Volume 90, Winter 2024
ENHANCING THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS
Ontario Proposes New Powers to Allow Cities to Expand Boundaries for Housing
Inside President’s Message ........................................................................................................................................ 2
IHM Course Completions in Property Management .......................................... 11
Ontario Proposes New Powers to Allow Cities to Expand Boundaries for Housing .............................................................................................................................. 3
Welcome to IHM’s Newest Accredited Members............................................11
Parcel Lockers and Future Incoming Deliveries! ..................................................... 6 Alzheimer Awareness...................................................................................................................................... 8 What Will Happen if My Cat Eats a Poisoned Mouse?................................ 9
IHM News • Winter 2024
Members IHM Mentorship Program ........................................................................................ 12 IHM 2023-24 Board of Directors ................................................................................................... 13 Corporate Members ....................................................................................................................................... 14
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P r e s i d e n t ’s M e s s a g e
A belated Happy New Year to everyone. I hope 2024 is a healthy and rewarding year. There is excitement in the air for IHM and the new year. In our December Chat Room, and in a recent publication, we announced the joint partnership we have entered into with CHF Canada to develop a new Accreditation Program for the co-op sector. We have started to edit and create the new manuals to incorporate co-op requirements, and our official launch date for the new program will be at the CHF Canada AGM and Conference to be held in Winnipeg - June 3 - 7. We will offer the new Human Relations for Property Managers course developed for the coop market. After the official launch, we will offer other courses through various delivery methods including distance learning, virtual instructor-led and a hybrid option – so keep your eyes open for the dates starting in the Fall of this year. What else is exciting, you may ask? IHM will hold our AGM and Annual Educational Conference in Stratford, Ontario, in less than four months. On Wednesday, May 8, we will hold our annual Golf Tourney; later that night, we will have our Welcome Reception. We listened to our attendees from last year and combined Human Relations and Maintenance topics this year. We believe we have a very well-balanced program for our participants. As we will be in Stratford, we have arranged with the local theatre to offer a discounted ticket price for anyone who may want to attend the Friday, May 10th matinee performance (at 2:00 pm) of Twelfth Night. We will provide more details for those who wish to see this Shakespeare production. After the record-breaking enrolment we enjoyed in 2023 in education courses and, based on the current enrolment in January, we are looking forward to another banner year in our quest to provide professional education for those in the property management sector. This will lead to the continued growth of IHM accredited members. The past two years have seen more people apply than in the previous five-year period. Another exciting prospect for IHM is having so many complete their courses and meet the requirements. As you can see, we have reason to be optimistic in 2024 about the development and growth of IHM and the property management sector. Let us know if you are interested and want to volunteer for any our various committees. Let us know if you have suggestions on how to make IHM even more successful. Participate in our Chat Room sessions on the third Wednesday of every month to keep abreast of the issues facing property managers and the solutions offered by our expert speakers. Become an active member of IHM. Jimmy Mellor, FIHM IHM President
IHM News • Winter 2024
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Feature
Ontario Proposes New Powers to Allow Cities to Expand Boundaries for Housing Steve Clark says changes will help province in goal to build 1.5M new homes
By Julia Knope, CBC News Toronto Posted: Apr 06, 2023
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inister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark has proposed major changes to the guiding principles that municipalities have to follow in their land-use planning, such as zoning and housing development. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark has proposed major changes to the guiding principles that municipalities have to follow in their land-use planning, such as zoning and housing development. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)
Ontario is proposing to allow municipalities to expand their settlement boundaries more quickly and easily in order to open up more land for housing. Steve Clark, Ontario’s housing minister, introduced the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act Wednesday, saying the new legislation will help the province reach its goal of building 1.5 million homes in the next decade. IHM News • Winter 2024
“We know that more progress and more action is required for our housing goals, particularly in the face of economic uncertainty, inflation and soaring interest rates,” Clark said after introducing his legislation at Queen’s Park. “[The new legislation] would give municipalities more flexibility, reduce duplication, create more homes in urban and rural communities, support local economies, and create jobs while continuing to protect public safety and the environment.” The proposed legislation would change the guiding principles that municipalities have to follow in their land-use planning, such as zoning and housing development, setting the stage for greater housing density in downtown areas and along major transit routes. Some of the major changes include: • Requiring municipalities to provide a range and mix of housing options, such as low- and mid-rise apartments or multigenerational housing. • Allowing Ontario farmers to build up to three new residences on their existing property.
• Requiring 29 of Ontario’s largest and fastest-growing municipalities to develop a plan for growth in major transit station areas, and other strategic growth areas, such as downtown. • Giving municipalities more flexibility when deciding where and when to expand their settlement area boundaries. Asked whether the changes would see farmland turned to urban sprawl, Clark said “we believe as a government that all of Ontario is a place to grow.” “All of our municipal partners need to look at all the measures they have at their disposal, both inside their urban boundary and outside as well.” But Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said there is more than enough land within existing boundaries to build the homes Ontario needs. “Make no mistake, these eleventh-hour attacks on land use planning rules are designed to open the floodgates to reckless, expensive sprawl while doing nothing to address the housing crisis,” he said in a statement. 3
NDP housing critic Jessica Bell agrees, saying the plan will lead to the destruction of valuable farmland. “Farmland and farming is one of Ontario’s most productive and important sectors and it is not going to thrive if the Conservatives make it easier for developers to pave over farmland,” she said. “There are many ways that we can address our housing supply shortage and moving down the direction of expensive suburban sprawl is not the way to do it.” Developers, meanwhile, applauded the move by the province, with the Residential Construction Council of Ontario saying the legislation will help speed up approvals of projects. Those measures have not yet led to the pace of home building needed to hit the target of 1.5 million homes, though the government says they just need time to take effect and for economic pressures to ease. This comes after data revealed in the province’s 2023 budget suggested the province is already significantly off-target.
The budget estimated there will be some 80,000 new housing starts — meaning “the beginning of construction work on the building where the dwelling unit will be located,” according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation — per year for the next three years. That figure would need to nearly double for the government to reach its goal, though Clark said Wednesday those numbers don’t take into account the new legislation changes or the controversial “strong mayor” powers.
Ontario proposes freezing 74 provincial fees The new legislation would give the minister new powers. If approved, Clark would be allowed to exempt subdivisions from complying with provincial policies in an attempt to prevent delays to new construction. Meanwhile, the proposed policy would explore a cooling-off or cancellation period on purchases of newly built freehold homes, as well as a mandatory legal review of purchase agreements for all new home purchases. The province is also proposing to freeze
74 different provincial fees, including several related to Tribunals Ontario and the Building Code that’s charged by ministries and provincial agencies that “affect the cost of housing,” Clark said. This comes following the unveiling of the province’s controversial Bill 23 in November 2022, which sees the freezing, reducing and exempting fees developers pay to build affordable housing, non-profit housing and inclusionary zoning units — meaning affordable housing in new developments — as well as some rental units. Municipalities have said their own housing plans would be at risk if they were forced to foot the bill for the province’s ambitious targets. Clark had previously promised to make cities whole when it comes to the loss of that funding. He said Wednesday that the new policy changes make good on that promise. “Municipalities want to be able to grow,” he said, touting that the new legislation allows cities to streamline development processes and reduce fees.
Province undertaking 60-day consultation Clark said this legislation doesn’t touch the Greenbelt, but didn’t rule out future changes beyond what he is already pursuing under a housing law from late last year. Meanwhile, if approved, the province says it would require municipalities to co-ordinate with Indigenous communities on land-use planning “to facilitate knowledge-sharing, support consideration of Indigenous interests in land use decision-making and support the identification of potential impacts of decisions,” a document outlining the new policy reads.
Doug Ford’s government wants to build 1.5 million homes in the next decade, but data in its 2023 budget suggests the province is already off-target. (Patrick Morrell/CBC)
IHM News • Winter 2024
The province also says it will provide 4
“equitable” access to new housing and encourage municipalities to apply an “equity lens” early in the planning process. Ontario says it’s undertaking a 60-day consultation over the proposed changes that will run until June 5. Julia Knope is a digital reporter for CBC News Toronto. Have a news tip? Contact her at julia.knope@cbc.ca. With files from The Canadian Press u
Annual General Meeting In conjunction with the 2024 IHM Conference
Thursday, May 9, 2024 | 1:15 pm Arden Park Hotel, Stratford, ON Available Documentation: Notice of Meeting Call for Nominations Proxy
UPCOMING EVENT
Reducing Building Maintenance Costs February 21, 2024
Welcome back Apollo Pest Management as our Chat Room Sponsor for 2024
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM via Zoom Moderator: Jim Mellor, FIHM, IHM President Presenter: Ed Cipriani, FIHM & Kevin McCann, FIHM
Details and to Register
Visit our website’s Events Page for information and updates on all IHM Events IHM News • Winter 2024
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Feature
Parcel Lockers and Future Incoming Deliveries! By Coinamatic Canada Inc.
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ore and more people are gaining or wanting access to parcel lockers. As a property manager, you are constantly looking for ways to improve the experience of your residents while also making the job of your staff more efficient. In addition to the convenience and security benefits for residents it also makes it easy for property managers to track and manage packages. Keep your packages safe. Theft prevention represents one of the top benefits of package locker systems. Nearly 1 in 4 Canadians have been a victim of package theft. A new survey by FedEx Canada finds that Canadians are worried that packages left in their front lobby will be stolen. By adding a package locker system, landlords and property managers can dramatically lower the risk of thieves stealing unattended packages from apartment buildings. Take the burden of package management off your staff. Implementing a package management system can have a significant impact on the efficiency of your staff. By taking the burden of package management off your staff, this means that your staff members IHM News • Winter 2024
do not have to spend their time on package management and can instead focus on other important tasks. Some locker systems even provide the ability to accept packages with a controlled-access package room featuring refrigerated units. Some even provide real-time notifications when packages are delivered, and a web-based portal allows you to view package details and delivery history.
Traditional doorstep deliveries have for many years been inundated with theft, accidental misplacement, and even weather damage.
Offer mail carriers a fast, easy, flexible, and Canadian-approved solution for package delivery. For both residents and parcel carriers, offering a contactless solution provides an additional level of safety for those who prefer to limit physical interactions. Contactless parcel delivery has become a public health necessity and a required amenity for multifamily properties. Additionally, it provides a single drop-off point in each building, helping delivery companies provide their services in an efficient and economical manner, an important goal with the high volume of parcel deliveries occurring today.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT PARCEL LOCKER
When selecting a package locker system, it is important for property Reduce package theft and reowners and managers to keep safety move clutter from front desk & and trust in mind. Make sure you lobby area. Traditional doorstep deliveries have assess the needs of the residents, for many years been inundated with the volume of deliveries and parcel sizes. When deciding on the theft, accidental misplacement, parcel locker itself, verify that it and even weather damage. Parcel has a sturdy design and provides lockers solve these problems by secure locking mechanisms that has providing secure storage for each a user-friendly interface for both parcel that is well protected until your tenants and delivery persons. personally collected by the intendStarting with the right product ed recipient. 6
from the start will help to mitigate issues down the road. Coinamatic Canada, trusted as one of the top specialists in managed laundry systems, is now also providing this popular amenity, which can be easily added to properties that already utilize Coinamatic’s laundry services through its partnership with Luxer One. Luxer One lockers are built with 12-gauge heavy-duty steel and a tamper-proof internal hinge mechanism that connects the locker doors, keeping packages secure until they are picked up. They also are the only package locker system with UL-certification, a nationally recognized quality standard that represents the highest level of safety
IHM News • Winter 2024
certification to ensure compliance with federal safety standards. For added convenience, the Luxer One system also provides an app that allows users to open lockers, view all deliveries, and manage their accounts from their mobile phones. Since 1946, Coinamatic has provided vended laundry equipment and service to the multi-residential housing industry. You know Coinamatic as “Canada’s Most Trusted Name in Laundry Services”, however, as a look at our corporate overview will show, we are so much more than a simple laundry company. Now through a partnership with Luxer One, Coinamatic has added the nation’s top-rated package locker system to their best-in-class lineup of services. Visit coinamatic.com/multi-residential/ package-lockers/ for more information. u
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Feature
Alzheimer Awareness January is Alzheimer Awareness Month By Carola Mittag
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s a property owner or manager, you’re used to wearing lots of hats, but you’re not an adult care provider. Property managers may be the first people to identify a decline in a resident’s mental state. You are not a professional or diagnostician; however, it is helpful to know when a resident is simply showing normal signs of aging or an onset of Alzheimer’s, one form of dementia. The signs of normal aging may include trouble remembering names and finding words in conversations; (“tip of the tongue”) is very common and verbal fluency (taking longer to “get the words out”) can be affected. Problem solving skills, processing information and reaction times can slow with aging. It’s normal to occasionally forget appointments, friends’ names or phone numbers only to remember them a short while later. When no underlying medical condition is causing this memory loss, it is known as “age-associated memory impairment”. A person living with dementia may forget things more often or may have difficulty recalling information that has recently been learned. They may have trouble completing tasks that have been familiar to them all their lives, such as preparing a meal or playing a game. A person living with dementia may forget simple words or may substitute non-sensical words, making what they are saying difficult to understand. People living with dementia can become
IHM News • Winter 2024
lost on their own street, not knowing how they got there or how to get home. Someone living with dementia may have significant difficulties with common tasks such as using a calculator because of a loss of understanding what numbers are and how they are used. As a guideline the following is helpful in identifying normal aging versus dementia: • Normal Aging: there is no objective cognitive loss and recall does happen with available cues. • Mild Cognitive Impairment: cognitive loss occurs with NO impairment of activities of daily living. • Dementia: there is cognitive loss with impairment of activities of daily living. Property managers should be aware
that dementia is currently the largest healthcare issue and will continue to rise as the population’s average age rises. More women than men are affected by dementia at 61.8% and may be attributed to the fact that women tend to live longer. The risk for dementia doubles every five years after age 65. Seventy-five percent of Canadians know someone with dementia; however, 100% of Canadians are impacted. Needless to say, a person with Alzheimer’s can easily put themselves at risk and as the disease progresses can put other residents in danger, not due to deliberate neglect but simply an inability to understand their actions and resultant consequences. This can be anything from leaving a stove burner on, to plugging in an electric device near 8
or submersed in water, to leaving water taps running, all of which can result in dire outcomes to people and property. It is important to take action as soon as you notice warning signs to give residents and their families the opportunity to line up the right support services. Sticking to standard late notice and eviction protocols, while sounding quite callous, might actually help the tenant, because in many communities it can trigger eligibility for assistance programs that don’t come into play until the threat of eviction is documented. If you are concerned that someone you know may have dementia: • Discuss your concerns with a resident’s family member, social worker, or their healthcare provider if you have that information. • Contact the Alzheimer Society of Canada for more information and to get a referral to your local Alzheimer’s organization. They have the resources to support a person living with dementia. Phone: 1-800-616-8816 www.alzheimer.ca It is NOT necessary for a person to be referred by a doctor. Any concerned individual or family member may self-refer using the information above. Carola Mittag is a Consultant Advisor and Editor for Mentor Safety. Mentor Safety Consultants Inc. (MSCI) offers professional safety consulting services and Chief Prevention Officer (CPO)-approved certifications for joint health and safety committees (in-class and virtual), Working at Heights, as well as Supervisor Competency and other customized training programs. MSCI has developed auditing tools to ensure that facilities and property managers meet all legislative health and safety compliance requirements. Email Carola at wpsgceo@gmail.com u
IHM News • Winter 2024
What Will Happen if My Cat Eats a Poisoned Mouse? By Kirk Dean, Barrier Pest Control
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odents such as mice have lived in most parts of the world ever since people started creating trash and waste. Although it is possible for them to live on their own in the wild, they prefer living amongst us humans since we have more than enough food waste to fill their little bellies, and since it’s pretty easy for them to get. Walk down any street or up to any house and there is always trash galore. Although to some they can be cute, there is no question that the desire to keep them out of our homes and offices has been there for a long time. Thankfully in more recent years we have been able to come up with a variety of traps and baits to help keep it that way. Because there are new traps/baits to help manage these critters, it raises another question; Q) What will happen if my cat eats a mouse that’s eaten from this bait? As we all know, any outside cat loves to hunt any type of prey that’s within their reach, whether that be birds or rodents but they especially love mice. A mouse that has eaten mouse bait will soon become weak and be easy for a cat to catch. This is actually common enough that there is a name for it; secondary rodenticide exposure. This poses the question; will the cat then become poisoned if he eats a poisoned mouse? Here at Barrier we get this question a lot. Many people chose to live with mice problems in and around their home in fear that Fluffy might eat a poisoned mouse and become ill or worse… We want to make it clear for anyone with pets that live or hunt outside, that it would take a cat eating a few dozen mice to do any harm to themselves.
A) If a cat was to eat a mouse, the amount of poison that the mouse would’ve consumed would not be nearly enough to do any harm to the cat. When a mouse comes and eats from one of our bait stations they eat a very small amount, an amount that is enough to hurt a tiny rodent, but not a big kitty. You shouldn’t have to deal with the stress and problems from having mice in your home, so rest easy! Fluffy can continue his nightly prowls, and you can sleep peacefully with the knowledge that Barrier has your back and your cat! Reprinted with permission. u 9
May 8
Institute of Housing Management
48th Annual Educational Conference May 8 - 10, 2024 STRATFORD, ON Arden Park Hotel
Plan to Attend… IHM’s 48th Annual Educational Conference May 8 - 10, 2024 | Arden Park Hotel, Stratford Ontario We are excited for this year’s conference hosted in beautiful Stratford, Ontario. Home of the infamous Stratford Shakespeare Festival which dates back to 1953. During the months of May to October Stratford’s Festival season hosts a plethora of festivies for everone. Over 1.5 days, IHM provides an intimate setting of approximately 100 attendees from across Canada to learn of new strategies to help make their jobs easier in property management. In 2023, the following types of attendees joined us; • • • • • • • •
Housing and Property/Co-op Administrators Director of Housing/Community Facility Managers Housing and Property Managers Support Workers Maintenance Managers Tenant Services Coordinators Property Services Coordinators
By attending the conference, you will be able to make new connections and learn from not only the presenters, but the attendees themselves as they are encouraged to share stories and help each other with solutions. The 2024 conference will focus on building repair and management with all parties involved in property management. View Program Register Online
IHM News • Winter 2024
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Education
Course Completions in Property Management Administration
Human Relations
Welcome to IHM’s Newest Accredited Members
Patti Brown
Chris Castator
Natalie Belanger, AIHM
Ryan Campbell
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Amy Culf, AIHM
Chris Castator Katherine Howlett Harpreet Kaur Jennifer Leblanc William Mazariego Gregory With
Tenancy Law Patti Brown Christine Leblanc William Mazariego
Dina Delgrande, AIHM Anna Orlov, AIHM Stacey Sanelli, AIHM Elena Spinetti, AIHM
Lisa Moshonas
Shirley Yeung
Frank Prospero
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Finance
Maintenance
Margarita Navarrete de Garcia Brian Zidovec Dick Tse
Ryan Campbell Slobodanka Boba Popovic
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Eva Obi
INSTITUTE OF HOUSING MANAGEMENT
Calling All Property Managers… We know that a Property Manager’s job can be both challenging and interesting. How often have you come to work with your day all planned in your head only to have something unexpected come along? We are looking for some stories to share with your colleagues in the Property Management field. If you have an interesting story that you would be will to author, please contact the Newsletter Committee at info@ihmcanada.net
THE LEADER IN PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT EDUCATION
Accessible through at-home, in-class and on-line learning.
Start on your journey to the AIHM designation today! 416-493-7382 / 1-866-212-4377 • www.ihmcanada.net
IHM News • Winter 2024
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IHM News • Winter 2024
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2023-2024 IHM Board of Directors EXECUTIVE President Jimmy Mellor, FIHM Director of Operations, Precision Property Management 22 Goodmark Place, Suite 22, Toronto, ON M9W 6R2 Tel: 416-887-9253 | Fax: 416-675-0170 Email: jimmym@ppmgmt.ca
DIRECTORS Co-op Accreditation Program Member Ed Cipriani, FIHM ecpm@skylinc.net
Vice President Kevin McCann, FIHM Email: kevinmccann98@hotmail.com
Co-op Accreditation Program Member Phil Eram, B.Sc., FIHM Precision Property Management Inc. 22 Goodmark Place, Suite 22, Toronto, ON M9W 6R2 Tel: 416-675-2223 Email: pgsd@cogeco.ca
Secretary-Treasurer Conference Committee Chair Lynn Alexander, FIHM Region of Durham Housing Services P.O.Box 623, Whitby, ON L1N 6A3 Tel: 905-666-6222 | Fax: 905-666-6225 Email: Lynn.alexander@durham.ca
IHM Office:
Carolyne Vigon, Operations Manager Beth McKenzie, Program Manager
IHM News • Winter 2024
Communications Committee Member Tracey Csordas, AIHM Manager, Student Housing Programs Conestoga College Email: traceycsordas@yahoo.com
Membership/Marketing Committee Member, Conference Committee Member, Co-op Accreditation Program Member, Communications Committee Member Deborah Filice, MEd, RSSW, FIHM, CIHCM, CMMIII DAF Property Management Services Inc. Tel: 289-244-8269 Email: dfilice@dafpmservices.com
www.ihmcanada.net Communication Committee Chair Francesca Filice, B.A., AIHM Property Manager Victoria Park Community Homes Tel: 289-244-8059 | Email: ffilice@vpch.com Communication Committee Member Sandra Herrera, AIHM Email: windsor.ihm.sh@gmail.com Conference Committee Member Stacey Sanelli Precision Property Management Inc. 22 Goodmark Place, Suite 22, Toronto, ON M9W 6R2 Tel: 416-887-1251 | Email: staceys@ppmgmt.ca Membership/Marketing Committee Chair Marissa Zuliani, AIHM Property Management Solutions Inc. 3542 Walker Road, Windsor, ON N8W 3S4 Tel: 226-961-3323 Email: info@propertymanagementsolutions.ca
2800 14th Avenue, Suite 210, Markham, Ontario L3R 0E4 Tel: 416-493-7382 / 1-866-212-4377 • Fax: 416-491-1670 • Email: info@ihmcanada.net
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IHM Corporate Members Thank you to Appollo Pest Management, 2024 Event Sponsor and Corporate Member. Thank you to all IHM Corporate Members.
IHM News • Winter 2024
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