Is Charging for Wood Flooring Reasonable?

Gerry Hyman has written another article for the Toronto Star.  Let’s look at some of the questions raised:

QUESTION:  Is our board entitled to pass a rule requiring a $300, non-refundable payment in order for an owner to install wood flooring?

ANSWER:  A rule that permits wood flooring but requires a non-refundable payment would appear to be unreasonable and thus unenforceable.

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New City Council elected in Toronto

Trillium July 2010 Cruise 034Toronto has just conducted a municipal election and the results are in.

Let’s break them down:

John Tory is the new Mayor, receiving 40% of the vote, beating out the other two main contenders Doug Ford (33%) and Olivia Chow (23%.)  Mr. Tory will be replacing Rob Ford as the 65th Mayor of Toronto.

The following were elected as a Councillor: Continue reading

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Spectacular Madama Butterfly

The Canadian Opera Company (COC) has opened a spectacular production of Giacomo Puccini‘s Madama Butterfly Friday night at the Four Seasons Centre.  The production starred Patricia Racette (Cio-Cio San), Stefano Secco (Pinkerton), Elizabeth DeShong (Suzuki), Dwayne Croft (Sharpless), and Julius Ahn (Goro.)  The performance was conducted by Maestro Patrick Lange, and directed by Brian Macdonald.

The production takes a more literal interpretation of the opera, with a traditional set, and period costumes.  But this makes perfect sense and allowed the all star cast to take centre stage, which they did. Continue reading

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Joan Rivers has Passed Away at 81

The American comedian, Joan Rivers, has passed away at the age of 81.  She had suffered a cardiac arrest a week prior to her passing.

Miss Rivers first success was as a guest on the Tonight Show in 1965, which she would go on to guest star on a number of occasions.  She would also was a guest on the Ed Sullivan Show, as well as the Carol Burnett Show. Continue reading

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New Streetcars in Toronto

On August 31st, 2014 the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) entered their new Flexity Outlook streetcars into service along their 510 Spadina Line.  Two of their new cars, #4400 and #4403, operated along Spadina Avenue between Spadina Station and Queen’s Quay.

The new cars, the first two of the 204 that the TTC has on order, will continue to operate along Spadina Ave.  Other new streetcars will enter service as they arrive and will eventually expand to all their routes. Continue reading

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Richard Attenborough has died at 90

Famed British actor Richard Attenborough has passed away days short of his 91st birthday.  He was created Lord Attenborough in 1993, after previously being created a Knight Baronet, and a Commander of the British Empire (CBE.)

Lord Attenborough was born August 29th, 1923 in Cambridge, United Kingdom to Frederick Levi and Mary Attenborough.  He was the eldest of sons, his brothers being broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough, and John Attenborough, businessman. Continue reading

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Lauren Bacall dead at 89

Cropped screenshot of Lauren Bacall and Humphr...

Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart, from the trailer for the film To Have and Have Not. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lauren Bacall, the famed Hollywood actress, has passed away at the age of 89.  It was reported that Miss Bacall had recently suffered a stroke.

Miss Bacall starred in many movies over her career starting out with To Have and Have Not in 1944.  She would go on to start in other big name movies, such as: The Big Sleep, Key Largo, Blood Alley, Designing Woman, Murder on the Orient Express, The Shootist, and The Mirror Has Two Faces. Continue reading

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The Strike that ended the Montreal Expos

The Banner put up at the last MLB game in Montreal

The Banner put up at the last MLB game in Montreal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today, August 12th 1994, marks the 20th anniversary of the famous 1994 Major League Baseball (MLB) strike.  When the strike started, the Montreal Expos were 74-40 when the strike started, and were the best team in the National League, including a six game lead over the Atlanta Braves in the National League East.

The Expos were in contention to not only make it to the playoffs for only the second time in their history, but were seriously considered to be potentially World Series winners.  As the Toronto Blue Jays had won the 1992 and 1993 World Series, there was the possibility that the World Series would be won by a Canadian team three years in a row. Continue reading

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Ethics By-law Upheld by Court

A recent court case has brought up an interesting situation for condominiums.  In the case of Gordon v. York Region Condominium Corporation No. 818 et al, Stanley Gordon, a former director of YRCC #818, was suing the condominium after the Board removed him from office for violating the condominium’s Code of Ethics on three different situations. Continue reading

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Sir John Graves Simcoe

Happy Sir John Graves Simcoe Day, everyone!

Edward Brain's avatarEdward Brain's Blog

As today is Sir John Graves Simcoe Day in Ontario, I would like to discuss the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1791 to 1796.  Of course Upper Canada would later become the Province of Ontario.

Born in Cotterstock England in 1752, Simcoe would be educated at Eton and spent one year at Oxford.  He joined the 35th Regiment of Foot, as an ensign, in 1770.  He purchased a captaincy in the 40th Regiment of Foot and was injured in battle during the American Revolution.  He was responsible for a successful battle in the battle of Crooked Billet.

He became Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada in 1791 when the British Government created the Province of Upper Canada out of land around the Great Lakes that stayed part of the British Empire after the American Revolution.  Simcoe would see to the building of two major roads:  Yonge Street (named after…

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