Owners Indirectly Save on Electricity Rebate

Posted on April 17, 2017 by Edward Brain

Gerry Hyman has another article for the Toronto Star.  Let’s discuss two of the questions:

QUESTION:  We’ve seen an announcement that condominiums will be eligible for a proposed hydro rebate. Will our corporation be obligated to pass the rebate to the unit owners or can they place it in the operating fund?

ANSWER:  You are correct that condominium corporations are eligible to receive the rebate. The Electricity Consumers Act 2016 states that the rebate is available to consumers who have an “eligible account,” which is defined to include properties within the meaning of the Condominium Act. The rebate relates to hydro fees paid by the corporation, which will not transfer it to the individual unit owners.

Continue reading →

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Opening Round of 2017 NHL Playoffs

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Edward Brain

The Stanley Cup

The 2017 National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs start today.

Highlights of this year’s playoffs include the Washington Capitals winning the Presidents’ Trophy for the second straight year with 118 points.  The Detroit Red Wings failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1990 after 25 consecutive seasons, and the third longest in league history.  Five Canadian teams (Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto) after no Canadian team made the playoffs last year.

The opening round match-ups breakdown as follows: Continue reading →

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Reserve Fund Balance must be Disclosed

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Edward Brain

Gerry Hyman has another article for the Toronto Star.  I want to discuss two of the questions raised.

The first question is:

QUESTION:  A number of us as unit owners have written to the board requesting the current amount of the corporation’s reserve fund. The board has not replied or even acknowledged our request for over six months. Is that proper?
Continue reading →

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Work Could Require Owner Approval

Posted on February 19, 2017 by Edward Brain

Gerry Hyman has another article for the Toronto Star.  Let’s discuss two of the questions:

QUESTION:  The corporation’s engineer recommended refurbishing the corridors. Is the board entitled to undertake a $5.1-million hallway renovation without the consent of 66-2/3 per cent of the unit owners?

Continue reading →

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Singers Shine in Götterdämmerung

Posted on February 19, 2017 by Edward Brain
English: Entrance to Osgoode subway station at...

Four Seasons Centre of the Canadian Opera Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I attended the February 17th, 2017 performance of Götterdämmerung at the Canadian Opera Company.  The production stars Christine Goerke (Brünnhilde), Andreas Schager (Siegfried), Ain Anger (Hagen), Martin Gantner (Gunther).  The production is conducted by the COC Music Director Johannes Debus, and is directed with Tim Albery with sets by Michael Levine.  The lighting director was David Finn.

This is the third time the production has been staged by the COC, the first as part of the 2005-2006 season, and then part of the complete Ring staged in 2006.  The set is essentially a large section of power lines with chairs and tables that were changed at different times in an attempt to show different scenes.  By and large the set was a distraction and a concert performance would have been an improvement in my opinion.  And I found the lighting to be either too dark (for example during the first scene of Act Two) or too bright. Continue reading →

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Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 65 years as Monarch

Posted on February 6, 2017 by Edward Brain
Queen of United Kingdom (as well as Canada, Au...

Queen of United Kingdom (as well as Canada, Australia, and other Commonwealth realms) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today marks the 65th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s ascension as Queen of Canada, the United Kingdom, and 14 other nations.  She is also the head of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne of Canada when her father, King George VI passed away in the early hours of February 6th, 1952.  Prior to this date, she was the Heir Presumptive to the crown.

While Her Majesty predominantly lives in the United Kingdom, she has come home to Canada on many occasions, and has personally undertaken many duties in her official capacity as Queen of Canada, both in Canada, and abroad.  When not in Canada, Her Majesty is represented at the Federal level by the Governor General, in each province by a Lieutenant Governor. Continue reading →

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Democracy Requires Questions

Posted on February 4, 2017 by Edward Brain

Gerry Hyman has another article for the Toronto Star.  Let’s discuss some of the questions:

QUESTION:  A former board member intends to stand for election to the board at the next annual general meeting. She has shown herself to be confrontational and nitpick everyone and everything. Our excellent property manager has threatened to resign. Two excellent directors have threatened to step down if she is elected. If she is elected, can the board remove her?

Continue reading →

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Tim Raines Elected to the Hall of Fame

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Edward Brain
English: Tim Raines retired #30 with the Montr...

Tim Raines retired #30 with the Montreal Expos. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Long time Montreal Expos outfielder Tim Raines has been elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame.  He was elected to the the Hall of Fame in his tenth, and final, year of eligibility to be elected.

Tim Raines played for six teams from 1979 to 2002, but is remembered in large part for his two stints with the Montreal Expos, from 1979 to 1990 and again in 2001.  He would also play for the Chicago White Sox (1991-1995), New York Yankees (1996-1998), Oakland Athletics (1999), Baltimore Orioles (2001), and Florida Marlins (2002.) Continue reading →

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Nabucco a Success in HD Broadcast

Posted on January 7, 2017 by Edward Brain

The Metropolitan Opera presented the last of performance of its current run of Nabucco as part of its Live in HD broadcasts on January 7th, 2017.  It was a delightful afternoon.

The production was directed by Elijah Moshinsky, with sets by John Napier.  The conductor was the Met Opera‘s Music Director Emeritus James Levine.  The production starred Placido Domingo (Nabucco), Ludmyla Monastyrska (Abigaille), Jamie Barton (Fenena), Russell Thomas (Ismaele), and Dmitry Belosselskiy (Zaccaria.) Continue reading →

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Highlights of 2016

Posted on December 31, 2016 by Edward Brain
The Maple Leaf

The Maple Leaf

I just want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year and a huge thank you for reading my blog!

A lot has occurred during the year, and let’s highlight some of the things on my blog: Continue reading →

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