub-metering
provider (e.g. Carma, EnerCare, Intellimeter, Provident,
Wyse) to each suite and one bill sent for the common areas.
These sites will be treated the same as a Bulk-Metered site
and will thus only pay the DRC on consumption above
1,500 kWh per suite per month. Ninety five percent of these
sites will avoid paying DRC entirely.
Condominiums Individually Metered
by the Local Utility (Suite Metered):
These sites have individual bills sent by the local utility
(e.g. Toronto Hydro, Enersource, Powerstream) to each
suite and one bill sent for the common areas. Most of
the suites will avoid paying the DRC entirely they will
only pay the DRC on consumption over 1,500 kWh per
suite per month. However, the common areas at these
sites will be treated as a commercial entity and will be
required to pay the DRC as they always have.
The Canadian Condominium Institute will continue to work
with partners such as Brookfield as further changes are identified in the billing structure for Ontario hydro accounts and
will continue to seek out partners to strengthen our position
on your behalf. HH

HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016 29

LIFESTYLE

CONDO
COURTESIES:
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN

TRANSITIONING YOUR FURRY

FRIENDS INTO CONDO LIVING
BY DR. FARZAD GHAZI
ome of our long-term Mimico
Lakeshore residents may recall the
transformation our neighbourhood has undergone in the last several
years. The waterfront trail has been
expanded, new small businesses have
come in, and highrise condo complexes
have replaced the old motels.
Condo ownership for many people
entails condensing our whole lives into
a smaller space. This is a lifestyle adjustment that pets have to make with us. For
birds or reptiles, inhabiting a small unit
does not usually pose a problem, larger
animals however, find the transition
more difficult. While it is certainly possible for animals to thrive while living in
condo units, extra care must be taken to
ensure their needs are met.
The first of these obstacles is legal in
nature. It is not unusual for condo corporations to have some restrictions
surrounding pet ownership. One of the
things you may want to investigate prior
to moving into a new building is whether
pets are even allowed. If they are, is there
a limit to the number of animals permitted? Are some varieties of pets or
certain breeds prohibited? Is there a
weight limit (and with a puppy, will the

30 HUMBER HAPPENINGS | SPRING 2016

weight limit be surpassed as it grows)?

Will you be held responsible for any
associated nuisance behaviours such
as barking? Make sure that the building
you live in meets your expectations for
pet accommodation.
Next, consider how a condo environment will impact your pets quality of
life. Each breed has different maintenance requirements, and some are better
suited to condo life than others. Regular
outdoor activity is a must for all dogs,
large and small. Try to imagine whether
living two storeys or thirty six storeys
away from the nearest patch of grass will
influence your willingness to maintain a
regular exercise schedule.
A decline in activity for high-energy
pets often results in boredom, destructive behaviour, health related issues
(such as obesity) and/or other behavioural problems such as separation
anxiety. Your neighbours may not appreciate if your dog starts to bark in distress
while you are away from home.
Inappropriate elimination (in your
unit, hallway or lobby) is another one of
the more unpleasant side effects of
increased stress and overeating. Multi-pet
households are particularly prone to inter-

pet tensions as they negotiate their hierarchical status. Spaying or neutering your
animals decreases their sexual hormones
and thus reduces their territoriality, urge
to mark, or display dominantly aggressive
behaviour.
Lastly, be conscientious about how
your pet utilizes the property and interacts with other residents. Scuffles in the
elevator or park can happen on occasion
and cannot always be anticipated.
Protect yourself and your pet from
legal consequences by keeping their vaccinations up to date, and remember that
persistent, consistent training is invaluable for maintaining good relations and
good health! HH

Dr. Farzad Ghazi is a veterinarian and owner

of Marina Animal Hospital. For more information

visit

marinaanimalhospital.ca.

Marina Animal Hospital, 2442 Lakeshore

Blvd. West, ph: 416-255-277

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